Honestly, playing a game based on a mystery you already know the ending to sounds like a recipe for boredom. We’ve all seen the Kenneth Branagh movies or read the 1934 masterpiece. We know who did it. Yet, the Agatha Christie - Murder on the Orient Express game released by Microids and developed by Lyon-based studio Microids Studio Lyon, pulls off a weirdly impressive trick. It makes a century-old story feel like something brand new.
It isn't just a 1:1 port of the book.
If you're expecting a dry, point-and-click adventure that follows the novel page-by-page, you're going to be surprised. It’s set in 2023. Hercule Poirot has a smartphone. There’s a second playable character named Joanna Locke who lives in the United States and works as a private investigator. This modernization is risky, but it works because the developers actually understood the DNA of a whodunnit.
Why the Murder on the Orient Express game feels so different in 2026
Modernizing a classic is usually a disaster. Remember those "modern" Shakespeare plays where they just give everyone leather jackets? This isn't that. By moving the Murder on the Orient Express game to 2023, the developers found a way to introduce logic puzzles that actually make sense for a modern brain. You aren't just looking for physical clues; you're analyzing digital footprints and dealing with modern social dynamics.
It’s about the "Mind Map."
Every time you find a clue, it goes into a massive, branching mental visualization. This is the core of the Agatha Christie - Murder on the Orient Express game. You have to manually connect the dots. If you get it wrong, Poirot doesn't just tell you the answer. You have to think. You have to look at the timeline. It’s a bit like the Sherlock Holmes games from Frogwares, but it feels more tactile and less like a grocery list of evidence.
The addition of Joanna Locke is the real game-changer here. In the original book, the "Ratchett" case is largely explained through exposition. In the game, you actually play through the flashbacks in the US. You experience the tragedy of the Armstrong family firsthand. This adds a level of emotional weight that a book simply describes. You aren't just a detached detective; you're witnessing the cause and the effect simultaneously.
The gameplay loop is surprisingly addictive
You walk. You talk. You point at things.
That sounds simple, but the rhythm is what keeps you hooked. Most detective games fail because they are too easy or frustratingly obtuse. Microids found a middle ground. The puzzles aren't "Moon Logic" where you have to combine a rubber duck with a fishing pole. They are grounded. You're fixing a juice machine or checking the passenger manifesto.
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The game uses a "Portrait" system for interrogations. When you speak to a suspect—whether it’s the Princess Dragomiroff or the Count Andrenyi—you have to catch them in a lie. You compare their current statement against the evidence in your Mind Map. It’s satisfying. It makes you feel like the smartest person in the room, which is exactly how Poirot feels.
Interestingly, the voice acting holds it all together. The new Poirot isn't trying to imitate David Suchet. He’s his own thing. He’s a bit more cynical, a bit more tired of the world. It fits the 2023 setting perfectly.
Is the ending the same?
Sorta.
I won't spoil the specifics, but the Agatha Christie - Murder on the Orient Express game includes a "Thirteenth Passenger" storyline. This is a massive expansion. Even if you know the famous twist of the original novel, there is a whole secondary layer of mystery that concludes the game. It’s a bold move to add to a masterpiece, but it provides that "gotcha" moment that veterans of the franchise crave.
The visuals are... polarizing.
It’s not a triple-A, photorealistic behemoth. The art style is stylized, almost like a high-end graphic novel. Some people hate the character models; they can look a bit stiff in 4K. But the train itself? The Orient Express is gorgeous. The wood paneling, the lighting in the dining car, the snow beating against the windows—it creates an atmosphere of claustrophobia that is essential for a locked-room mystery.
Technical stuff you should know before buying
This isn't a heavy game. You don't need a NASA computer to run it. On consoles like the PS5 or Xbox Series X, it runs at a smooth 60fps. On PC, it’s well-optimized.
- Playtime: Expect about 10 to 12 hours if you’re a completionist.
- Difficulty: Generally moderate. The Mind Map guides you, but the deductions can be tricky.
- Availability: It’s on everything—Steam, Epic, PlayStation, Xbox, and even Nintendo Switch.
If you’re playing on the Switch, there’s some slight blurriness in handheld mode, but the portability actually suits the "reading a book" vibe of the game. It’s a great "couch game" for a rainy Sunday.
What most people get wrong about this adaptation
People assume it’s just for Agatha Christie fans. It’s not. It’s a solid entry-point for anyone who likes "Detective-lite" games. You don't need to know the lore. You don't need to have read a single Poirot book. The game explains the character's quirks—his obsession with order, his "little grey cells," his ego—through gameplay rather than just telling you.
The biggest misconception is that the modernization ruins the "cozy mystery" feel. It doesn't. Despite the cell phones, it still feels like a classic whodunnit. The isolation of being stuck in a snowdrift in the mountains is a timeless trope that works just as well in 2023 as it did in 1934.
Actionable steps for your first playthrough
- Don't rush the Mind Map. It’s tempting to just click through the nodes, but if you actually read the connections, the "Thirteenth Passenger" twist will make way more sense when it finally hits.
- Talk to everyone twice. The dialogue changes after you find certain items. The game doesn't always "ping" you to tell you a new dialogue option is available.
- Pay attention to the background. The developers hid a lot of small environmental details that hint at the suspects' true motives before Poirot even mentions them.
- Play with headphones. The sound design—the whistling wind outside versus the quiet clinking of silverware inside—is half the experience.
The Agatha Christie - Murder on the Orient Express game is a rare example of a licensed property that respects the source material enough to change it. It knows that to surprise a modern audience, you have to do more than just repeat the past.
Next Steps for Players:
If you've finished the game and want more, check out the ABC Murders game by the same publisher, though it lacks the high-production values of this title. Alternatively, dive into the Hercule Poirot: The First Cases game to see the origins of this specific version of the character. Both provide a similar deduction-focused experience but with different mechanical focuses.