There are tons of classic mystery tropes that persist in movies, TV shows, and even video games. The locked door mystery is one such example, but a rarer example is the self-murder mystery. A mystery involving the deceased trying to figure out their own death.
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Since this includes the paranormal via ghosts, it doesn’t appear that often, but there are a few notable video game examples. Some that come close are The World Ends With You, Remember Me, and Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, which all include dead, revived, or near-dead characters. Since the mystery isn’t the focus in those games, they won’t be further discussed, but these other games will. There will be no spoilers.
12 Minutes
One Minute At A Time
12 Minutes
- Released
- August 19, 2021
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Adventure
For a game called 12 Minutes, it’s quite lengthy as it can take a while to figure out. The basic premise finds a nameless husband, played by James McAvoy, coming home to his nameless wife, who is played by Daisy Ridley. Players can make seemingly innocuous choices like asking their wives questions or setting the table a certain way. Eventually, a cop will show up at the door, played by Willem Dafoe, demanding that the wife go into his custody. The couple is zip-tied, things end badly, and then the game resets with the husband very confused. 12 Minutes is a time loop game, and all players have minutes before the fateful incident occurs on each run.
Players will try to wrack their heads around which questions to ask, which may lead to new information in the next run, like locating hiding places or weapons. Simply placing things around the apartment could trigger new reactions, too. It’s one of those games that purposely hides mechanics from players, and if they only knew what to do and in the right order, things would go more smoothly. It’s not so much about the husband solving his own death as it is about what’s really going on, although many scenarios do end with him dying. The conclusion is a bit bonkers and divisive to be sure, but right-minded detectives may figure it out even before all of the pieces fit.
Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective
A Goofy DS Gem
Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective
- Released
- June 19, 2010
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Capcom
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo DS, Nintendo Switch, Android, iOS, PC
Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective was released first on the DS in 2011, in North America, before getting a much more accessible version in 2023, spread across a plethora of consoles like the Switch and PS4. The game opens with a red-suited gentleman slumped over in a dump, dead, and they are resurrected as a glowing blue orb that is later named Sissel, even though they have amnesia. As a ghost, players cannot do much at first, but it is through this limited gameplay that the game shines. Players can move between objects, and in some cases, they can perform a Trick to operate that thing.
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For example, extending a lamp may let Sissel reach something he couldn’t possess before, or wheeling a tire down a path may knock someone off balance and let another character escape a predicament. In each episode, on the way to finding Sissel’s murderer, players will have to prevent other characters from being killed. If they fail, they can always rewind time and try again. The music, character design, and writing are all great, which isn’t surprising considering this was made by their Phoenix Wright team within Capcom. If players only choose one self-murder mystery to solve, Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective is it.
Murdered: Soul Suspect
Cats Are Your Friends
Murdered: Soul Suspect
- Released
- June 3, 2014
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Blood, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Use of Alcohol
- Genre(s)
- Action-Adventure
Murdered: Soul Suspect opens with a detective, Ronan O'Connor, being gunned down with an absurd amount of bullet wounds in his body. He can’t believe it, but he’s a ghost looking at his own corpses, and after seeing who he thinks is a witness, Ronan is on the case to solve his own murder. For budding adventure game fans who like a good mystery, this one is definitely easy. Most cases point players in the right direction and will not let them move on until they find all the clues, go through a series of questions, and then put the pieces together. Players can interact with bodies, read notes, investigate objects, and more, all in the name of solving the mystery. They can also jump into people’s bodies to gain new information by hearing their thoughts.
The coolest possession tactics will let players run around like a cat fit various purposes. Besides the living, players will also come across ghosts who have their own mysteries to settle, from creepy little girls to obsessed stalkers. The oddest thing about the game is the demons that are basically Dementors from the Harry Potter series, because they are cloaked figures who can suck out Ronan’s soul. There is stealth in the game to take them out, but Ronan isn’t equipped with nearly enough mechanics to do so on a regular basis. Overall, Ronan may not be the most charming protagonist as a detective, but the world Murdered: Soul Suspect sets up is intriguing enough to see it through, even if it is very easy.
Shadow Of Destiny
Time Is On Your Side
Shadow of Destiny
- Released
- February 22, 2001
WHERE TO PLAY
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 2, Xbox (Original), PlayStation Portable
Shadow of Destiny is an early PS2 game that graphically looks like a Silent Hill title since it was also made by Konami. The only thing missing is the horror elements, as the models look quite on par, specifically with Silent Hill 2. Eike Kusch, the protagonist, will start the game getting stabbed in the back, and is then greeted by a mysterious stranger who gives Eike the ability to travel back in time. At first, it’s just in the same fictional town players start in, Lebensbaum, but eventually, players will take bigger leaps back in time.
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There is not much gameplay involved as it’s almost a straight narrative-type adventure game akin to the Telltale games. It’s short and not necessarily hard, but it can be a lot to process, as the pacing can be slow. There are some branching paths, and multiple endings, and in subsequent playthroughs, players can go through scenes more quickly. There are some inventive ideas within using the time travel, such as stopping a tree from being planted to prevent the killer's access to Eike. It definitely uses the Butterfly Effect approach when it comes to knocking out small patterns that should eventually lead to Eike not dying.
Shuten Order
Anime Murder
SHUTEN ORDER
- Released
- September 5, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
Shuten Order is a mystery game for those who want to play an anime detective, as the game is very clearly influenced by the medium. It’s also a good visual novel for those who like the Danganronpa series and wish for more, as the creator of that franchise, Kazutaka Kodaka, also worked on Shuten Order. The game takes place in the town of Shuten, and follows the exploits of the Shuten Order, which is a cult at the center of the mystery. Players died at the start and are resurrected by literal angels who want to help this victim out, who, of course, gets amnesia.
They go by Rei Shimobe, which is a temporary name, and they have a temporary body that has a fluid gender depending on the case they are trying to solve. There are different orders players can take, giving the design a sort of Mega Man-like feel to it, as each sub-boss within the cult have their own gimmick. In some cases, players will strictly go through typical visual novel interfaces, while in others, there may be more movement in 3D or from a top-down perspective. The plot can be a bit hard to follow as players will have to read a lot, considering there is no English dub. Still, for those who love Danganronpa and very weird anime-like visual novels, Shuten Order is one of the newest examples worth checking out.
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