Voodoo Detective Switch NSP Free Download Romslab

Voodoo Detective Switch NSP Free Download Romslab You may have heard of a little game releasing on Switch this month – a point-and-click graphic adventure featuring Voodoo mysticism, set in the Caribbean and with music by Peter McConnell, composer on Monkey Island 2? That’s right! It’s Voodoo Detective, the magical, mystical debut from Short Sleeve Studio, hot on the heels of fan-craze juggernaut Return to Monkey Island. Timing-wise, this Switch release is like arriving at a fancy dress party with a rubber glove on your head and yoghurt pot on your nose, only to meet Mel Gibson wearing the rooster suit from Chicken Run. ROMSLAB.COM Best Switch Games

Voodoo Detective Switch NSP Free Download Romslab

However, having taken advantage of that particular monkey in the room for an intro paragraph, we can confess that Voodoo Detective is very much its own thing – not simply the comedy Caribbean voodoo graphic adventure a grandparent bought you by mistake. The setting is Zo Wanga Isle, an island increasingly overrun by tourists thanks to the growing commercial operations of a corrupt corporation, Island Ventures. Native Zowangians like Voodoo Detective (that’s his name – competing for silliness with his brother Donut Hole Billy) are squeezed by real estate development and profit-digging commerce, cashing in on the local climate and culture.

A rich story full of whimsy and intrigue!

It’s immediately apparent that the developers of this noir-infused comedy are ardent fans of classic adventure games. From the traditional point-and-click interface to the hand-drawn backgrounds and animations, Voodoo Detective blends influences from Monkey Island and Grim Fandango in a vibrant Voodoo love potion serenading the golden age of Sierra and LucasArts. The setting is New Ginen, a small island town with a rich Voodoo culture threatened by encroaching chain stores and tourists. You play as Voodoo Detective, a, er, Voodoo detective trying to keep his bills paid and the old ways alive by solving cases with his characteristic blend of hoodoo and wry sense of humor. Pokemon Lets Go Eevee Switch

Voodoo Detective Switch NSP Free Download Romslab

But when Mary, a mysterious woman with no memory of her past, enters his office, he’s swept up in a mystery that threatens not just the island but reality itself. You start with only one lead – a pendant Mary was given in a dream – but this connects you to various shady characters with ties to Mary’s past. I enjoyed exploring their backstories and potential motivations, but there ultimately isn’t much mystery to the culprit’s identity or Mary’s history, despite the enigmatic setup. The story doesn’t take itself too seriously, but the narrative soon careens wildly from a grounded, personal mystery into a more comically (and cosmically) villainous tale without resolving the former.

Hand-drawn backgrounds, animations, and user interface!

Short Sleeve’s game is a noir detective story with all the classic ingredients. Voodoo is a private investigator, a decent guy down on his luck and not helped by having a code of ethics in a rotten world. He’s cleverer than the world but not doing too well for it. Then, in walks the femme fatale, Mary, a woman seeking help but quick to remind you she’s your boss, no pushover despite her predicament of a lost memory and few leads to go on. The only noir story ingredient not needed here is the “noir” part, being – as any screenshot will show you – decidedly clair. Pokemon Let’s Go Pikachu

Voodoo Detective Switch NSP Free Download Romslab

The bright locales are not only vividly colourful but exceptionally transparent in showing what there is in the world for you to interact with and explore. This is, of course, a good thing in some ways – no scrabbling about the screen wondering what a fuzzy or over-stylised shape is supposed to be – but it also feels extremely earnest. Everything is displayed so literally and openly that there’s little left to the imagination. There’s no mystery, no half-glimpsed intrigue, no layers of depth from tantalising fringes of foregrounds to bustling backgrounds – everything’s just there on the screen for you to see at first glance.

High definition graphics!

This openness is reflected in the overall tone of the game, and without some darkness or a bit of an edge, it does feel like the humour struggles to really bite. When it could do with being cheeky – the small talk with a bored, rich wife interested in getting to know Mr. Detective, for example – things feel too strait-laced to make some fun out of it. It’s only because this was so full of promise that I was left hungry for a little more development of the world and characters overall, including Voodoo Detective himself. VD’s motivations are kept quite basic, and, though his hatred of the faceless corporate takeover of his hometown is apparent, he remains something of a mystery (even down to his name).

Voodoo Detective Switch NSP Free Download Romslab

This is most noticeable after significant dramatic developments, when his sardonic, world-weary attitude can register as emotional flatness. I was intrigued by the mention of his grandma, a Voodoo priestess, and the attention to cultural details, so more exploration of his roots and Voodoo connection would be welcome, especially with the game’s focus on cultural integrity. The dialogue is well-written and dryly humorous, brought to life by a strong, well-rounded voice cast; it’s just a shame there aren’t more dialogue tree options. The sassy back-and-forths between VD and Mary make sections where Mary is involved in the action especially enjoyable. Still, overall she is sadly underutilized, spending much of her time confined to her hotel room. Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Switch Rescue Team DX

Add-ons (DLC): Voodoo Detective Switch NSP