Casebook 1899 - The Leipzig-Murders Review

Genre: 2D | Retro Pixel Point & Click | Mystery | Adventure

Modes: Single Player

Developer: Homo Narrans Studio

Publisher: Homo Narrans Studio

Release Date: 4/9/25

Played On: PC (Steam)

Thanks to The IndiEXP & Homo Narrans Studio for the review code!

---

Set against the backdrop of industrial growth and social change in Germany at the turn of the 20th century, you're tasked with investigating four suspicious murders. As Detective Inspector Joseph Kreiser, you'll talk to witnesses, interogate suspects, and gather evidence to build up your cases. In true classic mystery fashion, you'll encounter twists, turns, and some puzzles that will genuinely make you feel like a detective once you crack them. So, how does it all pan out exactly?

True Detective

Similar to The Darkside Detective (2017) and Tails Noir/Backbone (2021), Casebook 1899 combines retro pixel-art visuals with a narrative-driven gameplay. As a point and click title, you'll be mainly using your mouse to drive to, well, point and click!

Use your detective skills to search for points of interest, clues and evidence to build your case

Each case is introduced as Detective Inspector Kreiser recounts the story to the blind owner of his lodging house. These scenes are staged like a play, with the spotlight shifting to whoever is speaking, and elements of the backdrop gradually coming into view. At the end of each case, the blind owner offers a brief comment, sometimes providing subtle reflections that may (or may not) prompt you to reconsider whether you made the right arrest. The dialogue is accompanied by text, while the voice acting is in German, allowing you to follow along even if you don’t speak the language.

In true detective fashion, each area you visit features people and items of interest. At first, some clues and locations may seem meaningless or even feel like a red herring. This game doesn’t hold your hand or tell you what to do either, so you’ll need to rely on character dialogues, and the notes you take as you investigate each case. Oh, and your instinct of course - you are the detective after all!

During each case, you can go back and forth between locations

Your notebook is crucial for connecting the dots and combining the right clues that will eventually lead you to new conclusions, facts, and ultimately the culprit behind the murder. In each case, you’re also accompanied by Gustav Möbius, a public prosecutor. If you do get stuck, he can offer a brief and vague hint about what to do next, but even that won’t help much (trust me, I would know!)

Every case offers multiple endings, but only will one uncover the real culprit. Your success depends on how sharp your detective instincts are, so be sure to question everything, backtrack your steps, and re read your notes. Sometimes, even the most unlikely combination of clues can lead to something.

Your notebook. Keep it handy!

One of the puzzles you will come across (Train Station)

As frustrating as it was at times, there was a real sense of satisfaction once I finally cracked a puzzle or a clue from the inventory I had been stuck on. Even if (again, out of frustration) some of that came out of just combining random items until something had clicked. Trial and error can be the key to finding solutions. For me personally, the game's length was just right to accommodate this sort of mechanic. Had it been any longer however, I don't know if I could say the same.

The story itself, while competent overall, didn’t quite feel as in-depth as it could have been. I won’t dive too deep into spoiler territory here, but certain elements of the narrative felt slightly underdeveloped, and the cases were fairly surface-level. I was hoping for a little more here.

A Sharp Eye On The Visuals & Sound

The visuals of Casebook 1899 are what first drew me to the game, and it may be one of its strongest aspects. The pixel art is excellent, beautifully capturing the landscapes of late-19th-century Germany. While the story maintains a dark tone and each case involves a murder, the city itself remains bustling and full of life (no pun intended) as you explore a variety of locations.

The locations you visit tie into different social settings, such as villas (upper class), the poor district (working class), and a café (mixed social standing). The visuals reflect this, conveyed through the color palette, placement, and environmental details. As there are multiple endings and branches, you may encounter different areas depending on your investigation path.

The composer for this detective mystery title is Samantha Foster, and the score is what you would expect from a classic murder-mystery, with the piano taking the lead role. To establish the atmosphere of the game’s time period, the soundtrack is accompanied by what sounds like a French horn, strings such as violin and cello, and subtle percussion. The score weaves seamlessly into the game, with each instrument evoking the mood and building tension throughout.

The Detective’s Record

The games length, depending on your pace, play-style and detective skills, may take you anywhere from 5 - 10 hours based on HLTB and some gameplay walkthroughs out there. This is a game that you could probably smash out over the weekend, or over the course of 2 - 3 sittings if you wanted to. From memory, I think my playthrough was around the 7-8 hour mark.

Facts don't lie!

The story and case-related achievements will pop as you play, gameplay and hidden achievements can be unlocked depending on how you play the game (e.g clues/items you find, specific dialogue choices & character actions)

Case Closed

Casebook 1899 is a competent, cozy detective-mystery point-and-click adventure, featuring vibrant visuals, a classic murder-mystery soundtrack, and a variety of locations to investigate. While some elements of the narrative felt underdeveloped and didn't quite hit the mark, the game stills remains an enjoyable experience overall.