Steam’s Detective Fest is live until January 19, 2026, at 10:00 AM PT. If you’ve been craving games that actually make you pay attention (the “wait, that detail matters” kind of attention), this is one of the easiest Steam Fests to recommend. You’ll find everything from cozy clue-hunting and occult puzzle vibes to hard logic deduction and classic point-and-click adventuring.
The 10 Best Games on the Steam Detective Fest Sale
Before we get into the list: this isn’t just “popular detective games.” These are picks that feel good to play, the kind that hook you fast, respect your time, and give you that little dopamine hit when the case finally clicks. I also mixed in a few different flavors of mystery so you’re not buying the same experience ten times.
10. Tyrion Cuthbert: Attorney of the Arcane – $14.99
If you want an Ace Attorney-style courtroom loop but you’re tired of “normal” crimes, Tyrion Cuthbert is a fun switch-up. You’re defending clients in a fantasy world where the crimes involve magic, and the whole puzzle becomes figuring out how the rules of that magic work, then using them to prove someone innocent. It’s the kind of setup that makes testimony feel less like “gotcha” and more like “wait, that spell detail changes everything.”
Why Nux Game Guides Loves This Game: I love mysteries with a strong ruleset because once you learn it, you start thinking three steps ahead. This one also scratches that cozy visual novel itch when you want sleuthing without platforming stress.
9. No Case Should Remain Unsolved – $4.89
This one is short (in a good way) and built around memory and reconstruction. You’re piecing together an unsolved disappearance by connecting “memories” like puzzle pieces, slowly forming a clearer picture of what happened. It’s the kind of game that doesn’t need to be 30 hours long to land emotionally, and the structure makes it super bingeable in a single evening.
Why Nux Game Guides is Excited: At this price, it’s basically a no-brainer “one more before bed” pickup. We’re always down for detective games that try something different with deduction systems instead of only leaning on dialogue choices.
8. Contradiction: Spot The Liar – $9.74
Here’s the wild card: full FMV detective work. Instead of animated characters, you’re watching real filmed scenes, interviewing suspects, and hunting for contradictions in what they say. It has that campy crime-TV energy, but the hook is legit: you’re basically building a case by noticing inconsistencies and pressing people when the story doesn’t line up.
Why Nux Game Guides Loves This Game: FMV mysteries just hit different. When the “evidence” is a person’s face and tone instead of a quest marker, you end up playing more like an actual investigator, and that’s exactly the vibe Detective Fest should deliver.
7. Duck Detective: The Secret Salami – $6.99
This is the palate cleanser on the list, in the best way. You’re a down-on-his-luck detective who also happens to be a duck, and you solve a short, twisty case by inspecting suspects, interviewing them, and filling in blanks based on what you’ve learned. It’s charming, funny, and doesn’t overstay its welcome.
Why Nux Game Guides Loves This Game: I’m a sucker for detective games that understand pacing. A tight 2-3 hour mystery that actually sticks the landing is hard to find, and this one nails the “cozy, clever, replayable” lane.
6. The Roottrees are Dead – $15.99
If you want that “I’m doing real detective work” feeling, Roottrees is a banger. It’s a genealogical mystery set in 1998 where you’re digging through an early-internet style interface, finding photos, articles, and evidence, then using it to piece together a family tree tied to a crash and a fortune. The deeper you go, the more satisfying it gets, because every correct connection tightens the puzzle.
Why Nux Game Guides Loves This Game: This is the kind of game that makes you want a notebook beside your keyboard. We love mysteries that trust you to be smart, and Roottrees absolutely does that.
5. Broken Sword – Shadow of the Templars: Reforged – $17.99
A classic point-and-click detective adventure, refreshed with remastered visuals and audio. You’re thrown into a conspiracy-laced mystery with globetrotting investigation energy, puzzle solving, and that old-school “click everything, talk to everyone” rhythm that still works when the writing is strong. If you missed it back in the day, Reforged is a great excuse to finally see why it’s so beloved.
Why Nux Game Guides Loves This Game: We’ll always hype up detective games that helped define the genre. Also, this is perfect Steam Deck couch gaming, especially when you want something slower and story-driven.
4. Agatha Christie – Death on the Nile – $27.99
Poirot in the 1970s is already an instant sell, but what makes this version fun is that it leans into a fresh twist on the classic setup and gives you two investigators: Hercule Poirot and detective Jane Royce, each pulling on different threads of connected mysteries. It’s stylish, readable, and has that “everyone has a motive” energy that makes Agatha adaptations so easy to devour.
Why Nux Game Guides Loves This Game: If you’re into modern spins on classic whodunits, this is an easy recommendation. Poirot is in top form, and the graphics, story, and cases really make the Death on the Nile setting pop. For collectible guides and my review, check out the Death on the Nile hub.
3. Strange Horticulture – $6.39
Cozy mystery with a dark streak. You run a plant shop, identify strange flora using clues and your encyclopedia, and get pulled into an occult mystery that stretches back hundreds of years. It’s calm on the surface (pet the cat, sort plants, help customers), but there’s always this underlying “something is very wrong in this town” tension that keeps you pushing forward.
Why Nux Game Guides Loves This Game: This is the vibe pick. When you want detective work that feels like rainy-day comfort gaming but still makes your brain work, Strange Horticulture is an easy recommendation.
2. The Rise of the Golden Idol – $15.99
This is pure deduction candy. It’s a standalone sequel where you investigate 20 cases in a very specific, grimy 1970s atmosphere, and you’re basically an observer piecing together scenes of crime, death, and conspiracy. If you like detective games where the “aha” moment comes from logic, not luck, Golden Idol is built for you.
Why Nux Game Guides Loves This Game: We love games that don’t hold your hand and don’t waste your time. This series is all about solving, not grinding, and every case feels like a little brain workout.
1. Return of the Obra Dinn – $11.99
The modern classic. You’re an insurance investigator boarding a ship that drifted into port with no visible crew, and your job is to figure out what happened to everyone onboard. It’s first-person investigation and deduction, with a striking visual style and a mystery structure that makes you feel like a genius when the pieces finally fall into place.
Why Nux Game Guides Loves This Game: If there’s one detective game we’ll recommend forever, it’s Obra Dinn. It’s the gold standard for logical deduction, and it’s still one of the most satisfying “case closed” experiences on Steam.
Who’s Your Favorite Sleuth?
That’s our top 10 games from the Steam Detective Fest, and the best part is how different these picks feel from each other. If you want maximum brain burn, start at the top with Return of the Obra Dinn or The Rise of the Golden Idol. If you want something cozier, Strange Horticulture and Duck Detective are perfect “one more chapter” games. And if you want a curveball that feels like bingeing a crime show while also being the detective, Contradiction is a blast.
Looking for more? Check out our Game Reviews hub to find your next game!
