TECHNOMALIST
The latest point-and-click mystery from SFB Games, The Mermaid Mask, brings players aboard a submarine for a tightly-wound murder investigation. As reviewed by The Verge, the game centers on the death of a submarine captain, found in a locked room beside a mysterious cauldron—a classic setup that immediately hooks. The confined setting amplifies the intrigue: how does a locked-door crime occur in such a cramped vessel?
Players revisit the duo of Detective Grimoire and Sally, who must interrogate a vivid cast of suspects. These include a grumpy author racing to finish a sequel, an actor starring in the film adaptation of that book, an illusionist, and a dream researcher. Dialogue is brought to life by excellent voice acting, encouraging players to click on every interactable detail just to hear the characters’ reactions. The environments are packed with objects to examine, ensuring there’s almost always a new lead.
Gameplay borrows heavily from visual novels and the Ace Attorney series. The core loop involves conversations, room investigations, and puzzle-solving. Puzzles—such as adjusting dials or arranging skulls—break up the text-heavy exchanges effectively. Once enough evidence is gathered, players confront suspects in dramatic, deduction-based sequences. These moments, where a single piece of evidence can shatter a facade, are deeply satisfying.
For newcomers to the series, the game follows a familiar standalone model. Like the Knives Out films, it requires no prior knowledge of the returning detectives’ past cases, though fans will catch small nods to previous adventures.
Despite its strengths, the game does have pacing issues common to the genre. Presenting every clue to every character can become tedious, and the hint system—which suggests what to show—only becomes obvious later. Progression sometimes demands evidence be presented in a scripted order, even if the player has already deduced the outcome. At one point, the reviewer was stuck until manipulating a specific clue in a particular way, and more than once resorted to brute-force guessing.
These frustrations stem from a narrative that is otherwise hard to put down. The finale, a classic parlor-room confrontation, pulls all threads together in a way that feels like closing the last pages of a gripping mystery novel. The reviewer noted staying up late over three days to finish the story.
The Mermaid Mask is available now on Nintendo Switch, PC, and PS5.
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