Developer: Darjeeling
Publisher: Pixmain
Platform: PC, Switch
Tested on: Switch
Labyrinth City: Pierre the Maze Detective – Review
Pierre the Maze Detective is a fairly popular series of children’s books, which is slowly getting translated into more and more languages, making sure kids around the globe can enjoy the nice artwork in these adventurous books. We have to be honest, we are not really familiar with the source material, but even here in Belgium, we see Dutch versions of the books pop up in stores. Now, a game based on the series has been released for PC and the Switch. In Labyrinth City: Pierre the Maze Detective you’ll have to track down the dastardly Mr. X, who has stolen the Maze Stone, unleashing chaos upon Pierre’s world.
Story
Labyrinth City: Pierre the Maze Detective dives into its story immediately by telling you that the villainous Mr. X has stolen the Maze Stone, and that you, Pierre, are the only one that can stop him. From here on out, you go from one type of scenery to another, where Mr. X is wreaking (child-friendly) havoc, while you are gaining ground on him. The story is told by short comic book-like cutscenes, which are accompanied by pleasant voice acting. The overall story stays a bit shallow, but that’s perfectly fine for the audience this game is intended for. The story has its own adventurous twists and turns that will certainly please this game’s target player base.
Graphics
Even though some may argue that the drawings in Labyrinth City: Pierre the Maze Detective may be simplistic, they are in fact impressive sights to behold. The detail level on these massive painting-like sceneries is absolutely impressive. You’ll have so many small things going on at all times, and there are equally as many tiny things to interact with, triggering new small animations in the progress. The vibrant colorful feeling this game radiates will make you smile, and some small details are just cleverly added to the already crowded (but pleasant) whole. We were very intrigued by the artwork, and it was actually quite fun to explore the different maps to their fullest.
Sound
The sound design is great. The background music is very upbeat, and will never get annoying, even when sidetracking to find a few collectible items. The sound effects suffice for the actions you’ll trigger during gameplay, but don’t stand out as much. The voiced story intermezzos between different levels are handled nicely, with very pleasant voice acting that gives you a proper ‘children’s story’ atmosphere.
Gameplay
Labyrinth City: Pierre the Maze Detective is a fairly simplistic puzzle adventure game for a younger target audience. The game is fairly straightforward, as you’ll always have to make it from point A to B, while figuring out which route you’ll have to take. The game allows a bit of sidetracking, but for the most part, you’re on a linear path towards your goal: catching the nefarious Mr. X.
We love the collectibles that can be found in this game, but other than that, there is not that much more to state in terms of actual gameplay. You can just walk around on very tight and enclosed paths, to get to the next part of your investigation, or just open a few chests, find notes, or even find collectible stars. The game itself is fairly short, and each level can take up to about half an hour. Those looking to score a full 100% on this game may require a few additional hours to truly get everything. The controls are simple, as you just need the stick to walk around, and a single button press to interact with your environment.
Conclusion
Labyrinth City: Pierre the Maze Detective is an absolute treat for a younger audience that loves solving simplistic puzzles, as well as immerse themselves in a proper suitable-for-all-ages detective story. This is a great game to play together with a younger family member, and might even be somewhat fun for a more adult audience. Even though the game may be short, the collectibles and small interactions in the different levels make up for a lot, as well as the game’s fairly low asking price. If you’re looking for a great children’s game, with great artwork, a fun story, and just simple but engaging gameplay, this one’s certainly an interesting option.
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