Summary
Being a detective is one of the coolest professions, and has been portrayed in every type of medium, from movies to video games. Gamifying investigations and making players feel smart for making astute observations and correct judgments is hard to accomplish. That’s why the best detective games are lauded for their stories and satisfying mysteries. Some video games feature detectives in a more passive role, often aiding the main character.
Plenty of video games have featuredcompelling female detectiveswho are memorable to control or interact with. Players love them as a result of riveting gameplay, great writing, or a combination of both. These are gaming’s leading ladies when it comes to sleuthing.
Before players can recruit Samara inMass Effect 2, they mustspeak with an Asari detectivein Nos Astra named Anaya, who gives players a lead on where to find this Justiciar. Anaya doesn’t have a huge role to play in the game, but makes a notable impression in the short time she has.
She considers it an honor to interact with a Justiciar, and has some fun observations about Shepard based on how players react to her. It’s a shame thatMass Effectdoesn’t feature more detectives, since Anaya gives a glimpse of what solving a mystery could be like in the series.
Ghost Trick: Phantom Detectiveisone of the best video gamesfor fans of the puzzle-adventure genre. Shifting Sissel’s spirit to different objects and manipulating them to prevent avoidable deaths is a huge part of what makes this game so special.
During his adventures, Sissel will team up with a rookie detective named Lynne, whom he must save several times throughout his prolonged investigation. She is a huge help when it comes to interacting with the physical, and plays a critical role in helping Sissel uncover the mystery surrounding his demise.
TheAce Attorneygamesfeature numerous investigation sections where lawyers analyze clues left at the scene of a crime to figure out the true perpetrator in each case. As one would expect, these police investigations involve detectives that the protagonists must work with to get access to crime scenes and find valuable clues.
Gumshoe is a lovable character who’s a fairly competent detective despite being rather airheaded at times. Some fans were saddened to see him replaced in theApollo Justicetrilogy by Ema Skye, an up-and-coming detective who uses scientific tools to uncover clues. However, this endearing homicide investigator becomes a stalwart companion to Apollo in no time, giving him the tools he needs to find critical evidence to solve most cases.
Danganronpais perfect for gamers who want a twisted take onAce Attorney’s formula. In this visual novel, talented students are forced into a killing game where they must uncover the perpetrator of each crime in Class Trials to ensure their survival. The first title may be rough around the edges, but features its fair share of excellent cases and memorable characters.
One of these personalities is Kyoko Kirigiri, a mysterious student whose Ultimate ability isn’t revealed until players make progress in the game. It turns out that Kyoko is the Ultimate Detective, making it clear why she was a huge help for protagonist Makoto as he solved cases and uncovered valuable clues.
Parasite Eveis one of the most unique games in the JRPG genre, using a brief yet meaningful runtime to let players enjoy a harrowing adventurefull of body horrorand evolutionary shenanigans. After seeing an entire theater spontaneously combust around her, detective Aya Brea rises to the occasion and chases down Melissa, an actress who has been taken over by the malevolent entity known as Eve.
It’s up to this NYPD detective to hunt Eve down and prevent her from laying waste to the entire world. Aya is one of the best female detectives in gaming, and it’s a shame that the series hasn’t continued to give this protagonist the time in the spotlight she deserves.
Persona 4 Goldenis full to the brim with a host of memorable party members, andNaoto is no exception. The conflict she has over her gender and whether people would take her seriously if she were a man makes for some insightful commentary on the nature of society, which has aged beautifully.
This genius detective slowly becomes more comfortable in her skin, and players who impress her with their own detective skills can pursue a romance with Naoto if they wish. She’s a powerful character with impressive abilities who is a must-have for some of the hardest battles inPersona 4 Golden.
2Nancy Drew
The Legendary Teenage Detective
While Nancy Drew may have seen her debut in literature, more than a whopping thirty games feature this young detective in a central role, earning her a mention here. Most of these titles, which are made by by HeR Interactive, arepoint-and-click adventureswith a riveting mystery at the heart of things.
The classic gameplay of these titles, coupled with an easy-to-follow plot, makes it clear why theNancy Drewgames are perfect for young players to sink their teeth into. That being said, these titles are fun for all ages and are worth playing for fans of classic adventure games.
The antagonist in a series of popular edutainment video games, Carmen Sandiego is a criminal mastermind who must be hunted down in every game before she can steal another monument or national treasure. For a simple video game designed for kids, there’s a fair amount of backstory to this character that fans appreciate.
Carmen used to be an ace detective for the ACME Detective Agency before getting bored with catching criminals over and over again. She wanted a fresh challenge and decided to fool ACME itself, succeeding more often than not as she enacted one daring heist after the other.
