History VideoGame / DetectiveGrimoire

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tangletower_2.jpg]]

!!Tropes spanning the franchise:

----
[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder:''Detective Grimoire'']]

[[folder:''Secret of the Swamp'']]

[[folder:''Tangle Tower'']]

-->'''Sally:''' Homemade posters. This one's about the Pythagoras theorem.
-->'''Grimoire:''' I've not heard of that band. Are they any good?

-->'''Grimoire:''' It's quiet...
-->'''Sally:''' Mhm.
-->'''Grimoire:''' ...You're supposed to say, "''Too'' quiet."
-->'''Sally:''' It's not. It's an appropriate amount of quiet.

-->'''Sally:''' The pond has little stone feet!
-->'''Grimoire:''' ...seems a bit superfluous.
-->'''Sally:''' ''You're'' superfluous.

-->'''Grimoire:''' You ready, Sally?
-->'''Sally:''' Grimoire, I've been standing here for seven and a half minutes.

* InkblotCartoonStyle: Boggy's likeness was used as the star of a 1930s inkblot-style cartoon.

* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: The art style is darker and grittier than both of the sequels, with the characters being designed more realistically and the fair ground being a muted color (both ''Secret of the Swamp'' and ''Tangle Tower'' utilize more vibrant coloring), the characters use VoiceGrunting instead of full voice acting, the setting is more common than the swamp attraction and the titular ''Tangle Tower'', and there's no trace of the Mystid MythArc. The UI also checks off the culprits' innocence immediately (with the exception of the murderer), while ''Secret of the Swamp'' lets the player mark off who their most likely suspect is by themselves, while ''Tangle Tower'' completely drops the mechanic (but still updating the profiles of the suspects).

* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: The art style is darker and grittier than both of the sequels, with the characters being designed more realistically and the fair ground being a muted color (both ''Secret of the Swamp'' and ''Tangle Tower'' utilize more vibrant coloring), the characters use VoiceGrunting instead of full voice acting, the setting is more common than the swamp attraction and the titular ''Tangle Tower'', and there's no trace of the Mystid MythArc.

* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: The art style is darker and grittier than both of the sequels, with the characters being designed more realistically and the fair ground being a muted color (both ''Secret of the Swamp'' and ''Tangle Tower'' utilize more vibrant coloring), the setting is more common than the swamp attraction and the titular ''Tangle Tower'', and there's no trace of the Mystid MythArc.

* AmbiguousTimePeriod: The technology in the games is all over the place, with ''Secret of the Swamp'' taking place in a run down tourist attraction, with what would be considered largely outdated technology in the [=2010s=], and ''Tangle Tower'' suggests that cassette tapes are still in use.

* BrutalHonesty: Several members of the cast will be remarkably blunt with their opinions of the other characters. Among other examples:
** When asked whether she considers Felix a good dad, Fifi answers with a BluntNo. When she explains that her father is emotionally distant and a bit detached from reality, Grimoire responds, "Just like you, then," to Sally's dismay and Fifi's unconcerned agreement.

* ArtShift: The first game is an {{Animesque}} VisualNovel, complete with characters communicating entirely in grunts and electronic buzzing (much in the style of its [[Franchise/AceAttorney primary inspiration]]). The backgrounds are bleak and realistic, in keeping with the CrappyCarnival aesthetic. The sequel, on the other hand, has a much more quirky and colourful approach of European WesternAnimation (á la ''[[WesternAnimation/TheSecretOfKells Cartoon]] [[WesternAnimation/SongOfTheSea Saloon]]''), with stylised (and animated) character models, full voice acting, and lush hand-drawn backgrounds.

* ArtShift: Although the style shift isn't as extreme as the jump between the first two games, ''Tangle Tower'' pushes the series' quirky and colorful aesthetic even further, utilizing a more pastel palette and incorporating SquiggleVision.

* BlatantLies: [[spoiler: When Grimoire asks Fitz about his relationship with Penny, he [[HesitationEqualsDishonesty hesitantly]] insists that it's good.]]

* SnarkToSnarkCombat: Grimoire and Sally, ''constantly.''

* GratuitousIambicPentameter: Poppy will recite brief iambic rhyming poetry about every character except herself when shown a suspect profile.

* FantasticFlora / FantasticFruitsAndVegetables: Fitz grows unusual plants in the greenhouse, including inedible gem-like fruit. He attributes it to the unique properties of the lakewater around the manor.
* FlowerMotifs: Unsurprisingly, several of the plants around Tangle Tower serve as metaphors for Fitz and his relationships. Namely, [[spoiler: the small, plain plant in Fitz's room is identified as "healthy, but sad," and Fitz notes that he sneaks into Penny's room to care for the gift flower she neglects, "just... trying to keep it alive."]]

* GratuitousIambicPentameter / RhymesOnADime: Poppy will recite brief rhyming poetry about every character except herself when shown a suspect profile.

* CastOfSnowflakes: Particularly in later games, where a more cartoonish style allows for increasingly diverse silhouettes among the characters.

* MythArc: Beginning with ''Secret of the Swamp,'' the franchise begins building a larger plot surrounding the [[OurCryptidsAreMoreMysterious Mystids]] and the various people pursuing them.

* AntiVillain: [[spoiler:It turns out that Echo never intended to kill Remington in the first place, merely wanting to scare him off, but then ended up killing Remington in self-defense.]]

''Detective Grimoire'' is a series of [[PointAndClickGame Point-and-Click]] [[AdventureGame Adventure Games]] made by [[http://www.sfbgames.com/ SFB Games]]. You play as the titular Detective Grimoire, assigned to solve a murder from the previous night. As Grimoire, you explore locations, pick up clues, solve puzzles, and interact with every suspect you come across.

* DeclarativeFinger
* EveryoneIsASuspect
* ExtremelyShortTimespan
* FairPlayWhodunnit
* HesitationEqualsDishonesty
* HyperspaceArsenal: Lampshaded in the second game by both Sally and Grimoire.
* NeverTheObviousSuspect
* {{Leitmotif}}: Beginning with just the little girl and her music box-inspired theme, but as of ''Tangle Tower,'' every character has a unique leitmotif.
* TheSummation
* MythArc: [[spoiler: Beginning with ''Secret of the Swamp,'' the franchise begins building a larger plot surrounding the [[OurCryptidsAreMoreMysterious Mystids]] and the various people pursuing them.]]
* PointAndClickMap
* WhereTheHellIsSpringfield: It's never clear where any of the games' settings are located. The first game, which is more grounded, seems to take place in England, but later games have most characters speak in American accents and take place in more isolated locations.

* DrosteImage: Examining the drawing of Grimoire on Fifi's character relationship map will prompt Grimoire to ask why he looks so angry. When Sally remarks that it's just his thinking face, he promptly responds with the exact face in question, perfectly matching the drawing on the board.

* OddFriendship: Fifi and Poppy are polar opposites from rival families, and they are nonetheless best friends.

* SequelNonEntity: Neither Officer James nor the little girl from the previous two titles make any appearance in this game. Their roles have been absorbed by Sally in her upgrade to sidekick.