Review: Dark Auction (Nintendo Switch)

Dark Auction is a point-and-click adventure game. You play as Noah, a young man who, due to his father’s unusual lifestyle, is led to a mysterious castle in which a secretive organization is hosting an auction. Upon entering the castle, he finds himself trapped and sworn by document to serve the auctioneer’s orders. The game consists of memory-based puzzle games and dialogue options, as well as a lot of reading. Parts of it feel more graphic novel than point-and-click, but if you keep with it, it’s pretty good.

Dark Auction’s story is the most compelling part of the game. The playthrough is fun, but heavily controlled, as most of it involves moving around only to speak with characters or to explore/interact with objects.

The story, however, keeps things interesting. It takes place after WWII, mentioning a “Dictator X,” and placing emphasis on how it’s affecting the lives of the generations following it.

Dark Auction starts with Noah Crawford heading to the castle to search for his dad, Leonard. We find out that Leonard is known for his mysterious lifestyle and interest in auctions and history. However, when Noah arrives at the castle, he’s met with his father’s death, as well as a million questions, none of which are answered right away. Instead, Noah finds himself in conversation with “Parrot Man” (who is, of course, a man with a pigeon head). He makes it clear that he’s the Auctioneer, and that whatever happened to Leonard could just as easily happen to Noah. It’s through his threats that Noah agrees to stay for the auction, working under Parrot Man and following his orders.

While there, Noah meets a group of characters, all of whom are there for the auction for their own reasons. There’s a young girl with bright blue eyes, an older woman who’s an actress, a doctor, a librarian, a nobleman, and another man who’s more built and athletic. Noah’s first order is to get to know each of the guests.

As he does so, more issues arise, and more orders are made. As the story progresses, you’ll find yourself being quizzed on the knowledge you’ve gained. This happens first after the prologue, after your first night at the castle. Before going to bed that night, Noah wants to keep track of what he’s learned by asking himself rhetorical questions that you answer. This happens again after you’ve met all of the quests. The Parrot Man asks you if you recall their names. However, if you ever find yourself stuck, there is an option to go back to Noah’s memories (an option in the menu) to figure out the answers to some of the questions.

The game carries this energy on as you continue to unlock the castle and auction’s secrets, as well as your dad’s. You continue to explore the castle, you continue to talk to guests, and you continue to complete orders and solve puzzles. As you continue to play, you’ll also begin to notice that it’s quite hard to mess up in the game. A lot of Noah’s dialogue will lead you to the right conversation, no matter what choice is made, and a lot of hints are dropped in the game.

You also don’t have much freedom to move away from where you need to be. This doesn’t present much challenge, instead creating a relaxing environment in which you can really follow the story and appreciate its creativity and depth.

Dark Auction is also very well written and full of music and scenery that help add to its eerie and confusing atmosphere.

Playing Dark Auction feels like playing in an escape room, but with more mystery, suspense, and oddities. It does a great job at building its story, and it answers most of the questions it presents. It’s a perfect game for those who enjoy easy controls and an in-depth narrative, taking the best parts of a graphic novel and combining them with the simplicity of a point-and-click adventure.