The surprise announcement of a new Famicom Detective Club game caught many off guard, and today they announced a demo is coming to the Nintendo Switch eShop on the evening of August 19, 2024, which will allows us to play the prologue and first chapter of the three-chapter game for free.

Nintendo also stated, “Players can carry their progress forward to the full version of the game if purchased,” after it launches on August 29.

In Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club, a student has been found dead in a chilling fashion, his head covered with a paper bag with an eerie smiling face drawn on it—much like the victims of Emio, the Smiling man—a killer of urban legend. Playing as an assistant private investigator, you are tasked with helping police solve this crime, which is reminiscent of a series of unsolved murders from 18 years ago. Has a serial killer returned, or is this the work of a copycat? Are these crimes inspired by the Smiling Man urban legend, or the origin of it?

As part of the continuing adventures of the Utsugi Detective Agency, for the first time in the Famicom Detective Club series, play as familiar character Ayumi Tachibana during select portions of the story. As an investigative duo, you’ll dive deeper into this intense story of suspicion, isolation and fragility.

[Source: Nintendo PR Email]