Am I the right person to review Microids’ Agatha Christie- Death on the Nile? I honestly do not know. Despite being a huge detective fiction buff, my knowledge of Agatha Christie’s iconic detective, Hercule Poirot, is limited to a handful of novels, two mid-2000s video games, and two modern film adaptations, which I’m indifferent towards. Poirot is not my favorite detective either, with the top two spots being taken by Batman and C. Auguste Dupin, respectively. So, am I the right person to review this game? You can probably do worse.
Death on the Nile follows closely to Microids Studio Lyon’s previous interpretation of an Agatha Christie classic, Murder on the Orient Express. But unlike its predecessor, which opted for a modern retelling, Death on the Nile takes a few steps back, setting the game in the wild decade of the 1970s. The jazz, the bootcuts, and the art deco are all new, but the story itself stays pretty faithful to the classic novel. The biggest change, however, is the addition of an additional protagonist— Jane Royce, a young and enthusiastic private detective, and Poirot’s biggest fangirl.
Death on the Nile follows two parallel-running storylines: Poirot’s investigation that closely resembles that of the novel, and Jane’s newly added quest for justice. The game alternates between two storylines that often interject with each other, culminating in a finale where Poirot and Jane have to work together to solve the overarching mystery.
The best thing about Death on the Nile is its storylines and the investigations that accompany them. Each chapter presents itself as its own self-contained scenario, similar to a procedural drama where the player is tasked with solving a mystery. This is done through good ol’ fashioned legwork. As Poirot and Jane, players are tasked with interviewing suspects, gathering evidence, and connecting the dots. Furthermore, the game also requires you to pay attention to dialogues and events to complete the profiles of the major and minor players in the story.
At the core of the game is the mind map, an ever-evolving criminal board that connects crimes, clues, and suspects. Each time you uncover a clue, the board spins its web, leading to another clue, giving players the chance to make deductions. When everything falls in place, you’ll be tasked with mending the timeline of what has transpired, leading to the ultimate confrontation.
While this all sounds pretty involved on paper, Death on the Nile presents these choices in a streamlined and seamless manner. Hit a brick wall? Just hold a button to have the game tell you the next clue? Cannot figure a puzzle out? Do the same, and the solution will be handed to you on a silver platter. Despite considering myself good at logical puzzles, there were several moments in the game where this came in handy. We all could use a break sometimes.
What holds the game back, however, are technical aspects. Death on the Nile can be a bit too basic and rough to look at sometimes. The character models and animations are somewhat crude by 2025 standards, and the voice acting is hit or miss. However, the stylized art style goes a long way to make the game presentable. Despite the limited design of the environments, there is a certain charm and simplicity to them, a remnant from the 360/PS3 era of gaming.
Some of the puzzles can also feel like filler and busywork, like the one where you have to operate the many moving parts of a jukebox. But hey, what good is a puzzle game where there aren’t at least half a dozen filler-style content thrown into the mix? Death on the Nile does try to mix it up by introducing a new mini-game every now and then. The witty and campy writing also helps to get you through the 15+ hour campaign.
Despite its technical shortcomings and lack of ambition, I generally enjoyed my time with Death on the Nile. The satisfaction of getting to the bottom of a mystery without any guides hits like a hot cup of cocoa. Just be sure to take a break between each alternating chapter because it’s one long ride through the Nile.
Real Talk
Agatha Christie- Death on the Nile is a globe-trotting, laid-back detective adventure that’s best enjoyed in sips. What it lacks in technical prowess, it more than makes up for with its witty writing, logic-driven investigations, and a vibe to kill for.
FINAL SCORE: 75/100