The Case of the Golden Idol box art

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The Case of the Golden Idol

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The Case of the Golden Idol

Oct 13, 2022

Main game

4.23 average rating based on 319 ratings

5
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4
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3
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A new kind of detective game that allows you to think and investigate freely. Discover clues surrounding 12 strange and gruesome deaths and build your own theory. Pick your suspect, deduce the motive, unmask the awful truth.
Release Dates
Oct 13, 2022 Full Release (Worldwide)
PC (Microsoft Windows)
Dec 22, 2022 Full Release (Worldwide)
Mac
May 25, 2023 Full Release (Worldwide)
Nintendo Switch
Jun 04, 2024 Full Release (Worldwide)
Android
Jun 11, 2024 Full Release (Worldwide)
iOS
Jul 09, 2024 Full Release (Worldwide)
Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S
Jul 23, 2024 Full Release (Worldwide)
PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5
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User Stats
905
In Collection
121
Wish Listed
20
Playing
287
Backlogged
How Long Is The Case of the Golden Idol?
Main story: 8.0 hours
Main + extras: 8.4 hours
100% completion: 9.4 hours
Total completions: 45
Ismija
Ismija gave Jan 27, 2025
Ismija gave Jan 27, 2025
Ismija's review of The Case of the Golden Idol
This review is for the PC (Microsoft Windows) version

Way too chaotic, it gives you a headache.

V1CGaming
V1CGaming gave Jul 15, 2024 (edited)
V1CGaming gave Jul 15, 2024 (edited)
V1CGaming's review of The Case of the Golden Idol

On more than a couple of occasions, The Case of the Golden Idol requires some leaps in logic to reach the conclusion, in absence of having all of the information needed to be certain, and this is so well done as one will self-reflect that they are a genius for figuring it out. Otherwise, it is a very slow and rigid title that will no doubt be an acquired taste for many - the last two cases in particular are extremely difficult, and with little flexibility for experimentation it could be easy to run into a hard stop.

hewward
hewward gave Dec 27, 2022
hewward gave Dec 27, 2022
A very unique and enjoyable experience

There's a huge barrier to describing this game, so I'm not sure I'll be the one that does it well. I would suggest if you are remotely interested to go download the demo.

This game is mostly a Sherlock Holmes detective point-and-click experience where you explore a relatively static scene and collect words that are then used to fill in what happened and solve the scene. There's 11 scenes that all tell a cohesive story, and then an epilog that tie it all together.

The story is odd at best, but very interesting too. The art is unique, though nothing that will tax your GPU in the slightest. I would highly suggest playing with the hot spots turned on so you know where the clues are instead of trying to guess what they want you to click on.

The only downsides are that this game has about zero replayability and that it's short. I literally doled out how much I could play a night so it wouldn't end too quickly.

I hope if you play this, you get as much joy from it as I did.

~David.

thenewguy729
thenewguy729 gave Dec 27, 2022
thenewguy729 gave Dec 27, 2022
Channeling Benoit Blanc
This review is for the PC (Microsoft Windows) version

Pretty simple review - loved the game, found the gameplay incredibly fun. I liked taking out my notebook and jotting down mental notes, piecing the puzzle together. I figured out the hook at the end a little early and was proud of myself for it. As well the game does not overstay its welcome. The game does exactly what it says it will on the tin, and I love it for that.

The shadow of Obra Dinn looms large, but the golden idol stands on its own!

thebigmack
thebigmack updated their status Mar 2, 2026
thebigmack updated their status Mar 2, 2026

The game loop is addicting and the story encourages as much curiosity as the puzzles do. A part of me wishes it was harder but perhaps I don't know what I ask.

I'm hoping for a crescendo that requires a scouring across each chapter for clues.

thebigmack
thebigmack updated their status Feb 27, 2026
thebigmack updated their status Feb 27, 2026

I started this last night. The grey matter activation is already worth the price of admission.

It's clear early on that the Case of the Golden Idol will hurt to close. Thank goodness a sequel is already availible!

georgeypoorgey
georgeypoorgey updated their status Nov 28, 2025
georgeypoorgey updated their status Nov 28, 2025

The moment you solve the dinner party case, the game goes into hyperdrive. I kept looking at the clock being like it's getting late- I should stop. IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWED BY Of course David Gorran was the Darkhand Initiate signalling the poison to Walter Keane with the wine tankard! It's so obvious!!

A really special game so far. I shouldn't have waited so long to give this one a try.

georgeypoorgey
georgeypoorgey updated their status May 15, 2024
georgeypoorgey updated their status May 15, 2024

Too gruesome for children?

cwknight
cwknight updated their status Dec 7, 2023
cwknight updated their status Dec 7, 2023

SEQUEL TO CASE OF THE GOLDEN IDOL ANNOUNCED AT THE GAME AWARDS!!!!!

kensho
kensho updated their status Sep 27, 2023
kensho updated their status Sep 27, 2023

Hmmm the newest DLC (lemurian vampire i believe) doesn't have a page, can one be made, and how? I need to give it 5 stars lol

cwknight
cwknight updated their status Sep 1, 2023
cwknight updated their status Sep 1, 2023

I feel the newest DLC that came out yesterday was not quite as good as the Spider of Lanka DLC. But I did enjoy how the story made everything fully connect.

I thought the thinking puzzles on this didn't have the same spark of creativity that the others had, as I think the focus here was much more on the complexity of the characters and the society in the exploration scenes. I think they just chose to focus on the Exploration screen more than the Thinking screen this go-round, which I'm sure others may like more than me.

cwknight
cwknight updated their status Aug 4, 2023
cwknight updated their status Aug 4, 2023

I like this even more than Obra Dinn so far.

shinespark
shinespark updated their status Oct 11, 2022 (edited)
shinespark updated their status Oct 11, 2022 (edited)

My last game from the Steam demo showcase, this one's a murder mystery adventure. You scan smallish environments for clues, and these clues then populate a list of words which you use to fill in the blanks on a sort of murder madlib that details the facts of the case.

The demo mysteries were quite short, the pre-completed sections of the madlib basically led you by the hand to the solution, and your word list being limited to objects and people present at the scene feels like it severely limits the kinds of inferences the game can push players to make. But it's still neat to see new ideas crop up in the genre.

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