Let’s lay out the facts of the case: Eisuke Saski, a high schooler, has been found strangled by a pumping station outside of the city. The object used to kill him is missing, but the true oddity is the paper bag with a grinning face drawn upon it placed over his head. A regular high schooler no more, this bag connects Eisuke to an uncaught serial killer from 18 years ago, who did the same thing to their victims. The twist? All three of those original victims were teenage girls. (Here’s where the ‘dun dun’ would go if this was a Law and Order episode.)
Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club reviewDeveloper: Nintendo, MagesPublisher: NintendoPlatform: Played on Nintendo SwitchAvailability: Out 29th August on Switch
It’s for this reason Inspector Kamada has asked the Utsugi Detective Agency to assist with the investigation. Alongside the stern Detective Kuze and slightly careless Detective Kamihara, you’ll use your little grey cells to discover why Eisuke was in such a remote location, who killed him, and if his death is truly connected to the unsolved murders from so long ago – even if Kuze, somewhat suspiciously, would really prefer if you were off the case.
This isn’t all you’ll have to contend with, however. Something spooky is afoot, for that paper bag ties the case to the urban myth of Emio, the Smiling Man. He appears in front of crying girls and promises to give them a smile. A permanent one. If the girl laughs then Emio walks away, but if she doesn’t… Well, she doesn’t have anything to smile about.
I love urban myths and, frankly, anything vaguely supernatural, so I was fully prepared to discover the truth behind Emio. Though important to the overarching narrative, the game chooses instead to focus more on the human element of Eisuke’s death and its surrounding mysteries, rather than supernatural shenanigans. There’s a subtle undercurrent of exploring the effects of trauma and grief flowing throughout the game. As the secrets characters hold are gradually unveiled, you witness how these emotions can flood a person until rationality is almost lost. It can be seen in Megumi, one of Eisuke’s closest friends. You track her down in an attempt to learn more about his final days, only to discover a concoction of grief and guilt over her possible part in his death have trapped Megumi inside her bedroom. It’s a fitting subject for a story told through the eyes of characters barely older than the boy whose death begins the tale; portraying both the shortness of life and how the events of our youth mould who we become.
Emio – The Smiling Man also has a good balance of mysteries and reveals, so, even when you stray from the main case, it still feels like you’re working towards one definitive ending where no thread has been left untied. The bittersweet tone also cast aside any disappointment I had from the lack of focus on the urban myth storyline. It’s one I’ve always found suits detective fiction very well, because solving a crime doesn’t always bring true resolution for those who must rebuild their lives in wake of the departed.