If you’ve already experienced Chicken Police, Blacksad: Under the Skin, or Duck Detective: The Secret Salami, then playing as an anthropomorphic animal unraveling hard-boiled mysteries might feel familiar. But The Shadow Syndicate, just revealed at Gamescom Latam, adds a supernatural twist: you’re a trench-coat-clad dog detective wielding a cursed ring that grants bullet-time powers and teleportation through shadows.
🔮 Noir, Magic, and Bullet-Time Violence
Set in a fictional 1933 Brooklyn filled with anthropomorphic mobsters, suspects, and witnesses—from cats and birds to frogs—The Shadow Syndicate casts you as private eye Sam Marlowe. His mission? To track the disappearance of his mentor, a trail that leads to an occult conspiracy… one with roots that appear to stretch into the rise of fascism itself.
The gameplay showcases a mix of stealth and action. Marlowe’s magical Sacrifice Ring lets him teleport, stun enemies, or perform instant kills. But there’s a price: the ring’s curse grows with use, raising the stakes in every encounter.
Expect mechanics reminiscent of Max Payne’s bullet-time shootouts and the mystery-soaked atmosphere of The Wolf Among Us, blended with a slightly pulpy tone that doesn’t always take itself too seriously.
🎲 1930s Brooklyn Minigames and Sidequests
Outside the main case, players can explore an open hub world packed with Yakuza-style side content. Enjoy minigames like darts, blackjack, and bowling, or dive into character-driven sidequests that flesh out the alternate Brooklyn setting.
The detective elements also shine through: interrogate suspects, analyze evidence, and connect the dots to move your case forward—giving the game a structure that will feel familiar to fans of L.A. Noire.
🎬 A Smooth First Impression
The Shadow Syndicate is the debut title from Barranquilla, Colombia-based indie studio KillaSoft. No release date has been announced yet, but more details are expected soon.
One small gripe? As good as “The Shadow Syndicate” sounds, it’s hard not to wish the team had leaned even more into classic noir with a title like The Big Dog—a play on The Big Sleep or The Big Heat.
Still, a dog detective, cursed occult rings, and fascist cults? This one’s absolutely worth keeping an eye on.