The Empty Desk: The last case before retirement that you won't easily forget

Clichés are clichés for a reason. Who among us hasn't once wished to don a trench coat, light a cigarette, and become a melancholic investigator in rainy, gray London? The Empty Desk, a relatively short but intriguing indie game, offers us just that. Without unnecessary complications, it goes straight to the heart of detective work. The game was reviewed on the PlayStation 5 console, with a copy provided by the publisher JanduSoft.

Here, you won't encounter a vast open world nor will you reach for weapons. Before you are only cold corridors, empty offices, and the ghosts of former employees whispering their secrets. You play as Thomas H. Bennett, a private detective who is just a week away from a well-deserved retirement. However, as is often the case in the best genre works, the universe decides to serve him a "final case" in the most classic way possible.

The game doesn't waste time on unnecessary explanations. The premise is simple, and you are immediately thrown into the fire. Your trusty notebook contains a list of tasks you must complete; for example, find six incriminating documents that could sink the powerful company whose headquarters you are in. With your old but reliable camera, your job is to photograph the evidence and, ultimately, with the help of an old projector on the wall, check if you have successfully pieced together the corporate puzzle.

As for the gameplay itself, it is not overly demanding. I admit, at first, I hoped for a deeper puzzle-solving system or manual note-taking of clues, but The Empty Desk relies on a more linear first-person narrative. Missions boil down to the formula: find, photograph, verify. Still, what keeps the game above average is its atmosphere. A ghost of a mysterious woman (whose identity the game cleverly conceals until the very end) follows you through the hallways, guiding you through the dark secrets of the notorious corporation Blackthorn & Co Insurances. It was in that simplicity that the game held my attention.

The visual narrative is particularly interesting. When you first step onto a new level, everything appears sterile, neat, and bright. However, the game soon throws you into a sort of loop; reality distorts, everything becomes darker, scattered, and threatening. It is in that chaos that you must search for what remains hidden.

For those of us less brave, the game offers an option to disable jump scares. I would especially commend this; sometimes we are not in the mood for cheap shocks, but just want to absorb the story. This approach reminded me of the cult title Soma, which offered a similar "safe mode" for those who want to explore without the constant fear for their life.

The technical side of the title is solid. The soundtrack is spot on and beautifully complements the grayness of London, while the mechanics, although simple, function flawlessly. The mystery is strong enough to keep me focused until the very end credits.

Since the developers announced that this is just the first chapter, it will be interesting to see how Bennett's retirement further complicates. For now, The Empty Desk offers a solid, atmospheric experience that respects your time.