Jenny LeClue: Detectivú Teaser Demo Is Rather Lovely

Jenny LeClue has been on our radar for a while. After an exemplary example of how to do a Kickstarter campaign last year, the investigative adventure game made nearly double the goal, and put a realistic release date of the end of 2016. But that's still an awfully long wait, so it's great to see a lengthy demo has been made available to all.

The first half of what's available here is the same as the GDC demo I played in March, but this new build continues on a lot further. As well as the atmospheric sequence sneaking about a dimly lit study, enjoying the site and narrative gags as you explore, this public version now features a hefty, elaborate puzzle involving an enormous bookcase, and then a bonus sequence setting up its cliffhanger finish.

This is still described as "playable teaser", and apparently the manner in which you play isn't final. At this point it's an extremely interface-lite affair, where you move Jenny left or right, and click to interact with anything sporting a green diamond. The final version of the game is set to feature more involved puzzling, interactive interrogative conversations, and even - huh - platforming. It'll also have voices, of course.

Despite the simplicity of the interface, it still feels pleasantly involved. The bookcase puzzle is a superbly designed set of tasks, bursting with extras to look at, and book text worth reading. If it's emblematic of the sorts of puzzles in the game, we could be in for a good time. The writing is also top-notch, if spare in this demo - there are the lovely frame-breaking jokes that I wrote about last time, with Jenny being surprised to learn what the narrator informs us she's thinking.

You can get the demo now, from itch.io or Gumroad. Both offer you the option to throw a bit of cash their way as you get it, but it's not required.