Detective Dotson, a mystery-adventure game for PC by Ahmedabad-based independent game studio Masala Games, was announced on Monday. A demo of the game has been added to Steam and is now available to play. Its full version will be released later this year. The 2D platformer game, which is set in modern India, is influenced by Bollywood and Indian TV shows like CID, as per the publishers. Masala Games has previously released Word Mess, a word game, for iOS and iPadOS.
The eponymous protagonist of the game is an aspiring Bollywood star and a reluctant detective. However, Dotson’s life turns upside down after the mysterious death of his father. Now, he must chase down criminals, hunt for clues, create disguises, spy on enemies, and recruit team members to solve the mystery and catch the criminal. A gameplay trailer of the game was posted on YouTube, which highlights that the game mostly follows the 2D platformer genre with stylistic cut-scenes in between.
Screenshot from the Detective Dotson game
Photo Credit: Masala Games
The game is set in modern India and the cultural imagery is visible throughout the game, said the company. The game also has multiple non-playable characters that can be interacted with and recruited to be a part of the mission. As per the trailer, the game offers basic controls for the genre including up, down and sideways motion, usage of zipline and similar tools, projectile throws and navigating through different terrains. The game also offers customisation options for the characters.
The demo only offers one mission which is titled “Who Killed Dad?” and the Masala Games has stated that more missions will be added when the game makes its full release. As per the Steam listing, the game is expected to be made available to the public in Q3 2024. The game is developed in Unity and has an original soundtrack which was created in collaboration with Indian rock band Indian Ocean’s Nikhil Rao.
Masala Games said that the game will be playable on a wide range of PCs due to its low system requirements. For Windows PCs, its minimum requirements include AMD FX-4300 or Intel Core i3-3240 equivalent or higher processor, 8GB RAM, Radeon HD 7750 (1024 VRAM) or GeForce GT 640 (2048 VRAM) or equivalent graphics card, 1GB storage space, and Windows 10 or higher operating system.
For Apple PCs, the minimum requirements are an Intel Core i3-3240 or equivalent processor, 8GB RAM, Radeon HD 7750 (1024 VRAM) or GeForce GT 640 (2048 VRAM) or equivalent graphics card, 1GB available storage, and MacOS Sierra or higher operating system.
Detective Dotson will also be showcased at the Courage XL pre-GDC (Game Developers Conference) event in San Francisco on March 17 at 9:00pm PST (9:30am IST). GDC attendees will also be able to play the game and have a chance to win a Nintendo Switch at the Masala Games booth between March 20 to March 22.