I have complained multiple times on this blog about the lack of good detective games. During my research on this topic (yes, it almost feels like work), I stumbled upon ‘The Painscreek Killings‘ by developer EQ Studios. Seven years after its release, the game finally came under my magnifying glass, and I couldn’t be happier about it. The Painscreek Killings is a fantastic detective game that delivers in so many ways I wish more games would: it offers an immersive experience that truly makes players feel like detectives.
A Notepad Is A Must
Of course, there are other games in this genre. Titles like L.A. Noire and Disco Elysium come to mind, and even Detroit: Become Human features a storyline where you play as a detective. However, The Painscreek Killings requires far more actual investigating than most games. When you start the game, EQ Studios even recommends keeping a notepad handy. That advice is no exaggeration. I ended up filling four A4 pages with notes, and still, there were moments when I regretted not jotting down certain findings.
Fortunately, there is also an in-game journal that collects important discoveries and stores items like found diaries and documents. This journal quickly becomes such a massive source of information that it’s up to you to dissect it and organize the key details for yourself. Trust me, you’ll need to.
Who Killed Vivian Roberts?
That’s the big question. You, journalist Janet Kelly, are sent to the picturesque town of Painscreek. Your editor tasks you with finding out who killed the wife of former mayor Charles Roberts and what the murder weapon was.
“By the end of the journey, the countless notes, diaries, and objects had transformed those names into flesh-and-blood characters with their own desires, virtues, and flaws. EQ Studios deserves nothing but praise for how they wrote this mystery.“
Painscreek has been mysteriously abandoned, giving you the entire village to yourself to explore. Through point-and-click mechanics, you’ll search for former residents’ diaries, hidden keys, and even secret rooms in some cases.
Interactions between the former residents will gradually point you in the right direction. The overarching story and all the personal experiences of the residents unfold in a very engaging manner, with a pace that’s just right.
When I first set foot in Painscreek, I was immediately informed about Vivian Roberts, the victim, and some details surrounding her death. The many other names I encountered were just that—names on a piece of paper. By the end of the journey, the countless notes, diaries, and objects had transformed those names into flesh-and-blood characters with their own desires, virtues, and flaws. EQ Studios deserves nothing but praise for how they wrote this mystery.
The plot, which kept expanding, occupied my thoughts even outside of gameplay. I constantly tried to connect the loose ends in my mind. How did this piece fit into the puzzle? What could this person gain from their choices? And what could be the code for that darn locked desk drawer? It’s all in the details in The Painscreek Killings, making it an incredibly gripping journey.
The setting for this journey is the beautiful yet ominous town of Painscreek. Shortly after arriving, you cross a babbling brook, and the village’s architecture suggests it was once a cozy place before a mysterious chain of events turned everything upside down. Yet, I also felt an uneasy sensation. Completely deserted villages are inherently unwelcoming, and the layer of fog covering the town doesn’t help. Adding to the atmosphere is a piano tune that perfectly complements this eerie setting, further intensifying the feeling. After hours of wandering through the abandoned streets, the looping tune did start to wear on me, but that’s beside the point.
Gameplay
The Painscreek Killings is a point-and-click walking simulator. You are set loose in an environment with various hubs to investigate. By clicking on objects, you can open drawers or doors, and read letters and diaries. It’s mainly your brain that needs to do the work; the controls themselves are simple. A brief introduction explains the basics, and then EQ Studios throws you into the deep end. There are no quest markers from then on. It’s up to you to decide where to start your investigation and in what order to follow up on the leads you find.
Items you discover often subtly guide you in the right direction. For instance, keys sometimes have labels indicating which door they open. Behind that door, you’ll find new items and hints that open up a sea of new things to inspect. Each new hint brings intriguing developments in the lives of the people you are investigating, who increasingly start to feel like your own village neighbors.
As I mentioned, important information is collected in a journal. But not all essential details are automatically recorded there. As a good journalist, you’ll need to use your camera. I made it a habit to photograph every discovered photo or post it, and any source of information not automatically logged in the journal. Every detail in The Painscreek Killings can be crucial in uncovering what has transpired over the past decades. Things that may seem unimportant at first (like someone’s birthdate) can later become essential when you’re stuck.
And dear reader, I admit, I did get stuck. I held out for a long time, if I may say so myself. I think I made it to about 80% before I finally had to turn to a walkthrough. I had seen the streets and explorable areas of Painscreek so many times I could dream them, and now I just wanted to know how the mystery would unfold. I genuinely wonder how many people have actually managed to complete the game entirely on their own. Deep respect to those who did.
Searching For A Needle In A Haystack
The puzzles are not impossible. There’s a good logic behind most of the challenges. I loved how the game tested my brain for the first three-quarters of the playthrough. It felt very rewarding whenever I put two and two together and could proceed with my investigation. But then things started coming up that I personally found a bit too challenging. Painscreek is a fairly large area to scour for clues. At certain points, it almost felt like searching for a needle in a haystack.
“I just wanted to quickly check the hospital one more time without yet again having to trek across the entire town.”
If you happen to overlook a small key during your first search in a particular location, you have to be lucky to randomly come across it when you revisit the scene. You have to comb through the same locations multiple times, constantly walking back and forth from A to B. After about ten hours of retracing the same routes and examining the same rooms, my motivation began to wane a bit. Although Painscreek is far from a gigantic open-world game, I found myself wishing for a fast-travel system. I just wanted to quickly check the hospital one more time without yet again having to trek across the entire town.
The Painscreek Killings looks commendable but isn’t visually a AAA game. I was somewhat disappointed to still encounter regular frame drops. Fortunately, this wasn’t enough to pull me out of the experience. Whenever I started the game and put on my headphones, I was in Painscreek. And that remained true until the very last moment.
Conclusion
The Painscreek Killings is a must-play for players who, like me, want to see more detective games on the market. While the game doesn’t do everything perfectly, it unquestionably makes you feel like a detective solving an increasingly intriguing case. I have rarely played a game that required me to stay so focused and engage my brain so much. Keeping a notepad filled with important information was a unique experience that I would love to have more often.
The writing of the mystery left a strong impression on me. I constantly wanted to know how certain events unfolded, and the plot would be right at home in some detective series or films.
Painscreek is both a blessing and a curse for the gameplay. The village immerses you in a fantastic, captivating atmosphere, but at times it feels slightly too large for gameplay that often requires finding a well-hidden item in an expansive area. This can be the perfect challenge for some players, but may demotivate others.
