Should you finish the previous games before starting Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club

Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club is the third core title in the Famicom Detective Club series. What was formerly Japan-exclusive finally came to North America in 2021 as Famicom Detective Club: The Missing Heir and The Girl Who Stands Behind. How important is it to have played those games before starting Emio.

Not all that important, as it turns out. Emio is its own mystery and features characters who are newly introduced to the series. There are some returning faces like Mr. Utsugi, Ayumi, and Detective Kamada, but their roles require no previous introduction.

Likewise, there are references made to previous games, but knowing what they refer to, specifically, doesn’t really matter. The protagonist sometimes refers to his parents and troubled childhood, but it’s within context. He also mentions having a previous bout of amnesia, but that’s all you need to know. The references made are within the context of the current case, so intimate knowledge isn’t required.

Familiarity can enrich the experience, however. It’s also worth noting that the remakes of the first two Famicom Detective Club games are very recent and close to the standards of Emio. If you’re curious about the series, it might be more fun to start at the beginning (The Missing Heir if following release order, The Girl Who Stands Behind if you prefer chronologically). However, if the plots of those two games don’t interest you, while the idea of a bag-enshrouded serial killer is more enticing, then you won’t lose much if you skip ahead and start with Emio.