The Case of the Golden Idol
Hooks you almost right away
What the data shows
- In the first 2 hours 1 in 6 reviews are negative (16%); after 7h it's 1 in 65 (2%).
- Fully opens up by hour 4.
- The opening is criticised less than in 80% of games we track.
- 65% of players who start reach the ending.
- 94% of owners got the first achievement.
When it gets good
Share of positive reviews by how many hours the reviewer had played when writing the review.
before it gets good opening up fully opened up
Based on all 11,209 Steam reviews in every language. Median playtime in a sample of 300 reviews: 8.1h for positive, 7.2h for negative. Almost every game is rated lower in the first 2–3 hours: that window includes refunds and quick first impressions. What matters is how deep the dip is and how fast the game recovers.
Where players quit
Share of players who started the game and reached each story milestone. 100% is the most common achievement (93.7% of owners), so people who bought the game and never launched it don't count.
- Started playing 100%
- First Case Solved An Abrupt Termination of Contract 100%
- Second Case Solved The Untimely Passing of a Rural Gentleman 98% −2
- Third Case Solved The Dramatic Departure of an Outsider Most players quit here 93% −6
- Fourth Case Solved The Murder at the Little Mermaid 89% −3
- Fifth Case Solved The Intoxicating Dinner Party 84% −5
- Sixth Case Solved The Explosive Events in the Forest Cabin 81% −3
- Seventh Case Solved The Strange Practices of a Secretive Society 78% −3
- Eight Case Solved The Crowning Celebration by The Lighthouse 76% −2
- Ninth Case Solved The Interrupted Weekend at the Doctor's Salon 72% −4
- Tenth Case Solved The Triumph of Order 69% −3
- Eleventh Case Solved The Slight Delay in the Peaceful March to the King's Castle 65% −4
story milestone ending biggest drop-off
Story milestones were labeled by AI from achievement names and descriptions; mistakes are possible.
All achievements (17)
story milestone ending side
- First Case Solved An Abrupt Termination of Contract 100%
- Second Case Solved The Untimely Passing of a Rural Gentleman 98%
- Third Case Solved The Dramatic Departure of an Outsider 93%
- Fourth Case Solved The Murder at the Little Mermaid 89%
- Fifth Case Solved The Intoxicating Dinner Party 84%
- Sixth Case Solved The Explosive Events in the Forest Cabin 81%
- Seventh Case Solved The Strange Practices of a Secretive Society 78%
- Eight Case Solved The Crowning Celebration by The Lighthouse 76%
- Ninth Case Solved The Interrupted Weekend at the Doctor's Salon 72%
- Tenth Case Solved The Triumph of Order 69%
- Eleventh Case Solved The Slight Delay in the Peaceful March to the King's Castle 65%
- The Spider of Lanka 1st Case Solved The Overly Enthusiastic Card Game Tournament in the Yellow Lily. 40%
- The Spider of Lanka 2nd Case Solved The Unfortunate Accident in the Raja's Court 37%
- The Spider of Lanka 3rd Case Solved In the Web of the Spider 35%
- The Lemurian Vampire 1st Case Solved The Enigmatic Expiration in a Harmonious Island Commune. 32%
- The Lemurian Vampire 2nd Case Solved The Lemurian Vampire Strikes! 31%
- The Lemurian Vampire 3rd Case Solved The Less than Amicable Departure of Two Explorers. 29%