[Review] Jenny LeClue Detectivu - Nintendo Switch

Developed By: Mografi
Categories: Adventure
Release Date: 08.26.20

Nothing ever happens in the small town of Arthurton. This is however, until the death, alleged murder of an esteemed man of the town. This is the story for the next installment of the Jenny LeClue book series, which has fallen on rather poor times lately, with complaints of falling into the bland the derivative, being too safe. You see, Jenny LeClue Detectivu is two stories, one in the other. On the outside, you have a struggling writer reluctantly trying to spice up his dried up book series. On the inside, you have the work in progress, a story with the titular kid detective Jenny LeClue and her life getting spun around in an attempt to shake the status quo. To further shake it up, you the player decides how the story moves on, how Jenny responds to people, the environment, her actions regarding her findings it’s all tracked and showcases what kind of person to make Jenny.

Jenny LeClue Detectivu is an adventure game is the way you’d probably very easily describe. To very simply explain, you go around an area, investigate, solve the occasional puzzle, and move on to the next area. To further explain, you’ll do most investigation by collecting clues, either off of a person or your surroundings. This can be to find someone’s glasses, what they ate for breakfast, or even a tad later, how exactly someone died. Everything is placed in Jenny’s journal, which can be customized with stickers you’ll find, like any child. Like most adventure games, you’ll be doing the same thing constantly, but I never was bored throughout the game due to one big thing. The writing.

You can change it up with the dialogue choices, but at the end of the day Jenny is a smartass little girl and it’s often funny how highly, while also poorly she thinks of herself. The dialogue is very lacking in annoying quips and humor mostly comes from how matter of fact characters talk. It flows naturally and doesn’t ever seem too forced of silly. All of the dialogue is voiced, rather well might I add and despite taking place in a children’s book, it doesn’t overtly feel like it with writing, especially with the dialogue occasionally having strong language. The artstyle on the otherhand does resemble one of a children’s book, and I enjoy that aspect. It’s a bit of a paper doll like look, with the dot eyes. It’s charming and despite being simple, designs weren’t bland.

While I’d want to complain that the game really is too easy at times, a lot of adventure games do delve into clicking everywhere using every possible object you can and that’s tedious, which is very much appreciate to be missing. The one true complaint I have, which is a personal issue more than a flaw the game has, is that the normal walking speed can be a tad slow and there are instances in the game where it’s required and you’ll need to walk back and forth for certain collectibles.