In this detective RPG, you untangle a thick web of intrigues, lies, and secrets that surround a mysterious death. Find the origin of eerie telegraph signals, question the villagers, decipher the strange symbols that are suddenly appearing all over town - and hide from the danger lurking in the moor.
The sudden death of Bente Hansen shakes the picturesque seaside town of Havstedt. The townspeople are in turmoil: Who murdered him? What is the story behind the mysterious symbols in the town and - is there really a brutal beast lurking in the moor?
Uncover the truth behind the sea of lies and reveal the dark secrets of the inhabitants of Havstedt - without being targeted yourself.
Gameplay
Explore the open world: Move freely around a coastal town in 1870 and search for clues.
Lead exciting dialogues: Use the dialogue mechanic to question the residents, gather compelling information and find out who is hiding something.
Start a confrontation: Question the suspects and catch the perpetrators
Search for clues: Use your detective sense to find hidden evidence.
Crack exciting puzzles: Use hidden clues and, above all, your wits to find important information.
Evade detection: Slip into forbidden areas and survive the dangers of the moor – getting caught is not an option!
Pass the skill checks: Use your abilities in classic pen and paper skill checks (dice rolls).
Level up: Develop your character and decide which skills you want to improve.
Craft useful items: Gather resources and build items and consumables to improve your skills.
Make difficult decisions: Your actions affect the course of the story. Decide for yourself how you want to succeed: Through charisma, diplomacy, ... the mission is clear: crack the case!
Setting
The year is 1870 and the first functioning transatlantic telegraph cable has just been put into operation, heralding a new era of communication between the USA and Germany. Industrialisation and social movements are gaining momentum - and with it, critical discourse and conflict among the population. And then there is the Franco-Prussian War which worries people: nobody wants to be drafted.
Story
Valentin Schmidt, a young civil servant, just wants to spend his well-deserved holiday on the North Sea. After an eventful boat voyage, he finally arrives in picturesque Havstedt - but then events take a turn for the worse: Bente Hansen's body is found at the telegraph station.
Valentin's holiday seems to be over ... unless he uncovers the culprit and ensures safety in Havstedt again. However, he soon realises that every faction of the idyllic little town harbours its own dark, strange secrets. Who - or what - has Bente Hansen on their conscience?
Will you be able to get to the bottom of the sinister happenings in Havstedt?
What's new in The Ebbing compared to its predecessor, A Bavarian Tale?
More detective work
With the revised Detective Sweep, you can make sure that you haven't overlooked anything in a room. You can now also inspect elements and examine them for hidden clues, just as you can find important clues inside furniture.
Combination and number puzzles
Some information is hidden behind tricky combination and number puzzles. In The Ebbing, it's no longer just your interpersonal skills that are required in dialogs with NPCs, but also your deduction skills.
Improved stealth mechanics
We've completely overhauled our stealth mechanics for The Ebbing and developed some very nice quests around them that will hopefully keep you on the edge of your seat.
Tailor your game experience to your needs
There are different modes in The Ebbing that allow you to experience the game exactly the way you want to.
In story mode, the quest log will give you plenty of clues as to what you need to do next to solve the case. It is ideal for people who simply want to immerse themselves in the story and solve exciting puzzles. You can now significantly simplify our dice skill checks or even switch them off completely to get even more involved in the story.
The detective mode gives you fewer clues in the quest log and you are responsible for writing down your findings and not losing track of them. Who have you already questioned? What information are you missing? This mode is for hardcore detectives.
If you have to sneak past enemies, you can also adjust the stealth difficulty. This also allows you to set how thrilling these parts of the game are. If you get scared easily (and don't like it), this setting is basically your tension regulator.
Roadmap for Inspector Schmidt - The Ebbing
We're continuously working on Inspector Schmidt - The Ebbing and look forward to your reports via Steam and our Discord server. This is our roadmap for the following months:
Controller Support
Steamdeck Support
Improvement of the Beta Language Versions
Porting for XBox
Porting für PS 5
Platt voice overs
Upgrade to Unreal 5.5
Funded by nordmedia – Film- und Mediengesellschaft Niedersachsen/Bremen mbH.
funded by FFF Bayern.
