Explore an interactive drama full of interesting characters Continue the adventures of the Utsugi Detective Agency with the return of familiar characters—including the returning protagonist from previous games, and Ayumi Tachibana, who is now playable in certain sections of the game for the first time in the series! Playing as the investigative duo, you’ll need to learn a lot about the personalities and backstories of the other characters if you want to discover the truth. Who is harmless, and who is keeping important secrets? Ask questions, reference your notes, and make connections—you’ll have to order your thoughts and examine your leads carefully to draw the right conclusions.
About the story
A student has been found dead! His head was covered with a paper bag with an eerie smiling face drawn on it—much like the victims of Emio, the Smiling Man—a killer of urban legend who is said to place such a bag over his victims’ heads. As an assistant private investigator, you are tasked with helping police solve this crime, which is reminiscent of a series of unsolved murders from 18 years ago. Has a serial killer returned, or is this the work of a copycat? Are these crimes inspired by the Smiling Man story, or the origin of it? Discover the answers to these questions and more as a member of the Utsugi Detective Agency in this intense story of suspicion, isolation, and fragility.
Platforms
SwitchGenres
Adventure Simulator Visual NovelThemes
Horror Mystery
Languages: English and 9 more
| Interface | Audio | Subtitles | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | |||
| English | |||
| French | |||
| Italian | |||
| German | |||
| Korean | |||
| Chinese (Simplified) | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | |||
| English (UK) | |||
| Spanish (Spain) |
Media
Critic Reviews
Oyungezer Online
By Erdem MaşlakA visual novel rated 17+ that will appeal to fans of the genre and the Famicom Detective Club series, and will be able to capture the general player audience with its story and visuals.
RPG Fan
By Tim RattrayFamicom Detective Club’s third entry will sate fans but isn’t compelling enough to bring in new players.
oprainfall
By Leah McDonaldEmio – The Smiling Man was a comfortable, familiar experience that both benefited from that familiarity and suffered from it. I loved revisiting this world and the characters, and the overall excellent writing was engaging and entertaining; however, retaining the same point-and-click nature of the previous games lead to some frustrating play sessions and unintuitive courses of action. The presentation was gorgeous, with beautiful background art, detailed and emotive sprites, excellent voice work and an amazing soundtrack. It took me roughly 20 hours to finish the game, and while the Fukuyama’s Report Card extra does give some minor incentive to replay for a higher grade, there isn’t much else, which makes it slightly more difficult to recommend at the $50 price tag, especially since you can get the twin pack of the first two games for only a few dollars more. To be clear, I really enjoyed my time with Emio, and if you liked the previous Famicom Detective games or really enjoy mystery visual novels, then this is a surefire title to grab. Due to its dated gameplay and shorter length, if you’re more of a casual enjoyer, I’d wait for it to go on sale. If you’re unsure where you stand, there’s a free demo available so you can test the waters yourself.
NextGen Player
By Paul HunterEmio - The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club is a fantastic return to form for Nintendo's beloved visual novel series. The game really does have it all, from an engaging narrative to striking visuals to strong voice acting that adds depth to the characters. If you appreciate a good story and enjoy unravelling mysteries, this game is worth your time.
Nintendojo
By Angela Marrujo FornacaThe story is around 12 hours to complete and, as I mentioned above, there were some bugs and some minor gameplay frustrations. But do give it a chance if you enjoy strong narratives that keep you on the edge of your seat and have an interest in the macabre.
