Emio: The Smiling Man - Famicom Detective Club 2024

About

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.

Story

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.

What is happening now

Emio - The Smiling Man is a visual novel detective adventure exclusive to Nintendo Switch that continues the Famicom Detective Club series. The game blends traditional detective fiction with the visual novel format, tasking players with unraveling a mystery through investigation and dialogue. Since its August 2024 release, the game has maintained developer support, with Nintendo and MAGES marking its second anniversary with new commemorative artwork distributed through the Nintendo Today app. The gesture reflects ongoing engagement with the title's community, though major content updates or expansions have not materialized.