Detective Dotson, the made-in-India adventure by the aptly titled Masala Games is one of our most anticipated indie titles set to come out next year. Touted as a “love letter to India“, Detective Dotson is all about collecting clues and solving cases as you encounter a colorful cast of characters in a culturally diverse world.
But making just another single-player adventure game isn’t enough for the Indian studio founded by Electronic Arts and Oscar-winning Pixar alumni Shalin Shodhan. Detective Dotson, which is making its way to the Xbox Series platform of consoles will also support a robust 2-player couch co-op experience. But how does it work exactly?
According to Shodhan, “Co-op cases are specifically designed for two players with their own bespoke levels. This is separate from and in addition to Detective Dotson’s single-player cases.” The Co-op cases will have unique goals and objectives that enrich the rich co-operative experience. From super-cop Durai to ravishing reporter Jotson, there’s an ensemble of lively characters to choose from on your duo adventure.
Payers will have to use specific actions to see you through the many trials and tribulations Detective Dotson’s co-op campaign throws at you. These include distracting guards while your partner-in-crime sneaks past or using special abilities such as Durai’s machismo to break down doors or Jotson’s journalist status to gain privileged access to areas other characters can’t reach.
Detective Dotson’s co-op mode features a dynamic split-screen where the screen only breaks into two when you and your friend are far enough apart. This makes for a more seamless co-op experience while utilizing split-screen to indicate that the action is taking place in two different places at the same time, similar to heist movies. In Shodhan’s words, “there was a lot of trial-and-error involved in finding the sweet spot for when we actually break the screen in order to have the right balance and indication of distance between you and your friend in-game.”
Shodhan acknowledges that this exciting Co-op mode would not have been possible without the ID@Xbox Developer Accelerator Program grant. “It’s the dream of every game developer to bring their game to console as it’s perceived to have the highest quality bar to clear,” says Shalin Shodhan, Founder and CEO of Masala Games. “We’re thankful that the Xbox Developer Acceleration Program believes in us. It’s not every day that one of the leading platforms in gaming takes notice. Their trust motivates us to do this opportunity justice,” Shodhan continued.
Detective Dotson arrives for Xbox Series X|S and Windows PC early next year. Stay up to date on all Detective Dotson news on Discord, YouTube, and X (formerly Twitter).
1 comment