Agatha Christie – Death on the Nile (Chris): The meticulous Hercule Poirot has appeared in many forms, but seldom has Agatha Christie’s iconic sleuth entered the glittering groove of the 1970s — until now. Sporting a reimagined wardrobe, the gentleman detective takes on a classic mystery in Microids Studio Lyon’s Agatha Christie – Death on the Nile. Published by Microids, this third-person adventure game follows the structure of Christie’s original story, but with fresh new characters and in-depth investigations. Set in the 1970s, Hercule Poirot finds himself aboard a honeymoon cruise along the Nile. The glittering voyage quickly turns sinister when a shocking murder disrupts the celebrations. Far from the cruise, private detective Jane Royce is making a name for herself, following leads to solve a crime and a personal avengement. The two detectives will find themselves connecting motives among the growing pool of suspects and simmering grudges. Poirot and Royce must expose a killer before the truth becomes another victim.
Death on the Nile follows a traditional adventure title that drives players to examine clues and details from people and surroundings. For gamers who have experienced Microids’ Agatha Christie – Murder on the Orient Express, many elements return and have been improved. Poirot and Royce control in the same fashion, and organized their discovery and deductions on a visual board called a mind map. Major events are represented by large node markers, which then require detectives to determine how certain clues and noted actions logically explain a mystery. Speaking to witnesses and suspects and finding physical evidence creates new nodes in the map. Relevant facts can be obscured by other details collected, and the player must filter out what doesn’t make logical sense.
Every key detail becomes a new node in the map, whether from talking to suspects or finding clues to support or disprove claims. The player must determine how nodes link together by reviewing details to best determine the outcome of an accusation. This all comes to a head when the player must mentally recreate a timeline scenario, utilizing the evidence and statements collected. It’s a fairly involved process that feels like one part watching a soap opera and another part feeling like a real detective, depending on the difficulty setting. The three levels of difficulty —Story, Detective, and Hercule —adjust the amount of hints and guidance the player is given. First-time detective players can enjoy the plot and clever puzzles with plenty of minor handholding from the game in the Story mode. However, in Hercule mode, the player must manually keep track of major details and make good mental notes as events unfold. Otherwise, you will have to backtrack through dialogue and read through logs.
The detective gameplay is well-paced by the interactions of Poirot and Royce. Dialogues and comments hint at an intimate gathering of interesting characters, especially when emotions erupt in the face of the threat of murder. Other interactions involve solving brain teasers and mini games, all of which allow Poirot and Royce (And some of the players) to flex their reasoning skills. Many of the puzzles typically involve moving things in a specific order and don’t require fetch quests to complete them. There are very minor stealth sections in Royce’s segments, which bring a fresh break from the usual puzzle and questioning loop. At certain points, Poirot and Royce must make decisions that affect specific story outcomes, but none of these decisions significantly alter the plot’s direction. There are also collectible golden mustaches and vinyl records to find, which unlock concept art in an extra gallery mode. This museum showcases the in-game achievements on a shelf, so those 100% achievement hunters can spend a good amount of time trying to complete a full set.
The 70s atmosphere and representation make the game stand out from the interwar period, during which Poirot and many other Golden Age detective stories are typically presented. This iteration starts strong, reintroducing Poirot as a worldly explorer and a fan of disco. Jane Royce is an interesting character who admires Poirot’s work but showcases her own personality and methods in finding answers. The game isn’t focused on intense visuals, so the 3D models are functional and consistent. After the initial chapters, the soundtrack takes on more of the heavy lifting to immerse players in the tone of the 1970s.
Death on the Nile is an imaginative adaptation of Hercule Poirot that closely follows the original while gradually exploring more depth in the subplots. While the setting and visuals are contemporary, the core quality remains deeply rooted in the classic Christie fashion. Even if you are familiar with the classic mystery, there are fresh sentiments and standpoints that heighten the tension as the story unfolds. However, I did wish certain decisions had altered the story plot dramatically to increase replayability value. Whether you are a hardcore Christie fan or a new sleuth looking to crack their first big case, Death on the Nile is a fun and rewarding game that encourages players to be curious and sharp, especially when invited on a cruise. Agatha Christie – Death on the Nile was released on September 25, and is available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
