Criminal Case is a hidden-object detective investigation game for iOS and Android, structured around episodic murder mystery cases.
Product velocity
Maintenance
Daily rank 🇺🇸
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Games
Sentiment
4.6
4.3M reviews
Nemesis
June's Journey: Hidden Objects
The App DNA
What makes this app unique?
The app serves players seeking a structured, task-oriented mystery experience that mimics the pacing of a television procedural.
For Casual gamers interested in mystery, hidden object puzzles, and narrative-driven detective stories.
What does it look like?
Key features
Hidden object gameplay focused on locating clues within static crime scene environments.
Weekly service ($2.99/week) providing an expanded energy bar capacity of 170 and removal of advertisements.
Integration with friends lists to compare detective scores and progress.
How much does it cost?
Freemium model anchored by a $2.99/week subscription that removes ads and increases energy caps.
Velocity
Maintenance developmentperformancemaintenanceShow more...
Criminal Case has shifted to a maintenance-only cadence, with the latest release occurring 330 days ago. Development activity is limited to routine maintenance and bug fixes to ensure compatibility with current system updates and hardware. There have been no new features, content expansions, or live events identified in the recent release history. The current release frequency is insufficient to support an active content-driven model.
Who built it?
Pretty Simple
9 apps tracked · Games
Criminal Case: Pacific Bay
Criminal Case: Save the World!
Criminal Case: Mysteries
Criminal Case: The Conspiracy
Criminal Case: Supernatural
Criminal Case: Paris
Criminal Case: Travel in Time
Sorcery SchoolUser Sentiment
What do users think recently?
Review voice lately leans mixed. Users appreciate the core investigation gameplay loop provides a satisfying and entertaining experience for long-term fans and nostalgic value keeps long-term players engaged with the title they played during their childhood, but report facebook login failures prevent users from accessing their long-term saved progress and rewards.
How are ratings & reviews evolving?
What users say, by theme
- The core investigation gameplay loop provides a satisfying and entertaining experience for long-term fans
- Nostalgic value keeps long-term players engaged with the title they played during their childhood
- Minimal ad frequency in certain game modes allows for an uninterrupted investigation experience
- Facebook login failures prevent users from accessing their long-term saved progress and rewards
66 of 153 recent reviews analyzed · high confidence · Mixed overall
Read the full review analysisUnlock 2 more frustration themes and 2 user requests, each backed by review evidence.
Access the full report for freeCompetition
Competitive landscape for Criminal Case
How's the Games market?
Criminal Case maintains a stable presence in the mystery category, though its grossing rank is volatile across international markets. The reliance on a single, aging authentication method creates a significant barrier to monetization for long-term players.
Read the market outlookThe rivals identified
By wooga
This title commands the largest active user base in the hidden object mystery genre with a high-frequency release cadence.
- Features a persistent narrative-driven island decoration meta-game that extends session length beyond simple object searching
- Utilizes a high-frequency live-ops calendar that keeps the player base engaged with recurring seasonal events
- Maintains a polished, high-fidelity art style that sets the visual standard for the hidden object category
Manor Matters: Adventure GameContender
Murder in Alps: Hidden MysteryContender
Seekers Notes: Hidden ObjectsContender
Hidden City: Object SeekersContenderUnlock the head-to-head verdict: where this rival wins, and where it loses.
Access the full report for freeThe Analyst's Read
Key takeaways for Criminal Case
Where is it heading?
The mystery category is consolidating around titles with deep meta-game progression and high-frequency live-ops. Criminal Case's lack of feature expansion and reliance on a single, failing authentication method leaves it exposed to churn, with the so-what being a likely decline in active user base unless authentication is diversified.
- Persistent Facebook login failures prevent access to saved progress, driving a surge in negative sentiment and churn among long-term players.
- Maintenance-only release cadence leaves the app vulnerable to high-velocity rivals who ship content updates every few weeks.
The SWOT
- Procedural investigation loop provides satisfying, TV-show-like experience for long-term fans
- Implementing independent cloud-save methods would mitigate churn risk from Facebook login failures
Next best moves
Ship independent cloud-save integration because Facebook login failures are the top-reported churn driver → unlock long-term player retention
+ 1 more prioritized moveThe counter-intuitive read
The app's maintenance-mode status is a strategic advantage…
Read the full takeFeature gaps
Persistent meta-game progression (available in June's Journey but absent here) +1
Since the last report: The app's competitive position remains stalled in maintenance, with the primary shift being a more polarized user sentiment regarding ad frequency and a clearer demand for non-Facebook authentication methods.
Bottom line
The reliance on Facebook authentication for progress saving is a critical failure that actively erodes the app's long-term retention. Prioritizing an independent cloud-save mechanism would stabilize the core player base and prevent further churn to more modern mystery titles.
Unlock 2 critical frictions, 1 market threat, 1 more prioritized move and the analyst’s take.
Access the full report for freeFAQ
Is Criminal Case free to play?
How does Criminal Case compare to June's Journey?
Is there an offline mode for Criminal Case?
What are some alternatives to Criminal Case?
Sources
- [1] Play Store listing, source
Report last updated