The arrival of Emio: The Smiling Man marks an exciting time for Famicom Detective Club fans, but what if this is your first time exploring this beloved franchise? Well, you’re not alone, and the good news is that you can get a taste of its chilling mysteries before it hits shelves soon. Clear some time aside to put your deduction skills to the test, as Nintendo Switch owners will be able to download not one, but three Emio: The Smiling Man demos.
From Monday, August 19, 2024, you can head over to the Nintendo Switch eShop to get your hands on the opening chapter of Emio: The Smiling Man, dubbed Case Briefing 1. The demo will be available from 6:00 PM PT, 9:00 PM EST, and 2:00 AM BST. This snapshot of the upcoming Switch horror game includes the new Famicom Detective Club title’s prologue and first chapter, putting you face to face with a newly discovered victim that has been slayed by the mysterious Emio.
Like any good murder mystery, there will be plenty of spine-tingling discoveries along the way, and a vibrant cast of characters reluctantly cooperating with your investigation. But don’t worry if you get the bug and crave more of the best detective games around.
Nintendo will release two more chapters on Thursday, August 22, 2024, and Tuesday, August 27, 2024, respectively. That’s plenty of time to see if you fancy picking up the full game a few days later on Thursday, August 29, 2024. What makes these demos even cooler is that you can take your progress with you into the full game, so don’t worry about having to pick your brain again to gather those important clues.
Emio: The Smiling is the first proper entry in the Famicom Detective Club franchise in over 30 years. In a recent Nintendo interview ahead of its debut, producer Yoshio Sakamoto says “I’m confident that this game could be the culmination of the Famicom Detective Club series.” According to the game’s official synopsis, you can expect to get ensnared by the following: “Solve the tragic death of a student, where a creepy clue recalls cold cases from the past and an urban legend about a killer with a disturbing modus operandi.”
The hype is high, but in the meantime, there are other cases available right now on your Switch. You can check out our Famicom Detective Club review, as got hands-on with a faithful remaster of the franchise’s earlier entries.