The Rise of the
Golden Idol

The Rise of the Golden Idol (2024) is a point-and-click murder mystery set in the 1970s. A sequel to The Case of the Golden Idol, you investigate different crime scenes, search for clues, question suspects, and make informed accusations to reveal an overarching story linking all the murders together. The core loop of gathering clues to complete sentences that solve the murders is as strong as ever and now has a 70s twist.

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Following on from the story of the original game, you play a detective sent to investigate a string of grisly murders with no outward connection. Soon, however, as you uncover clues and dark truths, you learn of a mysterious golden idol that links the murders to one another and must find out the truth before it's too late.

Play involves investigating each murder scene to find clues and reveal the killer's identity. Once you've gathered enough facts to be certain of your theory, you use them to complete accusations that (hopefully) close the case. As you progress, an overall story begins to emerge, using clues from multiple scenes, and you must deduce how the crimes are connected.

The result is a game that expands the approach of the first game in original and intriguing ways while using its more modern setting to present a more varied assortment of deaths to solve, making for an engaging, involving puzzle.

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Our examiner, Ben Kendall, first checked The Rise of the Golden Idol a year ago. It was re-examined by Jo Robertson and updated 3 weeks ago.