There's nothing like curling up in bed with a good mystery.
![Leclue Leclue](https://www.appunwrapper.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/img_9339.jpg)
That's doubly true for mystery games on the Nintendo Switch. Jenny LeClue: Detectivu is a vibrant, stylish point-and-click adventure from indie studio Mografi that will inevitably keep you up past your bedtime. A consistently intriguing story, varied yet approachable gameplay, and surprisingly nuanced characters set this detective story apart from the pack.
Jenny Leclue 2
Our story opens with a harried author, Arthur K. Finklestein, pestered by his editor to spice up his wholesome Nancy Drew-ish mystery series. For the 38th book in the series, Jenny won't track down missing kittens or misplaced diaries — instead, she'll find herself tasked with solving a real-deal murder, after one of Arthurton's most prominent men winds up dead under shady circumstances. And this time, the fate of her family and friends hangs in the balance. These opening scenes establish Jenny LeClue's tone right off the bat — wry, self-aware, and thankfully never too pleased with its own cleverness.
Jenny LeClue also frequently looks amazing, with vivid colors, tons of clever background details, and heaps of ominous, autumnal atmosphere. The animation, simple but expressive, gets a big assist from clever lighting, evocative sound design, and a camera that cinematically zooms in and out to highlight details or let you drink in the scale of.
- Jenny LeClue is an adventure game developed and published by Mografi. It was released for iOS, Microsoft Windows, macOS, and Linux in September 2019, and will be released for PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch later in 2019.
- “Detectiving and choosiness” is what indie mystery narrative game Jenny LeClue: Detectivu is about. Its development began after it was fully funded on Kickstarter by over $105,000 in August of 2015, and while it is available for demo at GDC 2019 and boasts a free playable teaser online, it is still slated for release at some point in 2019.
Cuteness and complexity
Blend old-school LucasArts adventure games in the vein of Monkey Island with elements of Detroit: Become Human, and top it off with a generous drizzle of Gravity Falls, and you've got Jenny LeClue. This isn't a twitchy, action-packed experience but a more leisurely journey that foregrounds storytelling and character development. It's the kind of game that lives or dies by its plot, places, and personalities. Thankfully, they're endearing from the start and remain rock-solid throughout the game's 10+ hour runtime.
One of the standout mechanics in Jenny LeClue: Detectivu is how player choice shapes the protagonist's interactions other characters in the story. Logic pro x 10 2 3. Your responses to some 70 prompts scattered throughout the game — some of which are missable — will be ranked across three spectrums. Those choices will lead to Jenny taking on one of eight distinct personality types, which add shade and color story while not wholly changing the overall outcome. They impact what happens to Jenny's creator, too.
Characters will remember your actions and responses, and potentially give you heat for them later. For instance, early on you're given the option to 'be really mean' to another kid by referencing her dad's wandering eye. If you take this option, you'll be scolded for your thoughtlessness a couple hours later. These numerous choice-driven tweaks are handled in a way that feels natural while still keeping the prospect of a second playthrough enticing.
Jenny's not just another precocious tween detective, but a character of genuine substance, whose prickly and analytical exterior masks a sincerely relatable sadness. From the peppy cheerleader with a secret to the dweeb in the mascot suit, there's more to all of the town's oddball inhabitants than intially meets the eye. The town of Arthurton is a memorable character in its own right, with the sun-dappled autumnal vibes of Gumbolt University giving way to the spooky-ooky blend of fog and pastries that is Lake Noware. There's quite a lot to explore, and it's easy to miss some of the more subtle details and optional content as you're merrily breezing your way through the plot.
The visuals are a big draw of Jenny LeClue, and the cheerful papercraft atmosphere makes it the sort of thing that will likely prompt curious family members to peer over your shoulder. The Switch version has fully voiced audio and does away with the text boxes of the orginal Steam / Apple Arcade release, making it look that much more sleek and streamlined.
Chill gameplay with surprising depth
In addition to exploring all the nooks and crannies of Arthurton and solving the occasional puzzle, you'll need to piece together clues and evidence in order to advance the story. This typically takes two forms — interrogating a character or investigating Jenny's surroundings. Microsoft excel 2019 16 24 inch.
During an interrogation, you'll be prompted several times to choose one of two dialogue options. Depending on which you pick, you'll alter Jenny's character, as indicated in the 'Choosiness' tab of her journal. When investigating a person or an area, you'll need to scan the area for clues, pressing Y to zoom in with your trusty magnifying glass. It's reminiscent of the Connor sequences that were the strongest aspects of 2018's Detroit: Become Human — without all that Quantic Dream baggage.
While the function of the magnifying glass is usually quite clearly telegraphed, on a few occasions I found it wasn't at all clear where I should look next. Younger — or in my case, dumber — players might grow frustrated that there isn't a hint option after a couple minutes of head-scratching. While the 'Case Files' section of Jenny's journal is clearly meant to prevent these kind of moments, it doesn't always live up to that promise of usefulness. Some little atmospheric cues and nudges would go a long way in these instances. That said, the vast majority of these puzzles shine with accessible whimsy and witty touches that will keep you eager to discover the next wrinkle in the case.
If you're a fan of the point-and-click genre and sharp storytelling, give Jenny LeClue: Detectivu a look. It's bursting with personality, a delightful escape from reality, and a dang good value at under $25 for the Switch edition. 8/10
Jenny Le Clue: Detectivu is out now on Nintendo Switch.
INVERSE VIDEO GAME REVIEW ETHOS: When it comes to video games, Inverse values a few qualities that other sites may not. For instance, we care about hours over money. Many new AAA games have similar costs, which is why we value the experience of playing more than price comparisons. We don’t value grinding and fetch quests as much as games that make the most out of every level. We also care about the in-game narrative more than most. If the world of a video game is rich enough to foster sociological theories about its government and character backstories, it’s a game we won’t be able to stop thinking about, no matter its price or popularity. We won’t punch down. We won’t evaluate an indie game in the same way we will evaluate a AAA game that’s produced by a team of thousands. We review games based on what’s available in our consoles at the time. For instance, we won’t hold it against a video game if its online mode isn’t perfect at launch. And finally, we have very little tolerance for junk science. (Magic is always OK.)
Jenny LeClue – Detectivu (2019)
Jenny LeClue is a thrilling story of mystery, adventure and growing up. Set in the sleepy town of Arthurton, the game is filled with memorable, complex characters and rendered in a unique aesthetic.
Embrace the choosiness and shape the metanarrative. You are not the only guiding hand shaping Jenny’s destiny, but your choices will help her unravel the tangled mystery and become the detective she was born to be.
Jenny gets more than she bargains for when her mother is accused of murder, and begins an unexpected journey to find the truth.
She soon discovers the idyllic town of Arthurton is not what it seems, and unseen forces will stop at nothing to keep Jenny from the truth. She will need all her skills of deduction to find the real killer and clear her mother’s name.
A pocket-sized heroine on a big quest for justice:
Jenny is a brilliant young detective, sharp eyed, intuitive and a ruthless pursuer of the truth. She is able to look around during dialogue scenes, observing the subject for visible clues that might reveal their guilt or innocence that would otherwise go undetected.
Jenny is a brilliant young detective, sharp eyed, intuitive and a ruthless pursuer of the truth. She is able to look around during dialogue scenes, observing the subject for visible clues that might reveal their guilt or innocence that would otherwise go undetected.
A beautiful handmade world, packed with secrets:
A sleek, gorgeous hand drawn world with vintage mid-20th century aesthetics and mystery squished into every corner. There’s so much to interact with, and players who poke and prod at every last thing are rewarded with insight, secrets, and humor.
A sleek, gorgeous hand drawn world with vintage mid-20th century aesthetics and mystery squished into every corner. There’s so much to interact with, and players who poke and prod at every last thing are rewarded with insight, secrets, and humor.
Busycontacts 1 3 2. A story within a story, where your choosiness matters:
Jenny LeClue weaves a rich metanarrative around a rich story exploring themes of family, loss, and identity. The “author” of Jenny’s adventures, Arthur K Finklestein, acts as narrator and guide, but his presence also allows you to make choices that change the way Jenny’s story is written. These choices may even affect Finklestein’s own story.
Jenny LeClue weaves a rich metanarrative around a rich story exploring themes of family, loss, and identity. The “author” of Jenny’s adventures, Arthur K Finklestein, acts as narrator and guide, but his presence also allows you to make choices that change the way Jenny’s story is written. These choices may even affect Finklestein’s own story.
A Diverse Cast Of Characters & Locations:
Explore Arthurton’s expansive world including the abandoned mines, the forgotten graveyard, Lake Noware, and Gumboldt’s Library. Jenny will meet an array of intriguing and suspicious characters who could help or hinder her on her quest for the truth.
Explore Arthurton’s expansive world including the abandoned mines, the forgotten graveyard, Lake Noware, and Gumboldt’s Library. Jenny will meet an array of intriguing and suspicious characters who could help or hinder her on her quest for the truth.
Jenny Leclue Detectivu
Developer’s Note:
This is game one of a planned two game story arc. Jenny LeClue – Detectivu is a complete game experience, like a season of a TV show. Yes, there is a cliffhanger at the end, as it is a mystery story, but there are also conclusions to be made. In addition, we will take the player choices into account and they will influence the way we as the developer create the 2nd game. We hope you enjoy! =]
This is game one of a planned two game story arc. Jenny LeClue – Detectivu is a complete game experience, like a season of a TV show. Yes, there is a cliffhanger at the end, as it is a mystery story, but there are also conclusions to be made. In addition, we will take the player choices into account and they will influence the way we as the developer create the 2nd game. We hope you enjoy! =]