The Empty Desk
Not just one but ten empty desks for your money.
Developer: Cheesecake Games
Publisher: JanduSoft
Released on: PC, Xbox Series X/S (reviewed), PlayStation 5
While categorised more as a ‘psychological thriller’, this detective game from JanduSoft and Cheesecake Games also offers horror elements, including jump scares (which, in a novel twist, can be turned off), hence its inclusion on Indie Horror Gamer. But will it be enough to get our spines shivering?
When writing on a wall in blood, clarity and brevity of message is recommended.
The player is Thomas Bennett, a grizzled police detective just one week away from a well-earned retirement. Like Robert Duvall in the Joel Schumacher 1993 movie Falling Down, Bennett is reluctantly engaged in one last, defining case before he can head off to the golf course. However, the developer has already suggested Bennett’s retirement might not go to plan, with this game cited as the first in a series entitled Detective Bennett: Solved Cases. Either that, or it’s going to be a tough week with the ‘tec juggling multiple cases.
At the start of The Empty Desk, Bennett is called to the plush offices of Blackthorn & Co Insurances. Owner and business tycoon Arthur Blackthorn has died in mysterious circumstances, and his daughter, Emily, is missing. Upon arrival, the mood instantly takes a turn for the peculiar with a corridor lined with multiple lifts. Bennett is trapped, unable to return to his vehicle, and forced to traverse the sleek corridors over and over to discover the secrets Blackthorn, both man and company, hides.
Reality shifts as Bennett proceeds through tasks set by a mysterious witch-like character. Throughout, the detective maintains an incredulous tone mixed with a world-weary acceptance. By repeating his investigation in a time-locked loop, the detective uncovers the reasons behind Blackthorn’s downturn in fortunes.
The Empty Desk tries hard to bring something new to the looping anomaly genre. Bennett photographs evidence and solves minor puzzles, with his success judged via a projector at the end of each loop. There’s certainly an odd atmosphere, with the bland corporate offices and meeting rooms contrasting with the disintegrating reality. In this context, the considerable use of generative AI 2D imagery makes sense and is almost justifiable. The conforming corporate look and communication style are well-suited to AI. This isn’t about individuals; it’s about the company.
A 2D image of a Blackthorn employee that looks suspiciously AI generated.
Sadly, this blandness extends to the gameplay as well. The Empty Desk’s plot does much of the heavy lifting in keeping the game going, especially when the player is enduring another of Bennett’s cringy quips as he examines countless irrelevant boxes and files for clues. While it comes in at a sprightly two to three hours, it still feels like a chore, and we could never quite escape the feeling that this is a soulless experience, full of sharp corners and bright lights, with little nuance or emotion. Again, that may be the point; we’ll leave you to interpret that as you see fit.
The looping anomaly genre is so saturated that new games today need a solid hook to stand out. The Empty Desk doesn’t provide anything close to this during its short running time, although the low price might appeal to those after a less-than-taxing experience. It also falls between two stools in terms of genre, lacking both the depth of a detective game and the chills of a horror game.
Here’s hoping ‘ol Bennett has better luck in his next investigation. The golf course will have to wait.
