Touch Detective is the latest title from Atlus for the Nintendo DS. While the game features a unique aesthetic that feels like a Tim Burton version of a Jhonen Vasquez comic, the gameplay feels like an old-school adventure game. This works to both help and hurt the game, as the trial-and-error mechanics will certainly not be for everyone. However, the game’s style will work to draw in fans of the genre with a DS.

Touch Detective has you controlling Mackenzie, a young girl who has recently acquired her late father’s detective business. You have four cases to solve in order to gain a good reputation among the community. Fortunately, you don’t have to work alone, as you’ll have the assistance of your loyal butler, Cromwell, and your fungal BFF, Funghi. You’ll explore the town, solving riddles and puzzles, investigating clues, and building a “Touch List” as you attempt to bring your father’s business up to its prior glory.

The interface is very easy to grasp, since the game uses the DS’s touch-screen almost exclusively. Tapping on the screen will move Mackenzie to the spot, have her talk to the person, or interact with the item that you tapped on. The item bar is also fixed at the bottom of the screen, so that your inventory is always readily available for use.

The game also makes interesting use of the top-screen. As the bottom one is reserved for the gameplay, the top-screen shows Mackenzie’s thoughts through her cases. It’ll run in real-time as to what’s going on in the game, and it’ll show her emotions as she’s dealing with the in-game happenings.

Touch Detective works the same way that most point-and-click adventure games work, as in you go around talking to people and collecting items along the way. Touch Detective is a very wordy game in that regard, as most of the time is spent bantering back and forth between the people that you meet. You’ll revisit areas a lot to talk to people and explore again for new items that may’ve appeared in your absence. The pace of Touch Detective is a lot slower than many gamers may be used to, and the constant dialogue between the characters slows it down even that much more.

Fortunately, Touch Detective has a great script. The dialogue is very witty and interesting, keeping the story moving along, even if the gameplay slows waaay down.

Touch Detective is also a very deliberate adventure game. The puzzles require a fair amount of trial and error, requiring you to “think outside the box,” if you’ll pardon the awful cliché. You’ll have to tap on just about everything with your stylus in order to proceed and solve the puzzle, as well as ask about everything.

Graphically, Touch Detective’s look is one of its most appealing traits. The unique aesthetic anime-esque with a dark tone to it, but not in a way that’s at all disturbing. The characters each have their own unique personalities about them, and the cel-shaded look works well with the game’s overall theme.

The sound is pretty low-key, with the score sounding like something out of an equally quirky Super Nintendo game.

Touch Detective is a creative game with a great look and a certain quirk about it that gives it a lot of character and appeal. The slow-paced gameplay may not be for everyone, but anyone looking for a good story with a unique feel should give it a look. 

Gameplay: 7.5
Don’t let the somewhat bizarre aesthetic fool you, Touch Detective is an old-school adventure game, warts and all. The story is intriguing, but the game’s slow pace and constant dialogue may turn some gamers off.

Graphics: 8.5
The game’s look is one of its best features, as each character has their own distinct personality. The cel-shaded look adds to this and keeps in line with the game’s mood.

Sound: 7.0
Super Nintendo-style soundtrack and not much else.

Difficulty: Medium

Concept: 8.0
The story is fun and the dialogue is witty, meaning that the game should keep you entertained even if the gameplay’s a little slow.

Overall: 7.5
Touch Detective’s old-school, slow-paced gameplay may not be for everyone, but fans of the genre will enjoy the quirky aesthetic and witty story.