The Shapeshifting Detective

Critic reviews

• 148Apps

  Campbell Bird · Feb 21, 2019

  6.0

  It’s hard to know for sure, but The Shapeshifting Detective almost feels like a game that was rushed along to completion. What starts as a weird—but intriguing—murder mystery devolves into a string of semi-coherent vignettes that reveal who did what, but in a way that doesn’t feel fully explained or earned. It's certainly one of the more unique narrative experiences out there, but unfortunately not one that offers much in the way of satisfaction.

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• Pure Nintendo

  Dawson Helton · Dec 13, 2018

  8.0

  Despite some instances of odd acting, The Shapeshifting Detective is a fun supernatural crime drama that will leave you wanting more. This works well, since the story can be finished in a short amount of time. Coupled with a variety of decisions and character interactions via the shapeshifting mechanic, this gritty detective story is a great entry for the Switch library.

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• Nintendo World Report

  Joel A. DeWitte · Nov 29, 2018

  6.5

  At its core, The Shapeshifting Detective has a good hook and a compelling enough story structure, but is marred by not feeling like your choices matter, uneven pacing, and the impression that not all the story beats were well thought out or executed. Without sticking the landing on either the story or interactivity, what had potential to be great feels more middle of the pack.

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• GameSpew

  Chris Mc · Nov 21, 2018

  8.0

  The Shapeshifting Detective may lack the colossal budget of AAA games, but it nevertheless creates an intimate, skewed world that will draw you in. If you’ve ever fancied yourself an amateur sleuth, albeit one with an distinct biological advantage, then The Shapeshifting Detective will be right up your street.

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• Xbox Tavern

  Mark Sherwood · Nov 07, 2018

  6.8

  Being an FMV means that much of the game’s weight is resting on both its writing and its acting. Unfortunately, the quality here tends to fluctuate. There’s also some odd design choices that hurt the game’s otherwise decent pacing and structure. That being said and overall, The Shapeshifting Detective is just about entertaining enough and interesting enough to recommend.

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• GameSpew

  Kim Snaith · Nov 06, 2018

  8.0

  From its presentation – with an eerie local radio station playing spooky stories in the background – to its alluring characters and enthralling narrative that dances with supernatural themes, there’s a lot to love. The FMV genre has become less of a gimmick and more of a valid and exciting new way to tell a story, and it’s largely down to the work done by Wales Interactive and D’Avekki Studios. I can’t wait to see what comes next.

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