Nintendo occasionally hosts showcases dedicated to indie games. In April 2023, a variety of games were featured, including Crime O' Clock, which looked promising from the start. This game puts a new spin on the classic childhood game I Spy. Crime O’Clock was developed by Bad Seed and published by Just For Games. Just For Games are a French based publishing company that was founded in 2011 by Philippe Cohen. Just For Games are the one of the biggest gaming companies in France with an array of talented developers under their belt. Their catalog is not only limited to software but gaming hardware such as the Sega Mega Drive HD and music LPs amongst other gaming goodies.

Bad Seed was formed in Milan, Italy in 2014. To date, they only have two other titles under their belt being The Beggar’s Ride, and Sleep Attack both receiving positive reviews. Crime O’Clock is a point and click puzzle game with an interesting story. There are crimes happening throughout history that you must solve with your trusty AI companion, EVE. Put on your best Sherlock Holmes cap and bust out your Grandma’s magnifying glass because it's time to solve some mysteries. You will initially begin your detective duties in the not so distant 2015 during the Information Age, where people can be seen everywhere with their smartphones. Shocker.

The city portrayed in this map was actually inspired by the real-life city of Milan, where the developers are from. This is a neat touch. Crime O'Clock wastes no time in acquainting you with the gameplay mechanics. You begin by solving two simulated cases, and then you move on to actual cases. Don't be fooled by the game's cutesy art direction for character designs. The first case you solve is a murder case, and you must discover whoever performed this heinous act through time travel. Eventually, you will find roadblocks in the case where you cannot progress without going through these ticks in time.

Naturally, as you progress through the story, maps will become more complex with busier illustrations. There are five massive maps throughout various points in history to explore. Each map comes packed with multiple characters, some of which will be seen in future cases. I hope you are an expert at “Where’s Waldo?” because those skills will prove useful in some later stages. EVE will teach you the new mechanics as you delve deeper into the story, which adds a dash of flair to later segments. There is not a lot of substance when it comes to gameplay, since Crime O’Clock is a point and click game.

You will be using your handy magnifying glass to look for people of interest, sometimes looking for certain events that are occurring or on the hunt for relics. Fulfilling these tasks will lead you to more clues to get to the bottom of a case. When you go back in time, you will be retracing the perpetrator's steps to see how they arrived at the crime they committed. There are certain characters that are being manipulated by rogue AI. They will stop at nothing to disrupt the safety of each timeline. As you solve each case, the rogue AI becomes even more aggressive. They can manipulate the mood of the perpetrator to commit crimes, create beings that were not in the timeline to begin with, and events that should have never taken place.

Crime O’Clock will organically introduce the player to new mechanics specific to certain cases over the course of the story. There is a hint system that you can bring up any time you are lost. What’s great about it is the fact that it doesn’t completely hold your hand. The hint system gives just enough information to get the gears moving in the brain without spilling everything. If you are still stuck, the melody mechanic can be used to click on objects that will let you know if you are hot or cold at the objective’s location. There are certain perpetrators with masks that you will have to uncover and objects that you will have to break through an unlockable mechanic later in the story. 

The last one allows you to use X-ray vision to peer inside buildings. If an objective seems impossible to find, using X-ray vision can do the trick. For the optimal Crime O'Clock experience, it is recommended that you attempt to exhaust all options first before using the hint system. It is likely that the perpetrator or item in question can be found using the right tool for the job. This is especially true in later portions of the game, where your detective skills will be put to the test. This makes for a fun challenge. It feels rewarding solving a case without much aid.

Over ten different mini-games are available over the course of the game, which definitely adds a bit of variety to the main gameplay. You use EVE's skills to help you solve crimes, such as deciphering hidden meanings behind certain symbols, identifying people of interest, etc. Most of them require you to match symbols, cross waveforms, and match a person's likeness to complete an image of the character. While the mini-games are not the most exciting, they do offer a welcome change of pace.

The gameplay can become monotonous rather quickly, as the mini-games are frequently repeated and the crimes are repetitive. However, there is still fun to be had in Crime O’Clock. The best way to enjoy the game is to play in short bursts. For a simple puzzle game, the story is quite long. Crime O’Clock has a main story that can take over fifteen hours to complete across forty different cases. For the price of admission, you will surely be getting your money’s worth with Crime O’Clock. It is especially fun looking at all the pop culture references in each map. Make sure to use your eagle eye to spot them all!

The art direction is easily the most striking aspect of Crime O’Clock. The fully illustrated maps in black and white are quite pleasant to look at. The way it was drawn makes it difficult for what you are looking for, as each map is quite busy. This is a positive as it adds an extra layer of challenge since you are playing a game of “Where’s Waldo?”.  Most characters are usually portrayed as anthropomorphic animals with humans sprinkled about them. Weirdly enough, EVE refers to all characters as humans, which is strange considering most of them are frequently portrayed as rabbits, rats, and birds.

Depending on which map you are on, the pop culture reference characters that appear to reflect that. For instance, in the Information Age of 2015, a certain mad scientist with his easily frightened “sidekick” can be seen shooting portals around the city. Hmm, I wonder who these two characters could possibly be. The cameo characters will get up to their own misadventures as you go from tick to tick. Even some suspects in the cases you solve will be based on real-life people. The music in Crime O’Clock adds to the ambiance in each map as well.

The music in Crime O'Clock changes depending on the time period you are in. This enhances the game's atmosphere and makes it more immersive. The developers of the game, Bad Seed, have a knack for choosing music that is both catchy and stimulating. The main menu music in particular is upbeat and energetic. The music is an important part of Crime O'Clock, and it helps to make the game more enjoyable for most players. It is certainly integral for a game of such simplicity.

Overall, Crime O’Clock is quite an enjoyable puzzle adventure game. The game does a good job at pacing the difficulty as well. Bad Seed was strategic about rolling out new mechanics to players gradually throughout the game. However, this could only make the gameplay interesting for so long. Crime O’Clock was a long-winded experience with its massive story mode and the repetitive nature in which you solve cases. As aforementioned, it is suggested to be played in short bursts rather than long stretches of time.

EVE is a witty and entertaining companion character who provides an enjoyable story. I think the story could have been more concise, as it would have made for a more focused and engaging experience. Crime O'Clock is a solid title that creatively combines elements of puzzle games and adventure games. I applaud developer Bad Seed for creating such an innovative title in this fusion of genres. It is certainly an ambitious title with a large amount of replayability and world building.

Every character can be followed through the Fulcrum Stories mode. There is a whopping number of over one thousand characters, no less!  At $19.99, it is worth the price of admission. With an eye-catching art style, an ambient soundtrack, and multiple cases to solve, there is plenty of content. If playing detective is your forte, you shouldn’t overlook Crime O’Clock.

Michael Nicolosi (@ChipmunksMikey)
Editor, Noobfeed