Dinocop
" Charming adventure detective game with witty satire and puzzles but clunky controls and bugs "
Dinocop Review
Dinocop is a charming detective game that combines a whimsical art style with a surprisingly deep and mature narrative. Players take on the role of a dinosaur detective navigating a richly detailed hotel setting, solving puzzles and uncovering a complex mystery. The writing is praised for its wit, humor, and political satire, providing a unique tone that blends lightheartedness with serious themes. However, the game's tone shifts significantly toward a darker, more serious mood in the final quarter, which some players found jarring. Gameplay involves investigation, dialogue choices, and puzzle-solving, with some players noting a lack of direction that can make progression challenging. Despite a few bugs and technical issues, including UI glitches and missing autosave early on, the game delivers an engaging experience. The ending received mixed reactions, with some feeling it lacked closure or was unsatisfying, though others appreciated the setup for future content. Overall, Dinocop is a heartfelt indie title with a strong narrative and memorable characters, recommended for fans of detective games and quirky storytelling.
Highlights
Players highly praise Dinocop's writing and storytelling, highlighting its clever humor and engaging political satire. The game's art style and character design are considered charming and whimsical, adding to the overall atmosphere. The detective mechanics and puzzle design receive positive remarks for being thoughtful and rewarding, with multiple clues pointing toward solutions. Many enjoy the world-building and the unique concept of playing as a dinosaur detective. The voice acting and music contribute to an immersive experience, and the community appreciates the developers' responsiveness to bug reports and patches.
Criticisms
Common criticisms include a dramatic tonal shift in the latter part of the game that some players found abrupt and off-putting. The ending was described by some as unsatisfying or lacking closure. Several reviews mention bugs and technical issues, such as UI disappearing, audio glitches, and problems with saving progress, which occasionally disrupted gameplay. The lack of an autosave system at launch caused frustration. Some players found the controls, especially mouse and keyboard input, to be clunky or inconsistent. Additionally, certain puzzles were perceived as obscure or unintuitive, leading to progression stalls. The political themes, while praised by many, were off-putting to some players who preferred a lighter tone.
Pros
- • Engaging and witty writing with clever political satire throughout the game.
- • Charming and whimsical art style that complements the narrative tone.
- • Well-crafted detective mechanics with rewarding puzzle-solving elements.
- • Rich world-building with memorable and distinct dinosaur characters.
- • Humorous dialogue and quirky character interactions enhance enjoyment.
- • Immersive atmosphere supported by fitting music and sound design.
- • Developers are responsive and actively patch bugs post-launch.
Cons
- • Abrupt tonal shift to a darker mood late in the game can feel jarring.
- • Ending considered unsatisfying or lacking proper closure by some players.
- • Presence of bugs including UI glitches and save system issues at launch.
- • Clunky and inconsistent mouse and keyboard controls hinder gameplay.
- • Some puzzles are obscure, leading to difficulty in progressing.
- • Missing autosave at launch caused loss of player progress.
- • Political themes may alienate players seeking a lighter experience.
Rating Criteria
When dinosaurs were brought back to life, none wanted to be a cop, so humans made you: Dinocop. Investigate the guests of the Cretaceous hotel to crack a meaty case that will confront you with your most profound existential dilemma. Who brought human meat to the dinosaur rights convention ?