Report updated Mar 30, 2026

What Is Criminal Case: Travel in Time?

Criminal Case: Travel in Time is a narrative-driven hidden object game that leverages the established Criminal Case franchise brand. It invites players to solve murder mysteries across various historical eras, combining traditional hidden object mechanics with evidence analysis and suspect interrogation. The game is designed for casual gamers who enjoy immersive, story-heavy puzzle experiences. Positioned within the competitive Games category, the app differentiates itself through its unique time-travel narrative hook. However, the product is currently facing a critical juncture with declining sentiment due to aggressive monetization shifts and technical instability. The app’s ability to retain its long-term fan base depends on balancing its subscription model with a more rewarding free-to-play experience and resolving persistent technical bugs.

What users think iIndependent intel reports to help builders create better apps or enhance existing ones. Still in beta, accuracy and relevancy get better every day. For informational purposes only.

Mixed
Engaging Gameplay & Storyline
Monetization & Difficulty Spikes... Show more

What does it look like?

What are the key features?

Time-Travel Mystery InvestigationDifferentiator

Unique narrative hook where players solve murder cases across different historical eras.

Hidden Object GameplayStandard

Core mechanic involving searching crime scenes for clues and evidence.

Evidence Analysis & InterrogationStandard

Gameplay loop involving analyzing samples and questioning suspects to identify the killer.

Social CompetitionStandard

Ability to play with friends and compete to be the top detective.

Energy Subscription (Pizza)Basic

Weekly subscription service to boost energy limits and remove advertisements.

What do users think? iIndependent intel reports to help builders create better apps or enhance existing ones. Still in beta, accuracy and relevancy get better every day. For informational purposes only.

Mixed

Recent user voice shows a mixed sentiment. Users appreciate engaging gameplay & storyline, but report monetization & difficulty spikes.

What Users Love

Engaging Gameplay & Storyline

I enjoy playing criminal case! Where you go back in time! Solving other murders alone the way!

The storyline is excellent!

Pain Points

Monetization & Difficulty Spikes

horrible money seek8mg changes

Why do we suddenly need 2 stars? Why can't we preview images anymore?

High confidence · 99 reviews available

What are the pros and cons?

Pros

  • Strong, recognizable brand identity within the hidden object genre.
  • Compelling narrative structure that encourages long-term engagement.
  • Established cross-platform presence.

Cons

  • Technical debt, specifically regarding Facebook integration and ad-related crashes.
  • Perceived pay-to-win shift causing friction with the core player base.
  • Declining sentiment trend.

What is the market outlook?

Growth Opportunities

  • Capitalize on the detective roleplay trend by introducing more interactive, non-linear story choices.
  • Improve retention by offering ad-lite options or more generous rewards for free players.
  • Resolve technical stability issues to recover lost users.

Market Threats

  • Competitors offering less intrusive ad experiences may siphon off the casual player base.
  • Negative store reviews impacting organic discovery.
  • Potential loss of community trust if monetization remains overly aggressive.

What are the key takeaways?

Criminal Case: Travel in Time is a divisive games app that is free with in-app purchases. With a 4.5/5 rating from 21.7K reviews, it receives mixed feedback from users. Users particularly appreciate engaging gameplay & storyline, though monetization & difficulty spikes remains a common concern.

Best for: Casual gamers who enjoy narrative-driven mystery, hidden object puzzles, and historical settings.

How much does it cost?

Model: freemium

Tiers:
Free to play with ad-supported gameplayPizza subscription at 2.99 USD/week for increased energy and ad-free experience

Monetization relies on a high-volume free-to-play model supplemented by a recurring subscription for power users and ad-removal.

iOS Version

1.44

Android Version

2.44.2

Release Date

Jun 9, 2020

iOS Price

Free

Android Price

Free

Developer

Pretty Simple

Independent intel to help builders create better apps.

No publisher influence. No third-party bias. Built with objectivity in mind to serve the builder community. Reports are continuously improved and refined. For informational purposes only.

Hope this helps & keep building! · Found an error?

Cite this report

Marlvel.ai. “Criminal Case: Travel in Time Intelligence Report.” Updated Mar 30, 2026. https://marlvel.ai/intel-report/games/criminal-case-travel-in-time

Agent Markdown (.md)·

Data licensed under CC-BY-NC 4.0