Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club revealed ahead of August release

17 July 2024 Lite_Agent Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club, mages., Yoshio Sakamoto

Just last week, Nintendo shared a teaser trailer for a mysterious game: Who Is Emio?. And in quite the masterful twist, this teaser turned out to be not for some sort of horror game, but for a new Famicom Detective Club game! Introducing Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club, the first brand new Famicom Detective Club game in nearly 35 years, releasing on August 29th worldwide.

Unlike the remakes of the first two games, Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club will be available at retail in all regions, not just in Japan (of course, the digital version will still be available for those who prefer it).

And in Japan, Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club is also getting a Limited Edition. It costs 9,878 Yen, and includes the following:

Special Soundtrack CD
Artbook
1/2 scale replica of the Smiling Man’s mask, complete with evidence bag

Here’s a video message from Yoshio Sakamoto (Producer and Writer):

In this game, the Utsugi Detective Agency takes on a case related to the urban legend of the “Smiling Man” (mentioned in the game’s title), as well as a murder modeled after that legend specifically.

Here’s what the story is about:

Junior high school student Eisuke Sasaki has been found dead in a chilling fashion, with a smiley-faced paper bag over his head.

This unsettling visage bears a striking resemblance to a recurring clue in a string of unsolved murders from 18 years ago – as well as the urban legend Emio, aka the Smiling Man, a serial killer said to grant his victims “a smile that will last forever”.

Does the Smiling Man really exist…or is a new culprit continuing on his legacy?

As a member of the Utsugi Detective Agency, you’ve been tasked with investigating the events that led to Eisuke Sasaki’s death. Along the way, scrutinise the clues and testimonies you gather for potential connections to the gruesome events of the past.

Just like the first two games in the series, Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club has you step in the shoes of a detective tasked with solving mysteries. The story progress by selecting various commands such as “Move”, “Listen”, and “Investigate” (depending on the situation).

It’s an interactive mystery story where you get you to solve the mystery yourself, complete with beautifully animated characters and fully-voiced dialogues.

If you want more details about the game, Nintendo has also launched the official website. It will be updated regularly leading to launch, with new clues popping up from time to time.

Next: here’s some details from the web eShop page:

Investigate a brutal death and its connection to an urban legend

A student has been found dead! His head was covered with a paper bag with an eerie smiling face drawn on it—much like the victims of Emio, the Smiling Man—a killer of urban legend who is said to place such a bag over his victims’ heads.

As an assistant private investigator, you are tasked with helping police solve this crime, which is reminiscent of a series of unsolved murders from 18 years ago. Has a serial killer returned, or is this the work of a copycat? Are these crimes inspired by the Smiling Man story, or the origin of it?

Discover the answers to these questions and more as a member of the Utsugi Detective Agency in this intense story of suspicion, isolation, and fragility.

Explore an interactive drama full of interesting characters

Continue the adventures of the Utsugi Detective Agency with the return of familiar characters—including the returning protagonist from previous games, and Ayumi Tachibana, who is now playable in certain sections of the game for the first time in the series!

Playing as the investigative duo, you’ll need to learn a lot about the personalities and backstories of the other characters if you want to discover the truth. Who is harmless, and who is keeping important secrets? Ask questions, reference your notes, and make connections—you’ll have to order your thoughts and examine your leads carefully to draw the right conclusions.

And here’s some details and screenshots from the official press release:

In Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club, a student has been found dead in a chilling fashion, his head covered with a paper bag with an eerie smiling face drawn on it. This unsettling visage bears a striking resemblance to a recurring clue in a string of unsolved murders from 18 years ago, as well as Emio (the Smiling Man), a killer of urban legend who is said to grant his victims “a smile that will last forever.”

Play the role of an assistant private investigator with Utsugi Detective Agency, where you are tasked with helping police solve this crime. Along the way, scrutinize the clues and testimonies you gather for potential connections to the gruesome events of the past.

Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club is the first new Famicom Detective Club story in 35 years. This title follows the previously released first and second installments in the series, most recently remade for the Nintendo Switch system: Famicom Detective Club: The Missing Heir and Famicom Detective Club: The Girl Who Stands Behind.

Has a serial killer returned, or is this the work of a copycat? Are these crimes inspired by the Smiling Man story, or the origin of it? These answers and more will be discovered as you investigate in Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club.

Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club (Switch) comes out on August 29th worldwide.

Source: Nintendo PR (17/07/2024) / Nintendo / Nintendo (Twitter) / Nintendo