Interviewee(s): Jamie Ortiz, Project Lead

Next week, Atlus' surreal adventure game mystery Touch Detective ships to stores. Project Lead Jamie Ortiz took a moment to answer some of our questions to shed more light on the upcoming title.

What type of world is Touch Detective set in?

Jamie Ortiz: Touch Detective is set in a fantastical world of mystery and intrigue. You'll play as Mackenzie, a young gumshoe who, due to the untimely passing of her father, has inherited a detective agency. With the help of her investigative assistant Funghi, and her mechanically-inclined butler Cromwell, she sets out to solve four bizarre cases in the hopes of being accepted into the prestigious Great Detective Society. Along the way, she'll encounter a cast of characters that can only be described as, well, weird.

What sets this game apart from other adventure games that have been released on DS?

JO: I think what sets Touch Detective apart from other adventure games is the action-oriented, exploratory gameplay that takes full advantage of the DS Touch Screen. In addition to questioning witnesses, you'll also need to uncover evidence by finding and investigating items--all of which is performed using the stylus.

What was the most challenging aspect of bringing Touch Detective to the U.S.?

JO: Generally speaking, the localization process of Touch Detective went relatively smooth. Working with our licensor, Success, was a very positive experience. They were really open to the ideas we had about making the game appealing to a North American audience, and we worked closely with them to ensure that the style and humor they originally intended for the game was conveyed in the localization. Both sides were really happy with how the final product turned out.

What motivated Atlus to bring the property to the U.S.?

JO: Everyone here at Atlus absolutely loved the game. The art is amazing, the story is interesting, the dialogue is hilarious, and the gameplay is a lot of fun.

What type of gamers would enjoy Touch Detective the most?

JO: Touch Detective is a game that will appeal to a broad spectrum of gamers, from old-school point-and-click adventurers to fun-seeking casual gamers to hardcore DS fanboys and fangirls.

Does Touch Detective have the potential to receive a sequel?

JO: Oh, definitely. Mystery abounds in the world of Touch Detective, and the gameplay lends itself to a myriad of possible story lines. I'd love to see something done with it for the Wii.

What makes "touch" important in the game?

JO: Well, aside from the use of the Touch Screen, "touch" also plays a major role in how Mackenzie goes about deducing the solution to a case. But I don't want to give too much away, so I'll just say that the player will need to solve all four cases to learn why Mackenzie is called the "Touch Detective."

What's your take on main character Mackenzie's "think one thing, say another" internal monologue?

JO: I think being able to read Mackenzie's internal monologue gives players a deeper insight into her character, and allows them to get inside her head. It's also meant to be an innovative tool to be used in gameplay. Players will want to pay close attention to Mackenzie's thoughts and reactions as they will provide hints and clues to solving the cases.

Is there anything special gamers should keep an eye out for while playing Touch Detective?

JO: There are a lot of fun little details in the game that a player simply rushing through trying to solve the cases as fast as possible may miss. For example, players should spend some time at the fortune teller going through the fortunes; there's some great humor there. There's also a really cool scene with Lugol, the organ grinder. Lugol only really speaks once to Mackenzie; additional prompts to get him to talk will be met with silence. However, there's a scene buried deep in the game where he tells Mackenzie a joke. Players will have to dig a bit to find it, but it's definitely worth the effort. There are similar gems that can be found all throughout the game. It's my hope that players take the time to experience them all.

Thank you very much for your time, Jamie!