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Tangle Tower is a heartfelt whodunit for all ages
D
David Silbert
This article was last updated on October 6, 2023 at 11:30 AM
Tangle Tower, developed by SFB Games, is one such caper. First released in 2019 for Apple Arcade, the game made its way to the Epic Games Store in 2022. While technically a follow-up to 2014’s Detective Grimoire: Secret of the Swamp, Tangle Tower is a self-contained tale that should entice any hard-nosed gumshoe.
Tangle Tower stars the mild-mannered Grimoire and his quick-witted partner, Sally. The duo is investigating the murder of Freya Fellow, a young artist and descendant of the well-to-do Fellow family. The clan resides in the titular Tangle Tower alongside the Pointers, a lineage with whom they share a fateful and tumultuous history. While the two families typically keep to their respective towers, they’re brought together when Freya is killed—the mute Flora Fellow serving as the sole witness.
It’s a glorious setup for a whodunit, and the plot only thickens the more you explore the halls and grounds of Tangle Tower. Each Fellow and Pointer has their own role within the family feud, along with their own secrets to hide and motives to pursue. Only by gathering clues in the environment and interrogating each family member can Grimoire and Sally piece together the day’s events and solve Freya’s murder.
An intriguing yarn can easily fray without a strong set of suspects. Thankfully, Tangle Tower doesn’t disappoint. There’s Penny Pointer, a lively birdwatcher with a love for travel. There’s also Felix Fellow, a courtly explorer and proud dad. The cast always manages to charm, thanks largely to sharp writing, lovingly delivered voiceovers, and fluid, rotoscope-style animation. If you found comfort in the eccentric world of Knives Out, you’ll feel at home here.
The soundtrack, composed by Raphael Benjamin Meyer, only adds to the allure. Meyer deftly switches up instrumentation to give each character a distinct identity. From the swashbuckling horns and strings of Detective Hawkshaw’s theme, to the brooding oboe that plays for Flora Fellow, the music of Tangle Tower is an ensemble cast in its own right. This is a game that plays like a movie; enjoy it with the lights off and headphones on for maximum effect.
Point-and-click adventures are often criticized for their obtuse design and head-scratching solutions. Yet even if you’re not normally one for the genre, Tangle Tower will win you over. The game was built with touch devices in mind, and that simplicity translates seamlessly to PC. You can navigate the estate with a few clicks and stumble upon clues in plain sight. If you ever get stuck, a helpful hint system is there to guide you in the right direction.
Tangle Tower is available now on the Epic Games Store. Whether you grew up on Miss Marple or Benoit Blanc, this is a whodunit done right.