How Case of the Golden Idol Works

[@zenmaster8]

My favorite realization was about what the ownership of a certain item meant. It lead me to seeing the past cases in a whole other light. My favorite case was the math one because i love me some math

[@noshi7773]

and i love you, stranger

[@MikeAA]

My jaw hit the floor when I realized they actually expected us to do basic algebra to solve the math puzzle. 🤣

[@PawanDubeyK]

This is, in my opinion, the best detective/mystery game. It is pure detection, and that is what sets it apart from others. There are other mystery games, that do other things better but the Golden Idol has managed to somehow nail the perfect spot for me - a refinement of the mechanic from the Obra Dinn. I'm glad for all the DLCs too.

[@idemifixation]

I hope the developers conyinue woirking together. The music, the art, the mechanics - all were perfect.

[@SquishypuffDave]

I'm glad to find someone else who enjoys this more than Obra Dinn. I think what does it for me is the creativity and variety of different puzzles, and the colourful cast of scheming characters with high ambition but poor impulse control. It's pure entertainment on every level. A very different kind of detective game, but you might get a kick out of Hypnospace Outlaw if you're not familiar already. 🙂

[@N0M0PH0B1A]

My favourite realization by far is in case 5. I read the book about encoded messages with a word on each new line and then, after closely examining every note I could find, found that the poisoner had been informed in a seemingly innocent note to poison the target.

[@JP.Q]

When I solved the case you discussed, I got away without really understanding any of the stuff with the keys and locks, because there was a direct clue linking the killer to the poisoning. I guess an example of what you call positive evidence. SPOILER: the game hints at a certain technique for encoding messages, so naturally I went to look for any message that might use that encoding, and that lead to conclusive evidence establishing the murderer.

[@Girafen]

I truly did not understand this case, i ended up looking it up :/ I'm assuming you have to decode the letter that Ada has on her, what was the decoding method?

[@zenmaster8]

@@Girafen yeah in the room it says fourth on each line. I didnt mess with the keys either, showing there is multiple ways to find the answer

[@truehare]

That was the way I solved it as well. I understood how different shaped keys opened different locks and that information also helped me, but the stuff with forged keys and Little Pip's sticky hands flew right over my head.

[@samdrow8268]

​@@trueharewait, what does Little Pip has to do with the poisoning?

[@truehare]

@@samdrow8268 nothing, but his habit of "borrowing" stuff is a clue to help you get to the real culprit.

[@grnpncke]

Your analysis is so good. I loved this game! Finished it in about 2-3 hours without hints as well. The story was great, and the twist occurred to me midway through solving the final puzzle, and realized how everything thus far took new context, and I thought it was so flipping brilliant.

[@NickPReview]

Excellent video! You broke down a lot of why this and Obra Dinn's deductions feel so much fresher than other detective games in a way I couldn't put into words myself. I honestly completely missed the clue about the teeth and the brandy which I guess just goes to show how many ways these cases can be solved (another excellent example is Case 4 with the red herring killer who can either be ruled out by the entire bar being locked up with him outside or his comment about not being able to read). To answer your questions you posed at the end: My favorite case and set of rules to uncover would have to be the 9th case, as not only is the rule of alibis a very unique thing to map out a timeline with, but the way the plants you mentioned are used led to one of the most brilliant feeling moments I've had with uncovering a second crime that I had no expectation of when I first started without a single bit of guidance. And I'll fully admit that I only got the big twist... Because of the final blurb explaining the case. Apparently I am made to be a Watson, not a Sherlock.

[@MichaelRealityCreation]

This game is amazing. It has a good formula for figuring out the case for your own without spoilering something. I personally never looked on the mostly left section of the thinking panel because it could spoil a little bit. Great Game!!!

[@MichaelRealityCreation]

anybody knowing similar games? hidden gems?

[@SquishypuffDave]

There's some incredibly clever puzzle design in this game, and that includes a lot of hidden design you're barely even aware of as you play. One thing it does really creatively is obfuscate which words you need for the answer. The most memorable is the identity of the person that gave the command in The Intoxicating Dinner Party. You discover the two words you need in totally unrelated contexts, and there's no reason to make any association between them until you decrypt a hidden code, which makes for an incredibly surprising yet satisfying moment. Another more subtle but equally creative example is in The Triumph Of Order. There's a word you need to enter in order to describe what has happened to the man who died. If you had a pile of leftover words, you could potentially brute force the answer. However, the case requires you to use the necessary word in an unrelated context in an earlier paragraph, which tricks the player into thinking it's not among the pool of remaining words to choose from. This then forces the player to truly comprehend what is happening before realising they must use the same word in two contexts. Another aspect of this game which I love is that it tends to provide multiple clues to help players make a discovery, rather than every step of the case hinging on one easy-to-miss detail. This means less frustrating bottlenecks, more satisfying moments of realisation, and an overall sense of interconnectivity. Overall, I think this game's crowning achievement is how fully integrated the puzzles are with the narrative. Every "aha" moment is as much a realisation about the story and characters as it is about solving the puzzle at hand. I'm also an avid defender of the ending, it was a poetic tragicomedy worthy of the Coen Brothers.

[@Ilovebarbosch]

Omg 4 hours, good for you :') I think it took me more like 7 or 8 :D Great Video!

[@ORANOID]

Finally someone except for me (and Kojima) talk about this game! Thank you for the video.

[@yugen9351]

Did he talk about it on his podcast?

[@ORANOID]

@@yugen9351 idk for sure, but there was a tweet

[@hectorwhoz]

I think my all time favorite realization was, in the least spoilery way possible, was in the later cases, finding out how a particular person died and who dealt the killing blow The smile that spread on my face asI figured that out, i was over the moon with it!

[@lisbonmapping8425]

Game's been sitting in my Steam library for a while but wanting to watch this video provided the needed motivation to actually play it, so thanks! Really loved it.

[@Hatominx]

Spoilers: I think the guys with masks one was my favorite. The realization of the rings made me remember that there were other people who had them and made me go back and check others

[@riccardodepieri4582]

I clicked off of the video a day ago. Immediately bought the game. Finished it just about now. Mind-blowingly good game, unbelievably fun desing and ideas and also, I must say, even though i loved the obra dinn, this game has a much more coherent and interesting story than its predecessor. Play it. Do it. Just play this game

[@111Malefic]

ALRIGHT. FINE. I'LL PLAY IT BEFORE WATCHING THE VIDEO. SEE YOU IN SIX MONTHS.

[@yugen9351]

This game seems really interesting, but the art style of the people puts me off even though I know I shouldn't care too much about that

[@Xanthopathy]

@@yugen9351 the artstyle is so cool doe

[@drnanard9605]

It's a 5 hours game bro

[@Sahfarry]

4 months to go

[@idipbananasintocoffee]

Aight one month to go

[@MattBosten]

Just started this now it's on Game Pass and almost wrapped up; the moment that really made me appreciate the puzzle design (and how they flow from one chapter to the next) was the identity of one of the card players. I immediately thought that he looks very similar to the guy from the lasty chapter, but after collecting all the words I couldn't spell out his name. Only after deducing the name he assumed I went back to the previous chapter and realised "Ash Blair" was the brand of tobacco he had on his person, a detail I'd otherwise dismissed!

[@ragberkotobuki41]

Me and my ex-girlfriend played one story in game for one night, except last two, because we were to excited. And now, when two DLCs released, it feels so good to revisit the game, with new characters, there no words can express how much I love this game. And I would ABSOLUTELY recommend to play this game with your "non-gamer" friends/relatives/significant other, its so much fun to experience game first together

[@whatevermissschocolate]

my two favorite detective games: case of the golden idol and Obra Din

[@jukeboxhero07]

I never picked up on the significance of Pip's brandy. I finished the game, but I wonder how many meaningful details were in there that I'd missed

[@guybrushmonkey97]

Great video! I guess I finished the poisoning case without realizing the kid stole anything lol

[@_P_a_o_l_o_]

I really loved your analysis! And in particular how this game differs from real life investigations

[@Frosty-oj6hw]

I loved this game so much, I played the free demo (still free on steam if you want to try the game first) and was hooked immediately. While waiting for the full release I learned it was influenced by Return of the Obra Dinn, which I had actually seen reviewed by yahtzee many years ago, but never tried. When I learned it was made by Lucas Pope the guy behind Papers please! I just had to give it a go, and loved it, manged to 100% Obra Dinn which was a struggle, but very fun and well worth it. I then went on the play the full game of Case of the golden idol when it was released and really enjoyed it, short (if you're adept at puzzles) but very sweet and left me wanting more. I only leraned today that there's 2 sets of DLC out now with new campaigns so I'm pumped to give them a go.

[@charliedean166]

i think u might be my favorite youtuber

[@ethancooper1056]

"took about four hours" You are much smarter than me, then.

[@danil_tatarinov]

My favorite realisation: Why one of the caln members was ambushed and why is he lying naked in a bush!

[@katdeasyy]

i loved this game! excited for the sequel thats coming out this year

[@Elizabeth_Lan]

OH MY GOD YESSSS AN EMBANKMENT VIDEO ABOUT THIS GAME ATTEISAFASKFNASJKFNAOISFJSIAO

[@marcobencini9941]

I thougth the copies key were lockpik, i didn't get that clues but I still solved it

[@MrNoob64]

I saw Tyler (Aliensrock) play this game, its a very nice game!

[@skDanT]

I downloaded this game on GamePass after hearing nothing but praise about this game, but I feel like I’m not in on the joke or something because it bored me to no end. Didn’t help that I played it on console, because controlling the menus was one of the most cumbersome and archaic experiences I’ve had in gaming in a long time. Glad people love it, but I came here to see if anyone else shares my frustrations, but I guess not. Looks like I’m the only one not in on the joke 🤷‍♂️

[@Abhiroop]

play umineko

[@oualidpro8427]

hellow sir can i ask u plez

[@innah6493]

Hello there, Can you make a review on the new mobile game with MrBeast? Name of the game - Mr Beast: The Last Battle