Hercule Poirot: The London Case — Everything We Know

Agatha Christie's internationally renowned mystery anthology is on the verge of receiving yet another video game adaptation for consoles and PC, and it'll come in the form of Hercule Poirot: The London Case. And as it turns out, it'll be launching this forthcoming summer. A definite release date has yet to be announced.

So, with the introductory passage out of the way, what more do you need to know about the upcoming detective chapter? Well, here's everything we've been able to gather based on the information both Blazing Griffin and publisher Microids have revealed to date. Hercule Poirot: The London Case — what is it, and why should it make your wishlist this coming summer?

What Is Hercule Poirot: The London Case?

Hercule Poirot: The London Case is an upcoming detective adventure game by Blazing Griffin. As a sequel to 2021's The First Cases, players will once again be invited to fill the role of none other than Hercule Poirot, the acclaimed Belgian detective who's ultimately sent to crack some of the world's biggest mysteries. Again, it'll be from a top-down perspective, and it'll feature a myriad of puzzles, interviews, and fact finding missions.

In the words of its creator, The London Case will, for the first time ever, have players teaming up with the beloved sidekick, Hastings. Together, the two will travel to the heart of London in receipt of a piece of priceless art crafted for an exhibition. However, true to the Agatha Christie formula, it won't be a smooth transaction, as there will, at least according to the blurb, be a thief loitering in the shadows, ready to claim their prize.

Story

The London Case will secure its place as the second chapter in Agatha Christie's acclaimed saga. Set during Hercule Poirot's youth, players will venture to London—bound for an exhibition at London Museum that, unaware to Poirot, will serve as the staging grounds for an unfortunate robbery. This is where you, assuming the role of the legendary detective, will begin your journey.

“One week later, a Preview Gala will take place where all of the main characters will be in attendance,” the blurb adds. “However, things take an unexpected turn when the painting is stolen from under everyone's noses. Your sharp detective skills will be useful to uncover the truth and find the culprit behind the theft. Will you be able to solve the mystery and retrieve the stolen painting?”

Gameplay

The London Case will, in a similar style to the first game, feature a top-down perspective. Also like the debut chapter, the sequel will have you embarking on a quest to interview witnesses, collect valuable evidence, and explore a variety of iconic locations in and around the City of London.

“Discover iconic locations in London as you play as the famous detective Hercule Poirot and experience the thrill of being a detective and solve the mystery with investigation features such as interviewing suspects and collecting evidence,” reads one of the key features. “Collect clues, and evidences will appear in the mindmaps.”

Mindmaps, for those who skipped out on The First Cases, is an integral part of the storytelling process, and is the key feature that players will need to use in order to find a conclusion to the mystery. According to Blazing Griffin, the mindmaps have been enhanced, and will require “more attention to find the correct link between all evidences.” So, best get your thinking cap on!

Development

Blazing Griffin, a jack-of-all-trades in the realm of multimedia, first announced its plans to develop a second chapter to the Agatha Christie saga back on April 19, 2023. Since teasing the project over on its social feed, the studio has brought an opening batch of details and in-game screenshots to the table. Unfortunately, that's about all the global outfit has touched base on, meaning a trailer is still out in the void.

The good news is, we don't have all that long to wait until the sequel comes out. Matter of fact, it'll be heading to all major platforms in Q3 2023.

Trailer

Ready to delve into the heart of London and solve a slew of overdue virtual mysteries? If so, then you'll no doubt be wanting to catch a glimpse of the adventure in motion ahead of its launch? Bad news there, as Blazing Griffin has yet to lift the lid on anything other than its casket of in-game screenshots. Don't fret, though, as the studio will no doubt release a launch trailer at some point ahead of its planned Q3 2023 release window.

Release Date, Platforms & Editions

Hercule Poirot: The London Case will be coming to Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Switch, and PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store in Q3 2023. It hasn't been said yet whether or not it'll latch onto the likes of Game Pass or PlayStation Plus, though it's certainly in with a chance of gracing either of the two. For now, though, the only way to get your fix is via the Microsoft Store, PlayStation Store, Nintendo eShop, or Steam.

Right now, we can't say for certain whether or not there'll be any special editions or pre-order bonuses outside of the standard copy on consoles and PC. If anything of the sort does come about, then you'll find it stapled to the Blazing Griffin site.

Planning on checking in with Hercule Poirot at any point this year? You can follow the official social feed for all the latest updates here. If anything interesting pops up ahead of its summer debut, we'll be sure to fill you in on all the key details right here on gaming.net.

So, what's your take? Will you be picking up a copy of Hercule Poirot: The London Case when it drops? Let us know your thoughts over on our socials here.