The Darkside Detective 2: FITD is a retro-style adventure mobile game known for its off-kilter comedy and pop culture references. The game replicates the old point-and-click style with a modern twist, using impressive pixel art and a MIDI-style soundtrack to stir up the nostalgia in gamers of a certain age. 

As the sequel to The Darkside Detective, The Darkside Detective 2: FITD — also known as The Darkside Detective: A Fumble in the Dark — follows the story of Detective Francis McQueen once more. Its plot is directly connected to the first game, so playing in order is essential.

Satirical detective montage 

The Darkside Detective 2: FITD follows on directly from the events of the first Darkside Detective game. After solving their final case, Officer Dooley is teleported away to the Darkside in the blink of an eye. That leaves Detective McQueen forced to track down his buddy. A whole year on, there’s still no sign of the strangely buff police officer. However, Detective McQueen hasn’t given up hope. 

Inspired by point-and-click games similar to that of games like Alone in The Dark, FITD combines the old-school traditional genre with a fresh paint of classic detective blues, pop-culture references, and satirical humor. The game is influenced by John Carpenter movies, the X-Files, and a plethora of other cult franchises. Its satirical take on the game's story is enough to entertain new and old fans. 

The game has simple gameplay yet offers depth to its story. However, as with any puzzle game, it is never that simple. You’ll sometimes find yourself spending a lot of time on who to speak to and finding the right item combinations. It can easily confuse players with its point-and-click style gameplay. The puzzles are often fiendish and unforgiving, but they’re also clever and the game’s replay value cannot be understated.

Journey through space and time 

Despite its difficult puzzles, confusing point-and-click hints, and lengthy dialogue, The Darkside Detective 2: FITD compensates for that with its punchlines, plethora of pop culture references, humoristic dialogue and compelling but simple storyline. It is a game worth trying for players who might find themselves looking for a new puzzle game to try, or to simply go back to its nostalgic roots.