The First Review For Emio - The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club Is In

The remakes also got a 31 from them so think that's around what's to be expected. I'm really digging Emio so far but it does definitely feel like whether or not you'll enjoy it depends on if you enjoyed those.

I've played a bit more of the demo now and am erring on letting my Amazon pre-order get delivered to a collection point, then I'll see what the reviews are like and how I get on with the rest of the demo before deciding whether to collect my order or not.

My main reservation is just the mechanics from scene to scene. It seems every scene quickly descends into spamming the Ask/Think/Call/Examine/Observations options until I've triggered the progress switch in a not especially intuitive manner. There's just been countless examples of it. A particularly maddening one was where Protag was stood at the bus stop, nothing to do, no-one to talk to, nothing of significance to examine. I somehow triggered the option to call a taxi, but then accidentally chose the 'No don't, save phone battery' option (or something like that) and then had a frustrating time going through the menus again trying to re-trigger the taxi option.

I feel like if I played through the demo again, it would be just as frustrating because my progression has felt so random, so I'd just be cycling through all the available options again until I chanced upon the right one.

And this frustration really is exacerbated by talking to the NPCs. You ask them about a topic, they give an answer, but then you have to ask them about the same topic again to check to see whether they've got any more to say about it. I'm kind of getting used to it, but it feels inefficient and tedious at times. In some ways, you could say it adds realism, because investigations do require persistence, perseverance, asking the same question multiple times, but I'm not sure how well that approach translates to a game. I think adding a prompt to push NPCs to say more, rather than making me go back through the menu, might help.

Which is all a bit unfortunate. I feel invested enough in the story, and wanting to give the physical release support. It just feels like the game could make things easier for itself to succeed by having the NPCs spill all they've got to say in one go, rather than making us feel like we're squeezing blood from a stone.

That translates to like 4 stars, or a 77.5. That’s a good score.

@gcunit This is exactly my issue. Towards the end of each scene there seems no real logical option to click bar hitting each option/seaching the scene - looking for any useful tips on this, but to me it seems more like the design of the game than anything you can really pick up on and get used to
And yes, that bloody bus stop scene - that was frustrating and iirc the correct option was so random you would never think of it

9 points less than Nintendogs.

Nintendo has a sale on in Europe right now including a bunch of first party games and yet the first two FDC games STILL aren’t on sale even with a sequel due this week.

Unfortunately they’ve lost a potential sale for the new game by refusing to make a physical version of the remakes or by making the digital copy more affordable (£50 for digital is absurd).

@larryisaman : I'm cautiously optimistic that a physical release of the first two games will surface in the West if this sells well enough. And yes, AU$90 is bloody ridiculous.

I guess the value of these games has a lot to do with their score. Those prices are ridiculous, and they never go on sale...

@larryisaman To be fair, the sale they have on now is called Mega Multiplayer Sale and the FDC games aren't the best candidates for multiplayer fun 😏

Don't think anyone expected this to be a milestone achievement

@gcunit same issue persists with the first 2 games. Theyre enjoyable but at times its not clear what your expected to do. I had to google part of the first game because the scene wouldnt move on and what i had to actually do is ask the same question 4 times, 3 times would just get a grunt like the convo couldnt go any further then the 4th would break their silence.

“Beyond Summer” and “Awaiting the Spring” in the same week??? Ahh Japanese gaming.

@martynstuff Ah I didn’t see they were calling it that! I just saw there were a bunch of Nintendo games in the current offers 🥴

The point still stands!!!!

@Gavintendo It was a different time...

@Samalik Nintendogs was great to be fair.

In theory I should love these games as a big fan of story-driven games and novels, but the dialogue trees always end up making me feel like I’m setting up a printer

Sounds about right reception wise like the first two games. It’s not gonna appeal to mainstream audience.

The Famicom games are cult favorite status to begin with and the 3rd game isn’t making drastic changes to appeal to modern gamers. Reading the NL reviews complaining how it’s not scary enough just proves my point. It’s not gonna drastically shift to what it never was identity wise.

Those that liked the first two games like me have a good chance to like Emio based on the demos because it feels like a new Famicom game, but those who were not fans of the first two games isn’t gonna like the 3rd game. Famicom isn’t Dangonronpa or Ace Attorney in atmosphere and certainly not Corpse Party levels in horror visuals.