Ambroise Niflette & the Gleaned Bell Is a Stop Motion 3D Investigation Game

Ambroise Niflette & the Gleaned Bell is a new 3D detective game inspired by stop-motion animation and miniature models.

Developed by French team Topotes Studio, this upcoming adventure game follows the story of the titular renowned young detective, Ambroise Niflette. Following the theft of the local church bell across a day and night cycle, we're tasked with investigating the village of Touvoir-en-Thym-et-Pomme so the villagers can continue celebrating the Thyme and Apple Festival.

Featuring twenty other residents across Touvoir with their own agendas and friendships, our goal is to uncover the culprit and find the stolen bell by solving puzzles and answering riddles. This involves gathering evidence in our notebook, questioning each villager while noting their testimonies, and taking photos of potential clues to find the inconsistencies.

Discussing Ambroise Niflette's inspirations, the studio advised that its staff grew up on shows like Noddy, The Magic Roundabout, Aardman films, and more, stating it aims to pay homage to this style. The team's also fond of detective novels and games, believing this will appeal to Professor Layton, Ace Attorney, and Paradise Killer fans.

While the Kickstarter campaign has ended after being successfully funded at over £21k, you can still back it for the remaining rewards, though this doesn't apply to digital copies of the game. As with any crowdfunding campaign, we must add our disclaimer that Kickstarter shouldn't be treated like a pre-order system and comes with its own risks.

Ambroise Niflette & the Gleaned Bell is coming to Steam, with the Kickstarter listing an estimated date of December 2026.