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With every Detective Grimoire game, we see SFB Games refine the point-and-click adventure series’ formula and build on past characters and scripts to create even more engaging cases. The result is that The Mermaid Mask is the strongest entry so far. It’s an impeccable game. Not only that, but it’s accessible as well in a way that welcomes not only gaming newcomers, but also those new to the series as a whole. It’s a must-play.
The Mermaid Mask involves Detective Grimoire and his partner Sally being summoned to what becomes not-so-affectionately known as the murder submarine to solve a locked room murder. The former Captain Magnus Mortuga went into The Illusion Theatre room on the vessel, which only also contained a chair and sealed cauldron, and locked the door. He was murdered. When the door was opened, only his body was inside and no suspect could be found. Current Captain Sinthia Seafoam summoned the duo to find out what’s going on and who committed the crime.
The writing in The Mermaid Mask is absolutely fantastic. From the premise and logic behind the happenings to the character dialogue and occasional asides, it is absolutely clever and even sometimes laugh out loud funny. Now that we’re three games into the series, it is clear SFB Games knows exactly who Detective Grimoire and Sally are as characters and how to write effective interactions that both enlighten and entertain the player. The suspects and supporting cast members onboard the submarine are also just as well-written. Once you figure out what happened and why, it makes sense. There are no plot holes and everything pulls together perfectly.
That clever execution extends not only to the premise and mystery, but the puzzle design. Logic, observation, and critical thinking are all demanded of a player. The situations are challenging and do require you to pay attention or maybe even experiment to figure out the solution. But what’s especially important here is that the art direction means every one of these situations suits the submarine theme, makes sense in-universe, and features clear visuals that are never vague. The answer is right there, in front of you, if you pay attention. The directions and hints are perfectly worded with clarity in mind. My two favorite ones involve putting plugs in sockets and arranging sails on boats, as both come together so well and made me feel brilliant when I worked things out.
The Mermaid Mask also fits especially well on the Switch 2. I mean, Tangle Tower ended up being great on the original Switch. But in addition to everything looking crisp here, it supports Joy-Con 2 mouse mode. The game works flawlessly with that control scheme. And because of the design direction, I found I could use that option even in Tabletop mode and still not miss any details.
The Detective Grimoire game The Mermaid Mask is pretty much a perfect point-and-click adventure. The story is fantastic, with a wonderful script and mystery that makes sense. The puzzles are perfectly pulled off, with art and design that presents everything exactly. The characters are handled wonderfully. Plus, it builds so well on Tangle Tower and Detective Grimoire, further establishing Grimoire and Sally as wonderful leads.
The Mermaid Mask is available on the Switch, Switch 2, PS5, and PC.
