The Mermaid Mask, the latest instalment in developer SFB Games' Detective Grimoire series, has emerged as one of the best-reviewed games of 2026, earning both critical acclaim and strong player approval. The point-and-click murder mystery sees Detective Grimoire and his sidekick Sally investigate a killing aboard a submarine full of eccentric passengers, blending genuine comedy with a genre more often associated with grim, serious storytelling.

The game follows on from 2019's Tangle Tower but stands alone as a new story, meaning newcomers need no prior knowledge of the series to enjoy it. It currently ranks highly on Opencritic and holds an "Overwhelmingly Positive" rating on Steam, driven by strong voice acting, a colourful cast of suspects including a Hollywood actor and a theatrical illusionist, and tactile puzzles reminiscent of the Professor Layton series. Reviewers note the plot becomes somewhat overloaded as it ties up numerous threads towards its conclusion, but consider it still well worth playing, comparing its tone to the screwball humour of The Secret of Monkey Island.