Isometric tactics aren't my jam, though I dig the concept. Finally found a game in this genre that I genuinely loved playing through.
Serial Cleaners is a spiritual and narrative sequel to the charming Serial Cleaner. In the original, we played as Bob, tidying up crime scenes. Here, Bob has three accomplices, and the game's gone full 3D. Gameplay-wise, it's stealth tactics: collect evidence and corpses, stuff them into a car, and quietly GTFO. Cops, SWAT teams, guards, and annoying bystanders roam levels, so stealth is absolutely critical.
Each character brings unique gameplay mechanics and their own soundtrack style. And damn, the music. It’s one of the two crown jewels here. Recorded by two orchestras, it's mainly noir or acid jazz, but there's also rave music and a bit of rock. Crazy stylish and perfect for immersing yourself in the mission.
The second jewel: visual style inspired by New York artist Jean-Michel Basquiat. The 2D artwork directly references Basquiat, while the 3D stuff, though slightly different, meshes beautifully with the 2D aesthetics.
Gameplay isn't a jewel, just solid. Minor bugs pop up, but nothing game-breaking. Best decision: keeping the cost of mistakes low, à la Hotline Miami. Caught by a cop? Zero fucks given—watch a quick one-second animation, and you're instantly back at the last checkpoint. Perfect for experimenting or going wild.
Even the story isn’t bad. Honestly, I struggled to follow due to the number of names and constant time jumps. But the main characters got solid depth, especially via flashbacks—which I'm always down for.
Oh, and the game has a setting that detects your local time and approximate location, adjusting weather and lighting conditions accordingly. Small detail, but really adds to the atmosphere.
Verdict: Cozy, stylish, cynically funny, subtly sentimental, and an absolute treat for your ears. Earned a permanent "favorite" spot in my Steam library.