I didn’t expect JanduSoft’s DETECTIVE – Rainy Night to go full motel horror, and I’ve got questions

What This Actually Changes for Players

DETECTIVE – Rainy Night caught my attention because it takes the already bite-sized, mystery-first vibe of JanduSoft’s DETECTIVE series and pivots hard into psychological horror. The pitch is clean: you’re officer Iker Carmona, trapped by a relentless storm in a dead-of-night motel with seven strangers, five in-game days to survive, and 12 narrative-driven levels to unravel disappearances and whatever’s scribbling those cryptic symbols everywhere. It matters because it’s targeting a day-one multiplatform launch on December 4 across PC (with Steam Deck support), Xbox Series, Nintendo Switch, and PlayStation 5-a rare swing for a small, story-focused project-and because a contained “locked-room” setup is exactly where indie horror can shine without a AAA budget.

Key Takeaways

• A five-day structure across 12 chapters suggests paced, episodic storytelling over combat or jump-scare spam.
• Seven guests with secrets is classic whodunit fuel-expect interviews, contradictions, and environmental clues to matter.
• Day-one on PS5, Xbox Series, Switch, and PC (Steam Deck) is ambitious; watch port performance and options on Deck and Switch.
• A demo on Steam lets you sanity-check the vibe and pacing before committing.

Breaking Down the Announcement

On paper, this is smart horror design. Strip the toolkit: no phones, no power, cars won’t start, and the rain never lets up. Box the cast in a single location so every corridor, room number, and floor plan can double as a breadcrumb trail. When indie teams lean into constrained spaces, they can spend polish where it counts—atmosphere, sound design, and tight scripting—rather than building empty open worlds. The promised five-day arc also gives the devs a natural rhythm: nightly escalations, daytime interrogations, and the “we’re running out of time” beat that keeps players moving.

JanduSoft framing this as a psychological-horror spin on DETECTIVE is notable. Previous DETECTIVE entries leaned compact and puzzle-light—good for an evening or two, even if they sometimes felt more corridor than casefile. Rainy Night’s wording (“mature terror,” disappearances, paranoia) signals more focus on dread and character dynamics than lock-and-key riddles. If they nail the interplay among seven guests—alliances, contradictions, unreliable testimony—this motel could feel less like a hallway simulator and more like a pressure cooker.

Why This Matters Now

Holiday season is crowded with 50-hour monsters. A tightly scoped, five-to-ten-hour thriller you can finish over a rainy weekend is welcome. And doing a near-simultaneous launch across all current platforms—especially adding Steam Deck callout—signals confidence. For players who live on handhelds, this kind of atmospheric, first-person story can sing on a couch or in bed with headphones, provided the ports respect the experience.

One reality check: store listings for smaller games often shift by a day per platform or region. The broad target is December 4, but don’t be shocked if PS5 or PC flips a day early or late in your territory. The bigger point is that it’s not doing the “PC first, consoles months later” shuffle; everyone should be in the storm together.

Skeptic Mode: Questions I Need Answered

JanduSoft publishes a ton—some gems, some rough edges. With DETECTIVE specifically, the ambition is usually ahead of the budget. That’s not a problem if the writing lands and the pacing respects your time. But “narrative-driven levels” can be code for linear walks between objective markers, and horror without systems risks leaning on cheap jump scares. The pitch implies investigation: if the game tracks contradictions, lets you confront suspects with evidence, or branches outcomes, it’ll punch above its weight. If it’s fetch chains dressed as interrogations, it’ll feel disposable.

Technical stuff matters here too. First-person on handhelds can be nausea bait if the field-of-view is locked tight or motion blur is sticky. I want to see: FOV slider, motion blur toggle, granularity on sensitivity, and robust subtitle options. On Switch, watch for dynamic resolution dips and smeary low-light scenes—the whole game is rain, darkness, and small interiors, which can murder clarity. On Steam Deck, 40-60 FPS with sensible settings should be doable, but battery drain and shader stutter are the usual indie pitfalls. If the console ports ship with uneven frame pacing, the tension dies on the vine.

The Gamer’s Perspective: Who This Is For

If you’re into Firewatch, Kona, or The Vanishing of Ethan Carter—games that prioritize mood, environment, and character beats over combat—this looks aligned. The motel-box setting is inherently compelling: seven suspects means seven mini-arcs to peel back. The five-day cadence should deliver a satisfying weekend binge if the script keeps the reveals flowing. If you want mechanical depth—deduction boards, fail states, complex puzzles—temper expectations. If you want combat, this isn’t that game.

Pricing isn’t confirmed as of writing, but JanduSoft’s catalog usually lands in the budget-to-mid tier. That’s the right bracket for a compact thriller. My advice is simple: grab the Steam demo if you can, test the walking speed, the dialogue cadence, and how interactive the investigations feel. If the demo nails the vibe and your hardware runs it clean, you’ve got your answer.

Looking Ahead

DETECTIVE – Rainy Night has a strong premise, a platform strategy that respects where people actually play, and a format that fits indie horror like a glove. If K148 Game Studio delivers believable performances, readable environments in the dark, and a couple of genuine “oh no” turns, this could be a late-year sleeper. If not, it’ll be another rainy night you forget by morning. Either way, the storm rolls in December 4—umbrella not included.

TL;DR

A contained, five-day motel mystery with seven suspects is exactly the kind of indie horror I want in December. I’m optimistic about the vibe and wary about port quality and depth of investigation. Try the demo, check the options menu, and trust your gut before you check in.