Nico Adventures: Mystery

***Nico Adventures: Mystery*** is an action-adventure video game developed and published by J-Games for the J-Flash and J-Exo. It was released internationally in November 2011, and is the sixth main entry in the *Nico Adventures* series, serving as the successor to *Nico Adventures: Perilous Diamonds*. The game has since been released on each subsequent J-Games console.

The plot of *Mystery* centers around Nico and Pico's newfound fame after the events of the previous game. Whilst initially enjoying their success, an unknown entity to them, but revealed to the player as Carl from *Nico Adventures II*, attempts to paint them in a negative light and ultimately succeeds in turning the public against the two brothers. Nico and Pico must track down the culprit who is slandering them and attempt to redeem themselves in the eyes of the populous. The gameplay involves the player taking control of Nico, and on some occasions Pico, as they navigate around a variety of open-world and linear levels, fighting enemies, finding clues and solving puzzles. It is the first *Nico Adventures* game to not feature a hub world: instead, the game leads the player character on a journey through Europe. Firearms make a return to the gameplay, and the swords used heavily in the previous game are only available on certain levels.

Development of the game began upon the release of the J-Exo in the summer of 2010, with the game having just over a years worth of development. Unlike its predecessor, *Nico Adventures: Mystery* was developed for the J-Exo, and then edited to function properly on the J-Flash. The game continues the darker atmosphere found in the previous two games. A high focus on stealth and exploration was prioritised for this game in order to contrast the combat-heavy gameplay of *Perilous Diamonds*. Shiro Sagisu returned for his last piece of work in the *Nico Adventures* series before moving on to other ventures. The game's main theme was recorded by Tina Turner.

*Nico Adventures: Mystery* was a critical success. Critics praised the return of Carl, who had been dropped without explanation after his tenure in the second game, and found it refreshing that the player knew more than the in-game characters did. The decision to focus on puzzles and exploration was also met positively, showing the versatility of the series when compared with the previous game. The game's visuals, soundtrack, controls and characters were also praised. The game's story was noted as being a slow-burn, a fact met with mixed reception by critics, but they highlighted that the gameplay builds up along with the story. Reviewers felt that the game's plot was similar to that of *Nico Adventures: Isolation*. The choice to lack a hub world was negatively received by critics, who believed not only would it have added extra content, but would have made sense within the context of the narrative. The reduction in importance for supporting characters Arch, Michael and Alistair was also met with lukewarm response. The game was nominated for, and won a multitude of awards at the 2011 Video Game Awards, including Game of the Year.

Commercially, *Nico Adventures: Mystery* has sold over 60 million copies across all platforms, a significant drop from its three predecessors, but still a commercial success. The game is lauded by fans as one of the best entries in the series. It is also noted as being the final game released in the '*Nico Adventures* Golden Era', as many believe it ended with the release of the game's successor, *Nico Adventures: Origins*, in 2012. A feature film of the same name was released in the following year to unanimous critical acclaim.