A moustache, a map and many secrets
By Paul Hunter
Agatha Christie: Death on the Nile, developed by Microids’ Studio Lyon and published by Microids, recasts the iconic mystery by Agatha Christie into a fresh console outing.
Unlike the novel, which takes place in the 1930s, this adaptation moves the tale into the 1970s, giving familiar faces and locations a different look. The narrative alternates between Hercule Poirot and a newer investigator, Jane Royce, so you get two vantage points on the unfolding case.
The mystery gets extended beyond what was in the novel, delivering fresh surprises and new twists. Deduction is central to this case, and the mind map and interactive timeline let you connect clues and savour each small reveal. Exploration and conversation both central to the gameplay, while short puzzles keep the tempo varied. Helpful difficulty options and a hint system let you pick how guided you want the experience to be.
Visually, the period authentic touches and varied locations give each chapter its own feel. If you enjoyed Microids Studio Lyon‘s first project, Agatha Christie – Murder on the Orient Express, this title is sure to satisfy your itch for a meaty new mystery. Let's find out what this games has to offer!
I boarded the Karnak cruise ship with a cup of tea and a notebook, ready to follow Poirot’s lead. The central plot is similar to the crime fiction novel: wealthy heiress Linnet Ridgeway has recently married Simon Doyle, the ex-fiancé of her former friend Jacqueline de Bellefort, and she has very strong feelings about it. That tension drives much of what happens on the river, yet even aside from the love triangle there are hints that more people might wish harm on Linnet.
My time split between Poirot and Jane Royce felt like solving the same jigsaw with two different sets of pieces. Poirot’s approach is social and methodical; he listens, records and looks for contradictions from the casual remarks of those onboard the boat. Jane’s path is grittier and more driven—her work pulls you away from the cruise to places such as Majorca and parts of New York, and her scenes carry a sharper edge.
The game keeps those stories mostly parallel and then gives you an epic closing act where priorities collide. That pacing felt smart to me; it let each side reveal information on its own terms, all contributing to the wider, layered crime plot. I liked how Poirot's measured, conversational detective work sat beside Jane’s more urgent beats. The result is a nuanced mystery that honours Agatha Christie's familiar plot while offering fresh perspectives and genuine surprises. By the time the pieces start to click, you appreciate how both investigators shaped the final picture.
The gameplay in Agatha Christie: Death on the Nile centres on careful observation and methodical linking of information. You explore detailed spaces, question a wide cast of characters and collect details both big and small that become evidence on the mind map. A separate timeline view helps you place actions in order so the overall picture begins to cohere across chapters.
Logic puzzles are sprinkled throughout the investigation and feel fun yet manageable. I spent several minutes repairing steam pipe on the boat, connecting rotating pipe pieces until water flowed again, and that hands-on moment would soon unlock a new lead. Other tasks include moving clock hands, rewiring a jukebox, using a rotary phone and playing a Mahjong-style game to reveal clues, and these small tasks break up dialogue in a welcome way.
The mind map is where the case takes shape. You attach statements, join related facts and mark contradictions; the system rewards careful thinking. Dialogue choices matters here—you will often challenge a witness over a slip of memory, then pin that exchange to your deductions. The timeline mode adds a visual flourish, letting you place people in spaces and then watch events replay in a stylised schematic that clarifies who did what and when. The ritual of returning to the deduction board and linking notes produces a genuine sense of momentum, and the final walk-throughs give a real, earned sense of closure.
Visually the game has a lot to admire. Chracter models are well designed and their outfits help reveal their personalities without dialogue. Settings shift from ornate river interiors to sunlit seaside spots and then to tougher urban alleys, giving each chapter its own visual identity. The décor often contains little clues, some of which are interactive, so exploring feels meaningful.
The choice to lean into 1970s design gives the title a cozy, consistent identity. The approach favours subdued earth tones, which supports a measured tone and gives scenes a classic, elegant look. The period-appropriate objects and furniture choices—think retro chairs, rotary phones and era-appropriate fittings—add neat texture to each location.
On PS5 the game ran smoothly during my review time. Scene transitions and exploration were seamless, and I didn’t encounter any technical hiccups.
Two minor presentation issues are worth noting. The lip-sync does not always line up with dialogue, and cutscene movement can feel a touch wooden. It can be a tiny bit distracting during conversation-heavy scenes, but it never stops the narrative or the investigation from drawing you in.
All told, the game’s look supports the mystery nicely. It may not chase photoreal polish, but its stylistic design choices and location variety give you plenty of eye candy to enjoy while you piece the case together.
Final Score: 8/10 - Great
Developer: Microids Studio Lyon
Publisher: Microids
Genre: Adventure
Modes: Single-player
A key was provided by the publisher.
By Paul Hunter
Agatha Christie: Death on the Nile, developed by Microids’ Studio Lyon and published by Microids, recasts the iconic mystery by Agatha Christie into a fresh console outing.
Unlike the novel, which takes place in the 1930s, this adaptation moves the tale into the 1970s, giving familiar faces and locations a different look. The narrative alternates between Hercule Poirot and a newer investigator, Jane Royce, so you get two vantage points on the unfolding case.
The mystery gets extended beyond what was in the novel, delivering fresh surprises and new twists. Deduction is central to this case, and the mind map and interactive timeline let you connect clues and savour each small reveal. Exploration and conversation both central to the gameplay, while short puzzles keep the tempo varied. Helpful difficulty options and a hint system let you pick how guided you want the experience to be.
Visually, the period authentic touches and varied locations give each chapter its own feel. If you enjoyed Microids Studio Lyon‘s first project, Agatha Christie – Murder on the Orient Express, this title is sure to satisfy your itch for a meaty new mystery. Let's find out what this games has to offer!
I boarded the Karnak cruise ship with a cup of tea and a notebook, ready to follow Poirot’s lead. The central plot is similar to the crime fiction novel: wealthy heiress Linnet Ridgeway has recently married Simon Doyle, the ex-fiancé of her former friend Jacqueline de Bellefort, and she has very strong feelings about it. That tension drives much of what happens on the river, yet even aside from the love triangle there are hints that more people might wish harm on Linnet.
My time split between Poirot and Jane Royce felt like solving the same jigsaw with two different sets of pieces. Poirot’s approach is social and methodical; he listens, records and looks for contradictions from the casual remarks of those onboard the boat. Jane’s path is grittier and more driven—her work pulls you away from the cruise to places such as Majorca and parts of New York, and her scenes carry a sharper edge.
The game keeps those stories mostly parallel and then gives you an epic closing act where priorities collide. That pacing felt smart to me; it let each side reveal information on its own terms, all contributing to the wider, layered crime plot. I liked how Poirot's measured, conversational detective work sat beside Jane’s more urgent beats. The result is a nuanced mystery that honours Agatha Christie's familiar plot while offering fresh perspectives and genuine surprises. By the time the pieces start to click, you appreciate how both investigators shaped the final picture.
The gameplay in Agatha Christie: Death on the Nile centres on careful observation and methodical linking of information. You explore detailed spaces, question a wide cast of characters and collect details both big and small that become evidence on the mind map. A separate timeline view helps you place actions in order so the overall picture begins to cohere across chapters.
Logic puzzles are sprinkled throughout the investigation and feel fun yet manageable. I spent several minutes repairing steam pipe on the boat, connecting rotating pipe pieces until water flowed again, and that hands-on moment would soon unlock a new lead. Other tasks include moving clock hands, rewiring a jukebox, using a rotary phone and playing a Mahjong-style game to reveal clues, and these small tasks break up dialogue in a welcome way.
The mind map is where the case takes shape. You attach statements, join related facts and mark contradictions; the system rewards careful thinking. Dialogue choices matters here—you will often challenge a witness over a slip of memory, then pin that exchange to your deductions. The timeline mode adds a visual flourish, letting you place people in spaces and then watch events replay in a stylised schematic that clarifies who did what and when. The ritual of returning to the deduction board and linking notes produces a genuine sense of momentum, and the final walk-throughs give a real, earned sense of closure.
Visually the game has a lot to admire. Chracter models are well designed and their outfits help reveal their personalities without dialogue. Settings shift from ornate river interiors to sunlit seaside spots and then to tougher urban alleys, giving each chapter its own visual identity. The décor often contains little clues, some of which are interactive, so exploring feels meaningful.
The choice to lean into 1970s design gives the title a cozy, consistent identity. The approach favours subdued earth tones, which supports a measured tone and gives scenes a classic, elegant look. The period-appropriate objects and furniture choices—think retro chairs, rotary phones and era-appropriate fittings—add neat texture to each location.
On PS5 the game ran smoothly during my review time. Scene transitions and exploration were seamless, and I didn’t encounter any technical hiccups.
Two minor presentation issues are worth noting. The lip-sync does not always line up with dialogue, and cutscene movement can feel a touch wooden. It can be a tiny bit distracting during conversation-heavy scenes, but it never stops the narrative or the investigation from drawing you in.
All told, the game’s look supports the mystery nicely. It may not chase photoreal polish, but its stylistic design choices and location variety give you plenty of eye candy to enjoy while you piece the case together.
The Verdict
Agatha Christie - Death on the Nile drops you into a smart, hands-on mystery that makes deduction genuinely rewarding. Poirot’s social sleuthing and Jane Royce’s grittier chapters play off each other, giving you contrast and steady surprises. The mind map and timeline turn clue-gathering into a joy—when a link clicks it feels immensely rewarding. Puzzles are short and clever, nudging you toward the next discovery without ever stalling the pace. On PS5 the game runs smoothly, and the period sets and wardrobe give each scene real character. If you like working a case at your own speed, this one is a bright, satisfying mystery to sink into.Final Score: 8/10 - Great
Agatha Christie - Death on the Nile details
Platform: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, Nintendo SwitchDeveloper: Microids Studio Lyon
Publisher: Microids
Genre: Adventure
Modes: Single-player
A key was provided by the publisher.