Finch & Archie Preview

I got the chance to check out the Early Access of Finch & Archie, an online co-op detective game that will challenge both your relationships and deductive abilities. Developed and published by Octarine Arts (who is based in Australia, which is always a win in my book), I admit I came into this because there was a dog, and who doesn’t love a dog who can solve crimes? At this time, the tutorial and first case are available, and luckily for me, I managed to get my sister involved! So, let's check it out!

WARNING: A DOG DIES ON SCREEN. ANYONE WHO REALLY LOVES DOGS, AVERT YOUR EYES. THIS IS NOT COOL.

Like some of the best detective noir stories, the game is set in America during the Great Depression. The Roaring ‘20s are long gone, replaced by a far darker world (quite literally, nearly everything is in shadows). Crime is rampant, booze is cheap, and detectives like Jack Finch are always looking for their next big case. However, after an incident, Finch swore to never work with a partner again, until the police chief saddles him with a rookie… police dog, Archie. Now the two must learn to work together to catch the serial killer and bring peace to the city once again.

The game is separated into episodic chapters, with each one having a unique investigation, but still contributing to the overarching plot. What may seem like a detour could be a key factor in solving the case. It’s honestly really interesting, and it does provide intrigue in the mysteries you’ll be solving with your partner.

Onto gameplay, you’ll mainly be playing as the titular duo as they solve mysteries. One player plays as the hardboiled detective Finch, while the other player controls the goodest of good boys, Archie.  Both characters have their own strengths and skills that the other doesn’t have, such as Finch being able to look closer at details with his magnifying glass and Archie being able to track down clues with his sense of smell. They even have slightly different cutscenes from one another, so it might be worth switching between them every chapter. You'll need to work together like a well-oiled machine if you want any chance of solving the case.

However, communication might be a little… difficult, because dogs don’t speak human and vice versa. That means some evidence and leads can only be understood by whoever is playing whom. How you relay info between each other will be an important part of the game, as you can only communicate with one-syllable words (eg. “The bartender murdered the victim with the pool cue” = “bar man kill dead man with pool”). A single misunderstanding could end up with you chasing dead ends and red herrings… that is, if you’re playing honourably. Look, I can’t ignore the fact that Discord exists (it’s literally how I get these articles out), but I recommend playing using the in-game communication tools as they provide a challenge that’s worth overcoming. This might be a fun way to practice your comprehension skills, along with testing your brain to put pieces together and how much you trust your partner.

Along the way, you’ll meet all sorts of people and animals that Archie and Finch can interrogate, but complete trust is a rarity. Suspects, witnesses, and persons of interest aren’t always forthright with the truth. You’ll need to work with your partner to sift through the lies, poke holes in their alibis, and get the real story out of them. Their testimonies could be the difference between catching the culprit or letting the truth fade into obscurity.

Once you have a compelling case assembled, it will be time to accuse the culprit and make an arrest. However, the accusation section is way too complicated and frustrating to do, a sentiment shared by other players. Working together, you need to assemble several stories at once to get the full picture, so I hope you like organising your files to figure out who did what (and throw in a physical notepad). Also, the game will let you accuse anyone who fits the description based on your evidence. Once you make the accusation, you can’t take it back.

Overall, Finch & Archie is shaping up to be a compelling detective game. My sister and I spent hours mulling over evidence while trying to understand the caveman speak we were forced to use. Other than the usual problems that come with Early Access, like troubles with optimisation and quite a few bugs (like talking to people right across the room), I’m looking forward to playing more. Also, it would be really nice if it followed in It Takes Twoo and Split Fiction’s footsteps and let you play without getting a second copy.