DEMO: Little Locked Rooms (Steam Next Fest)
Inspect 3D dioramas to solve impossible crimes
Happy Mystery Monday! In today's newsletter, you will:
Learn about the importance of Steam Next Fest
Learn about an upcoming mystery game called Little Locked Rooms
Watch me play through the demo!
Last week was the Steam Next Fest — an event where upcoming games showcase their demos on Steam.
Steam Next Fest has become important for indie developers who want to bring extra attention to their game leading up to its release.
Developers use Next Fest as a final opportunity to accumulate wishlists and increase their game's reputation within the Steam algorithm and among the general public.
Considering the mission of Mystery Gamedev is to help aspiring creators of mystery games, I wanted to see if there was at least one game I could shine a light on.
A number of mystery games participating in Next Fest were brought to my attention, but with my busy schedule I didn't have much time to play them.
Fortunately, I'm happy to say I managed to play through at least one.
Little Locked Rooms
Little Locked Rooms is a mystery game where you must inspect 3D dioramas to solve impossible crimes.
As a fan of the “impossible crime” genre, the premise immediately had me hooked.
And its unique art style and emphasis on visual deduction are a welcome breath of fresh air from the plethora of 2D text-based mystery visual novels.
The level featured in the demo is a mystery classic: a set of footprints in the snow leading to a dead end.
Without spoiling the answer, I would say that it's a clever solution and can reasonably be deduced in-game (though there may be some room for improvement).
The demo is also tiny, with just one level and a playtime of about 15 minutes.
The game features a hint system if you get stuck, but there’s also a points system to reward players who are smart enough to solve it on their own.
You should give it a try yourself, but you can also watch my playthrough here:
Disclaimer: I was NOT paid to play or review this demo — I wanted to try a mystery game from the current Steam Next Fest, and this one genuinely caught my interest. Enjoy the video!
Final Thoughts (no spoilers)
My full thoughts are detailed in the video, but the gist is that Little Locked Rooms is a mystery game with big potential.
The demo is a proof of concept that works exceptionally well at selling its premise.
In order to solve the mystery, you are required to look at the visuals and spot the contradiction in front of your very eyes.
If the developer can utilize the 3D dioramas to their full effect in every level, I could really see this game being a hit.
At the very least, it paves the way for a uniquely interesting style of solving crimes.
The demo was short and it left me wanting more, but that’s ultimately a good thing.
Now I'm really looking forward to the game’s full release in Q1 2024!
If this sounds like a game right up your snow-filled alley with missing footprints, then wishlist Little Locked Rooms on Steam!
And speaking of Steam, next Monday will be the Steam release of our community game, Reaplaced!
So go ahead and wishlist Reaplaced if you haven't yet, too!
Thank you for reading!
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