The Mermaid Mask

The game is an absolute treat. The setting and scenario of a locked-room mystery is classic, but it's done with a flair that feels unique to this setting - I'm deeply fond of how this game (and tangle tower before it) are able to walk the line between silly and serious in a way that does not detract from the characters, or the mystery at hand. The writing is as great as ever, the visuals are phenomenal, and the inclusion of 3D is something I've been really curious about ever since it was revealed. In some ways, I think it could have been utilized more - but I also know 3D is an enormous amount of work, especially for an interactive mystery, so I think it was balanced well for both the story and the player experience overall (and I may just be greedy). Mild spoilers below this point: -- There are some things near the end that I think it could have been nice to discover with just Sally and Grimoire, rather than through a monologue by the perp. And, while it may be lingering nostalgia from Tangle Tower at play, I can't deny I was looking for one more little secret room! Granted, with a submarine as the setting, there's going to be quite a limited capacity for those. I did, admittedly, hope to see the eponymous 'HER' a little more too. I found myself going back to the control room and the panel there a few times, waiting to see a weird waveform or sonar, and get to print out something else that would reveal she was nearby. I also stayed in certain rooms that let you look out into the water, waiting to see an easter egg. Maybe not a face, but another trace of 'HER' existence would have been fun to see! Though I understand not wanting the sort of cryptid monster to take away from the main story too much. One last thing to note is that I absolutely *love* that you get to see concept art for *everything* at the end. I've been gushing over it for the past 40 minutes - getting a peek into the creative process for everything in the game makes me giddy, my compliments to everyone on the art team! -- Spoilers over -- Overall, I'm very happy with the game. I had a lot of fun playing it and tossing theories around with my friend during my playthrough. While I hope to see Sally and Grimoire on another adventure in the future, I'd understand this being the last one for a while, given how much love and care the studio puts into these games - without leaning too hard on the fourth wall. Thanks for a great experience!

A fun colorful point and click adventure game! Sally and Grimoire are a such a fun duo. The dialogue is on par with some of the best games in the genre; Monkey Island and Broken Sword being the ones that come to mind. The actors really bring the dialogue to life. The art is really fun and unique. Especially in this game (Mermaid Mask) and the second game (Tangled Tower). It has a beautiful bold line and vibrant color look that is fun to look at. A lot of the puzzles are unique and fun to solve. I have not had much trouble with any of them in any of the games but there have been a couple time I had to stair at it for a bit. So not too hard for the casual puzzle goer, but different enough that someone who plays a lot of these will still have fun solving them. The plot also really shines in these games. I have enjoyed the base plot of every game and I've been hooked on the connecting sub mystery since the first game. Every tiny lore drop is exciting and another piece to the puzzle. The game play is similar to Phoenix Write, look around, grab objects, interview people, ask about objects and notice connecting threads. There are some inventory puzzles but it happens more when you are filling in the blanks of the mystery than combining items. So if you are wanting combine objects in your inventory like Indiana Jones, Monkey Island, Broken Sword, or Deponia then this game play may be not what you are looking for. I would say still give it a chance. It has all the vibes of the genre. The characters are funky, dialogue is witty, art is beautiful and unique, and the mystery is intriguing. I loved these games and and really enjoy this newest addition.

Graphic 5/5 Sound 4.5/5 Narrative 5/5 Gameplay 4/5 Overall 4.5/5 Story, atmosphere, and writing were all just as good as we expected going in. The artwork and character designs continue to be whimsical yet not childish. At some points the story seemed to make a logical jump, but nothing which was fundamentally detrimental to the plot. Our only complaint was that some puzzles were a little obtuse. There were no major bugs that we found, or performance issues. Of course, this is a point and click game, so this is not very demanding. Of the unique cast, Mortuga, the Captain, was our favorite. As the mystery evolves, you learn more and more about him and his drives. Sally, Grimoire's assistant also continues to be a favorite. Story and puzzle review below... warning: Spoilers will include prior games in the Detective Grimoire series, including Tangle Tower [spoiler]Worst puzzle? The corkboard, specifically because Mariana's diary does not show up again as a clue. I don't think we really had a favorite puzzle. Most were short enough to be straightforward. As for the ending, this feels very much a tragedy. Very few characters got what they wanted in the end, but most got what they "needed." The further the story goes, the more fantastical and horrific it becomes. It does eventually end on a note of "sometimes you don't know everything, and that's ok" I thought it was a nice touch that the girls from Tangle Tower show up at the end. It seems that the writers have a soft spot for pairs of young adult women who are trying to find their way in the world. [/spoiler]

My favourite game I played in 2026 so far! I was ultra excited for it after Tangle Tower. The mystery is intriguing and gripping, the atmosphere incredibly charming and overall it was a joy to play.

Jouez-y. Vous ne le regretterez pas.

Great detective game. Character designs are great and the voice acting is incredible. Only small gripe I had was the controller support being only okay, and there was one puzzle near the end that I had to use a mouse to complete, but used a controller for the entire rest of the game. Would definitely recommend.