A Case of Distrust is a point-and-click adventure game that looks like the title sequence of a Hitchcock movie. Made by developer The Wandering Ben, the game takes place in San Francisco at the height of Prohibition. You play as Detective Phyllis Cadence Malone, ex-cop turned private eye. After a bootlegger hires you to get to the bottom of a death threat, you head off to different parts of town collecting clues, digging up dirt on people and chatting up suspects.
A Case of Distrust channels inspiration from 2007 Nintendo DS game Hotel Dusk: Room 215 in the way it has you click around rooms looking for clues. Each time you click on a piece of evidence in a room, it gets jotted down in your handy notebook. You then use your notes to ask characters questions or collect statements that can be used against people you suspect are lying.
The game oozes a noir vibe in its animations, minimalist art style and jazz soundtrack. The story is compelling enough that I often found myself struggling to stop playing. It’s the perfect game for mystery fanatics looking to connect the dots themselves. Check out the video above to see more. A Case of Distrust is out now for Mac and PC on Steam.