Info about Murders on the Yangtze River:

Official game description:
English version is coming on March 15th!
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Hello, detectives!  
Thanks to our team’s tireless efforts, the English version of “Murders on the Yangtze River” will launch this Friday, March 15th!  
The game’s story takes place in 1900s China, but its thrilling plot and heartfelt emotions will resonate with players from a wide range of cultural backgrounds.  
We hope players across the globe will enjoy the gameplay, the story, and the opportunity to learn more about this critical era in China’s history!
About the Game
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If you're a fan of "Ace Attorney", you won't want to miss "Murders on Yangtze River", a horizontal axis detective game developed by OMEGames Studio.  
The game takes you on a journey through early 20th century China as you solve a series of intriguing cases along the Yangtze River. With its stunning brush painting art style and engaging storyline, it offers a unique gaming experience that will keep you on the edge of your seat.  
Use your logical reasoning and deduction skills to uncover clues, interrogate suspects, and solve the mysteries. With challenging puzzles and interesting characters to meet, "Murders on the Yangtze River" will have you hooked from the very beginning.  
Engaging Stories
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Embark on a thrilling journey full of extraordinary cases and plot twists! Players take on the role John Shen, a traveling detective who seeks truth and revenge for his brother’s death. Along his journey, he encounters numerous cases that are full of mystery, drama and suspense.  
Memorable Characters
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The game has many unforgettable characters. John Shen, for instance, is a refined gentleman with a sharp intellect. But as you delve deeper, you discover that he harbors a darker side to his personality. His vivacious assistant, Frankie, is a beacon of positivity who is always eager to use his technological inventions in their investigations.  
Rigorous Logical Reasoning
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Investigate crime scenes, search for evidence, debate with suspects, and identify the murderer using collected clues. Find contradictions within testimonies and unravel the mystery. There are also many challenging puzzles. Get ready for a gripping adventure!  
Easy Access
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The game features an intuitive tutorial that starts off with straightforward controls and simple cases, gradually building up to more challenging scenarios. Whether you're a seasoned player or new to the game, it's designed to be easy to pick up and play at any skill level.  
Pleasant Journey on a Chinese-style Ink Wash Picture Scroll
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Journey through a beautiful ink wash landscape painting of China's mountains and rivers from a hundred years ago. Explore picturesque Dongting Lake, Yangzhou and Shanghai. Immerse yourself in local customs in this extraordinary picture scroll.  
**\[Main Story\]**  
John Shen, the protagonist of this story, studied law in London alongside his brother, who was studying biology. One day, Shen's brother was found dead in his dormitory, and the police ruled his death as suicide. But when Shen stumbled upon a newly published detective novel on Shanghai News that depicted a murder scene identical to his brother's death, he began to suspect foul play. Convinced that the amateur writer was somehow involved in his brother's death, Shen returned to China to uncover the truth.

Release date: 30 Jan, 2024

Categories: Deductive Reasoning Puzzle, Investigative Gameplay, Puzzle Solving, Single-player Story, Visual Novel, Choice-based Narrative, Linear Progression


- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price: No data
- Playtime Metrics: No data
- Time-to-fun: No data
- Player Archetypes: No data


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- Rich Historical Setting (weight 0.73): Set in the late Qing Dynasty/early Republic of China, the game deeply integrates authentic historical facts, cultural nuances, and patriotic themes. It vividly portrays the era's struggles, national awakening, and the efforts of its people, offering a unique and immersive cultural experience.
- Compelling Story & Pacing (weight 0.65): The game features a rich, profound, and emotionally impactful narrative with well-structured plot twists and excellent pacing. Its interconnected chapters and overarching story provide a highly immersive and thought-provoking experience.
- Engaging Deduction & Puzzles (weight 0.53): The game offers a highly engaging detective experience with clever, logical puzzles and diverse deduction mechanics. It provides a satisfying sense of accomplishment for both novices and experienced mystery fans, often compared favorably to Ace Attorney for its streamlined investigation.
- Exquisite Art & Voice Acting (weight 0.51): The game is praised for its beautiful and distinctive Chinese ink-wash art style, detailed character designs, and high-quality full voice acting. The excellent soundtrack and sound effects further enhance immersion and emotional impact, creating a polished presentation.
- Masterpiece & Passionate Devs (weight 0.39): Reviewers consistently laud the game as a "masterpiece" and a "gem," especially within the domestic indie game scene. The high level of polish, attention to detail, and evident passion from the development team are frequently highlighted as exceeding expectations.
- Highly Enjoyable Gameplay (weight 0.23): Players consistently describe the game as "very fun," "addictive," and providing a "refreshing" experience. Its diverse gameplay mechanics and smooth flow contribute to high replayability and a strong desire to keep playing.
- Informative & Educational (weight 0.21): Players consistently highlight the game's ability to impart knowledge, including historical facts, forensic science, and cultural insights. It serves as an engaging and entertaining way to learn about a specific period of Chinese history and various scientific concepts.
- Balanced Difficulty & Hints (weight 0.14): The game offers a moderate and well-paced difficulty curve, making it accessible for both newcomers and experienced players. Its effective hint system ensures players can progress without getting stuck, contributing to a comfortable and enjoyable experience.

Common complaints:
- Short, Rushed Story & Flat Characters (weight 0.22): The game is criticized for its short length (around 8-10 hours), leading to rushed pacing, especially in later chapters and the ending. Character development is often described as shallow, with many characters feeling unmemorable or serving only as plot devices. Early chapters are also noted for being slow or bland.
- Unoriginal & Copied Content (weight 0.19): A significant number of reviews accuse the game of heavy borrowing or outright plagiarism from the Ace Attorney series, particularly 'The Great Ace Attorney,' in terms of gameplay mechanics, presentation, music, and specific plot points, including the ending. This perceived lack of originality is a major detractor for many players.
- Unpolished & Simple Gameplay (weight 0.13): General gameplay is described as lacking diversity, feeling unpolished, and having rudimentary interactions. Reviewers found the experience disjointed due to a lack of core gameplay innovation and felt forced through the game rather than actively engaging with it. Mini-games are often seen as unnecessary or disruptive.
- Weak Mystery & Puzzle Design (weight 0.11): The core mysteries and puzzles are frequently criticized for lacking originality, being too simple or obvious, and sometimes feeling illogical or far-fetched. Reviewers often found culprits predictable early on, leading to a lack of engaging deduction and an underwhelming experience for detective game fans.
- Disappointing DLC Content (weight 0.05): The DLC is largely criticized for being unfinished, having logical loopholes, and feeling tedious due to requiring players to revisit previous chapters for clues. Many found the gameplay and story of the DLC to be of poor quality.

Gameplay feedback:
- Accessible Chapter-Based Gameplay (weight 0.15): The game is structured into 6-7 chapters, each taking 1-2 hours, with an overall playtime of 10-20 hours. The difficulty is generally moderate and gradually increases, making it accessible for beginners, with simple mechanics and intuitive progression.
- Comprehensive Hint System (weight 0.08): The game features a robust hint system that allows players to receive partial hints or even full answers if they get stuck, without any cost. This system caters to different player preferences, from those seeking a challenge to those who prefer to follow the story.
- Linear Episodic Narrative (weight 0.06): The game follows a linear, episodic narrative structure, where individual cases contribute to a larger overarching mystery, often related to the protagonist's personal quest. The story features well-controlled pacing, interactive points, and can lead to different endings based on player choices.
- Flexible Save System (weight 0.03): The game features a generous auto-save system, frequent automatic saves, and the ability to manually save at any time. This allows players to experiment with choices and recover easily from mistakes, enhancing player freedom.
- Skippable Mini-Games (weight 0.02): The game includes some mini-games that reviewers found boring, but these can be skipped. This provides flexibility for players who prefer to focus solely on the deduction and narrative.
- Varied Case Design (weight 0.02): The game's cases offer twists and turns, with some cases being more engaging than others. While some mechanisms might feel fantastical or disjointed, the final case is noted for its thematic elevation, combining classic and social reasoning styles.

Performance notes:
- Frequent game crashes (weight 0.02): Players experience severe and frequent game crashes, sometimes immediately upon opening or after short playtimes, making the game unplayable for some, especially on macOS after updates.
- Steam Deck display issues (weight 0.01): While the game generally performs well on Steam Deck, players noted the presence of black bars at the top and bottom of the screen, indicating a display aspect ratio issue specific to that platform.
- Incomplete content skipping (weight 0.01): Players are frustrated by the game's incomplete skip function and slow animations that cannot be fast-forwarded, hindering the ability to quickly progress or re-experience content.
- White character interface (weight 0.01): A specific visual bug was reported where the character interface appeared entirely white, hindering player interaction and visibility within that menu.
- Inaccurate playtime tracking (weight 0.01): The in-game displayed playtime is inaccurate as it includes idle time, which can misrepresent the actual time spent actively playing the game.
- Excessive log file size (weight 0.01): The game's Unity engine continuously reports errors to the Player.log file, causing it to grow to an unmanageable size (hundreds of MB or even GBs) during gameplay, potentially consuming significant disk space.
- Screen tearing requires manual FPS (weight 0.01): Players need to manually adjust FPS settings to prevent screen tearing, indicating a lack of proper V-sync or frame rate management within the game's default settings.

Recommendations:
- Eager for DLC/Sequels (weight 0.32): Players are highly satisfied with the game and express an overwhelming desire for additional content, including DLC, sequels, and more cases. Many are actively looking forward to future releases and will support the developers.
- Highly Recommended & Value (weight 0.29): The game is overwhelmingly recommended by players, often described as a masterpiece and excellent value for its price. Many encourage others to purchase and play it, highlighting its overall quality and enjoyment.
- Strong Genre Appeal (weight 0.15): The game is highly recommended for fans of detective, mystery, puzzle, and reasoning games, especially those who enjoy the Ace Attorney series. It is also noted as a good entry point for players new to the genre.
- Support for Domestic Game (weight 0.03): Many reviewers express strong support and pride for the game as a high-quality domestic (Chinese) production, hoping for more similar works that combine history and culture. However, some comments suggest it's not recommended for non-Chinese players, which is an exclusionary sentiment.
- Advise Playing to End (weight 0.01): Reviewers strongly advise players to complete the game, emphasizing that the experience improves or becomes more worthwhile towards the end, even if initial chapters might seem slow.

Other player notes:
- Ace Attorney inspiration (weight 0.05): The game openly acknowledges and is heavily inspired by the Ace Attorney series, incorporating similar gameplay elements and character archetypes. Reviewers note these similarities but generally view them as positive influences rather than plagiarism.
- Mixed translation quality (weight 0.03): While some reviewers found the translation good enough for immersion, others noted minor errors or suspected machine translation in official versions. The developers acknowledge minor issues and provide a reporting system.
- Hopeful, complex ending (weight 0.02): The game's ending is described as hopeful, often combining main and hidden storylines. It leaves some plot points unresolved and introduces new ones, while also being somewhat preachy but fitting the game's themes.

Emotions:
- Satisfaction (weight 0.32): Players express satisfaction due to the game's high overall quality, encompassing its well-crafted and logical plot, engaging gameplay, and effective integration of historical and cultural elements. The appealing art style, quality voice acting, balanced difficulty, and educational value further contribute to a fulfilling and enjoyable experience, often exceeding expectations and offering good value for money.
- Admiration (weight 0.1): Players admire the game for its exceptional overall quality, particularly its profound thematic depth, rigorous historical research, and clever integration of cultural elements into the narrative. The high artistic quality, including art style, music, and voice acting, combined with meticulous case design and strong character development, contributes to a perceived masterpiece that often evokes patriotic sentiments.
- Excitement (weight 0.09): Excitement stems from the game's captivating and addictive gameplay, particularly its engaging plot twists, well-designed cases, and thrilling climaxes, especially in later chapters and the ending. Players are also excited by the overall high quality of the game, its immersive experience, and the anticipation for future DLC or sequels.
- Disappointment (weight 0.05): Disappointment primarily stems from perceived lack of originality, with players citing borrowed mechanics and plot elements, particularly from Ace Attorney. Other causes include short game length, inconsistent or poor voice acting (especially English), plot holes, illogical deductions, and issues with character development or pacing, leading to a feeling that the game did not reach its full potential.
- Anticipation (weight 0.05): Players express anticipation primarily for future content, including DLC and sequels, driven by their enjoyment of the game's core experience and desire for more stories and cases. This also extends to a general hope for more high-quality games from the development team or in a similar genre.
- Frustration (weight 0.04): Frustration arises from various technical and design flaws, including game-breaking bugs, issues with the save system, and poor UI/UX. Players also express frustration with illogical deductions, unclear hints, unskippable animations, and perceived lack of originality in gameplay mechanics, which can hinder the overall experience.
- Joy (weight 0.03): Players experience joy primarily from the game's fun and engaging gameplay, coupled with an enjoyable plot and appealing art style. The high quality of localization, memorable characters, and the overall immersive detective experience also contribute to a delightful and positive sentiment.
- Appreciation (weight 0.03): Players appreciate the game for the developers' evident effort and sincerity in crafting a high-quality experience, particularly in its meticulous historical research and seamless integration of cultural elements into the narrative. The well-written story, detailed art style, and educational value, combined with player-friendly features, contribute to a unique and rewarding experience.
- Surprise (weight 0.03): Surprise often arises from the game exceeding players' initial expectations, particularly regarding its overall quality, depth, and originality, especially for a domestic title or a new genre experience. Unexpected plot twists, clever case designs, and the game's engaging nature also contribute to a pleasant and refreshing sense of discovery.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.02): Players find enjoyment in the game's engaging and immersive gameplay, particularly its well-crafted mysteries, logical deduction mechanics, and compelling story. The game's accessibility, appealing art style, and the integration of historical facts further enhance the overall fun and satisfying experience.
- Moved (weight 0.02): Players are moved by the game's profound emotional impact, particularly through its compelling historical narrative, patriotic themes, and the portrayal of characters facing historical struggles. Specific impactful story elements, such as the ending or certain chapters like Hanyang Iron Works, deeply resonate with players, highlighting the game's sincerity and thematic depth.
- Pride (weight 0.02): Pride is primarily evoked by the game's high quality as a domestic Chinese product, particularly its successful representation and integration of Chinese history, culture, and patriotic themes. Players feel a sense of national achievement and satisfaction in seeing a local game reach such high standards and effectively convey a "Chinese story."
- Hope (weight 0.01): Players express hope for the future of domestic games, particularly for more high-quality, culturally and historically rich titles like this one. This hope extends to desires for future content, sequels, and continued innovation and refinement from the developers, signaling a positive direction for the local game industry.
- Inspiration (weight 0.01): Players feel inspired by the game's profound thematic messages, particularly its portrayal of historical struggles, patriotic sentiment, and the perseverance of historical figures. The game's ability to naturally evoke strong emotions and provide historical learning contributes to a stirring and uplifting experience.
- Engagement (weight 0.01): Players are engaged by the game's compelling and immersive story, well-designed cases, and logical reasoning, which are enhanced by its historical setting and educational content. The appropriate difficulty, varied gameplay, and strong character development contribute to a captivating and interactive narrative experience.
- Immersion (weight 0.01): Players experience strong immersion due to the game's compelling historical setting, engaging plot, and effective sound design and voice acting. The well-crafted detective process and the feeling of actively role-playing a detective further draw players into the game's world and narrative.
- Awe (weight 0.01): Awe is inspired by the game's profound depth, particularly its intricate story, historical connections, and the masterful execution of its grand themes. The overall high quality of the game, combined with impactful plot twists, a powerful ending, and the creators' skill, evokes a sense of wonder and deep respect.
- Amusement (weight 0.01): Amusement stems from humorous moments within the game, including the protagonist's reactions to incorrect choices and specific character interactions. Players also find amusement in certain gameplay elements, character designs, and the game's unique voice acting.
- Sadness (weight 0.01): Sadness is caused by the game's emotional impact, particularly through its portrayal of historical loss, struggles, and the tragic fates of characters within an oppressive historical environment. The game's historical narrative and specific impactful cases, like Hanyang Iron Works, evoke a deep sense of melancholy.}