Arsene Lupin - Once a Thief
Arsene Lupin - Once a Thief
Game
Game2026
The Posthumous Investigation
Developer Mother Gaia Studio
A dead man hired you to solve his own murder. You have one day. Fourteen suspects. And as many attempts as it takes. A hand-drawn noir mystery set in 1937 Rio de Janeiro, where every suspect has a life, a schedule, and something to hide. From the Steam store page
105 reactions from 3 sources (Steam reviews, Bluesky, Lemmy) · newest Nov 2, 2026 · last updated Nov 4, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
88
LovedLoved
66 positive · 9 negative
95% range 79–94%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 66 | 9 | 0 |
| Bluesky * | 7 | 1 | 20 |
| Lemmy * | 0 | 0 | 2 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
Steam's own rating
Very Positive
90 of 102 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What players are saying
90% recommend · 78 yes, 9 no
Counted from the reviewers’ own thumbs up/down on the 87 English Steam reviews we collected, not by the AI. Valve’s all-language rating: Very Positive (682 of 722 positive).
Some players complain about repetitive gameplay and excessive dialogue in time loops, while others find the depth rewarding. [1][2][3]
Liked
Representative posts
- [2]
[RU / EN Review] I am leaving a negative review mostly for balance, as IMHO the 94% positive rating seems heavily inflated. The game isn't entirely bad, but it's definitely a "mixed leaning negative" experience that leaves you with an empty aftertaste. The game has a genuinely interesting concept, but it's ruined by the technical execution of its gameplay loop. The main issue is an absolute disrespect for the …
- [7]
I loved this game: Genuinely, completely, without reservations! Brás Cubas is dead and he also hired you from beyond the grave to solve his murder, which is either the most baroque power move in the history of detective fiction (or a very on-brand final act for someone who spent his entire life refusing accountability lol). The setup is deceptively simple: one day, fourteen suspects, a time loop that resets at …
- [15]
The Posthumous Investigation is a delightful point-and-click mystery that hooks you from the first minutes. The narrative is genuinely compelling, layered with clever humor that keeps the tone light without undermining the intrigue. I'm only at the beginning and already can't put it down, the kind of game where every new clue makes you more curious about where it all leads. If you're a fan of mystery-driven stories …
- [6]
This game is the surprise of the year for me. It wasn't on my radar at all, but when it came up in Upcoming Releases, its combination of detective gameplay and literary fiction roots made it an instant buy. The game's distinctive black and white art style and vibe-y music perfectly fit the narrative and gameplay, and the story unfolds in a very engrossing way, slowly deepening the player's understanding of over a …
- [1]
It's an excellent game, but could be better with some QoL improvements. Given the amount of repetition, I wish I could skip some dialogs that I had to read like 10 times
Summarised from 34 of the 116 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 13, 2026. How summaries are made
RottenBot@rottenbot · automated account
The Posthumous Investigation sits at 88% positive across 75 opinionated reactions from 3 sources. Fresh or rotten — where do you land?
Reactions
60 of 105 · most liked firstI loved this game: Genuinely, completely, without reservations! Brás Cubas is dead and he also hired you from beyond the grave to solve his murder, which is either the most baroque power move in the history of detective fiction (or a very on-brand final act for someone who spent his entire life refusing accountability lol). The setup is deceptively simple: one day, fourteen suspects, a time loop that resets at midnight. Every NPC has their own schedule, their own secrets, their own reasons to…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I told myself if I ever got a staff job, I would use that power to put a focus on under-the-radar games. I feel like I did that. Faceminer, The Posthumous Investigation, Children of Saturn, Captain Blood — games that wouldn’t be on Polygon had I not written about them. Trust me, I know that.
neutral · AI labelView post →Here I thought this week would be a bit slower for games. Turns out everything's today. The Long Dark, Sultan's Game, Arc Raiders and Gray Zone Warfare getting big updates. And then Super Meat Boy 3D, The Posthumous Investigation, Tombwater, Grime 2, Crown Of Greed, Raccoin, Sprint City and more..
neutral · AI labelView post →Check out this dev interview! @mgaiastudio.bsky.social chat w/ @sharpiepls.com about The Posthumous Investigation. Travel to a noir Rio de Janeiro in 1937 & investigate the mystery behind the murder of Brás Cubas, famed character by Machado de Assis. #GDoCExpoTalk #GameDev youtu.be/EvcTesGm2pg
neutral · AI labelView post →Found this game on X, thought was worth a shot, and oh boy what a nice plot, very intringing game the loops are good, if u ever played disco elisium or rue valley this game is for you, amazing job.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →[RU / EN Review] I am leaving a negative review mostly for balance, as IMHO the 94% positive rating seems heavily inflated. The game isn't entirely bad, but it's definitely a "mixed leaning negative" experience that leaves you with an empty aftertaste. The game has a genuinely interesting concept, but it's ruined by the technical execution of its gameplay loop. The main issue is an absolute disrespect for the player's time. Out of approximately 13.5 hours of gameplay, it felt like I spent about…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Two newly released games worth checking out today (1/2): • The Posthumous Investigation, a time-travel, point-and-click detective game inspired by Brazilian author Joaquim Maria Machado de Assis' avant-garde 1881 novel The Posthumous Memoirs of Brás Cubas.
neutral · AI labelView post →I enjoyed the art style, the plot was pretty good. I enjoyed the unreliable narrator format. However, am not recommending it because of the execution of the time loop mechanics., which is core to the game. I do not mind that I don't get to keep items I pick up after a day, but this game does an absolute disservice to itself because for every repeat action, you have to click through a lot of the same dialogue/reaction. It becomes so tedious, dull and boring that I just wanted to get it done…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →“Plenty to keep digging up in this compelling film-noir time-looping murder mystery in 1930s Rio”- Johnny Nys reviews The Posthumous Investigation for AGH adventuregamehotspot.com/review/6399/th… #adventuregame #mysterygame #indiegame
neutral · AI labelView post →A noir story inspired by Machado de Assis, with a mystery trapped in a time loop!⏱️ This is The Posthumous Investigation, a new indie game from @mgaiastudio.bsky.social , @criticalleap.bsky.social and InfiniFun, available NOW! Check out some fun facts about it! 👇 +
neutral · AI labelView post →The Posthumous Investigation review - Plenty to keep digging up in this compelling film-noir time-looping murder mystery in 1930s Rio. No frustrating time-loop antics in the wonderfully designed The Posthumous Investigation, just a deep but fast-paced unraveling of who might have killed Rio de Janeiro’s most influential resident.
neutral · AI labelView post →It was neat to play a detective game that was based on a book that isn’t sherlock holmes 😂 and in Brazil too! It is what it says on the tin. So if you’re already leaning towards buying it just looking at the store page, big thumbs up! Also big thumbs up because it’s from an indie studio in Brazil based on work by a Brazilian writer. I’m going to complain about a few things though: - “No hand-holding” is a lie. This could’ve been detective curse of monkey island except every time you…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Come for the dead man who hires you to solve his own murder, stay for 1937 Rio de Janeiro and one of the most stylish, unforgettable mystery games in years.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Brings back memories from my theatrical school days. Very stylish game, interesting history, you will like it!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Great Noir detective game, the time loop aspect really works in favour of the story and the game. Gameplay:https://youtu.be/mcQMKACX1Ss
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Game #25: The Posthumous Investigation This games biggest weakness is also its greatest strength: There is a LOT of game here. That said, the graphics are perfectly noir, the writing is exceptional, the plot is fascinating, and the characters are generally well-conceived. @mgaiastudio.bsky.social
positive · AI labelView post →Ugh. Refunded this in ten minutes. I love me a point and click detective game, the premise and visual style of this looked great... but the English script is awful. Very clearly translated, and not by a professional, full of strange and clunky word choices. In a story-focused game, it's impossible for me to get past. Totally prevents any kind of immersion.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This is one of the most fun detective games I've played in years, along with Detective Grimoire and Duck Detective. I would say even better than one of these two. The noir Rio de Janeiro vibes and aesthetics, the voice acting and specially the sound design, all very polished and perfect combined with the fun mechanics and great storytelling. It's definitely a gem of a game. I may revisit the book because of It.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The Posthumous Investigation is a delightful point-and-click mystery that hooks you from the first minutes. The narrative is genuinely compelling, layered with clever humor that keeps the tone light without undermining the intrigue. I'm only at the beginning and already can't put it down, the kind of game where every new clue makes you more curious about where it all leads. If you're a fan of mystery-driven stories with personality, this one is worth your time
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →At the Brasil Game Show, @lesbiankakyoin.bsky.social interviewed The Posthumous Investigation director Bruno Toledo about the classic literature–inspired mystery adventure game.
neutral · AI labelView post →One of my favorite games ever released is The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask. Uniquely to the series, and to much of gaming as a whole, this game takes place over the course of a three-day schedule, looping back to the beginning at the end of each cycle and allowing you to use your knowledge and abilities gained in the previous cycle to influence the next by completing sidequests, dungeons, solving people's problems, and just generally bumming around. This structure has made it quite a popular…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →English translation is a little rough around the edges, but doesn't take away from how great this game is.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I don't usually leave reviews but I just had to because this game is like a breath of fresh air. The art, the story, the concept and gameplay are incredibly unique and it actually feels like this game has had genuine care and thought put into the creation of it. It's just not something you see anymore. I am absolutely loving this!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The Posthumous Investigation finally has a confirmed release date: March 31st! In lieu of that, here's another game I'm looking forward to in February: Aerial_Knight's DropShot on Feb. 17th!
neutral · AI labelView post →The Posthumous Investigation is part of the official line-up for the Choose Wisely Festival! Play our demo and visit the festival page to enjoy our game alongside many other amazing titles #choosewiselyfestival @studioephua.bsky.social
neutral · AI labelView post →Tonight I'm excited to check out the literary visual detective noir novel The Posthumous Investigation. Thank you to StarfallPR and Mother Gaia Studio for the game key! Let's solve a mystery while we raise money for Starlight Children's Foundation! twitch.tv/mothergamer
neutral · AI labelView post →Despite a rather middling English translation, I found The Posthumous Investigation to be a really fun and refreshing experience. The time-loop mechanic adds more dimension to the adventure-game mechanics, and the game keeps your clues well-organized and gives direction on how to proceed with your investigation. The character designs and animation are very charming and add lots of personality, which definitely helps make up for the sometimes unnatural-sounding translated dialogue. Puzzle…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The Posthumous Investigation review - Plenty to keep digging up in this compelling film-noir time-looping murder mystery in 1930s Rio. No frustrating time-loop antics in the wonderfully designed The Posthumous Investigation, just a deep but fast-paced unraveling of who might have killed Rio de Janeiro’s most influential resident.
neutral · AI labelView post →The music, graphics, and animations are fantastic. The downside is the plot and the characters. After 4 hours, the game devolves into pure brute force. I didn’t feel engaged in the story and had no emotional connection to any of the characters. It’s like eating dried meat when you’re expecting a steak. Most of the dialogue is just filler, included for the sake of having dialogue. I don’t see any point in them or any deep plot that evokes admiration, surprise, or anything else. Often, the…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game is the surprise of the year for me. It wasn't on my radar at all, but when it came up in Upcoming Releases, its combination of detective gameplay and literary fiction roots made it an instant buy. The game's distinctive black and white art style and vibe-y music perfectly fit the narrative and gameplay, and the story unfolds in a very engrossing way, slowly deepening the player's understanding of over a dozen characters you need to investigate. In terms of personal taste, I would…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The Posthumous Investigation does not have a fishing minigame :(( #theposthumousinvestigation #indiegame #gaming #videogames #fishing #fishingminigame
negative · AI labelView post →Today’s Black Video Game Character: Sophia Straw (The Posthumous Investigation)
neutral · AI labelView post →Is it fair to complain that a time-loop game is too repetitive? Well, all of my emotions are in the first sentence, and honestly, I don't know the definite answer. There are a lot of games that require you to do some actions again and again. There is a whole genre of roguelikes that are essentially some kind of time loop. But those games make the whole idea of replaying the same thing over and over again their key selling point. Why are roguelikes good? Simple: because the gameplay is good.…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Kate recommends time loop mystery game, The Posthumous Investigation, by @mgaiastudio.bsky.social, @criticalleap.bsky.social and Infini Fun. Read our full review here: gameobserver.com/the-posthumo...
neutral · AI labelView post →February has The Posthumous Investigation from @mgaiastudio.bsky.social. This game about investigating a murder in a time loop has a demo out now, and is quite cool. I enjoyed what I was able to play, and am looking forward to the full game next month. steampowered.com/app/2466900
positive · AI labelView post →Yours truly joins the @adventgamepod.bsky.social to talk about "The Posthumous Investigation" by @mgaiastudio.bsky.social and @whirlight.bsky.social by Imaginarylab, the top two games currently in my top ten of 2026!
positive · AI labelView post →This games biggest weakness is also its greatest strength: There is a LOT of game here. There's so many people to talk to, threads to follow, clues to unearth and so on, it can be a bit overwhelming at times and makes for an elongated run time. That said, the graphics are perfectly noir, the writing is exceptional, the plot is fascinating, and of course the characters are generally well-conceived. Overall, an easy recommendation for any fan of detective games!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →[url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/6142328/] With 1,500+ reviews, please consider following The Cpt Froggy Club Curator Page for plenty more! The Posthumous Investigation: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Have you ever contemplated becoming a private investigator? The bread and butter of this profession is investigating marital affairs, which means that you would probably never retire. There are also cold cases, and these are usually very difficult to solve and can be dangerous. And then…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I played the full demo before buying this so my hours are actually longer than the review says. I was looking forward to the game. The premise is interesting and the mystery of it all kept me wanting more. However, I want to play this on my Steam Deck and it has game-breaking bugs such as none of the menus or UI working. Even when trying with the usual Proton Experimental/Hotfix fixes. I got no response from the developer in the discussion forum about it so I had to refund. Game's good and I…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game gets too repetitive. I get that the whole premise is it's a repeating day, but it's not for me. It doesn't feel like there's much puzzle to it, mainly fetching items over and over. Maybe if I knew the material it was based off of I would enjoy it more, but it feels tedious and almost like a chore playing it.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It's an excellent game, but could be better with some QoL improvements. Given the amount of repetition, I wish I could skip some dialogs that I had to read like 10 times
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The Posthumous Investigation is worth your time, because this time-looped noir investigation is not exactly an everyday experience. The team behind the game, Mother Gaia Studio, has done an absolutely amazing job and has put an adventure like no other on the table, which can easily be ranked among the greatest of the genre. Ingenious, beautiful and last but not least, smart, it is an almost flawless indie gem that is a must-have for adventure game lovers, and everyone else would do better to…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →- The Posthumous Investigation Let's ask around, solve mysteries! - Soulquest Gorgeous and with a Celtic base action packed game! - The Warrior This looks so fun to play. Curious! - Shade Protocol This looks AMAZING! Very good! Okay, enough, too many great games! Wishlist is huge already. 😆💛
neutral · AI labelView post →While I'm waiting for meds to work, I'll catch you up on the midnight gaming for Eldest and me. After finishing The Sēance of Blake Manor (huge rec... 10/10) we followed it with The Posthumous Investigation, which is a fascinating time-loop b&w detective game set in Rio de Janeiro in the 1930s.
positive · AI labelView post →A characterful, atmospheric adventure with some solid puzzles I would describe the time loop as a less stressful Sexy Brutale or a less strategic Mind Cop - things move fast with little penalty for messing up a loop I didn't initially catch that it's an adaption of The Posthumous Memoirs of Brás Cubas, but with that in mind, it makes more sense as a thematic work
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →You know it's a good game when you want to read the book it's based off of.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I started playing The Posthumous Investigation, a detective game based on Machado de Assis's seminal Brazilian novel Memórias Póstumas de Brás Cubas. I'm very hooked into the gameplay loop and learning about all of three suspects and evidence. Great noir-influenced detective story.
positive · AI labelView post →IT BEGINS! NOW LIVE🔴 We'll be starting a lil bit early and do some chatting and catching up before diving into The Posthumous Investigation, a demo NOIR style game part of the #LAGSCreatorFest ! Come join in, I'm sure it'll be fi---oh god something's already on fire.... twitch.tv/yeenKING
neutral · AI labelView post →This Game Devs of Color Expo was full of gems! Here are our top discoveries we can't wait to play... And would love to localize 🤍 🧋 CallOf Boba 🌌 I Need Space 🔍 The Posthumous Investigation ⛽️ Gas Station Story What about yours? You can still check the expo 👉 store.steampowered.com/sale/gdocexpo
neutral · AI labelView post →This is really fun! Usually not a fan of time loop games, but the loop gimmick here really adds a novel element, and it feels like a detective game that actually encourages you to use some deduction and track suspects, even if there is still a lot of hand holding.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Time-loop games aren’t usually my thing. Too much repetition, too much trial and error, too much effort needed to change that one detail in order to get the perfect outcome. Not so in "The Posthumous Investigation". This mystery lets you hunt for lots of information, and with fourteen murder suspects, every run keeps offering something new. I found it amazing how very unique every single loop still felt, even after more than 40 of them, totaling almost twelve hours of sleuthing. Yes, there is…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Phenomenal game, very original. Highly recommended for any enjoyers of time loop stuff - it takes place within a single in game day, and you loop repeatedly (doing different things each time) until you figure out whodunnit.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I don't play games of this kind but I came across this game by chance and it caught my attention with its style and "Groundhog Day" idea. Overall I have really enjoyed this game. 1. Atmosphere. I didn't feel a noir atmosphere, but that didn't ruin the experience. The original visual style and satirical narrative created a certain charming atmosphere. 9/10 2. Music. There is beautiful music, different for different locations. Nothing out of the ordinary, but it set the right tone at various…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I prefer the books... 10/10 would play again
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →the demo for #ThePosthumousInvestigation by @mgaiastudio.bsky.social is available rn on steam !! highly recommend playing it through and adding it to your wishlist so you can get notified when the full game is out 🥰
positive · AI labelView post →This is most definitely my thing! NEW NOIR DETECTIVE ADVENTURE GAME! | The Posthumous Investigation | New Adventure Games 2024 youtu.be/7KB5pUJi1bg
neutral · AI labelView post →Fun gameplay loop, satisfying to play, and cool art direction
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →this one was fun! i liked the character writing specifically, all of them have really strong visual designs and characterizations, they do also have multiple layers and flaws like every human does. the game mechanic itself is simple, you have one day to question suspects, follow trails and combine the pieces of a puzzle thats larger than i intially suspected (seriously, how many enemies can one man make? apparently its a lot.) after a while the gameplay loop did get repetitive and i found…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I’ll say straight away that this is going to be the most biased review in the world. After letting it sink in for a day, I’ve realised that I’m incapable of being objective about this game. And the thing is… I love it. I really do love it. It’s become one of my favourite games. I can see why some people don’t like it. And perhaps it could do with a couple of improvements. But… IT’S SO BEAUTIFUL! And the characters. Don’t get me started on the characters. They’re absolutely marvellous. To begin…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →What a gem! That was a well-crafted and entertaining detective game, with a distinctive visual style and gameplay. I thoroughly enjoyed the time loop mechanics. I sometimes find this type of gameplay stressful and irritating, but here, it was perfectly executed imo. Even when the player misses the timing for a specific event, there's still plenty to discover in each loop. While some wordplay and perhaps references were obviously lost in localisation, the humour was not. I loved the quirky…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
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