The Rise of the Golden Idol

“A sequel that didn't significantly change the formula, but improved it and offered to solve a bunch of new unique crimes. The developers' imagination is clearly not exhausted, so we are excited for new games in the series – even if they will not differ from this one in terms of gameplay at all.”

“The Rise of the Golden Idol is a seriously clever detective game, with exceptional design that helps you solve its mysteries yourself.”

“There is plenty to enjoy here, but the brilliant pacing, focus and storytelling from Case of the Golden Idol looms large over its sequel. It's a shame it doesn't live up to that potential, while still reinforcing the great ideas that are the foundation of the gameplay. Let's hope the Golden Idol shows up once more in the future to bring both styles together for a spectacular conclusion.”

“The Rise of the Golden Idol is a good sequel with creative situations and an intriguing storyline. The difficulty level could be much higher, but this is another fine investigation from Color Gray Games.”

“The end result of The Rise of the Golden Idol is one of great success. In the midst of a multitude of puzzles and point-and-click gameplay is a gem that is worthy of the best thinky game of 2024.”

“Rise of the Golden Idol has raised the bar it set one unit higher. An exquisite detective story full of incredibly well-crafted logic puzzles awaits you.”

“Rise of the Golden Idol is one of the most captivating mystery games around, one that makes clever use of every tool available to it and expands the possibilities of what a logical deduction game can achieve.”

“A decrease in murder lowers the stakes, but The Rise of the Golden Idol is still an inventive detective game where deductive reasoning prevails”

“A gritty detective adventure that's nearly as clever and captivating as the original.”

“Overall, The Rise of the Golden Idol is a massive achievement in storytelling and gameplay, especially for a point-and-click puzzle game. Despite its steep challenge and the potential for players to encounter a game-halting bug, The Rise of the Golden Idol is worth a try, even for those who might not consider themselves a fan of the genre. Its gameplay is slow and intentional, but filling out those Event pages, completing every objective, and witnessing the whole story unfold is highly satisfying — something even some of the most fast-paced action games fail to accomplish.”

“The Rise of the Golden Idol is a brain-breaking collection of mysteries all wrapped up in one absurd narrative and is a must-have for lovers of investigation games. While it doesn't quite replace the original game in my heart, the puzzles are bigger and better, the plot progression is more fluid, and it's all-around beefier. Golden Idol's unique take on investigation and logical progression is as engrossing as it is difficult, and keeping up with its complex mysteries makes you feel like a master detective when you finally hit that "aha!" moment. I'm waiting with bated breath for those DLCs!”

“Perhaps by its very nature as a sequel, Rise of the Golden Idol was never going to be the revelation that the original was. But by playing to the strengths of the first game’s concept through even more intricate puzzle design, it offers a worthy follow-up in a spirited new setting.”

“The Rise of the Golden Idol feels regressive as a sequel but is still a worthwhile play for series fans.”

“The Rise of the Golden Idol is truly a valuable and amazing work in the adventure and detective genre; in an era where we see fewer games in this style, the creation of Color Gray Games studio can satisfy the puzzle lovers' thirst for a while. Especially since creativity in the design of these puzzles is abundant, and other elements like an engaging story and fitting designs further enhance the game's value. So, if you're interested in adventure games, especially detective ones, you absolutely must not miss The Rise of the Golden Idol.”

“A compelling modern mystery thriller that's bigger, better and more ambitious than its already brilliant predecessor.”

“The Rise of the Golden Idol wonderfully evolves on the original with some truly devious cases that empower you to feel like a genius as you piece everything together and read between the lines. Loads of details make this best played with a notebook to hand, each case stretching you to think in genuinely fresh directions.”

“The Rise of the Golden Idol makes a great mystery series even better.”