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Oversleeping on an important day, preparing group project at the last moment, trying to identify relatives during a family reunion – those are the problems that many of us can relate to. Although everyday struggles and minor inconveniences are usually extremely frustrating, with a positive approach they can transform into fun and absorbing adventures. And that’s exactly what we see in Little Problems: A Cozy Detective Game.
Little Problems invites players to delve into a world where detective work is about connecting with friends, understanding the small issues of daily life, and finding joy in the simplicity of resolution. We help Mary with various challenges spread throughout 10 distinct levels. This story is not about saving the world – it’s about enriching it, one little step at a time.
“It may come as a surprise how elaborate and challenging the puzzles are.”
Considering the casual attitude of the game, it may come as a surprise how elaborate and challenging the puzzles are. First, we search for hints in the form of names and significant words. Then we need to use our findings to complete stories from Mary’s diary. I applaud the creators’ creativity in implementing different scenarios – when you think about it, such events as family gatherings, music festivals, and (naturally) murder mystery parties can be the perfect backdrop for an investigation.
What’s more, each case has its own set of riddles that utilize basic word mechanic in unconventional ways, for example by giving you a task to decode animals’ speech.
As expected, the difficulty level rises with each case, putting player’s patience and perceptivity to the test. However, it is worth to point out that total completion is not required for further progression – after solving crucial puzzles you can just move to the next part and leave the rest for later. I had only one issue with the riddles, which was having to solve the names of main characters in each level – while I guess it could help with identifying others by process of elimination, it got kind of irritating after a while.
“After solving crucial puzzles you can just move to the next part and leave the rest for later.”
After the short introduction, we are presented with a cutscene that teases our future adventures. The transitions and little animations (also in later parts of the game) are smooth, the characters’ designs – cartoon and cute. The art style definitely adds charm to this title, creating the optimistic and friendly atmosphere, which is highlighted also by the music – although sometimes I preferred to mute it in order to be able to focus on the puzzles.
The idea of a wholesome detective game is not that revolutionary, as it was done before countless times. However, it is the execution of this concept that will show whether the game displays promise or not – and Little Problems: A Cozy Detective Game proved it can provide a solid experience that is both relaxing and challenging at the same time. So, to all gamer-detectives who want to stay away from gruesome scenarios and complex villainy – this one is for you.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Imaginative scenarios. | Music can be distractive at times. |
| Engaging and satisfying puzzles. | Repeated parts in each level. |
| Charming art style. | |
| Upbeat atmosphere. |
Review copy provided by the publisher
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