Agatha Christie: Murder on the Orient Express (2023) Review (Nintendo Switch)
"One train. One murder. A dozen suspects. One unforgettable night."
Case File
Platform Reviewed: Nintendo Switch
Genre: Narrative Adventure / Detective Mystery
Developer: Microids Studio Lyon
Publisher: Microids
Players: Single Player (Outstanding Couch Investigation Game)
Play Time: Approximately 10–12 Hours
The Mystery Cartridge Verdict
🔎 Case Closed — Essential Play
A loving modernization of one of the greatest detective stories ever written, enhanced with original material that surprised us in all the right ways. If you enjoy detective fiction, this ticket is worth punching.
First-Time Detective?
Before we begin, there's one important thing you should know.
We went into Murder on the Orient Express almost completely blind.
Neither of us had read Agatha Christie's novel.
Neither of us had seen the modern film adaptation.
Other than recognizing the title as one of the most famous mysteries ever written, we knew absolutely nothing about the story.
Looking back, we're incredibly glad that's how we experienced it.
Every suspect.
Every clue.
Every revelation.
Every twist.
We got to experience all of it exactly as the developers intended: with no idea where the investigation was headed.
If you're somehow in the same position we were, our recommendation is simple:
Stay that way.
Avoid spoilers.
Trust us.
The Premise
The legendary detective Hercule Poirot boards the luxurious Orient Express expecting a routine journey.
Instead, one of the passengers is found murdered. (Murdered! I would have never guessed murder would take place in a title with murder in the title!)
The train is stranded.
No one can leave.
The killer must still be on board.
With every passenger and crewman becoming both a potential witness and a potential suspect, Poirot begins carefully unraveling a mystery built upon lies, hidden motives, and long-buried secrets.
If that were all the game offered, it would already be an excellent adaptation.
Fortunately...
It isn't.
More Than Just the Book
One of the biggest surprises of our playthrough was discovering that Microids wasn't interested in creating a scene-for-scene recreation of Agatha Christie's novel.
Instead, the developers expand the story with an entirely new detective whose investigations unfold through playable flashback chapters.
Upon finding this out, we discovered that the additional content enriched the overall experience.
Rather than feeling like unnecessary filler, the new chapters provide additional context, fresh perspectives, and eventually connect back to Poirot's investigation in satisfying ways.
Even after we reached what we assumed would be the novel's famous conclusion...
...the game kept going... and then it did it again.
And we were thrilled that it did.
Instead of simply ending where the book ends, the investigation continues, giving players even more time with these characters and this world.
It's a wonderful surprise that makes the adaptation feel worthwhile even for people already familiar with the source material.
The Investigation
This is exactly the kind of detective game we love.
Nothing is handed to you.
Witness statements matter.
Physical evidence matters.
Contradictions matter.
The game constantly asks you to observe rather than simply progress from objective marker to objective marker.
As clues accumulate, you'll periodically enter deduction sequences where you connect pieces of evidence together yourself.
Rather than merely watching Poirot solve the mystery, you're invited to participate in the process.
Those moments were consistently among our favorites.
There's something deeply satisfying about watching seemingly unrelated clues suddenly lock together into a coherent theory.
It makes you feel less like you're following a detective...
...and more like you're becoming one.
Playing Together
The Partner Investigation
This may be one of the best "one controller, two detectives" games we've ever played.
Throughout the investigation, we constantly paused to discuss theories.
Who seemed nervous?
Who had something to hide?
Were two witnesses lying...
...or simply remembering events differently?
The game naturally encourages conversation.
Every interview became an opportunity to compare notes.
Every new clue sent us back to previous assumptions.
By the final chapters, our living room had become its own detective agency.
That's one of the highest compliments we can give any mystery game.
Poirot
Let's address the magnificent Belgian detective himself.
He's brilliant.
Observant.
Methodical.
And...
just a little full of himself. And he wants you to know it.
Every time we successfully completed one of the deduction boards, Poirot had a habit of congratulating himself.
Quite enthusiastically.
After hearing variations of "I believe I'm right... as usual," enough times, it started to become unintentionally funny.
Yes, Poirot.
We know you're an excellent detective.
You've mentioned it.
Repeatedly.
To be fair, longtime fans will probably point out that confidence is a defining part of his character.
And they're right.
Still, after several hours, we found ourselves appreciating the quieter perspective offered by the game's additional detective.
She brings a welcome contrast to Poirot's larger-than-life personality and gives the narrative room to breathe.
Atmosphere
The Orient Express has always been an iconic setting.
The game captures that wonderfully.
Elegant passenger cars.
Snow-covered landscapes rushing past the windows, well, until the train stops.
The quiet tension of strangers trapped together.
The developers understand that the train itself is just as important as the mystery unfolding inside it.
It becomes a character in its own right.
Comfort Check
| Content | Rating |
|---|---|
| 🕴️ Mannequins | None (Amanda approved.) |
| 🩸 Gore | Minimal (even the murder victim is shown with minimal, or even non-existent gore). |
| 😱 Jump Scares | None |
| 👻 Horror | None |
| 📖 Reading | Moderate |
| 🔍 Detective Work | Very High |
| 🧠 Logical Deduction | High |
What We Loved
The Story
There's a reason Agatha Christie's work has endured for generations.
Even knowing absolutely nothing beforehand, we were completely invested.
The New Material
Rather than simply retelling the novel, Microids expands it in meaningful ways.
That's a difficult balance to strike.
Here, it works beautifully.
The Deduction Mechanics
Piecing clues together ourselves made us feel like active participants rather than passive observers.
The Marathon Factor
This is one of those rare games where you keep saying,
"Let's finish one more chapter."
Before you know it...
it's two o'clock in the morning.
Then three.
Then four.
Somewhere around sunrise, we realized we'd played for roughly twelve straight hours.
That's probably the strongest recommendation we can give.
When a mystery refuses to let you walk away, it's doing something right.
Things That Didn't Quite Work
Very little.
Our biggest criticism isn't about the mystery itself.
It's Poirot's tendency to repeatedly remind everyone, including himself, how brilliant he is.
The confidence is faithful to the character.
The repetition, however, occasionally became distracting.
Fortunately, it's a minor issue in an otherwise outstanding experience.
Who Should Board the Train?
You'll probably love this if you enjoy:
✔ Murder mysteries
✔ Detective novels
✔ Escape rooms
✔ Solving puzzles with another person
✔ Narrative adventures
✔ Agatha Christie
You may want to look elsewhere if you're primarily searching for action or combat.
This is a detective story first and foremost.
And it's proud of that.
Should You Read the Original?
Absolutely.
One of the unexpected joys of finishing the game was wanting to learn more about Agatha Christie's original novel.
Rather than replacing the book, the game encouraged us to seek it out and compare the differences.
That's the mark of a respectful adaptation.
It honors its source while still creating something worth experiencing on its own.
Try Before You Board
Still not sure whether Murder on the Orient Express is for you?
Good news: Microids has released a free demo that lets you step into Hercule Poirot's shoes and experience the game's deduction mechanics firsthand. However, the demo is only available on the Switch and Steam platforms. This demo really sealed the deal for Bradley to take the plunge.
If you're curious about how the investigations, clue gathering, and deduction sequences work, the demo is an excellent way to see whether this style of detective game is right for you before purchasing the full game.
We always appreciate developers who let players make an informed decision, and this is one of those cases where we wholeheartedly recommend giving the demo a try. Oh, and one thing that tripped us up in completing the demo was we forgot to go into the deductions screen to put things together. We ran around a bit trying to figure out what we had missed.
Final Verdict
Some mysteries are famous because they're difficult.
Others become legendary because they're fair.
Murder on the Orient Express earns its reputation because every clue, every conversation, and every revelation feels purposeful.
Microids understood that simply recreating Agatha Christie's novel wasn't enough. Instead, they built upon it with confidence, introducing new characters and new investigations that complement rather than compete with the original story.
The result is a detective adventure that feels both respectful and refreshingly modern.
We started this game expecting to play for a couple of hours.
Instead, we looked at the clock sometime the next morning and realized we'd spent nearly half a day aboard the Orient Express.
We never wanted to get off.
The Mystery Cartridge Scorecard
| Category | Verdict |
|---|---|
| 🔍 Mystery | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| 📖 Story | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| 👥 Characters | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| 🚂 Atmosphere | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| 🧩 Deduction Gameplay | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| ❤️ Couple Experience | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| 🔁 Replay Value | ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ |
The Mystery Cartridge Verdict
🔎 Case Closed — Essential Play
An exceptional detective adventure that proves some mysteries become classics for a reason. Whether you're a lifelong Agatha Christie fan or, like us, stepping aboard the Orient Express for the very first time, this journey is absolutely worth taking.
Comments
Post a Comment