Detective games are a broad genre that includes any game where you hunt for clues, solve puzzles and use logic and deduction skills. And as someone who grew up on crime TV shows and with firm belief that I could be an FBI agent too, detective games have always been a favorite. They do exactly what a TV show does, except I don’t have to yell who the murderer is at the screen, I can just… solve the thing myself.
So if you’re like me and you too believe you’d make an excellent FBI agent, take a look at some of the best detective games ever made.
And because I played so many (and I’d like to tell you all about them), I’ve split this list into several sections, to make things easier, so you can just go straight into what you’d prefer.
- Legendary detective games — If you’re new to the genre, these are the games you have to look into first. They’re all legendary must-plays, and I guarantee you’ll love them!
- Best detective puzzle games — If you prefer to get to the puzzles as quickly as possible or just like games that are less storyline-focused, check these out.
- Best story-driven detective games — But if you’re the opposite and you love a good story and want to be taken on a journey (maybe even get fewer puzzles), these are for you.
- Best atmospheric detective games — Though vibes are amazing in all the games on this list, my favorite atmospheric games are here.
- Best detective games on mobile — If you don’t have time to sit at a PC or PlayStation to play, or just want something on the go, I found some high quality mobile detective games (and most are free).
- — In case you played most or all of the above, I recommend looking into this list.
- Free detective games — If your budget is tight or you just don’t feel like spending, check out some free detective games.
Editor’s Note: I update this list periodically to add any new detective games I played or if anything changes with the games that are already on this list. If you have any favorites you don’t see here, please leave a comment below and I’ll try to play it as soon as possible.
Legendary Detective Games
These are the games you shouldn’t miss. Of course, you might have played them all, and in that case feel free to skip to the next section, but if you’re new to this genre and would like to start off with the best of the best, these are my absolute favorite, must-play detective games.
Disco Elysium
| Where can you play it? | PC, PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, mobile |
| How much it costs | ~$40, but goes on sale often + first 4 chapters free on mobile |
| How long to beat | Anywhere from 20 to 60 hours depending on how you play |
| Free on subscriptions? | Yes, on PS Plus and Xbox cloud gaming |
I refused to play Disco Elysium for the longest time because of all the hype surrounding it. Yes, I knew everyone said that it was a masterpiece, and yes, I do know I’m incredibly stubborn, thank you very much. But once I was able to get over myself, and finally played this game, it literally blew me away.
The best way to do it, if you ask me, is to go in blind. In case you need some info in advance, here it is — in Disco Elysium you play a detective in a gritty city where you get to interrogate various characters, solve murders, and basically choose your own path. There’s really so many choices and things you can do; from sweet-talking your way somewhere, to intimidating people, to taking bribes.
You won’t go through the game via combat, like you might expect but more so through dialogue that can feel very deep and philosophical at times, but also funny. The best advice I can give you is to just play it.
That said, if you like fast-paced games and being “active” when playing, this is likely not a game for you, and you might find it boring. I would still recommend trying the 4 free chapters on your phone just in case it may be to your taste after all.
L.A. Noire
| Where can you play it? | PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and PC |
| How much it costs | 19,99€ (but it goes on discount often) |
| How long to beat | Around 30 hours, but it depends on how you play |
| Free on subscriptions? | Yes, if you have a GTA+ membership already |
If you’ve ever seen a noir movie before, even just via Home Alone, you must have wanted to be a PI or a detective before. No? Just me?
Well anyways, LA Noire is worth playing whether you like this time period or not, and I definitely do. The jazz clubs, the cigarette smoke, the guns, the suits, the crime. It’s all so exciting and fun. And you get to run around LA solving cases big and small, reading faces to see if someone is lying to you and diving deeper into its seedy underbelly.
Fair warning that this game is a little older, maybe a little slow paced, and while it does a great job at making you feel like you’re solving everything, it’s not like the most complex detective story ever. But again, if you want to feel like a true 1940s detective, there’s no beating LA Noire.
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy
| Where can you play it? | PC, PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and mobile |
| How much it costs | Around $30 (but this one is also often discounted) |
| How long to beat | About 60 hours |
| Free on subscriptions? | No |
So far the games on this list have been revolving around detectives, but why don’t you try being an attorney? In Ace Attorney, you get to defend clients who are almost always innocent, and blow the prosecution’s case away by examining evidence and testimonies. It may sound more limiting than Disco Elysium, for example, but it really isn’t.
You get a bunch of emotional, and some surprisingly funny stories, and you get to feel super cool as your character says objection! to something in court. The first two cases might be a bit boring while you get into how everything works, but then everything gets more exciting, and you’ll be hooked.
Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc
| Where can you play it? | Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox, PC, mobile |
| How much it costs | $15 to $19 but often on sale |
| How long to beat | About 20 hours |
| Free on subscriptions? | No |
This one is kind of a visual novel, where you and a bunch of other characters, who are all ultimate something (like the best of the best at, I don’t know, swimming or science), get trapped in a school and someone must kill someone and get away with it for you all to be released.
Now, you do get to move around and explore to gather evidence to shoot down someone’s alibi, but there’s also a lot of reading sections, and then some sections where you’re just meant to hang out if you want to. You get to give coins to other characters to be more friendly with them and have them swayed to your side. And then there’s the trials where you actually put everything together.
Not all the characters are the most developed, mostly because they die quickly, and again, this is a visual novel, so not the most “active” gameplay, but it’s a thoroughly enjoyable detective game if you just want to solve some murders and use logic and deduction.
Return of the Obra Dinn
| Where can you play it? | PC, PlayStation 4 and 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox |
| How much it costs | From $20 to $25 depending on platform (more expensive on PS) |
| How long to beat | 7 to 12 hours, depending on how many fates you want to solve |
| Free on subscriptions? | No |
Return of the Obra Dinn is a classic of the detective genre, and probably one of the best detective games you can play. Let me paint a picture — a ship called Obra Dinn, filled with goods, never arrives at its destination and is believed to be lost at sea. But then five years later it just floats into a harbor with no crew and only slightly damaged, and your job (as the insurance investigator for the East India company), is to figure it out.
The art style is so unique, and the puzzles and mysteries make you feel like a genius when you finally figure them out. My one piece of advice is not to look anything up because it’s way more fun if you go into it blindly and use your own logic to solve things.
Her Story
| Where can you play it? | PC, Xbox, mobile |
| How much it costs | Around $2 on mobile, to around $10 on Steam (with discounts often) |
| How long to beat | About 2 or 3 hours (good for a rainy afternoon) |
| Free on subscriptions? | Google Play Pass |
Her Story is more of an interactive movie, and to me at least was a bit of a laid-back experience, but I really enjoyed snooping through videos and piecing things together. It felt almost like watching a TV show where you get to actively participate.
In this one, you’re sitting in front of an old PC, and you’re meant to watch videos of interviews with an actress and band member Viva Seifert. She’s being interviewed about her missing husband, and you can look up keywords to see video clips that include those keywords and see what she says. I’m not sure I’m explaining it right, but it’s a really fun game.
Keep a notebook on you while playing, so you can write down all the keywords you tried and make any notes you may have about what you’ve seen so far. And pay attention to what’s happening visually, not just what she says. Have fun!
Best Detective Puzzle Games
If you’re a fan of puzzles, and want them tricky, the games below are for you. This doesn’t mean that the games are entirely without a storyline, but more that it takes a step back so the mechanics are more front and centre.
The Case of the Golden Idol and Rise of the Golden Idol
| Where can you play it? | PC, PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox, Switch, mobile |
| How much it costs | Around $20, depending on platform; first few chapters free on mobile, and fully free with a Netflix subscription |
| How long to beat | 6 to 7 hours |
| Free on subscriptions? | Netflix, Xbox Cloud Gaming |
These games put you right in the middle of 11 murder scenes as you track what happened to an ancient artifact and how each owner died. You’re basically in a few freeze frame scenes where you’re meant to find clues and then figure out how it all fits together. I found it a bit challenging personally, remembering faces and names in particular, but not so much that I wanted to quit.
Both of these games are probably best played in a single sitting (this is not a problem, you can finish them in around 6 hours), just because it’ll be fresher in your mind. I recommend trying it first on mobile since you can get the first few chapters for free and see if you like it. In general it’s cheaper on mobile than on other platforms, so just get it there if you end up liking the controls.
Blue Prince
| Where can you play it? | PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox, Nintendo Switch |
| How much it costs | $30 |
| How long to beat | 90+ hours to solve everything, but this really depends on how much time each puzzle takes you |
| Free on subscriptions? | Xbox Game Pass, PlayStation Extra and Premium |
Blue Prince is a puzzle game if there ever was one. It’s also very hard and you can hit a wall easily; I found myself without a clue on what to do next several times (and I’m not ashamed to admit it), almost rage-quit a few times, but endured just because I’m stubborn about these things. It’s good, I’ll give it that, but frustrating.
In Blue Prince, you enter a mansion and you’re supposed to find room 46 which seems easy enough. Only the rooms change constantly and each decision you make could take you on a different path. One thing to note is that even if you found the room and the credits rolled, you’re not quite done yet. I recommend checking this tracker to see where you are in the game, because there are extra clues and things you collect along the way that could lead you to something bigger.
Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective
| Where can you play it? | PC, Switch, PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox, mobile |
| How much it costs | $30 but you can also try a free demo |
| How long to beat | Around 10 hours |
| Free on subscriptions? | No |
If you’re tired of solving other people’s murders and problems, how about solving your own? This is what Ghost Trick does — you wake up as a ghost with no memories or knowledge how you got killed, and you have until sunrise to figure it all out. To do that, you have to solve puzzles and use your new puzzles of the undead, like possessing objects or turning back time.
I really enjoyed the fresh perspective of Ghost Trick, and the funny characters. I found it perhaps a little short, but the puzzles can get really challenging and the story is also twisty enough to keep you going.
The Roottrees Are Dead
| Where can you play it? | PC or the original itch.io version (for free) |
| How much it costs | Around $20 or free (for the browser version, the original) |
| How long to beat | Around 8 hours |
| Free on subscriptions? | Free on itch.io, not on any subscriptions |
Okay, so this one is also pretty unique. A big rich family (the Roottrees) have died in an airplane crash (mother, father, three girls), and an eccentric uncle is left to distribute their wealth to the remaining relatives. Now, you’d expect your main job is to solve the plane crash but it isn’t — it’s actually to figure out who is a blood relative and who isn’t.
Because of that, it kind of felt gossipy and cyberstalking-ish to me (in a fun way). Of course you only have dial-up which makes things harder but oh well. I highly recommend this if you like to closely examine text to find clues and if you want a hint system that won’t just hand over solutions, but instead point you sort of in the right direction.
The Forgotten City
| Where can you play it? | PC, PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch |
| How much it costs | $30 |
| How long to beat | Around 10 hours |
| Free on subscriptions? | No |
Instead of 1940s or the 1800s, The Forgotten City takes you more than 2000 years into the past, to The Roman Empire, where you’re stuck in a time loop in a cursed city and you have to solve a mystery. You get combat in this one, but often the better way to solve things is to intimidate, charm, or manipulate your way out of trouble.
Funnily enough, this game started as a mod for The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, and then it grew so popular it was reworked into its own game (expanded and in a different world, though). The puzzles are on the lighter side here (or at least that was my experience), but they’re also very satisfying to solve. I’d suggest turning off all tips and quest markers if you want to make things harder on yourself.
Best Story-Driven Detective Games
If you prefer your detective games with a good storyline, where the mysteries of the characters are just as, if not more entertaining than the puzzles, these are the games for you. Some of these might have fewer puzzles or just lighter ones, easier to solve, though that’s not the case for all of them.
The Séance of Blake Manor
| Where can you play it? | PC |
| How much it costs | Around $20, with a free demo |
| How long to beat | Around 15 hours |
| Free on subscriptions? | No |
In this game, you’re an Irish private investigator called to a manor where a guest went missing. It turns out all the guests have gathered for All Hallow’s Eve to hold a seance and speak to the dead. Your job is to question people and investigate in the hopes of saving the missing guest.
I loved the art style of this game! It’s designed to look like a comic book, and something about it really worked for me. I also loved the gentle hints on what to do next, like the detective saying they should focus on something or that they’re finished with a room, which was a very unintrusive way to sort of nudge you in the right direction. Every time you solve something, the clock moves by one minute, and every hour the people you can talk to and rooms you can access change, which I found very creative. There’s a lot of dialogue too!
Nobody Wants to Die
| Where can you play it? | PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox |
| How much it costs | $25 |
| How long to beat | Around 6 hours |
| Free on subscriptions? | No |
Instead of taking you to the past, Nobody Wants to Die takes you to the future (2329) New York where your character takes on an off-the-books case from his chief, and only has the help of a young police liaison. Your job is to track down a serial killer who is targeting the city’s elite, and you get to used some advanced technology (like time manipulation augmentation).
This game looks stunning, there’s no other way to describe it. I really loved the futuristic noir vibes, and it reminded me of shows like Altered Carbon a lot. That said, don’t expect shooting or anything particularly long. This is a relatively short game where your main job is to investigate, and that’s about it.
The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles
| Where can you play it? | Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and 5, and PC |
| How much it costs | $40 |
| How long to beat | Anywhere from 60 to 80 hours |
| Free on subscriptions? | No |
If you enjoyed the Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney Trilogy, try following the adventures of his ancestor Ryunosuke, an attorney in late 19th century England and Japan. This one may be even more beloved than the Phoenix Wright trilogy, so it’s definitely worth a try if you haven’t played it.
The concept is pretty much the same, with more deduction and less forensics, but you still get to yell “objection!” in court, which is nice. I played this one on my SteamDeck and it was a great experience, no issues at all. Plus, the music is fantastic!
Best Served Cold
| Where can you play it? | PC, Switch, PlayStation, Xbox |
| How much it costs | Around $20 but you can also play a free demo |
| How long to beat | About 12 hours |
| Free on subscriptions? | No (but again, the demo is free) |
This one has quite a unique concept — you play a bar owner of the last speakeasy in town and as you serve drinks, you listen to the stories of your customers and try to piece together the mystery while trying to also save your bar. As you can imagine, this game is mostly dialogue, but I found the cases really fun and engaging.
The art is beautiful, the characters grow and change over chapters, and even the drinks minigame is fun. So I highly recommend this one if you want a good story and good writing.
Pentiment
| Where can you play it? | PC, Switch, PlayStation, Xbox |
| How much it costs | $20 |
| How long to beat | 25 hours |
| Free on subscriptions? | Yes, on Game Pass (Xbox and PC) |
If you’re looking for excellent writing and a good story that feels like a novel, this game is it. Pentiment is set in a small town in the 16th century, and you basically follow the lives of characters over a period of 30 years. It’s a very slow-paced, slow burn kind of experience, with very little gameplay, but where your choices matter. It explores the themes of grief, guilt, redemption and has plenty of difficult moral choices (some of which may stump you, be warned).
I loved the art style and the atmosphere of it, it was so engaging. It runs wonderfully on Steam Deck and it’s very different from anything you played before.
Chicken Police: Paint It RED!
| Where can you play it? | PC, PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox, Switch, mobile |
| How much it costs | $20 (but it’s like $5 on mobile) |
| How long to beat | 7 to 10 hours |
| Free on subscriptions? | No |
I first heard of this game by watching some interviews with the actress who played Lae’Zel in Baldur’s Gate 3, as the sequel to this game was her new project, and while I thought the game concept sounded ridiculous, I couldn’t help but give it a try. Bear with me, this one is definitely worth playing!
In Chicken Police, you follow two rooster detectives as they solve a conspiracy in this noir world. And while the main mystery is large-scale, you also get some intimate stories of different characters. This game features a fully voiced cast, so there’s that too.
Lacuna
| Where can you play it? | PC, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch |
| How much it costs | $15 (often drops to like $1) |
| How long to beat | Anywhere from 4 to 10 hours |
| Free on subscriptions? | No |
This is one of those games where the puzzles are not that challenging at all, and it’s more of an interactive movie than anything else. So you can kick back and enjoy the story without using too much brain power to solve things.
Lacuna is done in pixel art style, and it looks really good too. There are twists and turns in the story all the time, which I found really enjoyable. Lacuna is set in a futuristic world where you’re the detective investigating a murder that could turn the whole solar system upside down.
Best Atmospheric Detective Games
While all of the games on this list offer excellent atmosphere, as detective games often do, these are the ones that I would say are the most atmospheric, and the most engaging.
Strange Horticulture / Strange Antiquities
| Where can you play it? | PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, mobile |
| How much it costs | Around $15, but the demos for both are free and on mobile it’s only $5 |
| How long to beat | Around 10 hours (for each game) |
| Free on subscriptions? | No (but again, demos are free, and it’s very cheap on mobile) |
I would definitely call these games cozy rather than thrilling, though you still have a mystery to solve. My point is that I never felt rushed while playing or like I can make a mistake that would cost me an ending, which is lovely after playing some of the more stressful titles.
In Strange Horticulture, you’re the owner of a plant shop called Strange Horticulture, and as customers come in, you get involved in an occult mystery. While solving the mystery, you also get to explore the world, find new plants, and then use their effects to help you with the mystery. Strange Antiquities is pretty similar, you just own a store filled with — well, strange antiquities. You also own a cat in this one!
So, if you’re looking for cozy games with some mystery to them and excellent vibes, these two are it.
The Vanishing of Ethan Carter
| Where can you play it? | PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch |
| How much it costs | Around $20 |
| How long to beat | Around 5 hours |
| Free on subscriptions? | No |
This game was inspired by weird fiction of the early 20th century and you can really tell. You play as the detective who receives a letter from a boy who might be in danger, but when you go to help him, he’s already vanished. So now you have to find him and also solve some murders. There is no combat or action in this, even the puzzles aren’t all that difficult; you mainly use your powers of observation to figure things out and see the story happen.
I really loved this one for how intriguing it was and how ultimately relaxing it felt to play it. But if you need more action, this won’t be your jam.
Voodoo Detective
| Where can you play it? | PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, mobile |
| How much it costs | $10 ($5 on mobile) |
| How long to beat | Around 5 hours |
| Free on subscriptions? | No, but you can play it on Viverse for free (browser version) |
This is a point-and-click adventure where you’re the detective on an island with big Voodoo culture. The cast is fully voiced, and the game itself is full of humor and self-awareness. I found it incredibly fun and amusing, not too challenging, but very atmospheric. It helps that the art is hand-drawn too.
I’d give it a try if you want something silly but still entertaining. You can play it for free on Viverse, on mobile for $5 or get it on PC or consoles, so there are plenty of options.
Best Detective Games on Mobile
Duskwood
| Where can you play it? | Mobile (or PC via Google Play Store) |
| How much it costs | Free |
| How long to beat | Around 35 hours |
| Free on subscriptions? | Fully free on mobile app stores |
In Duskwood, you’re thrown into the middle of a chilling case where a woman named Hannah has gone missing, and her friends are trying to figure out what happened. You play through the story via text messages and chat conversations, and even creepy calls. Your decisions shape the outcome, and each choice could lead to new discoveries or dead ends.
The game is free to download and mostly ad-supported, but the ads are minimal and didn’t disrupt my gameplay too much. There’s no energy system to worry about, so you can dive into the story at your own pace without worrying about waiting for resources to replenish.
While it does have in-app purchases (like hint packs and extra content), they’re not pushed in your face. You can progress without spending a dime, and the purchases are just there if you want a little extra help or faster progression.
An Elmwood Trail
| Where can you play it? | Mobile (or PC via Google Play Store or itch.io) |
| How much it costs | Free |
| How long to beat | 4 to 6 hours |
| Free on subscriptions? | Fully free on mobile app stores |
In An Elmwood Trail you play as a detective investigating the disappearance of Zoey Leonard, an 18-year-old who went missing in the strange, forest-adjacent town of Riverstone. You’ll do all of this by using your phone, messaging people, watching videos, making calls, looking through photos, etc.
One of the best parts is that there’s no energy system slowing you down. You can play the whole thing without waiting for bars to refill. Ads are rare and mainly pop up if you use hints, so they won’t interrupt your gameplay. The game also offers some optional in-app purchases, like the ability to remove ads or unlock bonus content called “Sidetrails,” but they’re not pushy. You can enjoy the entire main story without spending a cent.
If you want more info about it, you can see my full review here.
Tiny Room Stories: Town Mystery
| Where can you play it? | Mobile, PC (on Steam) |
| How much it costs | Free on mobile, around $8 on Steam |
| How long to beat | Around 10 hours |
| Free on subscriptions? | Fully free on mobile app stores |
In Tiny Room Stories: Town Mystery you play as a detective returning to your hometown, only to find it eerily empty. Your job is to piece together what happened by solving puzzles, exploring 3D environments, and unlocking hidden secrets.
This game is ad-supported, but the ads are minimal and don’t disrupt the flow. You might see one between chapters or when restarting a level, but that’s about it. No energy system here — thankfully! You can play at your own pace without waiting for a bar to refill. There are in-app purchases, but they’re not in your face. You can buy hints or skip puzzles if you’re stuck, but it’s not a requirement to progress.
Scriptic
| Where can you play it? | Mobile, PC (on Steam) |
| How much it costs | Free on mobile |
| How long to beat | 15 to 20 hours for everything |
| Free on subscriptions? | Fully free on mobile app stores |
I really enjoyed playing this one on my phone, and I’m sure you will too. The concept is pretty similar to Duskwood and An Elmwood Trail, in that you do the detective job through an in-game phone, but in this one you can be a detective, a 911 dispatcher, a hostage negotiator, a judge, and more. You can even do romance, which was surprising to me.
Anyways, this one gives you plenty of choices, and plenty of mysteries which you can enjoy at your own pace. I haven’t found any of them particularly hard, but they’re definitely fun to do, so give it a try. While the game itself is free, there are in-app purchases (up to $40) but there are no ads. A quick note that the latest updates seem to have AI-generated elements in them, so if that’s a deal breaker for you, just skip this one.
Criminal Case
| Where can you play it? | Mobile, PC (on Steam) |
| How much it costs | Free on mobile |
| How long to beat | 28 to 30 hours |
| Free on subscriptions? | Fully free on mobile app stores |
Criminal Case is a classic in the detective game genre, and for good reason. You join the Grimsborough police to solve crimes by finding hidden objects, analyzing clues, and interrogating suspects. It’s a bit like playing CSI, but from the comfort of your phone.
The game does have an energy system, but it’s pretty generous. You can also earn it by completing tasks. Ads are there, but they’re mostly optional (like watching one for extra energy), so they don’t feel intrusive. In-app purchases exist for boosts and energy refills, but you can easily enjoy the game without spending a dime.
Nobodies: Murder Cleaner
| Where can you play it? | Mobile, PC (on Steam) |
| How much it costs | Free on mobile |
| How long to beat | Around 5 hours |
| Free on subscriptions? | Fully free on mobile app stores |
In Nobodies: Murder Cleaner, you’re not solving crimes — you’re covering them up instead. Working for a shady government agency, your task is to dispose of bodies and evidence without leaving a trace. You’ll need to think creatively to clean up each crime scene, often using tools and items in unexpected ways. It’s quirky, darkly funny, and surprisingly satisfying.
This game is free to play, with the occasional ad when transitioning between levels. The ads are short and not invasive, so they won’t ruin your experience. There’s no energy system, meaning you can play as much as you want in one sitting. In-app purchases are available for hints, but you’ll rarely feel the need to buy them.
Hidden Gem Detective Games You Have to Try
If you want some unconventional, unique detective games that people rarely talk about, this list is for you.
Duck Detective: The Secret Salami
| Where can you play it? | PC, PlayStation, Xbox, mobile, Switch |
| How much it costs | $10, but free on mobile |
| How long to beat | Around 3 hours |
| Free on subscriptions? | No, but it’s free on mobile |
Weirdly, another bird-themed detective game on this list (what is it that makes birds such good detectives?). This one is about a duck detective, though, and much lighter than Chicken Police. Duck Detective is surprisingly funny and fully voiced, with a relatively easy mystery within it.
And while you can tell it’s for an older audience, I had a blast playing it with my kids too, with them chiming in here and there. Fun little game to enjoy when you don’t have much time!
Frog Detective Series
| Where can you play it? | PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch |
| How much it costs | Under $15 for three games |
| How long to beat | Around 5 hours for all games |
| Free on subscriptions? | No |
This is another quick and fun little game with animals in it. You’re a frog and you solve mysteries. It’s a bit more geared towards a younger audience, which is great if you have kids, but even if not, you can still enjoy it (I know I did).
It’s funny, endearing, and pretty inexpensive, which makes it well-worth trying.
Life is Strange
| Where can you play it? | PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch |
| How much it costs | Free on mobile and PC for Episode 1, all games total at $19.99 |
| How long to beat | Around 2 hours per game |
| Free on subscriptions? | PlayStation Extra and Premium |
Life is Strange takes a more narrative-driven approach to the detective genre. You play as Max, a photography student who discovers she can rewind time. As you navigate her story, you’ll make choices that shape the outcome of the game while uncovering secrets about the people around you. It’s more about exploring relationships and making decisions with real consequences, though there are some puzzles to work out.
The first episode is free, making it easy to see if it’s your vibe. Subsequent episodes are paid, but there’s no energy system or ads to deal with. There’s no pressure to buy anything unless you want to continue the story, so it’s refreshingly unobtrusive.
The Vigil Files
| Where can you play it? | Mobile |
| How much it costs | $3 for Case 1 |
| How long to beat | Around 2 hours |
| Free on subscriptions? | No |
The Vigil Files: Case 1 is a realistic detective game that places you in the role of a private investigator working to solve a missing person’s case. You’ll find yourself scouring the internet, hacking into systems, and deciphering clues that feel authentic and engaging.
The Last Express
| Where can you play it? | PC, Mobile |
| How much it costs | $6 |
| How long to beat | Around 10 hours |
| Free on subscriptions? | No |
The Last Express follows Robert Cath, a doctor who finds himself tangled in a web of political intrigue, murder, and conspiracy. You’ll interact with a diverse cast of characters and try to piece together the truth before it’s too late.
The game offers a unique real-time gameplay mechanic — everything happens as you play, and characters move around, engage in conversations, and react to events. It creates a truly dynamic experience, where no two playthroughs are exactly alike. The visuals, although not flashy by today’s standards, are rich and detailed, giving you a sense of stepping into the past.
Free Detective Games Worth Your Time
A quick note before we get into it: “free” means different things depending on where you’re playing. Some of these are free with absolutely no catch. Some are free-to-play with optional purchases. A couple have had free windows on PS Plus or Epic that are worth keeping an eye out for. Either way, every game here is genuinely good — not just good “for free.”
- Cube Escape Series / Cube Escape: Paradox (Free on PC/mobile) — I went into the Cube Escape games expecting a quick, forgettable time-killer, and instead fell down a rabbit hole that took me way longer than I’d like to admit. You play as Detective Dale Vandermeer investigating a string of bizarre, escape-room-style cases that get progressively stranger and more unsettling.
- Adventure Escape Mysteries (Free on PC/mobile) — This one’s perfect for when you want a mystery you can actually finish in one sitting. Each case is its own self-contained escape-room whodunnit, so you’re not committing to some sprawling 40-hour story.
- Criminal Case (Free on mobile) — Criminal Case is pure comfort-food detective gaming. You get hidden object crime scenes, interrogations, the whole Grimsborough police department drama. It’s been around forever and it shows no signs of stopping, because it works. Yes, there’s an energy system, but it’s generous enough that I never feel like I’m being held hostage by it.
- Duskwood (Free on mobile with IAPs) — I won’t repeat myself too much here, but Duskwood is a great detective game and it makes what should seem boring very fun and engaging. I loved it!
- Disco Elysium (Free if you already have PS Plus) — I talk about it in the main list, so I won’t repeat myself here, but this is a legendary game and if you already have a PS Plus subscription, it’s good to know that you can play it without paying extra.
- Of the Devil (First episode free on PC) — A cyberpunk visual novel where you play a defense attorney with sharp instincts, clearly inspired by Ace Attorney and Danganronpa. The first episode is completely free, so there’s zero risk in trying it.
- An Elmwood Trail (Free on mobile) — This one is fully free on mobile with no payment or ads at all, but keep in mind that new chapters are slow to come.
Conclusion
And there you have it, more than 30 fantastic detective games to play, from AAA titles, to mobile games or hidden gems you haven’t even heard about. I picked these games because I personally loved them and thought you might too. Some bigger titles might be excluded if I really didn’t enjoy them, but I tried to cover as many titles and types of detective games as possible. If you think I missed anything or if there’s a detective game you’d like me to play and review on this blog, just let me know in the comments.
