{"id":722,"date":"2025-03-21T16:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-03-21T17:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.philfiddyment.com\/?p=722"},"modified":"2025-03-25T14:04:26","modified_gmt":"2025-03-25T14:04:26","slug":"detective-dotson-puts-you-in-the-shoes-of-a-reluctant-hero-in-modern-day-india","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.philfiddyment.com\/index.php\/2025\/03\/21\/detective-dotson-puts-you-in-the-shoes-of-a-reluctant-hero-in-modern-day-india\/","title":{"rendered":"Detective Dotson Puts You in the Shoes of a Reluctant Hero in Modern Day India"},"content":{"rendered":"<br \/>\n<header class=\"xwsrc-block-post-header is-style-fifty-fifty has-high-density has-text-align-left\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns alignwide\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column flex-basis-50\">\n<div class=\"post-header__content has-text-align-left\">\n<ul class=\"post-tags__list\">\n<li class=\"post-tags__item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/news.xbox.com\/en-us\/idatxbox\/\" class=\"kicker post__meta--category\"><span class=\"sr-only\">Category: <\/span>ID@Xbox<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/news.xbox.com\/en-us\/2025\/03\/\" class=\"kicker\">March 21, 2025<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<h1 class=\"h2\">Detective Dotson Puts You in the Shoes of a Reluctant Hero in Modern Day India<\/h1>\n<div class=\"post-header__author post-header__author--line\">\n<div class=\"post-header__author__bylines\">\n<ul class=\"post-header__author__list\">\n<li class=\"post-header__author__list__item\"><img loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"\" src=\"http:\/\/www.philfiddyment.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/498984d168bc59100889e41b8dc27361\" class=\"avatar avatar-144 photo\" height=\"144\" width=\"144\" \/><span class=\"post-header__author__name\"><a href=\"https:\/\/news.xbox.com\/en-us\/author\/mnelson\/\">Mike Nelson, Xbox Wire Editor<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-column flex-basis-50\">\n<div class=\"post-header__image\">\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/news.xbox.com\/en-us\/2025\/03\/21\/detective-dotson-shoes-of-reluctant-hero\/\" class=\"featured-image size-large default\"><img src=\"http:\/\/www.philfiddyment.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Key_Art_With_Logo-c8307e942f143ef96614.jpg\" alt=\"Detective Dotson Key Art\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"post__content\">\n<article id=\"single-207527\" class=\"mssrc-features font-- has--theme has--branding\" data-clarity-region=\"article\">\n<div class=\"acf-innerblocks-container\">\n<section class=\"xwsrc-block-content-block\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column flex-basis-50 push--25 column--content\">\n<div class=\"acf-innerblocks-container\">\n<p><strong><em>Detective Dotson<\/em><\/strong> is far and away one of the most charming games I\u2019ve played this year. It\u2019s as if you were to throw Ace Attorney and classic Monkey Island games together, wrap it up in a Bollywood film, and then set it in modern-day India. That should give you an idea of what independent developer Masala Games is trying to achieve, as <em>Detective Dotson<\/em> is set to launch April 24, 2025, for Windows PC with support for Xbox Play Anywhere with an Xbox Series X|S release date to be announced soon.<\/p>\n<p>The developer, which houses talent that has worked at studios like Pixar, Electronic Arts, and Prana, was one of the featured teams at this year\u2019s ID@Xbox Showcase during GDC and it was a standout experience for me at the show &#8212; I also had a chance to <a href=\"https:\/\/news.xbox.com\/en-us\/2025\/03\/20\/how-developers-embraced-xbox-play-anywhere\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">speak with Director Shalin Shodhan<\/a> separately about the game\u2019s support for Xbox Play Anywhere.<\/p>\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{&quot;uploadedSrc&quot;:&quot;http:\/\/philfiddyment.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/05SecretsInThePark-371d6f1362fbe2ecf7de.jpg&quot;,&quot;figureClassNames&quot;:&quot;wp-block-image size-full&quot;,&quot;figureStyles&quot;:null,&quot;imgClassNames&quot;:&quot;wp-image-207523&quot;,&quot;imgStyles&quot;:null,&quot;targetWidth&quot;:1920,&quot;targetHeight&quot;:1080,&quot;scaleAttr&quot;:false,&quot;ariaLabel&quot;:&quot;Enlarge image: Detective Dotson Screenshot&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;Detective Dotson Screenshot&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" class=\"wp-block-image size-full wp-lightbox-container\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" src=\"http:\/\/www.philfiddyment.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/05SecretsInThePark-371d6f1362fbe2ecf7de.jpg\" alt=\"Detective Dotson Screenshot\" class=\"wp-image-207523\" \/><button class=\"lightbox-trigger\" type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Enlarge image: Detective Dotson Screenshot\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\"><\/p>\n<p>\t\t<\/button><\/figure>\n<p>In <em>Detective Dotson, <\/em>you take on the role of the title character, an aspiring actor turned amateur detective who is trying to track down who killed his father. That\u2019s the high-level pitch. But the fun of the game are the wild adventures he\u2019ll embark on as he becomes a more honed gumshoe, taking on unexpectedly riveting cases like who shunned someone from attending a prominent tea party, or who\u2019s responsible for stealing someone\u2019s lunch to ruin a film production.<\/p>\n<p>These lighthearted quests play out in a traditional adventure game style, where you guide Dotson across a 2D plane with a brightly colored, Indian-influenced 3D backdrop, talking with other characters for clues, picking up objects for your inventory, scanning the environments for hints, and taking down notes to later piece all your evidence together.<\/p>\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{&quot;uploadedSrc&quot;:&quot;http:\/\/philfiddyment.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/01MunicipalOffice-b723487ab60941c6228e.jpg&quot;,&quot;figureClassNames&quot;:&quot;wp-block-image size-full&quot;,&quot;figureStyles&quot;:null,&quot;imgClassNames&quot;:&quot;wp-image-207526&quot;,&quot;imgStyles&quot;:null,&quot;targetWidth&quot;:1920,&quot;targetHeight&quot;:1080,&quot;scaleAttr&quot;:false,&quot;ariaLabel&quot;:&quot;Enlarge image: Detective Dotson Screenshot&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;Detective Dotson Screenshot&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" class=\"wp-block-image size-full wp-lightbox-container\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" src=\"http:\/\/www.philfiddyment.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/01MunicipalOffice-b723487ab60941c6228e.jpg\" alt=\"Detective Dotson Screenshot\" class=\"wp-image-207526\" \/><button class=\"lightbox-trigger\" type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Enlarge image: Detective Dotson Screenshot\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\"><\/p>\n<p>\t\t<\/button><\/figure>\n<p>Once all your notes and clues are assembled, you\u2019ll then head to an evidence board to solve the active case. Here you\u2019ll effectively move sticky notes with clues on them like, \u201cBroke Up With,\u201d \u201cTrained by,\u201d and \u201cHides in,\u201d to then draw lines between all your suspects to solve the mystery at hand.<\/p>\n<p>What I enjoyed the most during my time with the game is that it taps into classic adventure gaming, a genre I love. It\u2019s not quite point-and-click, but it\u2019s similar enough in its functions that it scratches that adventure game itch. It also feels like an incredibly accessible, cozy experience that gamers of all skill levels will be able to enjoy.<\/p>\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{&quot;uploadedSrc&quot;:&quot;http:\/\/philfiddyment.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/02DanceInWedding-1c29e03dde0bfa94eb16.jpg&quot;,&quot;figureClassNames&quot;:&quot;wp-block-image size-full&quot;,&quot;figureStyles&quot;:null,&quot;imgClassNames&quot;:&quot;wp-image-207522&quot;,&quot;imgStyles&quot;:null,&quot;targetWidth&quot;:1920,&quot;targetHeight&quot;:1080,&quot;scaleAttr&quot;:false,&quot;ariaLabel&quot;:&quot;Enlarge image: Detective Dotson Screenshot&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;Detective Dotson Screenshot&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" class=\"wp-block-image size-full wp-lightbox-container\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" src=\"http:\/\/www.philfiddyment.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/02DanceInWedding-1c29e03dde0bfa94eb16.jpg\" alt=\"Detective Dotson Screenshot\" class=\"wp-image-207522\" \/><button class=\"lightbox-trigger\" type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Enlarge image: Detective Dotson Screenshot\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\"><\/p>\n<p>\t\t<\/button><\/figure>\n<p>It also looks like nothing I\u2019ve seen before, with its brightly colored world, diverse characters, and dance-offs. I\u2019m not proficient in the realm of Indian customs, but the game does a good job of easing you into the experience with its terminology, presentation of characters, as well as the cases you\u2019re given. There\u2019s a reason why being shunned from a tea party can have a dramatic impact on someone\u2019s social standing, which makes it the kind of thing Dotson would want to solve for \u2013 who seems to not only be a better detective than advertised, but also a standup dude who is just trying to do right in his community.<\/p>\n<p>Even though my demo was short, it\u2019s clear there are many more layers to explore within <em>Detective Dotson<\/em>, ones that I\u2019m eager to uncover. This lighthearted story of a reluctant hero has already moved to the top of my \u201cCan\u2019t Wait to Play More of This\u201d list \u2013 which thankfully isn\u2019t a long wait: <strong><em>Detective Dotson<\/em><\/strong> is set to launch April 24, 2025, for Windows PC with support for Xbox Play Anywhere with an Xbox Series X|S release date to be announced soon.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p>.post-template-default .xwsrc-block-content-block .wp-block-column.flex-basis-50.push&#8211;25.column&#8211;content {<br \/>\n\tflex: 100%;<br \/>\n\tmargin-left: 0;<br \/>\n}<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<aside aria-labelledby=\"related-stories--207527__title\" id=\"related-stories--207527\" class=\"curated-content-panel\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns has-border--top\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column flex-basis-30\">\n<h2 id=\"related-stories--207527__title\">\n                        Related Stories <span class=\"sr-only\"> for &#8220;Detective Dotson Puts You in the Shoes of a Reluctant Hero in Modern Day India&#8221;<\/span><br \/>\n                    <\/h2>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"wp=block-column flex-basis-70\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns\">\n<article class=\"wp-block-column flex-basis-33\">\n                                                <a href=\"https:\/\/news.xbox.com\/en-us\/2025\/03\/21\/wheel-world-is-a-radical-take-on-bike-racing\/\" class=\"featured-image size-full-size default\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" src=\"http:\/\/www.philfiddyment.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/KeyArt-1f5380f28fb66a020fe3.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full-size size-full-size wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<ul class=\"post-tags__list\">\n<li class=\"post-tags__item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/news.xbox.com\/en-us\/idatxbox\/\" class=\"kicker post__meta--category\"><span class=\"sr-only\">Category: <\/span>ID@Xbox<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 class=\"h3\"><a href=\"https:\/\/news.xbox.com\/en-us\/2025\/03\/21\/wheel-world-is-a-radical-take-on-bike-racing\/\">Wheel World is a Radical Take on Bike Racing<\/a><\/h3>\n<\/article>\n<article class=\"wp-block-column flex-basis-33\">\n                                                <a href=\"https:\/\/news.xbox.com\/en-us\/2025\/03\/21\/mandragora-whispers-of-the-witch-tree\/\" class=\"featured-image size-full-size default\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" src=\"http:\/\/www.philfiddyment.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Mandragora-Key-art_3840x2160_logo-d7f3d1a2c8a61ed4929f.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full-size size-full-size wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<ul class=\"post-tags__list\">\n<li class=\"post-tags__item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/news.xbox.com\/en-us\/idatxbox\/\" class=\"kicker post__meta--category\"><span class=\"sr-only\">Category: <\/span>ID@Xbox<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 class=\"h3\"><a href=\"https:\/\/news.xbox.com\/en-us\/2025\/03\/21\/mandragora-whispers-of-the-witch-tree\/\">Unravel the Dark Fantasy World of Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree<\/a><\/h3>\n<\/article>\n<article class=\"wp-block-column flex-basis-33\">\n                                                <a href=\"https:\/\/news.xbox.com\/en-us\/2025\/03\/21\/next-week-on-xbox-new-games-for-march-24-28\/\" class=\"featured-image size-full-size default\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" src=\"http:\/\/www.philfiddyment.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Atomfall_Preview_1-fa548331faf893d3cfc9.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full-size size-full-size wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<ul class=\"post-tags__list\">\n<li class=\"post-tags__item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/news.xbox.com\/en-us\/next-week-on-xbox\/\" class=\"kicker post__meta--category\"><span class=\"sr-only\">Category: <\/span>Next Week on Xbox<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 class=\"h3\"><a href=\"https:\/\/news.xbox.com\/en-us\/2025\/03\/21\/next-week-on-xbox-new-games-for-march-24-28\/\">Next Week on Xbox \u2013 New Games for March 24 \u2013 28<\/a><\/h3>\n<\/article><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>The post <a href=\"https:\/\/news.xbox.com\/en-us\/2025\/03\/21\/detective-dotson-shoes-of-reluctant-hero\/\">Detective Dotson Puts You in the Shoes of a Reluctant Hero in Modern Day India<\/a> appeared first on <a href=\"https:\/\/news.xbox.com\/en-us\">Xbox Wire<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Category: ID@Xbox March 21, 2025 Detective Dotson Puts You in the Shoes of a Reluctant Hero in Modern Day India Mike Nelson, Xbox Wire Editor Detective Dotson is far and away one of the most charming games I\u2019ve played this year. It\u2019s as if you were to throw Ace Attorney and classic Monkey Island games [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":504,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[8],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.philfiddyment.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/722"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.philfiddyment.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.philfiddyment.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.philfiddyment.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.philfiddyment.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=722"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/www.philfiddyment.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/722\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":727,"href":"http:\/\/www.philfiddyment.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/722\/revisions\/727"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.philfiddyment.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/504"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.philfiddyment.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=722"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.philfiddyment.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=722"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.philfiddyment.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=722"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}