The Best Detective Games on PC (2025) to play right now

Put on your thinking cap, get your sidekick ready, and bring a new notebook. We’re on the case to find the best detective games on PC and bring them to you. There aren’t many things that are more fun to read than a good mystery. Those crimes that seem impossible and make your brain spin. Here are the best PC games that you can play right now.

Murders that can’t be explained, people who just vanish, and riddles that are hard to figure out. And while it’s fun to read or watch these kinds of stories in books, TV shows, or movies, games take it a step further by letting you investigate yourself and feel the satisfaction of solving a case for yourself.

Best Detective Games on PC Comparison Table

Broken Sword

Broken Sword isn’t as good as Monkey Island when it comes to point-and-click adventure games, but it more than makes up for its lack of pirates, sword fights, and grog with clever puzzles that will make you think for just long enough before you figure out the right answer.

In the Broken Sword series, George Stobbart and Nico Collard get caught up in dark plots and old conspiracies. The writing is sharp and charming. Over the course of the series, George and Nico get all kinds of bad situations and meet and question strange people wherever they go.

The Good

1. The story is interesting, and the characters are well-rounded.
2. Beautiful hand-drawn art and environments that pull you in.
3. Puzzles that are hard and require critical thinking.
4. A catchy soundtrack that makes the game more fun to play.

The Bad

1. Compared to newer games, the graphics are old.
2. Once the game is over, there aren’t many ways to play it again.
3. Some puzzles might be too hard, which could make some players angry.

The Wolf Among Us

In this iridescent noir setting, all of our childhood dreams live together in a dirty, dangerous place called Fabletown, which is in modern-day Manhattan. Detective Bigby, you play the role of the Big Bad Wolf. In this mystery game from Telltale Games, you have to keep the town in order while looking into the violent deaths of fairytale characters.

The main way to find justice is by making choices in the dialogue. Your roommate is a pig with a bad attitude, Mr. Toad isn’t taking his Glamour (an enchantment used to make fairytale characters look like humans), and a severed head just showed up on your doorstep.

The Good

1. The characters from classic fairy tales are given a new twist, making for a fresh and interesting story.
2. Choice-based gameplay that changes how the story goes and how the game ends.
3. Good voice acting and a visually appealing style.
4. Storytelling that makes people feel and keeps them interested.

The Bad

1. Compared to other games in the same genre, the game play is pretty short.
2. Once the story is over, there aren’t many ways to play again.

Sherlock Holmes Chapter One

The first chapter in the Sherlock Holmes video game series follows the famous detective through an incredible, story-driven adventure. You play as a Holmes who is struggling to prove his skills and journey to the Mediterranean to investigate his mother’s death.

You play as a young Sherlock and so the game does a great job at representing a youthful and rebellious version of the character that we all know. You’re also joined by John Watson as you make thrilling discoveries and solve puzzles that no other person would be able to.

The Good

1. A detailed and realistic recreation of the world of Sherlock Holmes.
2. Use your detective skills to solve difficult and complicated mysteries.
3. The environments and character models are beautifully made.

The Bad

1. Some players may not be able to play games with high system requirements.
2. Bugs and problems with how it works sometimes.

Blade Runner

A rookie blade runner searches the rainy streets of a future Los Angeles for rogue replicants. The story is a little too similar to the movie, but McCoy does a lot more investigating than Deckard. A big part of the game is looking for clues and questioning suspects all over the city. The atmosphere is amazing and perfectly captures the dark, sad mood of the movie.

The Good

1. Based on the world of Blade Runner, this is a unique and immersive cyberpunk world.
2. Players can choose how the story goes and how it ends.
3. Investigating and solving puzzles are important parts of the detective-style gameplay.

The Bad

1. Compared to newer games, the graphics are old.
2. Once the game is over, there aren’t many ways to play it again.

L.A. Noire

This expensive crime thriller is based on pulp detective stories and film noir. It is a slow, methodical game of finding clues and questioning suspects that takes place in a stunningly accurate recreation of Los Angeles in the late 1940s.

The city is like a big movie set where a lot of interesting interactive cases take place, like brutal serial murders, stolen cars, and arson. Rich in atmosphere and totally captivating. This is one of the best Detective Games on PC that you can download right now.

The Good

1. The game is a unique mix of action, investigation, and open-world exploration.
2. Face animations and performances that are true to life and add to the story.
3. The plot is interesting and well-written, and it takes place in 1940s Los Angeles.

The Bad

1. Some players may not be able to play games with high system requirements.
2. Some players may get bored or tired of how the game is played at times.

We Were Here Too

We Were Here Too is one of the most complicated PC mystery games. It takes place in a beautiful and spooky medieval castle. This fantasy-inspired co-op mystery game is perfect for people who like challenging brain teasers and solving puzzles.

But players will need to not only use their problem-solving skills and creativity, but also improve their ability to talk to each other and work as a team, if they want to solve the old mysteries of the castle and get out alive.

The Good

1. Puzzles are solved in a unique way that requires teamwork and communication.
2. Puzzles that are hard and encourage players to think outside the box and work together.

The Bad

1. Once all the puzzles are solved, there isn’t much else to do.

Roman’s Christmas

Roman’s Christmas is one of the best-rated mystery PC games of all time. It has a charming art style that is inspired by fantasy, fun characters with fur, and mysteries that are much darker than you might expect. This dark visual novel mystery game has a fun story about a wolf detective named Roman who wants to spend a quiet Christmas at his tavern but can’t because of all the murders.

It’s perfect for people who like classic noir mystery games and want a new one with a story that’s good for LGBTQ+ people. Players will have to use their detective skills and put themselves in Roman’s shoes to find out who killed the man. They will do this by looking at the evidence, going through all of the tavern’s rooms, talking to the other guests, and, of course, using Roman’s unique ability to smell.

The Good

1. A unique adventure game with a holiday theme that will warm your heart.
2. The art is charming and looks like it was drawn by hand.
3. A good story with interesting characters and a message about family and being together.

The Bad

1. Once the game is over, there aren’t many ways to play it again.
2. Compared to other games, it doesn’t last as long.

The Darkside Detective

The Darkside Detective is a pixelated detective game that reminds me of shows like Twin Peaks and the X-Files. You’ll solve cases involving zombies, monsters, and other supernatural things that make this game different from other detective games.

In search of the truth, the main character, Detective Francis McQueen, finds his way to every shady alley and deserted side road you can think of. But in reality, if he wasn’t there, no one else would do the job. The story is written to be clever and funny, and almost all of the jokes have something to do with how you play or what you say to other people.

The Good

1. Unique point-and-click detective-themed point-and-click adventure game.
2. The witty humor and clever writing are a nod to old-fashioned detective stories.
3. Puzzles that are fun, hard, and require critical thinking.
4. There are many cases to solve, giving you hours of gameplay and the chance to play again.

The Bad

1. Even though the system requirements aren’t too high, some players may not be able to play.
2. Some players might not like games with pixel art graphics.

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