Info about Inspector Schmidt - The Ebbing: Official game description: Get the prequel - A Bavarian Tale - Totgeschwiegen ================================================== Join our Discord ================ About the Game ============== In this detective RPG, you untangle a thick web of intrigues, lies, and secrets that surround a mysterious death. Find the origin of eerie telegraph signals, question the villagers, decipher the strange symbols that are suddenly appearing all over town - and hide from the danger lurking in the moor. The sudden death of Bente Hansen shakes the picturesque seaside town of Havstedt. The townspeople are in turmoil: Who murdered him? What is the story behind the mysterious symbols in the town and - is there really a brutal beast lurking in the moor? Uncover the truth behind the sea of lies and reveal the dark secrets of the inhabitants of Havstedt - without being targeted yourself. Gameplay -------- **Explore the open world:** Move freely around a coastal town in 1870 and search for clues. **Lead exciting dialogues:** Use the dialogue mechanic to question the residents, gather compelling information and find out who is hiding something. **Start a confrontation:** Question the suspects and catch the perpetrators **Search for clues:** Use your detective sense to find hidden evidence. **Crack exciting puzzles:** Use hidden clues and, above all, your wits to find important information. **Evade detection:** Slip into forbidden areas and survive the dangers of the moor – getting caught is not an option! **Pass the skill checks:** Use your abilities in classic pen and paper skill checks (dice rolls). **Level up:** Develop your character and decide which skills you want to improve. **Craft useful items:** Gather resources and build items and consumables to improve your skills. **Make difficult decisions:** Your actions affect the course of the story. Decide for yourself how you want to succeed: Through charisma, diplomacy, ... the mission is clear: crack the case! Setting ------- The year is 1870 and the first functioning transatlantic telegraph cable has just been put into operation, heralding a new era of communication between the USA and Germany. Industrialisation and social movements are gaining momentum - and with it, critical discourse and conflict among the population. And then there is the Franco-Prussian War which worries people: nobody wants to be drafted. Story ----- Valentin Schmidt, a young civil servant, just wants to spend his well-deserved holiday on the North Sea. After an eventful boat voyage, he finally arrives in picturesque Havstedt - but then events take a turn for the worse: Bente Hansen's body is found at the telegraph station. Valentin's holiday seems to be over ... unless he uncovers the culprit and ensures safety in Havstedt again. However, he soon realises that every faction of the idyllic little town harbours its own dark, strange secrets. Who - or what - has Bente Hansen on their conscience? Will you be able to get to the bottom of the sinister happenings in Havstedt? **What's new in The Ebbing compared to its predecessor, A Bavarian Tale?** -------------------------------------------------------------------------- More detective work ------------------- With the revised Detective Sweep, you can make sure that you haven't overlooked anything in a room. You can now also inspect elements and examine them for hidden clues, just as you can find important clues inside furniture. Combination and number puzzles ------------------------------ Some information is hidden behind tricky combination and number puzzles. In The Ebbing, it's no longer just your interpersonal skills that are required in dialogs with NPCs, but also your deduction skills. Improved stealth mechanics -------------------------- We've completely overhauled our stealth mechanics for The Ebbing and developed some very nice quests around them that will hopefully keep you on the edge of your seat. Tailor your game experience to your needs ----------------------------------------- There are different modes in The Ebbing that allow you to experience the game exactly the way you want to. In **story mode**, the quest log will give you plenty of clues as to what you need to do next to solve the case. It is ideal for people who simply want to immerse themselves in the story and solve exciting puzzles. You can now significantly **simplify our dice skill checks** or even switch them off completely to get even more involved in the story. The **detective mode** gives you fewer clues in the quest log and you are responsible for writing down your findings and not losing track of them. Who have you already questioned? What information are you missing? This mode is for hardcore detectives. If you have to sneak past enemies, you can also **adjust the stealth difficulty.** This also allows you to set how thrilling these parts of the game are. If you get scared easily (and don't like it), this setting is basically your **tension regulator.** **Roadmap for Inspector Schmidt - The Ebbing** ---------------------------------------------- We're continuously working on _Inspector Schmidt - The Ebbing_ and look forward to your reports via Steam and our Discord server. This is our roadmap for the following months: * Controller Support * Steamdeck Support * Improvement of the Beta Language Versions * Porting for XBox * Porting für PS 5 * Platt voice overs * Upgrade to Unreal 5.5 Funded by nordmedia – Film- und Mediengesellschaft Niedersachsen/Bremen mbH. funded by FFF Bayern. Release date: 7 Apr, 2025 Categories: RPG, Investigative Gameplay, Open-World Exploration, Puzzle Solving, Stealth Gameplay, Choice-based Narrative, Character Progression, First-Person Perspective - 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: - Engaging story, charming characters (weight 0.94): The game features an engaging and immersive story with well-developed, quirky characters and charming dialogue. The narrative encourages continued play and investment in uncovering mysteries within a unique world. - Authentic, immersive voice acting (weight 0.46): The game features authentic voice acting, including a well-executed North German dialect that enhances the setting and atmosphere. The language used is appropriate for the time period and setting, adding to the game's immersive quality. - Significant improvements over predecessor (weight 0.38): The game shows significant improvements over its predecessor, particularly in graphics and mechanics. Developers have refined the gameplay experience by improving existing mechanics and removing unnecessary elements. - Challenging puzzles, interesting skill-checks (weight 0.23): The game offers a choice between Story and Detective modes, with challenging but fair puzzles that reward attention to detail. Skill checks add an interesting layer to the gameplay. - Eerie atmosphere, builds dread (weight 0.16): The game creates an eerie and unsettling atmosphere, building a sense of dread as the player uncovers clues. Certain locations are genuinely scary due to their sound design and environmental elements. - Exploration adds world depth (weight 0.11): The ability to explore building interiors and wander the environment adds depth to the game world. Players are rewarded with stunning seaside views, enhancing the sense of immersion. - Demo save carries over (weight 0.1): The game allows players to continue directly from the demo save, avoiding the need to replay previously completed content. The prologue and demo remain available for new players. - Customization tailors playstyle (weight 0.06): The game offers further customization options, allowing players to tailor the experience to their preferred playstyle. This enhances player agency and enjoyment. - "Euro-Jank" adds charm (weight 0.05): The game's "Euro-Jank" nature contributes to its unique charm, suggesting that its imperfections add to its appeal. This is a subjective point that may not appeal to all players. - First-person perspective welcome (weight 0.05): The first-person perspective is a welcome change, suggesting that it enhances the gameplay experience. This perspective may offer a more immersive or engaging view of the game world. - Noteworthy sound design (weight 0.05): The sound design is noteworthy, indicating that it significantly contributes to the game's atmosphere and immersion. This suggests a high level of attention to detail in the audio elements. - Stunning visuals (weight 0.05): The visuals are stunning, indicating a high level of graphical quality and artistic design. This enhances the overall aesthetic appeal of the game. - Paper notes compelling option (weight 0.05): The option to take notes on paper for higher difficulty is appreciated, adding a compelling element for some players. This feature caters to those seeking a more challenging and immersive experience. Common complaints: - Game plagued by bugs (weight 0.26): Multiple reviews mention bugs, ranging from minor visual glitches to significant issues like the game failing to load properly. These issues detract from the overall experience and require patching. - Incomplete controller support (weight 0.17): Controller support is present but incomplete and inconsistent. Players report issues with interacting with certain elements and a lack of clear controller guidance, hindering the experience for controller users. - Suboptimal performance issues (weight 0.16): The game's performance is not optimal, with occasional frame rate drops and slow loading times. This is especially bothersome given the game's genre, where smooth performance is expected. - Inconsistent language display (weight 0.07): The game displays inconsistent language, with some tutorials appearing in a different language than the rest of the text, making them unreadable. This creates a barrier to understanding the game's mechanics. - Unclear quest objectives (weight 0.07): Some quests lack clarity, making it difficult for players to understand their objectives. This can lead to frustration and impede progress. - Inconsistent voice audio (weight 0.06): The audio mixing for voice acting is inconsistent, which can be distracting and detract from the overall presentation. - Unwieldy save system (weight 0.06): The save system is described as unwieldy, suggesting it is cumbersome or difficult to use. This can lead to frustration and a negative impact on the player experience. Gameplay feedback: - Meaningful choices and consequences (weight 0.18): The game offers branching narratives and consequences based on player choices. Player actions and dialogue choices influence character relationships, story outcomes, and the availability of information, creating a sense of agency. - Mixes genres with dice rolls (weight 0.07): The game blends adventure, exploration, and RPG mechanics, but incorporates dice rolls that introduce an element of chance. This may appeal to players who enjoy RPG elements, but could frustrate those seeking a purely deterministic adventure experience. - Visually evokes North Sea (weight 0.06): The game is set in a fictional location inspired by the North Sea. The setting is visually evocative of the North Sea region, which may contribute to the game's atmosphere and immersion. Performance notes: - Animations need to be smoother (weight 0.07): The game has appealing visuals, but the animations need improvement to be smoother. This impacts the overall experience, making the game feel less polished. Recommendations: - Strongly recommended, engaging experience (weight 0.57): Many reviewers recommend the game based on their positive initial experiences and anticipation for future content. They highlight the engaging story and immersive adventure, suggesting it's a worthwhile experience, especially for fans of the genre. Some suggest trying a demo or starting with the prologue. - Good for detective genre fans (weight 0.11): The game is particularly recommended for fans of the detective genre, especially given its price point. Reviewers suggest that those who enjoy detective stories and traditional adventures will find it appealing. - Requires patience and time (weight 0.06): The game requires patience and time investment from the player. This suggests that the game may be slow-paced or require a significant time commitment to fully appreciate. Other player notes: - Review in progress, beta tester (weight 0.11): The reviewer participated in the game's beta testing phase and intends to update the review after completing the full story. This indicates a commitment to providing a comprehensive and informed assessment of the game. - Island setting, vacation cases (weight 0.07): The game's narrative revolves around Valentin Schmidt, a protagonist solving cases on an island during his vacation. This setting and premise form the core of the game's storyline and player experience. - Prologue available on Steam (weight 0.07): The game offers a prologue as a separate download on Steam. This allows players to sample the game's content before committing to a purchase, potentially influencing their decision. Emotions: No emotions}