Entering suspects’ minds is your secret weapon in the quirky detective game Mindcop. As a specially powered officer, you’ll quiz a cast of shady characters, “mindsurf” their brains, and delve into their memories to separate truth from lies. With only five days to investigate a murder in an odd rural town, can you catch the culprit in time?

What we love: Figuring out how to spend our limited time wisely. Mindcop adds tension by giving you only seven hours each day, and every action—from questioning townspeople to petting (or mindsurfing) the dog—shaves time off the clock. You won’t be able to do it all (at least in your first playthrough), so you’ll need to carefully choose the most promising leads.

Quick tip: Don’t waste precious time wandering the woods at random. Talk to Josh and inspect the boxes in the victim’s home to open up new paths quickly.

Meet the creator: Solo game developer Andre Gareis worked on Mindcop for six years, taking inspiration from Twin Peaks, cartoons, and film noir to craft the game’s eccentric art style and memorable characters.