The Detail

 PC
The Detail Image
Metascore
71

Mixed or average reviews - based on 23 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
6.6

Mixed or average reviews- based on 20 Ratings

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0 out of 10
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  • Summary: A crime noir adventure in a modern American city.

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 23
  2. Mixed: 12 out of 23
  3. Negative: 2 out of 23
  1. Grab It Magazine
    Apr 12, 2015
    90
    Rival Games has kicked off The Detail with an unforgettable first episode, setting a very high bar for itself. With so many different story threads started, the challenge will be to weave those threads together into a rich and satisfying tapestry that involves the player. And this is all while seeking to recapture that explosive opening where the player is pushed to look within themselves without necessarily finding a “right” answer.
  2. Pelit (Finland)
    Dec 16, 2014
    85
    A well-made police procedural. It’s only true fault is the short length, but perhaps that will be fixed in the later episodes. [Dec 2014]
    All this publication's reviews
  3. Game Rant
    Apr 10, 2015
    80
    Its story and atmosphere are intriguing, if a little too reliant on dark tropes to get the gravity of the situation across, and the unique art style is eye-catching and memorable.
  4. IncGamers
    Jan 18, 2015
    70
    The unofficial NYPD Blue adventure game that Telltale never made. Aside from some pretty clear budgetary constraints, The Detail’s hard edged cop narrative has a compelling opening.
  5. Brash Games
    May 23, 2016
    70
    Played as a complete season it feels much more like a complete game, especially as you don’t have to wait eight months between episodes as they were initially released, and overall I very much enjoyed it. However the rushed ending and lack of polish does unfortunately count against it – despite comparisons to The Wire it’s nowhere near that level.
  6. Areajugones
    Jul 16, 2016
    65
    The Detail is a videogame in which the dialogue and its design are the parts that stand out the most. However, the mechanics are so simple that it can be considered as an interactive comic.
  7. TheSixthAxis
    May 4, 2016
    40
    Rival Games started something very interesting with The Detail in the first two episodes. The story was immersive and the characters engaging. But because of budgetary constraints episode three undoes what the first two set up, with plot lines left abandoned and bugs that are very detrimental to a game based on choice.

See all 23 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 6
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 6
  3. Negative: 4 out of 6
  1. bcohon
    May 28, 2015
    10
    Excellent neo-noir crime game. If you enjoyed choose-your-own-adventure books as a kid you'll love this. The comic book style is also aExcellent neo-noir crime game. If you enjoyed choose-your-own-adventure books as a kid you'll love this. The comic book style is also a plus, and I really did feel for the characters. You are forced to make tough choices with real consequences.… Expand
  2. rodericrinehart
    Jun 12, 2015
    6
    SCORE: 6.2/10

    I thought this game had some redeeming qualities like cool artwork and some moderately interesting characters but despite    SCORE: 6.2/10

    I thought this game had some redeeming qualities like cool artwork and some moderately interesting characters but despite some level of charm, it just was plain boring. I don't feel particularly ripped off since it was $1.50 and lasted 1 hour, but it was just boring.    … Expand
  4. tupungato
    Jun 2, 2015
    4
    "The Detail" is a visual comic book style interactive novel set in noir atmosphere of an American city. You solve a crime playing as an aging"The Detail" is a visual comic book style interactive novel set in noir atmosphere of an American city. You solve a crime playing as an aging old-school bald detective and an ex-gangster.

    Don't let other reviews convince you that it's a point-and-click game! It's an interactive story with some choices. But mostly it's just click, click, click. That's why I don't recommend the game.

    The graphics style is quite good (only the "perspective" style faces in dialogue box are sort of "wrong"), there is no audio, no voice acting, only some music (it's OK). The story is... well, nothing special. Not bad, but not good either.

    The whole game took about 90 minutes of my time, but I believe you can finish it in 45-60 minutes. Unless you get it in some sort of game bundle, it's not worth the money.    … Expand
  5. Avalord
    Nov 16, 2015
    3
    Way too short.
    And you won't have solved ANYthing by the end (which you will have reached after 60 minutes even if you played slowly and    Way too short.
    And you won't have solved ANYthing by the end (which you will have reached after 60 minutes even if you played slowly and followed every hint).
    This is not the first episode. This are the first scenes of the first episode.

    But the worst: Right and the end the one and only mini game takes place. Decisive for the story and you have to read confusing instruction under time pressure for the first time. Add to this the fact that you cannot save the game (one automatic savepoint gets immediately overwritten) and you get an epic designer fail.

    Up to this point the game was at least an interactive TY-Show. After this it's not even interactive.
    So this game covers the first scene of a comic strip/animated TV-Series...

    Upsides:
    Drawings are good and characters are interesting. But that does not make up for the flaws. Not by a long shot ;(    … Expand
  6. baz1779
    Aug 10, 2019
    3
    I just cannot recommend this game. From the bland and cliched detective story to the dull and uninteresting characters, I was left bored theI just cannot recommend this game. From the bland and cliched detective story to the dull and uninteresting characters, I was left bored the entire time and just wanted it to be over so I could say I finished the whole game.

    Can appreciate the effort by the developers and with a bit more time could of been a decent game but instead we got this.

    Bought this on sale and I still feel robbed. Anybody expecting this to be anything like a Telltale narrative will be sorely mistaken.    … Expand
  7. Voyou
    May 22, 2021
    3
    This game thinks it's an American TV crime program. Cliches, stereotypes, catchphrases, credits after the first scene, and so on. The comicsThis game thinks it's an American TV crime program. Cliches, stereotypes, catchphrases, credits after the first scene, and so on. The comics format doesn't bring any energy or interest into the narrative. The gameplay is essentially visual novel, and during the point n' click scenes the interface is second-rate with a mouse, impractical with a gamepad. A lot of watching/waiting, very little of playing, and of course no ability to save, the one that entertaining games, a.k.a. other games, provide.… Expand

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