Screenshots & trailers
Review sentiment over time
Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.
How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (OpenCritic) | – | 78 | 14 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 75% | 71 | 713 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | – | 0 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 83% | 76 | 2 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 7 reviews sampled · 7 total reviews in window · weighted 4.7 up / 1 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (17)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 70
“First Cases is a significant change of direction from The ABC Murders, Poirot's last outing also published by Microids. Stepping comfortably into visual novel territory and casting aside the puzzling that would hold back narrative flow, your fantasy is one not of being Hercule Poirot but rather of enjoying a Poirot novel. The Switch let's you indulge in that as you would a great book, whether in the wingback of your stately home's library or, indeed, on the toilet of your bedsit. For storytelling, the game format is ideal, even ingenious. The trademark Christie web of connections between events, evidence and the psychology of the characters is planned out in front of your eyes, either to pore over on a diagram or to stroll through in the neatly presented settings. The game's main limitations are the inanimate world and workaday writing that fail to lend the sparkle of life to a well-machined story. Nonetheless, while puzzle-loving gamers shouldn't pick this one up, visual novel fans and Hercule-heads won't be able to put it down.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Overall, I do believe the game is interesting at best if you just want to challenge yourself and become a detective but this is not how I envisioned myself as a detective. Agatha Christie, Hercules Poirot: The First Cases is a good game but you’d have to really be into this detective stuff if you want to give it a chance.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Agatha Christie - Hercule Poirot: The First Cases is a book you are invited to explore at your own pace”
read full review ↗ - 40
“Now here we have a solid Poirot-style mystery, but the experience is dragged down by shallow gameplay, frustrating deduction boards, limited exploration, and uneven presentation. Despite a good story and decent voice acting, the game’s restrictive design and awkward logic puzzles leave it feeling more tedious than clever.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“Agatha Christie - Hercule Poirot: The First Cases is very good. The nature of the game and the setting are not impressive, but the other components form a production worth attention. Especially for enthusiasts of solving criminal puzzles, who probably keep an eye on this game anyway.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Nice adventure game with popular Belgian detective and good dialogs.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“Agatha Christie - Hercule Poirot: The First Cases is nothing revolutionary, but nevertheless it's a thrilling six hour adventure for both the diehard fans of Agatha Christie or any newcomers.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“The collection of mystery games available on the Switch is slowly rising as the years pass. It can be very hard to find a good mystery game. A good mystery needs to hook you in. Keeps you guessing while also encouraging you to press on, and satisfy you with its ending as everything is tied together. While there can still be a few lingering questions, the major ones had better be answered. And if you are going the route of incorporating gameplay, it needs to be interactive and engaging enough. With The First Cases, this is a mystery game done very well. The storytelling is tight, doesn’t overstay its welcome, and has a nice mix of twists while also keeping everything believable.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“It's a beautiful mystery story that you can enjoy much more if you think you're reading a Hercule Poirot novel, not playing Hercule Poirot.”
read full review ↗ - 45
“All of the twists you can see coming from a mile away. The deduction system is atrocious and offers nothing aside from an aggravating experience. On top of that, there’s absolutely no challenge, which makes playing it feel almost worthless, especially since you know how the story will end long before it actually does. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but if you’re looking for a Hercule Poirot game, you should play Agatha Christie: The ABC Murders instead. At least that game has fun puzzles and an actual level of challenge.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Agatha Christie, Hercule Poirot: The First Cases is a great game for those who wish to keep their brain and ‘little grey cells’ active. Although the exploration and investigation portion of the game is linear and guided, logically working out what key information links together is very satisfying and rewarding, especially when you get it right the first time. The story is very loyal to the source material, offering a new Poirot adventure that feels like Agatha Christie wrote it herself, complete with brilliant voice acting which is slightly let down by the inconsistent volume levels and quality. If you’re a fan of the famous detective and logical thinking, you’ll really enjoy stepping into his shoes and mind as you solve the mysterious cases within Agatha Christie, Hercule Poirot: The First Cases.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“The First Cases is a good tribute to one of the classic characters of fiction, and anyone who likes to curl up with a good mystery should find this to be to their liking as well.”
read full review ↗
Nintendo Life
PlayStation Galaxy
Enternity.gr
KonsoliFIN
PPE.pl
SECTOR.sk
SomHráč.sk
LadiesGamers.com
Oyungezer Online
WayTooManyGames
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Gaming Age…and 5 more tracked reviews.