Review of the Detective Minerva Case

Developer: k148 Game Studio

Initial release date: June 6, 2024

Genres: Puzzle, Indie game, Adventure

Platforms: PlayStation 5, Microsoft Windows, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Series S

Publisher: JanduSoft

As a child, you think it’s all just continuous fun, rolling over car bonnets and sprinting across rooftops. If that’s not the case, it’s about drinking whiskey, downing coffee, and mumbling that you’re “too old for this” while trying to solve a case in 48 hours.

In actuality, there is evidence analysis, documentation, and crowd control.

Get ready to solve some cases

That last section—gathering evidence and scheduling it—is precisely the focus of the Detective Minerva Case. The first game in the series is DETECTIVE: Stella Porta Case, and this is the second.

The first game in this series was fun, and I liked how it combined a crazy sci-fi plot with everyday police job. However, the time period and environment of Detective Minerva Case are different.

In 2068, everything in the globe has a cyberpunk appearance. As the investigator, you have a string of killings to look into. With the release of its latest AI, Minerva, by the massive corporation Luna Corps, it might all be connected. In order to follow up on the leads, you visit a number of places, taking in the street scene and eventually making your way to a big office filled with computer servers.

Once more, the plot and the process of piecing together all the pieces using narrative and evidence are commendable. Detective Minerva Case has two distinct endings, both of which have a spectacular conclusion. Note that there is a problem in the second ending that requires you to select a different language in order to finish it.

Much material to go through

You play Detective Minerva Case in first person, maintaining that viewpoint throughout the entire game. Additionally, it has essentially two modes.

When you first get to the crime scene, you have to search the entire area for a number of clues. These often consist of ten to fifteen pieces of evidence that are stashed somewhere and need to be collected. They may be large objects like a lifeless body that can provide you with information, or they could be tiny things like a USB drive that fell to the ground behind the couch. Finding everything requires you to have your sharpest eyes on you, yet the hunt is a fun and compulsive activity.

The police station serves as the setting for the second half of the game. This is when you are shown a whiteboard containing all of the proof you gathered. The next step is for you to arrange the evidence in a chronological order that makes sense for the case at hand. As you consider all the hints and information you have gathered, this can be both quite interesting and challenging. You’ll notice that the clues are arranged in the correct order next to the board timeframes, which will be helpful.

The graphics in Detective Minerva Case are nicely done, particularly when you’re gazing out the window, seeing the sun peeking through, or taking in the cyberpunk cityscapes. Additionally, there is a good variety of settings, including both indoor and outdoor spaces. The computers and paperwork both exhibit excellent and creative attention to detail.

How timelines operate

It implies that if you enjoyed DETECTIVE: Stella Porta Case, you would enjoy DETECTIVE: Minerva Case as well. Because you can finish the game in less than an hour and earn 1000 Gamerscore in the process, it is a quick and sweet gameplay experience that is both captivating and addictive.

Review Overview

Gameplay – 83%

Story – 88%

Aesthetics – 85%

Content – 80%

Accessibility – 78%

Value – 84%

Overall Rating – 84%

Very Good

Summary: Aside from weird bugs and a lack of challenge, Detective Minerva Case’s new stories should be enjoyable.