PC Critic Reviews

Sharp, full of wit, and driven by a charming writing and voice acting, The Mermaid’s Mirror is more proof that within broader industry existential anxieties and subsequent self-destruction, you don’t need photorealism and bank-breaking budgets to create something cinematic, compelling, and enchanting.

The Detective Grimoire series reaches a new apex in The Mermaid Mask, which first equals and then outshines its beloved predecessors in nearly every way that matters.

The Mermaid Mask is the best Detective Grimoire adventure yet. Its art, music, voice cast, and puzzle design are all worthy of praise, but they're held together by a great story and a fun script, complete with all the quips and twists I've come to expect from SFB's mystery series. I spent my entire playthrough engrossed and engaged, and I hope the development team gets to make plenty more sequels.

The Mermaid Mask is a mystery full of quirk and intrigue that pulls the player in and keeps them going with a riveting story of wayward souls and their mysterious benefactor. I easily lost track of time getting to know the ins and outs of all of this cast, their triumphs and tragedies, and their secrets and ambitions. I loved the animated swagger and dialogue that brought them to life and the music that emphasized their personas. I also loved the digging and piecing together of puzzles and the characters to which they related. It’s a little wordy compared to its action, and you can throw clues at the wall until one sticks in some cases, but The Mermaid Mask still feels like a smart, silly, and charming mystery that will lock mystery lovers into its intriguing tale of ambition, legacy, and obsession.

So, does The Mermaid Mask structure that decent denouement? Absolutely. The Mermaid Mask is a polished, clever, and thoroughly charming addition to the Detective Grimoire series. It manages to iterate on the mechanics of Tangle Tower without losing the cozy, inquisitive spirit of the original flash games. It is arguably the series’ greatest entry yet, it sets a remarkably high bar for future sequels by perfectly balancing complex puzzle-solving with the undeniable charm of its characters. Yes, it may be a little easy for die-hard fans of the genre, and there is a lot of dialogue but for fans of detective fiction and point-and-click adventures, this is a must-play. Magnus Mortuga might be dead, but the series has never been more alive.

The Mermaid Mask is a charming and expertly crafted detective adventure that combines an engrossing locked-room mystery with exceptional character writing, sharp humor, and outstanding presentation. While a few interaction quirks occasionally interrupt the investigation, its memorable cast, intuitive puzzles, and captivating atmosphere make it one of the year's standout mystery games.

For three or four hours, we get to fully inhabit the role of detective, putting our theories into action while in response the game delivers one major revelation after the next. The answers it supplies are all satisfying - never a given, in this genre - and by the time it's all wrapped up, the all-important supporting cast have been left in some interesting places. [Issue#426, p.118]

Everything in The Mermaid Mask comes together to create one seriously compelling whodunnit packed with charm, wit and driven by a memorable cast of characters.

Some players may find this completion percentage approach too formulaic, especially if they exhaust their current inventory and resort to pixel hunting to locate the rest. And the pacing does falter in the final chapter, where the game presents you with a more literal checklist to work through before you get to tie up each character’s loose ends and make your final accusation. But while the conclusion of The Mermaid Mask feels far more satisfying than that of Tangle Tower, these games are far more about the twisty journey and the laughs you have along the way.

The Mermaid Mask is an enjoyable detective adventure that shines thanks to its memorable characters, engaging murder mystery, and the entertaining chemistry between Grimoire and Sally. While the investigation remains compelling throughout, its low difficulty and predictable finale may leave seasoned sleuths wanting more. Minor technical and audio issues occasionally disrupt the experience, but it still delivers a compact and satisfying point-and-click mystery for genre fans.