| Core Identity |
| Developer | Absolutist Ltd | Pretty Simple | Mytona | Nordcurrent UAB | Playrix | wooga | Haiku Games Co | Game Insight | wooga | G5 Entertainment AB |
| Category | Games | Games | Games | Games | Games | Games | Games | Games | Games | Games |
| Platform | Android, iOS | iOS, Android | Android, iOS | iOS, Android | Android, iOS | iOS, Android | iOS, Android | iOS, Android | iOS, Android | iOS |
| Store Metrics |
| Rating | 4.4 / 5 | 4.7 / 5 | 4.3 / 5 | 4.3 / 5 | 4.7 / 5 | 4.6 / 5 | 4.8 / 5 | 4.5 / 5 | 4.6 / 5 | 4.3 / 5 |
| Ratings Count | 675 | 35,636 | 94,786 | 108,971 | 214,225 | 323,988 | 19,893 | 30,100 | 40,123 | 93,416 |
| Price | Free | Free | Free | Free | Free | Free | Free | Free | Free | Free |
| Release Date | Oct 25, 2017 | Aug 28, 2014 | Jul 30, 2015 | Oct 2, 2018 | Apr 28, 2020 | Dec 23, 2021 | Dec 21, 2018 | Jun 8, 2018 | May 6, 2015 | Feb 20, 2014 |
| Last Updated | Mar 23, 2023 | Aug 28, 2025 | Apr 3, 2026 | Feb 12, 2026 | Apr 30, 2026 | Apr 15, 2026 | Apr 15, 2026 | Apr 22, 2026 | Mar 2, 2026 | May 5, 2026 |
| Sentiment & Reviews |
| Sentiment | - | mixed | mixed | mixed | mixed | negative | - | negative | mixed | mixed |
| Score | - | 53/100 | 45/100 | 45/100 | 45/100 | 32/100 | - | 35/100 | 55/100 | 45/100 |
| Praises | - | - Engaging Investigative Gameplay
| - Engaging Gameplay
- High-Quality Graphics
| - Engaging narrative storylines and high-quality voice acting keep players invested in the mystery
| - Absence of forced advertisements allows for uninterrupted and immersive gameplay sessions
| - Engaging Narrative
- Relaxing Experience
| - | - Engaging mystery narrative and hidden object gameplay provide a relaxing mental escape for long-term players
| - Engaging Gameplay
- Relaxing Experience
| - Engaging hidden object gameplay provides a rewarding challenge for long-term players
|
| Complaints | - | - Facebook Login & Sync Failure
| - Excessive Ads
- Technical Bugs and Crashes
- Loss of Progress
| - Aggressive energy consumption rates force long wait times that disrupt the core gameplay loop
| - Forced transition from hidden object gameplay to match three mechanics alienates long-term players
| - Aggressive Monetization
- Technical Instability
| - | - Excessive ad length and frequency post-update disrupt the flow of gameplay and frustrate active users
| - Technical Stability and Crashes
- Account and Progress Loss
- Excessive Advertising
| - Excessive in-game pop-ups and advertisements interrupt the core gameplay flow
|
| Requests | - | - | - | - Alternative methods to earn energy such as watching advertisements or completing side tasks
| - Optional toggle to prioritize hidden object gameplay over match three mechanics
| - | - | - Implementation of a paid ad-free upgrade option to improve the user experience for dedicated players
| - | - Simplified account recovery and progress transfer tools for new devices
|
| Strategic Intel |
| Strengths | - Persistent city-map meta-layer functions as a unique exploration barrier
- Integrated side-quests extend session length during energy-gated downtime
| - Authentic forensic mini-games (DNA, autopsy) provide unique immersion
- Massive legacy user base with over 4.3M ratings on Android
- Strong 'CSI' style narrative hook that stands out from supernatural peers
| - 10-year content library and established lore
- Unique multi-genre puzzle integration (Match-3 + HO)
- Strong social 'Guild' infrastructure
| - Episodic narrative structure sustains long-term player retention
- 1930s atmospheric design differentiates from supernatural-themed competitors
| - Cohesive mystery atmosphere drives initial engagement
- Renovation meta-loop provides long-term aesthetic goals
- Team-based card exchange creates community accountability
| - Strong 1920s thematic consistency
- Weekly episodic content updates
- Deep social integration via Detective Clubs
| - | - Offline-play capability functions as a distribution moat for travel-based usage
- Hand-drawn art style sustains a distinct detective-novel atmosphere
| - Superior island customization (Artemis Island) compared to static-map rivals
- Cohesive 1930s 'Golden Age' aesthetic and high-quality hand-drawn art
- Strong long-term retention among veteran players (multi-year tenure)
| - 13-language library functions as a B2B distribution moat into international markets
- Offline-first architecture removes connectivity-based acquisition barriers
|
| Weaknesses | - Legacy UI design lacks the visual fidelity of modern genre leaders
- Manual energy-gated progression creates high churn risk for casual players
| - Critical Facebook API failure preventing progress recovery
- Restrictive energy economy (20 cap) limiting session length
- Lack of a meta-game progression sink (e.g., building or customization)
| - Critical technical bugs causing progress loss
- Aggressive ad frequency (30s ads per 90s play)
- App crashes and loading screen failures in recent versions
| - Energy recharge rate is prohibitively slow for free-to-play users
- Multi-year gaps between chapter releases drive long-term churn
| - Forced match-3 pivot alienates hidden-object purists
- Technical instability post-update causes black screens
- Aggressive difficulty spikes create pay-to-win perception
| - Frequent ad-related crashes
- Perceived pay-to-win progression balance
- Unresponsive customer support
| - | - 0.07★ Android-iOS rating gap indicates platform-specific instability
- Ad-length complaints (2+ minutes) drive negative sentiment
| - Frequent technical crashes and freezes in recent versions (v9.11.x)
- Unreliable account sync/save-game features leading to progress loss
- Aggressive ad strategy with reports of 90-second unskippable ads
| - 45/100 sentiment score driven by ad-frequency complaints
- Late-stage progression difficulty spikes force IAP-gated churn
|
| Pricing | freemium | freemium | freemium | freemium | freemium | freemium | freemium | freemium | freemium | freemium |
| Momentum | Steady | Maintenance | Active | Maintenance | Active | Active | Active | Active | Maintenance | Steady |
| Update Cadence | 5 versions | 5 versions, 1 majors/6mo, ~171d avg | 2 versions, 2 majors/6mo, ~0d avg | 5 versions, ~149d avg | 5 versions, 5 majors/6mo, ~12d avg | 3 versions, 1 majors/6mo, ~12d avg | 5 versions | 5 versions, 5 majors/6mo, ~14d avg | 2 versions, ~6d avg | 3 versions, 2 majors/6mo, ~18d avg |
