Overboard!
Genres: Puzzle, Mystery, Story Rich, Adventure
Play modes: singleplayer
Release Date: 2-6-2021
Developer: inkle Ltd
Our verdict
8.5/10
- Difficulty: Medium
- Players: 1
- Playtime: 3–6 h
Overboard! is a reverse murder mystery from inkle, the studio behind 80 Days. It is 1935, you are Veronica Villensy aboard an ocean liner bound for New York, and you have just pushed your husband over the rail. You have eight in-game hours to dodge suspicion, plant evidence and make sure someone else takes the blame. It suits solo players who like narrative puzzles and Agatha Christie-style intrigue more than traditional escape rooms.
Each run lasts about half an hour, and players describe a time-loop structure: you fail, learn who is where and when, and use that knowledge to scheme better next time. Reviewers praise the sharp writing, the comic-book art and the fun of bluffing your way through conversations, and many compare its loop to Outer Wilds in miniature. Chasing the ideal ending is the real puzzle.
The main complaint is repetition: replaying the same conversations to reach new branches gets tedious for some, and a few found characters react oddly or felt runs depended on luck. Most players see what they want in three to six hours. Recommended for fans of interactive fiction and clever replayable stories; skip it if you dislike repeating scenes or want hands-on puzzles.
Pros
- You play the killer, a fresh twist on the whodunit
- Short loops reward learning the ship's schedule run by run
- Witty writing and stylish 1930s comic-book art
Cons
- Replaying the same scenes to reach new endings gets repetitive
- Some character reactions feel random or inconsistent
- Story-driven choices rather than hands-on puzzles
About
JULY, 1935. A MURDER HAS BEEN COMMITTED aboard the SS Hook, eight hours out from New York.
Only one problem: you did it.
Can you get away with murder?
GAMEPLAY
Overboard! is a tense, highly replayable detective game from the creators of 80 Days and Heaven's Vault.
Blackmail a spy. Fall in love. Murder a rival. Cheat at cards. Drug a witness. Lie, befriend, betray, console, sneak, seduce, steal, borrow, pray, eavesdrop, kill...
There are clues, evidence, suspects, accusations, secrets and lies.
You’ll need all your cunning, coercion and charisma to ensure that someone else takes the fall.
DYNAMIC NARRATIVE CLOCKWORK
* Next-gen visual novel: go where you want, when you want, and say what you want
* Simulated story-world: other characters move and act independently, remember everything they see and hear, and everything you do
* Every minute counts: you have eight hours to escape justice. Time is always ticking
* Who can you trust? Some characters are friendly, and some are out to get you. Who will you befriend? And who will you betray?
Built using the award-winning ink narrative engine, Overboard!'s narrative twists itself around every choice you make.
Play once for a thrill, or multiple times to uncover all the secrets and achieve an ideal ending.
One play-through lasts about 30 - 45 minutes, but achieving the perfect crime run will take a lot longer.
Can you get away with murder?
