Dry Drowning | Switch Review
There’s no shortage of visual novels available out there, and murder mysteries are a prevalent subgenre in gaming. What happens if you combine the two, but throw in a gritty story, difficult choices, and Greek mythology? You get a delicious treat of an experience. Studio V has created a wonderful game in its own right with Dry Drowning, but it adds an extra punch to the visual novel formula as well. It’s a macabre, futuristic setting that beckons you to step into its dark world.
A Mad, Mad World
You step into the gumshoes of Mordred Foley, a detective who, along with his assistant Hera, lives in infamy. They previously wrongly accused two suspects of being the notorious Pandora Killer and sent them to death row. When murders that follow Pandora’s modus operandi of recreating scenes from Greek mythology start happening again, though, they’re tasked with clearing the name of a wealthy politician. What happens next is completely up to you, and it can be a wonderfully daunting task.
As you play Dry Drowning, critical choices will appear on the screen after investigating crime scenes or engaging in conversations with individuals who have ties to the victims of the Pandora killer. There are no right or wrong choices, but they always made me pause and think over what I wanted to follow through with. Would I be damning someone to prison? Would I betray Hera’s trust? It’s not easy to decide, and I loved that each option was a grey area.
Tears in Rain
As you progress through the game’s six hour journey, you’ll investigate scenes for important clues, solve simple puzzles, and speak to associates, suspects, and eyewitnesses. Each of these aspects was fleshed out well, and kept me hooked and needing to know what would happen next. I also adored the futuristic atmosphere and absolutely stunning visuals. It feels like everyone in the game could be a living, breathing person, and I often stopped just to admire the artistry on screen. The lack of voice acting isn’t an issue, due to the writing being excellent. It was so vivid that I could conjure up a voice for everyone in my head.
I only had one issue with Dry Drowning, and that was the inclusion of two minigames that just didn’t feel like they belonged in the narrative and slowed my progress. They caused me to disengage from the compelling story and have to slog my way through to their completion. They’re not too taxing, but they are an obstacle in the way of progression.
The Final Deduction
Dry Drowning is a fascinating, dark murder mystery that sinks its hooks into you and refuses to let go. The incredible range of choices that branch the narrative off, the stunning visuals, and the fun investigation mechanics make this a game that you must simply play if you’re a murder mystery junkie. The only thing that bogged my experience down were the minigames, but they were small annoyances. Hop into this beautifully twisted world, if you dare.
To hear me talk more about Dry Drowning, be sure to check out Episode 334 of The Gaming Outsider Podcast around the 1:01:16 time stamp.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4sZ4XqVdLc
This review is based on a Switch copy of Dry. Drowning provided by Renaissance PR for coverage purposes. It is also available on Windows PC.
Dry Drowning
$24.99
Pros
- Gorgeous Visuals
- Amazing Story
- Difficult Yet Intriguing Choices
- Fun Investigation Mechanics
Cons
- Minigames Drag the Story Down
