Screenshots
Watch trailer on Steam ↗A Case of Distrust
An Open Ben · Published by An Open Ben · Official site ↗
Very Positive — 82% positive (614 reviews) · 10 achievements
Last updated 27 Sept 2026
A Case of Distrust is a narrative mystery from 1924 San Francisco. Play as private investigator Phyllis Cadence Malone in this historical 2D adventure game.
£12.79
Lowest price we've ever recorded
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Price history
Adventure, Indie · 2018 · More £5 - £15 games
Step into the shoes of private investigator Phyllis Cadence Malone and unravel the mysteries of 1924 San Francisco in A Case of Distrust, an indie narrative adventure from An Open Ben.
About this game
A Case of Distrust is a narrative mystery from 1924 San Francisco. Play as private investigator Phyllis Cadence Malone in this historical 2D adventure game. Explore underground speakeasies, smoke-filled billiard halls, classic barber shops, and more. Catch suspects in lies by using evidence, statements, and your wits. Intrinsic challenges face our heroine, as she struggles against a pushback on emancipation, leading to many doubts, both internal and external. Uncover the truth in a mystery full of deception!
Critical Reception
"Perfect video game noir... 9/10" - Polygon
"Impressed me with its nuanced, careful construction" - Newsweek
"Stunning two-dimensional silhouettes" - PC Gamer
"Beautiful noirish graphics... suspenseful mystery" - Vogue Magazine
Features
A hardboiled mystery, working past deceptive characters towards the truth
1924 San Francisco with historically accurate details
Saul Bass inspired visuals and scene transitions
Finger-snapping music that gives style to the roaring 20s
Themes of poverty, racism, and emancipation that tie into contemporary issues
System Requirements
Will my PC run this? →Minimum
- OS *: Windows 7
- Processor: 2 GHz
- Memory: 2 GB RAM
- Graphics: Intel HD Graphics
- Storage: 1500 MB available space
- Sound Card: N/A
Supported Languages
Latest news
Press Coverage
A Case of Distrust is a noir tale with many inspirations
I was sitting at my desk stubbing my cigarette out on my ‘to do’ list when the call came in. Godammit! shouted the chief. Where s my Monday news post! Alice is off and there s been nothing on the website for hours! He was angry. I could tell from the context of the words I ve just written. Angry as a big dog. I lit another cigarette using the heat of my CPU, cracked my fingers a full 360 degrees, and dived into my in-tray. I pulled out the first thing that didn’t feel wet. A game called A Case of Distrust. It was a detective game, described as a mash-up of 80 Days, Phoenix Wright, and the board game Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective. With inspiration from Raymond Chandler novels and the title sequences and poster art of Saul Bass. I spat out some lint. Then some more lint. Actually, my cigarette had fallen apart in my mouth, it was tobacco. I vomited. I continued my work. Did nobody tell the developer of this game they are only allowed to mix two things? How am I supposed to write my headline? I can t write This game is X meets Y when there s also a Z and a and a ? This is all too much for a Monday. (more…)Read full article on Rock, Paper, ShotgunAnnouncementsOfficial
Release!
Two and a half years after quitting Visceral, and a bunch of hard work later, A Case of Distrust is finally available for purchase. I've been shaking uncontrollably all morning. This has been my dream. Thanks for joining me on this journey!Read full article on Community Announcements (Ben Wander)AnnouncementsOfficial
Release!
Two and a half years after quitting Visceral, and a bunch of hard work later, A Case of Distrust is finally available for purchase. I've been shaking uncontrollably all morning. This has been my dream. Thanks for joining me on this journey!Read full article on Community Announcements (Ben Wander)AnnouncementsOfficial
AVAILABLE FEBRUARY 8TH
Release date announced! A Case of Distrust will release on FEBRUARY 8TH! Wishlist it now! https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DTDNNHzUMAAjjJv.jpgRead full article on Community Announcements (Ben Wander)AnnouncementsOfficial
AVAILABLE FEBRUARY 8TH
Release date announced! A Case of Distrust will release on FEBRUARY 8TH! Wishlist it now! https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DTDNNHzUMAAjjJv.jpgRead full article on Community Announcements (Ben Wander)
