Talking about Touch Detective

The Nintendo DS has clearly given a second birth to adventure games. Trace Memory and Phoenix Wright found their niche market. Now Atlus is stepping into the arena with Touch Detective, a touch based adventure game with a young girl who inherited a detective agency. To get some more information about Touch Detective we spoke to Kyle Mann from Atlus.

Siliconera: What made Touch Detective a game worthy of Atlus’ attention?

Kyle Mann: Actually there were a lot of aspects thrown into the equation. The art work is gorgeous, the story line is basically like no other, and TD is a game that definitely takes full advantage of the DS touch screen. When we choose our games, potential is the number one aspect we look for. We know we will do the work on our end to localize it the best we can. We know Touch Detective had so much going for it that we felt we would be foolish to pass it up. After localization, whala! You have a masterpiece.

What about the gameplay, it’s been compared to Trauma Center and Phoenix Wright. How would you explain playing half an hour of Touch Detective to someone?

nff nnf nnf… It would actually be very hard to just play half an hour of Touch Detective. Like Trauma Center and Phoenix Wright, it’s an intriguing challenge. You don’t want to put it down, but you know you will have to eventually. The humor/ dialect also draw you in. Jamie Ortiz did an excellent job of making this game really funny. You’re gonna want to go up to each character just to see what they will say next. Definitely a fun, quirky experience!

The main character of the game is Mackenzie, what is she like?

You wish nothing but the best for Mackenzie as you maneuver her through each episode. She inherited the family detective business after her father passes away. She works her hardest just to solve these unusual cases and bring pride to the family name. The kinda girl who would make a great best friend.

Four cases and one of them is about tracking down a stolen dream? Could you elaborate a bit on the story lines?

Well the story line is nothing short of bizarre, but it’s the kind of bizarre that makes you want to see more. From cake loving sharks to a quick witted robot butler, this game packs it all in. One of the most creative games I’ve ever seen… it is almost like the whole thing is all a dream. You are constantly finding new characters and searching under every nook and cranny for that next clue. It really pumps you up with every clue you find.

How long does each case take to play?

Each case takes approximately 4 to 6 hours to play. There’s also a Bonus Episode you can unlock after solving each case, which will provide the player with an additional 20 mini-quests, so there’s plenty of gameplay to be had.

In your opinion how hard are the cases to solve without a FAQ? Touch Detective looks deceptively easy due to the main characters look.

Oh, don’t you be fooled my friend. Touch Detective is no walk in the park! As a matter of fact, I have received more questions from editors who are stuck on Touch Detective than any other game… all of who are quite embarrassed they got stuck. That being said, every clue is there; you just have to be observant.

The artwork in Touch Detective is unique. Who did the artwork and character design for Touch Detective?

The artwork and character design are a product of a creative collaboration between Success and Beeworks. It’s amazing, isn’t it?

How did Japan respond to Touch Detective?

Touch Detective was well received in Japan. The witty dialogue and quirky character art really appealed to Japanese gamers. Fans of point-and-click adventure games were also excited to see the genre revamped for the Nintendo DS platform.

And as a follow up how do you think North America will respond to the game? Do you think it will sell better due to the success of Trauma Center and Phoenix Wright?

Touch Detective definitely has a broad appeal. We at Atlus love it because it is a good game, and it’s a different game, not quite like anything else out there. We are confident it will do very well. And just like Trauma Center, word of mouth will carry this game far.