Stuck Inside? Get Cozy With Tangle Tower
A good old-fashioned mystery for a weekend at home
When it comes to detective games, I’ve mainly spent my time on the edges of the genre. Return of The Obra Dinn and Paradise Killer are two of the most monumental games of the past few years, and I loved them both. But after being converted by those particular trailblazers, I had the urge to try out something a little more standard, and spending a rainy weekend in my apartment provided the ideal opportunity. Before jumping for Phoenix Wright or Professor Layton though, I remembered I had just the perfect thing hanging out in my backlog. Enter Tangle Tower (and don’t forget to ring the doorbell).
The third entry in the Detective Grimoire series, Tangle Tower is a detective game in the traditional sense. There’s plenty of point-and-clicking, though thankfully it avoids the arbitrary obtuseness that so often comes with that. And while you’re free to gather evidence and testimonies in almost any order, the way you weave them into a case is considerably more prescribed. It’s no Obra Dinn (what is?) but that level of deduction would only slow down this game’s smooth, propulsive, mystery book narrative.
What I first found so enticing here is the flair with which the world is presented. Striking visual design deftly balances elements that are both whimsical and haunting. Every character is fully (and compellingly) voiced. And music consistently pulls you in without distracting from the investigation at hand.
The prevailing strength of Tangle Tower, though, is its cast. Every character is distinct and expressive, from eerily wordless Flora, to bookishly detached Fifi, to darkly sarcastic Poppy. Even murder victim Freya, with her love for insects and prodigious artistic talent, makes an impression. With the painting depicting a recurring nightmare propped up at the foot of her bed, how could she not?
Although its groove rarely falters for long, the few times I did get hung up, the game’s colorful cast always kept me pushing forward.
While it’s not easy to write in detail about Tangle Tower’s story without spoiling its many twists and turns, I can say it does an exceptional job of managing the push and pull of its narrative momentum. The flow of clues may run dry from time to time, but that just makes the moments of cascading progress all the more rewarding. Particularly satisfying is the crescendo that builds toward the mystery’s conclusion, which is the most magnetic single hour of gaming I’ve experienced in quite a while.
My only real criticism of the narrative is that it ends somewhat abruptly. While the murder itself wraps up nicely, a few other arcs felt unresolved. True, there are worse things than to be left wanting more. It’s better by far than a story that drags out too long. And in a way it speaks to the strength of the characters that they were able to get me so invested. Still, I came away wishing there weren’t quite so many loose ends left hanging.
More about iteration than innovation, Tangle Tower probably won’t upend too many of your expectations. As a way to spend a few free evenings though, it’s top-notch. If you already pay for Apple Arcade, it’s an absolute no-brainer. But if, like me, you aren’t a member of that particular subscription service, do yourself a favor. Buy this one and stash it away for a rainy day.
