In the neon-lit 2037 Singapore streets of Chinatown Detective Agency — the brand-new cybernoir graphic adventure releasing today on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and with Game Pass — every character you meet is a potential lead. Every conversation a potential clue. And every seemingly incidental scrap of info you stumble across could be the key to unraveling a high-stakes global conspiracy.
Hard Times in the Cybernoir City Streets
Developed by the Singapore-based General Interactive Co. and published by Humble Games, Chinatown Detective Agency casts you as Amira Darma, a former INTERPOL agent who’s recently set off on her own as a private investigator in the heart of Chinatown.
The pixel art cybernoir future Amira inhabits is one filled with murk and grime, blinding lights, and shadowy figures with mysterious agendas. The global economy is in shambles, and Amira’s first focus — like most other denizens of this world on the brink — is on making the money she needs to scrape by. But what starts off as just a day on the job soon takes her around the world in search of something bigger than she ever imagined.
Crack Cases with Real-world Research
One of General Interactive Co.’s big inspirations in creating Chinatown Detective Agency is a detective-game legend: the iconic Carmen Sandiego series, which had a generation of players digging through attics for almanacs and encyclopedias and lurking in local libraries in search of her whereabouts.
One of Chinatown Detective Agency’s big gameplay hooks is that sometimes, when the clues run dry in Amira’s world, you’ll need to rely on real research in our own. In the era of the internet, that might mean looking up an airport code online to discover a character’s probable destination, or searching for the source of a quote today to lead you to answers in 2037 Singapore. You’ll need to be attentive, resourceful, and smart to succeed as a player — just like Amira in her own world.
The Players and the Pixel Art
Chinatown Detective Agency’s globe-spanning tale is brought to life through the gorgeous cybernoir pixel art of Ricardo Juchem and the talented performers who voice Amira’s contacts, clients, and conspirators. Characters like Rupert Zhou (Ryan Lim), the mysterious man who’s used to getting what he wants — in this case, finding a wayward associate. Tiger Lily (Su Ling Chan), the rich and generous client with a job that might end up being more than Amira bargained for. Keeran Iyer (Rishi Budhrani), the government official seeking Amira’s help to root out corruption.
Chinatown Detective Agency is out now for Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and with Game Pass. We hope you’ll check it out. With smarts and a little luck, you just might save the world.