Detective Bass in Fish out of Water

Just a very goofy 45-minute narrative game, I like how it can't last 20 seconds without making a fish pun, even the dev's name is "Team Grouper", it's like you put all of your caviar into the same bassket. It does not have much gameplay, you just running between the characters while activating various text clues from your notebook, there is no challenge to it, it's just a process of elimination. The pixel art was pretty neat, I like the design for all the humanoid fish and the various sound effects you attached to each character. That said, the entire game is like 10 by 10 seconds in travel time, so it's a very small location to explore. I can't say the plot was that great even though I liked the writing, feels like imitation crab meat of better detective games, although I think the dialogue was playful and I enjoyed most of the characters. I would say the clownfish was my favorite, I was kinda hoping for a side quest to find his son [strike]Nemo[/strike] Niko, but maybe another time (missed opportunity if you ask me). You should try to add more optional events and character interactions in the next game (yes we getting Detective Bass 2, and I am all for it), my favorite parts were like probing characters for extra dialogue, for example those extra jokes from the clownfish, so I kinda wanted more of that. The environment should play a bigger part in the game as well, you don't really do much in terms of investigation, it just feels like a linear text game, so you could either add more achievements interacting with space, or just have some kind of clue finding mechanic. [h1] Pros: [/h1] (+) Short story but very playful writing, if you into silly fish puns and a few wacky interactions (+) I like the design of the characters, I think the art in the game looks pretty good and somewhat original [h1] Feedback: [/h1] - you have F12 mapped to something in the game, but F12 is a default for Steam's screenshot, so you will be taking 2 screenshots to close the panel - you had a few optional achievements, but I think games like this really benefits from having more optional things to find, either something in the environment, or perhaps some other side quests for the characters, or even some silly collectables, perhaps you could use mouse as a hidden-object tool and use it to scan the environment - while I liked the characters, I felt the plot was a little weak, I don't know, maybe the killer needed to put up a little resistance or maybe we needed more soap opera [b] Overall Thoughts: 6.5/10 [/b] It's enjoyable for the price, I don't want to whale too much on it for lacking optional exploration, I do think you could do more with a game like this and I have seen better games with a similar idea. I think players want to explore and look for things, and if you have so many wacky characters and a goofy world, you really want to reward that line of thinking, hide some things in the location, maybe collectables or a few side quests, for the next Detective Bass 2 I mean. But yea, it's a pretty basic narrative game otherwise, I enjoyed it while it lasted. [code]Niche, obscure and underrated games: http://store.steampowered.com/curator/31294838-Hidden-Gem-Discovery/ [/code]

[h1]A short but fun who dunnit mystery. XD[/h1] [h2]Introduction[/h2] [i]Detective Bass in Fish out of Water[/i] is a murder mystery detective game developed and published by Team Grouper. You're Detective Bass, one of the guests aboard a luxury cruise, and the captain of the cruise has just informed you that one of the guests has been murdered. Worse - That guest is now a meal. All of the guests and crew are amphibious creatures, by the way. XD Can Detective Bass find the murderer and bring him or her to justice? :o With the gameplay, it mainly consists of moving Detective Bass around different areas of the ship and interviewing guests and crew. You can find out valuable information and use it to further Bass' investigation. Also, you can pick up items found in various rooms. You'll get tasks jotted down in Bass' notebook, which also contains picked up items as well as any valuable info about the guests and crew and a layout of the ship. Steam achievements are available, but they won't count towards a user's global total until the game is out of "profile features limited". [h2]Review[/h2] I received a review copy of this game via curator connect, and I definitely wanted to get around to it, especially after reading the store page description. Well, it's again one of those games I should have gotten around to sooner. [h3]Story and Gameplay[/h3] The story wastes no time in getting you caught up in the action. There's a brief introduction that sets up the murder and such. While I don't mind the brevity, it felt like the narration went a bit too quickly, as I would have liked to take my time to read through the story. However, once you have control of Detective Bass, you can take your time to talk to witnesses and investigate to your heart's delight. Although the story is short, assuming that you investigate everyone and everything thoroughly, it is quite delightful and has a fun, light-hearted vibe, never feeling too heavy or depressing. I like how it concludes nicely with Detective Bass finding the murderer and their motivations, and there's a brief conclusion. Of course, it's the gameplay that takes center stage. There's a lot of freedom in moving Detective Bass around, and the controls are very easy to use. A brief tutorial explaining certain controls is present. In regards to the investigation part, it follows a fairly predictable logic, so it isn't too difficult to figure out whom to talk to or where to go. I didn't experience any technical issues. However, when I changed the game to windowed mode, I had to manually resize the game screen since there are no preset options. Anyway, I was able to obtain all Steam achievements in one playthrough, which is doable if you talk to everyone and make sure to go through all the options. [h3]Art and Music[/h3] The art has a pixelated style with a very minimalized use of colors, the primary ones being gold, black, and white. I like the colors here since they give off that detective noir vibe, which I'm guessing is what the devs were going for. The pixels give off that more light-hearted feel to the story, so I think it's very appropriate. https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3740102070 As for the music, the tracks have a fairly nice variety, giving off that detective noir theme. They're pleasant to listen to as Detective Bass is going about, interviewing witnesses and finding evidence. The tracks are all instrumental, and no voice acting is present although it isn't necessary. [h2]Conclusion[/h2] Would I recommend [i]Detective Bass in Fish out of Water[/i]? If you're looking for a short but fun detective game that doesn't take itself too seriously and/or you enjoy getting Steam achievements, then it's worth checking out. For the asking price, you may consider waiting for a sale since the game is on the short side, even if you explore everything. For me, it took less than an hour to 100% the game. On a sale, it's definitely worth considering. Finally, I'd like to thank Team Grouper for the review copy. Detective Bass in Fish out of Water is such a fun, delightful detective mystery, and I do enjoy a good mystery. XD I'm excited for the next game in the series. ^^ [quote]For more detailed, fully complete, high quality reviews like this, please follow [url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/44702020/]The Introverted Gamer[/url], prioritizing heart and soul always. ^^[/quote]

Hmm something extra fishy is going on here... play as Detective Bass and step up to the fin-tastic challenge to solve the murder of Solomon, who turned into a gourmet meal. Not on Detective Bass' watch! No time to flounder, he's haddock with these criminal SCUM. Red herrings? He won't take the bait! Ok, maybe I should scale down on the fish puns, but yes, this game is certainly not koi about using them. This is a 45min fun little experience that doesn't overstay its welcome. The plot is about as meaningful as you'd expect from a game filled with fish puns and that's ok. I enjoyed the silliness of it all and wished there was some more side content, but I am hoping we continue the series. I did experience a strange glitch where maybe I did things slightly out of order and I kept getting quests for actions I'd already taken, even if I had already talked to that character about it, I had to repeat the previous action to be able to talk to them again to get the quest crossed off. Not sure how that happened but it didn't seem to halt progress at all. Overall, it's a cute, finny and short little detective game that doesn't pretend to be anything it's not. I'll sea myself out....... [quote] I tend to review wholesome, puzzle, horror and narrative-driven games. If that sounds up your alley, please feel free to check out my curator page [url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/34936724/] Cookie Reviews[/url]. [/quote]

This game randomly came up when I was looking at 'Detective' tag upcoming games few weeks ago, and I wishlisted it, and bought it to give this a chance (I like to support new indie devs if I can), and this is very fun detective game, very short, less than an hour and I took my time with this, but it's fun and great for a short detective game to kill 1 hour with, and I believe this is gonna be a series, so I definitely will buy and play 2nd game in the future. This is like Frog Detective and Duck Detective type games, but in 2D, retro and vintage vibe, with the lovely sepia colour effect, which I'm a fan of. Someone had been m*rdered, and it's up to Detective Bass to figure out whodunit on the small cruise boat, by talking to NPCs there and collect few evidence, and put it all together to arrest the perpetrator. Definitely talk to Bozo for the jokes, they are hilarious, and I do like the fish humour and puns in this one, helps make the game a light and humour detective game, instead of a dark detective game. Recommended this for those who like Frog Detective games, and Duck Detective games, and who enjoys and appreciates a nice 2D retro graphic art. Great job with this game, dev!

🕵️‍♂️💦 Recommended A witty, short narrative detective adventure that wraps mystery and charm together on the deck of a luxury cruise gone very fishy — perfect for relaxed play with a warm cup beside you. 🔸 Full Review 🐟 Detective Bass in Fish out of Water is one of those delightful small indies that thrives on character, humor, and narrative flair. In this short but engaging detective story, you step into the oversized fins of Detective Bass — a fish with a knack for sleuthing — to uncover the culprit behind a murder that’s left Mr. Salomon Chinhook filleted on a luxury cruise liner. From the outset it sets a tone that’s both cozy and curious. You aren’t bombarded with complex systems or frantic action — instead, you follow clues, speak to a cast of quirky suspects, and carefully take notes in your ever-helpful notebook to piece together conflicting stories. This relaxed pace makes it feel like a refreshing break from more intense detective sims, encouraging thoughtful exploration and a gentle unraveling of the mystery. 🎨 Visually charming and light-hearted, the game blends a humorous premise with surprisingly thoughtful writing. Characters feel distinct, dialogue is often amusing, and there’s a satisfying rhythm to how clues link together as you interrogate guests and connect the dots. The comfortable pacing and focus on story make it a great fit for cozy afternoons or short sessions when you just want to unwind and think your way through an engaging mystery. 📖 Whether you’re jotting down notes, listening to suspect alibis, or following a hunch, the game’s laid-back approach to detective work makes it both accessible and enjoyable — especially if you appreciate narrative games that feel like a conversation more than a sprint. 🧠 Why It Feels Cozy Narrative-First Focus: Story and character take center stage without heavy mechanics. Relaxed Investigation: Clue-following feels thoughtful rather than stressful. Quirky Charm: Humorous dialogue and memorable suspects keep things welcoming. Detective Bass in Fish out of Water doesn’t reinvent the genre — but it offers a comfortable, laugh-tinged mystery that’s easy to enjoy in a single sitting or over a couple of cozy play sessions.

I´m completly fascinated by the storytelling, as a speedrunning addicted I truly find refreshing a game that makes me take my time to flesh out the story. I want the OST for sale! RIP Solomon the goat of oil

a fun, fish-themed noir mystery, I enjoyed trying to guess who the c̶h̶e̶f̶ murderer was before the reveal (ᴵ ʷᵃˢ ʷʳᵒⁿᵍ) 𓆝 ⋆.

Detective Bass in Fish out of Water is a short detective adventure game. There are almost no object interactions in the game -- mostly we're talking to NPCs and deciding which clue to ask about. Sometimes there are hints indicating which clue needs to be presented to which NPC, but sometimes we just need to try all available options. The UI could be improved. E, Space and Enter are used as the interaction key in different places, and they're not interchangeable. There are no keyboard shortcuts for navigating the journal and selecting clues. It would be more convenient to have a keyboard-only UI with a single interaction key.

A nice, short, and cute detective game for a cheap price! I really do mean short as this game is essentially completed in under an hour. I had this under my radar for a while when I saw this in upcoming and decided to finally buy it and support small game devs like this. I am glad I did! It's nothing revolutionary or groundbreaking, but it's a nice, funny, and engaging way to spend an hour of your time. For a price that is essentially as cheap as a bottle of soda, I certainly felt like I got my money's worth in my hour-long playthrough. Kind of sad this game flew completely under the radar judging by the really low number of Steam reviews. It certainly deserves a lot more attention for what it delivers! Side note: It's kind of crazy just how many "animal detective" games there are out there. Every time I think I have seen them all with every type of animal protagonist, a new one pops up. Not that I am complaining but it is interesting just how many there are.

Detective Bass in Fish Out of Water is a noir mystery that really knows how to scale things down. You play a hard-boiled fish detective solving a case that’s over in about an hour—short, sweet, and never drags you into deep water. The writing is fin-tastically self-aware, the jokes land hook, line, and sinker, and the 100% achievements are so easy they practically flop into your inventory. Cod I recommend it? Abso-lutely, it is a reel good time! [quote]Follow us for more [url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/45113328-Awesome-Adventure-Friends/] Awesome Adventure[/url] [/quote]