Crime O'Clock

“Crime O’Clock’s unique spin on the hidden objects game genre is worthy of note and should be praised for its creativity; unfortunately, it delivery gets in the way of an otherwise mechanically fascinating experience. The first couple of levels will interest hidden objects fans, but the last few will lose them entirely. Had Crime O’Clock allowed its story to unfold naturally and ramp the difficulty up gradually, giving players the freedom to explore these full and vibrant worlds on their own, I suspect Crime O’Clock would have received higher marks. Alas, Crime O’Clock instead serves as a reminder that a great concept can be bogged down by itself if not allowed to flourish properly.”

“Crime O'Clock offers a detailed, charming world with innovative hidden object gameplay, but excessive dialogue and repetitive mini-games will interrupt your point-and-click adventure too many times to count.”

“Crime o’Clock is a good example of what can be done with a hidden objects gameplay. Creative and enticing, this is a game so full of content it's an easy recommendation for its genre despite a few blunders.”

“Grappling with time paradoxes, the butterfly effect and rouge AI, we will be the most workaholic detectives of all time!”

“Crime O'Clock may be an easy-breezy game but watching everything play out as it does is simply as mesmerising as it is rewarding.”

“Crime O'Clock is a fascinating adventure for any mystery fan, a tireless search for clues and time travel in the company of an endearing AI.”

“Despite being far from challenging, Crime O'Clock is an enjoyable game that captivates the player with its intriguing storytelling and a top-notch art direction.”

“Ultimately, Crime o' Clock is a title that works, satisfies and entertains. The excellent artistic direction, full of tributes and references to pop culture, also greatly enhances the experience and is worth the ticket price alone.”

“Crime O’Clock adds a smart twist to the hidden object concept. By showing the characters in its lively scenes going about their business as time passes, Bad Seed has found a way to build masses of detail into the little worlds you explore. However, the minigames are very weak and we never escaped the extremely repetitive gameplay typical of this type of game. As a result, it’s one for genre fans only.”

“A competent variant on the classic "hidden objects" theme, with excellent artwork and interesting plot.”

“Crime O'Clock is best served for those looking to play a fancier rendition of Where's Waldo? as the gameplay loop doesn't do well outside of those mechanics and it really shines in its point-and-click, hidden object approach.”

“Crime O'Clock offers a great time-traveling detective experience and shows what skilled developers can achieve while re-inventing a classic mechanic. All its five era locations are attractive, packed with interesting characters, tons of details, and some truly weird ideas. The black and white look and the colorful case touches complement each other well.”

“Crime O’Clock’s lovely art direction and charming premise can’t save the game from its repetitive gameplay loop. While at first, it delivers a wave of nostalgia, it soon drowns in its concept. Even though it’s extremely accessible and fun to play with others, it quickly loses momentum as it struggles to innovate on the idea.”

“Crime O'Clock runs smooth like a real clock, never losing a single movement of the hands and showing on-screen the perfect illegitimate son of Columbo and Where's Waldo, with a tiny bit of Minority Report – or the MCU series Loki, for the youngsters.”

“Crime O’Clock is an enjoyable throwback to hidden object games, with modern visual and mechanical design elements that eliminate the frustrations of the genre. Its art style and level of detail make each level a visual treat in addition to a challenging puzzle. I look forward to seeing if Bad Seed is able to expand on the experience with additional levels and puzzles down the road.”

“Preserving the true timeline alongside my AI companion was certainly an interesting investigation. Finding clues amongst the crowds was a simple yet entertaining gimmick, often making for enjoyable short play sessions. With a large amount of story missions alongside a decent free-play mode, there's definitely fun to be had even if the gameplay lacks complexity.”