After a cryptic teaser left us all wondering “Who is Emio?” Nintendo has given us the answer today. Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club brings the mystery to Switch on August 29.
Granted, today’s new look at the project doesn’t reveal all that much, but the accompanying video (above) featuring producer Yoshio Sakamoto does provide a bit more information.
In this latest installment in the Famicom Detective Club series, you play as a private investigator tasked with solving a series of murders that all seem to be linked to the famous serial killer Emio, the Smiling Man. Expect returning characters from previous entries in the series alongside new faces in what promises to be a particularly gruesome mystery.
Here’s the official overview of the game on the eShop:
A college student has been found dead! His head was covered with a paper bag with a creepy smiling face drawn on it – just like the victims of Emio, the Laughing Man – an urban legend killer who allegedly placed such a bag over the heads of his victims.
As an assistant private investigator, it is your job to help the police solve this crime, which is reminiscent of a series of unsolved murders from 18 years ago. Has a serial killer returned or is this the work of a copycat? Are these crimes inspired by the story of Smiling Man, or its origins?
Discover the answers to these questions and more as a member of the Utsugi Detective Agency in this intense story of suspicion, isolation, and vulnerability.
Discover an interactive drama full of interesting characters
Continue the adventures of the Utsugi Detective Agency with the return of familiar characters, including the returning protagonist from previous games and Ayumi Tachibana, now playable in certain parts of the game for the first time in the series!
Playing as the investigating duo, you’ll need to learn a lot about the other characters’ personalities and backgrounds if you want to uncover the truth. Who’s harmless, and who’s hiding important secrets? Ask questions, consult your notes, and make connections: you’ll need to organize your thoughts and carefully examine your clues to draw the right conclusions.
Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club launches on the Switch eShop next month for $49.99, and a physical version has been confirmed via Nintendo’s US site, though there’s no confirmation yet of a European physical release – we’ve reached out to Nintendo UK to double-check. While English, French, German, Italian, and Spanish will all be available as on-screen text, the voiceover will only be in Japanese.
There is also a Collector’s Edition released that is only available in Japan (for now), which includes an artbook, what appears to be soundtrack CDs, and other extras.
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What do you think about this? Will you solve the case next month? Let us know in the comments.