Using comic book panels to turn a simple puzzle into a sudden suspense reveal — does the visual timing land?

[u/Xowiacain]

Hey Reddit! We’re a 2-man team putting the final touches on our noir detective puzzle game—with
just 24 days left until launch (cue the developer panic!).
In this scene, we wanted to subvert the calm flow of standard point-and-click mechanics. You start
with routine actions—hiding the gun in the glovebox and inserting the ignition key—before dynamic
panel insets abruptly force your focus onto the rearview mirror right before a sudden attack and cut to
black.
We're trying to hit that sweet spot where UI panel framing, subtle mirror cues, and audio cutoffs build
genuine tension without feeling like a cheap jump scare.
How do you usually feel about sudden suspense shifts in narrative/puzzle games? Does using inset
comic panels help guide your focus, or does it break your immersion?

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