SFB Games has released its new detective mystery game, The Mermaid Mask, for PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2 and PC via Steam through each platform’s respective digital distribution platform. The Mermaid Mask is a follow-up to the studio’s previous work, Tangle Tower, and reunites players with investigators Detective Grimoire and Sally. Their latest case takes place aboard an unusual submarine beneath the ruins of Silkwirm-on-Sea, a forgotten fishing town.
Captain Magnus Mortuga has been discovered dead inside his own vessel after reportedly suffering a single fatal wound. However, the room was locked and no murder weapon can be found. Stories surrounding Mortuga suggest he may have been a cursed mariner, an immortal time traveller or even a vampire, adding another layer of uncertainty to the investigation.
Grimoire and Sally are drawn into the case after receiving a cryptic summons from the elusive Captain Seafoam. Players must explore the submarine, question a new cast of suspects and examine the circumstances surrounding Mortuga’s apparently impossible murder.
The game expands upon the investigation systems featured in Tangle Tower with a larger mystery, additional exploration and fully three-dimensional clues. These objects can be inspected and manipulated as players search for information and attempt to determine what happened aboard the vessel.
SFB Games Creative Director and Technical Director Tom Vian reflected on the project’s nearly five-year development and the studio’s efforts to create a larger Detective Grimoire adventure.
It’s been nearly five years to the day since work began on The Mermaid Mask, and it’s been quite a journey. Development has taken us to some unexpected places, including releasing an entirely different game along the way, but we feel we’ve finally delivered on what we set out to make. The Mermaid Mask is longer, deeper, and more ambitious than any of our previous Grimoire games, and we’re incredibly proud of it. We hope the community enjoys playing it as much as we’ve enjoyed bringing this new mystery to life
