Underdog Detective (v2022.05.16 & ALL Episodes)

A grim conspiracy turns a clever slum-dweller into an unwilling investigator in the imperial capital of Luoyang. Set a decade before the events of the Chinese series Luoyang, Underdog Detective follows an antiques expert and practitioner of magical arts whose humor and cynicism barely conceal the danger closing in around him. The city is caught between assassins from Equinoxes and the state-backed operatives of Eosos, while the lawless Underdog’s Dwelling becomes a volatile front line. Its tone favors political intrigue, murder, and survival over heroic fantasy, with every lead potentially exposing a larger plot.

Investigations unfold from a first-person perspective as you examine crime scenes, gather evidence, question the significance of objects, and decide which clues deserve attention. The central Reflection system turns deduction into a visual process, letting you revisit memories, sort through conflicting information, and connect evidence into logical conclusions. Puzzles, concealed rooms, environmental traps, and hazardous encounters break up the detective work, demanding observation rather than blind trial and error. Role-playing choices carry serious weight: decisions can alter relationships, determine who lives or dies, and steer the protagonist toward advancement, disgrace, or a tragic end.

What makes the premise appealing is its focus on being an underdog who survives through knowledge and judgment instead of raw power. Luoyang’s period-inspired setting gives the mystery a distinct identity, combining imperial politics, criminal factions, and supernatural-tinged craft without abandoning the grounded pressure of a detective story. Branching outcomes encourage repeat play for anyone who enjoys comparing consequences and uncovering missed angles in a case. Players who like the evidence-driven structure of Sherlock Holmes adventures, the moral tension of narrative RPGs, or historical conspiracies with puzzle-solving at their center should find plenty to investigate here, while newcomers should be ready to read carefully and think through each decision.