The Darkside Detective: A Fumble in the Dark
The Darkside Detective: A Fumble in the Dark
Game
Game2017
The Darkside Detective
Developer Spooky Doorway
The Darkside Detective is a 2017 point-and-click adventure developed by Spooky Doorway, and published by Akupara Games. It was released for Microsoft Windows, macOS, and Linux on July 27, 2017, for Nintendo Switch on February 7, 2018 and for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Stadia in April 2021. A version for the Atari VCS released in August 2021. A limited run of 5,000 physical copies… From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
300 reactions from 4 sources (Steam reviews, Bluesky, Lemmy, Mastodon) · newest Nov 1, 2026 · last updated Nov 5, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
91
LovedLoved
179 positive · 17 negative
95% range 87–95%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 179 | 17 | 0 |
| Bluesky * | 23 | 0 | 50 |
| Lemmy * | 3 | 0 | 13 |
| Mastodon * | 6 | 0 | 9 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
Steam's own rating
Very Positive
2,787 of 2,968 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What players are saying
92% recommend · 173 yes, 16 no
Counted from the reviewers’ own thumbs up/down on the 189 English Steam reviews we collected, not by the AI. Valve’s all-language rating: Very Positive (4,968 of 5,272 positive).
Players praise the game's charming pixel art and witty humor. [1][2][3] Many find the puzzles satisfying and not overly difficult. [4][5][6] Some reviewers note the game is short and best played in sessions. [4][7][8]
Liked
Representative posts
- [16]
The Darkside Detective is one of those games that, technically, do not do anything wrong, but that are so mid and unoriginal and unfun that I think I would be doing you, the reader, a disservice by recomending it. Gameplay wise, this is as basic as a point and click gets. It reminds me a lot of point and click games I got on CD-ROMs bough with magazines in the mid-90s. Absolutely run of the mill. Drag an object to …
- [1]
Reviewing (mostly) every game (or DLC) in my library, part 504: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆☆ (8/10) The Darkside Detective balances supernatural mystery, dry humor, and point-and-click design with a confidence that’s hard not to admire. It’s witty without being grating, bizarre without losing coherence, and surprisingly sharp for a game built on minimalist pixel art. I don’t usually gravitate toward point-and-click adventures …
- [2]
the darkside detective is a fun point and click puzzle game following the story of detective mcqueen and officer dooley as they solve supernatural cases through twin lakes. the game features mini games and great humour in all 9 cases from both main characters. each case takes around 20-30 minutes to play through with a mixture of simple and hard puzzles as you progress. the game makes use of pixels as the art style …
- [3]
This game honestly feels like playing through a funny paranormal cartoon episode The pixel art style is really cute and detailed, and the dialogue genuinely made me laugh multiple times. I liked that the game doesn’t take itself too seriously while still having interesting little mystery stories. The puzzles are mostly fun and not overly complicated, so it never felt exhausting to play. The characters also have a …
- [4]
Beyond The Darkside Detective’s basic (and charming) graphics is a light-hearted supernatural (and charming) point and click adventure. The game’s episodic structure makes it super easy to digest. It’s separated into 9 cases (6 are the main story plus an additional 3 that I assume were added post-release), most of which can be completed within 30 to 60 minutes. The puzzles here are clever and satisfying to figure …
Summarised from 34 of the 286 public posts collected about this game; every point cites the posts behind it ([n] opens the post) and the split is counted from the posts’ own ratings. Updated Oct 11, 2026. How summaries are made
RottenBot@rottenbot · automated account
The Darkside Detective sits at 91% positive across 196 opinionated reactions from 4 sources. Fresh or rotten — where do you land?
Critics, per Wikipedia
The Darkside Detective received mostly positive reviews according to Metacritic. Hardcore Gamer awarded it a score of 3.5 out of 5, saying "The Darkside Detective is a charming point and click adventure with a taste for the sillier aspects of horror." VideoGamer.com awarded it 7 out of 10, saying "The Darkside Detective has a very distinct sense of humour that you'll either love or hate." Ted Hentschke of Dread Central praised the gameplay and atmosphere but criticising its short length, saying "If the game were 50% longer, I would be in serious danger of genuinely loving it. As it is, it's just a fun diversion for a few hours." Jimmy Donnellan of Cultured Vultures awarded it a score of 8…
From the “Reception” section of Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Critic context only — not part of the audience score.
Reactions
60 of 300 · most liked firstDay 535 of posting a Daily Screenshot from the games I've been playing. Today's game is The Darkside Detective. I had gifted a friend a copy of OneShot, and he ended up enjoying it so much he gifted me this as a little game exchange. He said he thought i might like it. Turns out, i really enjoyed it. It's a basic point and click but a lot of fun.  It's humor…
positive · AI labelView post →Day 536 of posting a Daily Screenshot from the games I've been playing. Today's game is some more The Darkside Detective. I was in call with a friend and finished it up today with him. I really enjoyed playing this, and i'm thankful i was gifted it, i don't think i would have tried it other wise.  Overall for the game, Most of the puzzles were pretty…
positive · AI labelView post →time to play THE DARKSIDE DETECTIVE on @prozdplaysgames.bsky.social, this was a charming little micro adventure game www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWrJ...
positive · AI labelView post →Day 616 of posting a Daily Screenshot from the games I've been playing. Today’s game is **The Darkside Detective: A Fumble in the Dark** (which I’ll just be shortening to The Darkside Detective). I played the first one back in January after me and my friend did a game exchange. I gifted him Oneshot (which I absolutely fucking loved) and in return he gifted me this. I loved the original and he ended up gifting me the sequel (unfortunately there’s Oneshot 2 I could gift him).…
positive · AI labelView post →Lovecraft-Inspired Games (list of lists) [Videogame]. cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/8149891 > 1 - [10 Best Lovecraft-Inspired Games According To Metacritic](https://www.thegamer.com/best-lovecraft-inspired-games-metacritic-scores/#cthulhu-saves-the-world---metacritic-rating-78) > - > - Sundered: Eldritch Edition > - Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners Of The Earth > - Cthulhu Saves The World > - Darkwood > - Sunless Sea > - Darkest Dungeon > - Dusk > - Bloodborne > - Eternal…
neutral · AI labelView post →Pixel Dailies #301 #Weirdness "The truth is out there!" Few things are weirder than the X-Files. So we have agents Mulder and Scully in the style of The Darkside Detective, a wonderfully weird point-and-click puzzle game! #pixelart #ドット絵 #XFiles #aseprite #pixel_dailies @pixeldailies.bsky.social
neutral · AI labelView post →12. The Seance at Blake Manor The folks behind the Darkside Detective games switch pixels for a gorgeous Mike Mignola inspired comicbook visuals for this first person detective game set in the west of Ireland, check out that incredibly alluring trailer. store.steampowered.com/app/1395520/...
neutral · AI labelView post →Last day to get The Darkside Detective & The Jackbox Party Pack 4 for free on Epic Games Store buff.ly/aadJJDg the next freebie will be announced at The Game Awards (freebie live at 8 PM PT on Dec 11th / after the show)
neutral · AI labelView post →21. The Darkside Detective Here's an Irish game for Patty's Day! This was the first modern Point & Click Adventure game I'd played, and along with Avowed and Lamplight City got me into the genre after thinking for years I didn't get on with it. It's great! store.steampowered.com/app/368390/T...
positive · AI labelView post →To my media frands! We're working on something hella dope with Spooky Doorway's latest addition to The Darkside Detective game. If you're a fan of point and click, retro adventure games with a horror/comedic twist - then hit me up! I'll be reaching out to y'all shortly. Shares are appreciated!💖
neutral · AI labelView post →Adventure Creator is on sale on the Asset Store. 50% off! It's a really powerful plugin for Unity for non techy devs. We've used it to create the Darkside Detective games and more. I use it for quick prototyping too. assetstore.unity.com/packages/too... #Indiegames #gamedev #unity
neutral · AI labelView post →Treasa is design lead, tech lead & producer at Spooky Doorway (@spookydoorway.bsky.social) the studio behind The Séance of Blake Manor & The Darkside Detective. Finbarre caught up with her to talk haunted houses, Irish folklore, and the art of game design. #indiegames #tarot #folklore #witchsky
neutral · AI labelView post →Remove things the player doesn't need to enjoy your game. For example, in the Darkside Detective we removed walking and kept the majority of interactions as mouse clicks and dialogue. The game play felt fast and most players didn't notice they weren't walking. It saved us a lot of time animating.
neutral · AI labelView post →[Epic] *The Darkside Detective: A Fumble in the Dark*, point-and-click mystery for PC and mobile. > Join Detective McQueen as he puzzles his way through 6 cases, risking life and pixelated limb to solve the macabre mysteries that plague the poor town. > Twin Lakes is a cursed city. Less cursed than say, “Demons are tearing it apart” but more cursed than “always loses its keys” or “often steps in puddles”. It’s roughly in the middle of the cursed scale, is what we’re trying to say. Cursed…
neutral · AI labelView post →The boys are back in town! Check out the all-new demo for @spookydoorway.bsky.social + @akuparagames.bsky.social latest pixel-art mystery, 'The Darkside Detective: Backside of the Moon,' available now on Steam! #gaming #news #gamedev #indiegames #games #🎮
neutral · AI labelView post →The Darkside Detective: A Fumble in the Dark, a sequel to the game where a working stiff cop investigates paranormal crimes. if you loved the first one, this is more of the same. did I love the first one? secrets revealed within. nebula.tv/videos/innue...
positive · AI labelView post →Lovecraft-Inspired Games (list of lists) [Videogame]. 1 - [10 Best Lovecraft-Inspired Games According To Metacritic](https://www.thegamer.com/best-lovecraft-inspired-games-metacritic-scores/#cthulhu-saves-the-world---metacritic-rating-78) - - Sundered: Eldritch Edition - Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners Of The Earth - Cthulhu Saves The World - Darkwood - Sunless Sea - Darkest Dungeon - Dusk - Bloodborne - Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem - Quake 2 - [The 20 Best Video Games Inspired By H. P.…
neutral · AI labelView post →B-side gaming zine #11 (news - indie - open-source - homebrew, fantasy console humor). ## Welcome It has been about three months, and another issue is ready. This issue focuses a bit on fantasy consoles with a small article explaining what they are and 10 fantasy console game recommendations. Of course, there's a lot of news about new indie games, open-source projects, and homebrew. A top 10 and a new top game per type: paid indie, open-source, homebrew, and demake. I hope you enjoy…
neutral · AI labelView post →The Darkside Detective is one of those games that, technically, do not do anything wrong, but that are so mid and unoriginal and unfun that I think I would be doing you, the reader, a disservice by recomending it. Gameplay wise, this is as basic as a point and click gets. It reminds me a lot of point and click games I got on CD-ROMs bough with magazines in the mid-90s. Absolutely run of the mill. Drag an object to another object, either in the inventory or on your screen, and advance. Do that…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Game Finished #1 - The Darkside Detective I LOVE point and click games. This one was lighthearted and a nice change. I had to use a guide a few times because some things were hard to figure out, but it's not too difficult most of the game! Overall, I prefer more serious point and clicks XD
neutral · AI labelView post →The Darkside Detective by @spookydoorway.bsky.social is available for free until December 11th on the Epic Games store. Galway-based studio Spooky Doorway also released The Séance of Blake Manor earlier this year, which is a standout game of the year candidate. store.epicgames.com/en-US/news/d...
neutral · AI labelView post →Reviewing (mostly) every game (or DLC) in my library, part 504: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆☆ (8/10) The Darkside Detective balances supernatural mystery, dry humor, and point-and-click design with a confidence that’s hard not to admire. It’s witty without being grating, bizarre without losing coherence, and surprisingly sharp for a game built on minimalist pixel art. I don’t usually gravitate toward point-and-click adventures or pixel-based aesthetics, yet this one won me over almost immediately. The…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →"The Phantom Fellows" released on GOG and Steam. New adventure game "The Phantom Fellows" has released on GOG and Steam, with a 10% discount until 4th Oct. It's a comedy mystery game featuring a guy and his ghost friend, who perform jobs and investigate mysteries over 7 days in a small Colorado town. The game has a pixel art aesthetic, reminiscent of recent games like The Darkside Detective, and synthwave music. I have no connection to the company, stumbled across the game and been playing…
neutral · AI labelView post →Finally made time to play The Darkside Detective: A Fumble In The Dark. I really enjoy Spooky Doorway, the writing is so sharp and the art animation working together is just so emotive. You'd swear the characters have expressions even though they don't have faces.
positive · AI labelView post →[EGS PC/Mobile] The Darkside Detective: A Fumble in the Dark | 100% off/Giveaway. PC: https://store.epicgames.com/en-US/p/the-darkside-detective-a-fumble-in-the-dark-174fcf Android: https://store.epicgames.com/en-US/p/the-darkside-detective-a-fumble-in-the-dark-android-125a49 iOS (EU only): https://store.epicgames.com/en-US/p/the-darkside-detective-a-fumble-in-the-dark-ios-1519b7
neutral · AI labelView post →Its a fine point-and-clock adventure game, weakish sense of humor. The usual sort of click everything, sometimes the puzzle doesnt actually make sense but whatever just click everything and combine everything. I played the first two missions and just dont care enough to play any more.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →You play as Francis McQueen, detective in the Darkside Division of the Twin Lakes Police Department, and you and your partner Dooley are tasked into solving various paranormal happenings around town. The game is a simple point-and-click style game where you go from screen to screen, collecting items, combining those items, and using them on obstacles in your investigation. In true point-and-click style, solutions require a bit of moon logic, but Darkside Detective does a good job at least…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The Darkside Detective: Backside of the Moon gets a first demo. Ready for some more investigating? The Darkside Detective: Backside of the Moon from Spooky Doorway has a first demo available with Linux support.
neutral · AI labelView post →Get ready for another adventure with The Darkside Detective: Backside of the Moon https://www.gamingonlinux.com/2025/12/get-ready-for-another-adventure-with-the-darkside-detective-backside-of-the-moon/ #TheDarksideDetective #AdventureGames #Gaming #PCGaming
neutral · AI labelView post →BEST Patient Gamer Games! * The Darkside Detective * Caves of Lore * Children of Morta * Loop Hero * Blasphemous * Total War EMPIRE BEST New Releases! * Ex Astris * Slice and Dice * Codenames * Drop Troop * Halls of Torment BEST GAME OF 2024! * Balatro
neutral · AI labelView post →This edition of @gbmento.bsky.social's "Indie Game of the Week" feature on Giant Bomb looks at The Darkside Detective: A Fumble in the Dark! Read to see if they enjoyed the game's Columbo-inspired aventure Link: giantbomb.com/users/4945/a... #games #gaming #indiegame #giantbomb #adventuregame
neutral · AI labelView post →Beyond The Darkside Detective’s basic (and charming) graphics is a light-hearted supernatural (and charming) point and click adventure. The game’s episodic structure makes it super easy to digest. It’s separated into 9 cases (6 are the main story plus an additional 3 that I assume were added post-release), most of which can be completed within 30 to 60 minutes. The puzzles here are clever and satisfying to figure out. They require you to sometimes think outside of the box but not outlandishly…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →- Baldurs Gate 3 (Larian Studios, Belgium) - Divinity: Original Sin II (Larian Studios, Belgium) - Gamedec (Anshar Studios; Poland) - The Dream Machine (The Sleeping Machine / Cockroach Inc.; Sweden) - Born Punk (Insert Disk 22; a german guy who moved to New Zealand(?). Sadly he vanished from the internet :( ) - Scott Whiskers in: The Search for Mr. Fumbleclaw (Fancy Factory; Germany) These are the ones that I could quickly find in my library but I'll check for more later on :) **EDIT**…
neutral · AI labelView post →The Darkside Detective: A Fumble in the Dark, a comedic point 'n click game is free on Epic. I know Epic is not well liked, but I always go out of my way to claim free games. I've read somewhere that epic has to pay all claimed free games to the developer. Either way. It's a free point 'n click for people who are interested.
neutral · AI labelView post →this game probably slaps if you're 8 years old
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →There's a wonderful game called The Darkside Detective that I played a while back. And at one point, if you examine your cat you get a rather... interesting message that caused me to make this a while back. #pixelart
positive · AI labelView post →It is a 6+3 somewhat short cases with no big picture to tie them together. The whole game is just to click on everything, read some pun-based humor, and finish. You don't need to think too much about it. I expected something like the original Sam and Max, but this one is just not challenging at all.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →What are you playing at the moment? I've just been playing The Darkside Detective (re The @slowgameclub.bsky.social), a rather witty and fun #indiedev #game Late to the party, but I'm finally getting around to playing The @cultofthelamb.bsky.social ... incredibly fabulous on so many fronts! 😍 🫶 💯
positive · AI labelView post →I am a big point and click fan, but don’t typically play pixelated games so I was very skeptical. But after how much I enjoyed Seance of Blake Manor I decided to give it a chance. And man, I didn’t think it was possible for me to adore two pixelated men so much! The mysteries and their settings are fun and I really enjoyed the humor. I can’t wait to see more of these two.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I really wanted to enjoy this game, but unfortunately I do not. While other reviewers say the game is too easy, which parts of it are really really easy, I personally find some of the solutions don't make sense even if you're reading every bit of dialogue and scanning every room for items. There were a few solutions that I had to find by randomly dragging items in my inventory on top of each other in hopes they would combine into something I could use. I wouldn't describe this as challenging,…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Verdict: Recommend against playing, even on sale. Play experience: Played partway through case 2. It’s not a detective game, it’s an adventure game. So pick up object A, combine with object B, give it to NPC C, or item D. Rinse repeat until you get to the end. With the exception of mini-games (I assume - read on). The music is decent, the humor is very pun-ny. I can read through the reviews and many people love the characters and quirkiness. As a normal fan of quirkiness, boy, did I bounce…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →If you like games like Frog Detective, Sam and Max, and Ben There Dan That, then you'll love this silly point and click about a detective and his cop partner solving occulty crimes. Each chapter is about 30 mins max and not too difficult. I actually found the 3 bonus levels to be harder than the main game, especially the Christmas one for whatever reason. There are a bunch of references to all of your favorite horror, sci fi, and fantasy media.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Forgot to post this yesterday, but it's time for a new Let's Play series. This time I'm playing The Darkside Detective, a point and click adventure with a ton of charm. Check out the first video below www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2VF... #youtube #letsplay #pointandclick #adventure #mystery #indiegame
positive · AI labelView post →I'm back my Lovelies!! I cannot wait to be back in the bar and solving crimes along side you~ Tonight is more magical mystery with Shadowgate, then Wednesday will be a new game filled with fiesty suspects and varied interrogation practices... then Saturday we'll wrap up The Darkside Detective!
neutral · AI labelView post →✨Stream schedule: 10/21-10/27✨ A new spooky-adjacent game this week as I try out The Darkside Detective! And a few cozy regulars as we ramp up to birthday week next week!!!
neutral · AI labelView post →PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE BUY THE DARKSIDE DETECTIVE TODAY IT'S THE LAST PROMO DAY PLEASE I LOVE IT SO MUCH 10 REAIS (the first game the second game is 20 reais the bundle is probably 25ish??? IDK IT'S AMAZING PLEASE) store.steampowered.com/app/368390/T...
positive · AI labelView post →Today, I have Part 3 of The Darkside Detective for you! It covers Case 4 of the game, which takes place in the office that our supernatural mystery-solving duo work at. So, what's the supernatural twist to it? Watch to find out! #gaming #thedarksidedetective youtu.be/fHXOFp7V1TU
neutral · AI labelView post →I got a game on sale and now I’m making that your problem. Come watch me stream the Darkside Detective today at 6 PM ET at Twitch.tv/ellisthe12th
neutral · AI labelView post →the darkside detective is a fun point and click puzzle game following the story of detective mcqueen and officer dooley as they solve supernatural cases through twin lakes. the game features mini games and great humour in all 9 cases from both main characters. each case takes around 20-30 minutes to play through with a mixture of simple and hard puzzles as you progress. the game makes use of pixels as the art style creating a charming nostalgic vibe, the background music is impeccable when…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I got this game from a mystery steam key pack and was pleasantly surprised. I love the pixel graphics, and the puzzle solving. It's not too difficult, you can pretty much just click around and figure things out, and the stories behind each case are "paranormally" cute in my opinion. It's a simple point and click cozy mystery game.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The Darkside Detective is a point-and-click adventure game that embraces humor, simplicity, and charm over complexity or challenge. You play as Detective Francis McQueen, a paranormal investigator working in the strange city of Twin Lakes, solving a series of bizarre and supernatural cases alongside your partner Officer Dooley. Each case is presented as a self-contained episode, which makes the game very easy to pick up and play in short sessions. There’s a loose overarching structure, but the…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The Darkside Detective is currently free on Epic Games. A nice classic-style humorous point-and-click adventure game, set in short episodes, and made by a local studio.
neutral · AI labelView post →Supernatural mystery adventure game The Séance of Blake Manor announced. From the makers of The Darkside Detective series. Wishlist here: store.steampowered.com/app/1395520 #indiegames #steam #indiegame
neutral · AI labelView post →Raw Fury is partnering with The Darkside Detective developer Spooky Doorway to publish first-person detective game The Séance of Blake Manor. @rawfury.bsky.social @spookydoorway.bsky.social @themix.bsky.social #DDNet #News #GameNews #Gaming #GamingNews
neutral · AI labelView post →The Darkside Detective is a puzzle point-and-click detective game with lots of humor and references. The game follows Dt. Francis McQueen and his assistant, Officer Dooley, as they investigate bizarre cases in the town of Twin Lakes. t.co/ZPelxm4JN0 by @spookydoorway.bsky.social #steam #indiegame
neutral · AI labelView post →Excited to try out a new spooky cozy game tonight! Point and click with me in The Darkside Detective tonight at 7 pm EDT!
neutral · AI labelView post →Moderator Mento has a new edition of their "Indie Game of the Week" feature on Giant Bomb and this one looks at the pixel art point and click adventure game, The Darkside Detective, by developer Spooky Doorway! Read what they thought over here! User Blog: www.giantbomb.com/the-darkside...
neutral · AI labelView post →There we go, poppets! The Darkside Detective series is done! Unless they make another game. We also got some Cult of the Lamb gaming in, too! Good day all around~ Thank you @mikotonui.bsky.social for the raid! We raided @phoebebane.bsky.social talking PF2e combat! Have a good weekend, Poppets!
neutral · AI labelView post →Some screenshots from our award winning #pointandclick #AdventureGames #TheDarksideDetective Both games are on sale on Steam right now. http://bit.ly/373oamB #pixelart #pixel #indiegames
neutral · AI labelView post →At last, the time has come! After a month-long break, I've finally started a new game on my YouTube channel. The Darkside Detective! It's a chill point-and-click mystery game that also has the spooky vibes perfect for Spooky Season. Here's Part 1! 👻 #gaming #thedarksidedetective youtu.be/kzEXhEe255Y
positive · AI labelView post →
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