Help me find the system

[Sila Prirode]

After our Ravenloft game has gone on a little hiatus due to college obligations we decided to pick up gaming with something other, to get back into mood.
First idea was detective style game, but more suited to party composition, instead of hero-and-sidekick style. So the party would get the choice of playing archetypes, like for example, the detective, silent brute, skilled partner, honest cop (you get the idea).

I am willing to lead, so it has fallen upon me to find the system that would suit our needs. It has to be easy to learn (not necessarily rules-lite, just enough to be learned in couple of hours), and suited to play a bit laid down game, with more exploration then combat. So, no missing on clues because you fumbled your skill check, and no overly complicated combat systems.

We have heard of GUMSHOE, but I have read only Trail of Ctuhulu, and while it seems like perfect system for what we want to play, it has that horror story vibe we would like to avoid. Any advice on that?

TL;DR version

Looking for a system that plays like Sherlock Holmes meets point-and-click adventures meets RPG style of game.

[Kaulesh]

Trail of Cthulhu is the only game I've heard of that uses the Gumshoe system. If it looks right, why not use it and cut out the Cthulhu Mythos, sanity, eldritch abominations, and all that good stuff?

[Darrin]

Trail of Cthulhu is the only game I've heard of that uses the Gumshoe system. If it looks right, why not use it and cut out the Cthulhu Mythos, sanity, eldritch abominations, and all that good stuff?

GUMSHOE was introduced with a game called the Esoterrorists. There's another game called Mutant City Blues (cops + robbers... with tentacles).

Much of the design behind GUMSHOE was done by Robin Laws. Here's a simple rule I like to live my life by: If it was designed by Robin Laws, then DO NOT LET ANY FORCE IN THIS UNIVERSE PREVENT YOU FROM ACQUIRING IT.

[hamlet]

The FATE system, aka The Dresden Files works kind ok, if you're up to the amature drama angles it plays to the hilt.

[Sir Swindle89]

Basic blue book WoD or a slightly alteres Hunter: the vigil could work.

[Psyx]

New world of darkness is good.


It depends what is being investigated...


Is this a gritty real-life style thing?
Is it pulp-heroes, heroic investigations?
Cheesy X-files campness?
Gritty supernatural horror?

[Sila Prirode]

GUMSHOE was introduced with a game called the Esoterrorists. There's another game called Mutant City Blues (cops + robbers... with tentacles).

Well which one would be most suitable for running a game that is more Broken Sword-ish then mutants and terrorists?

I don't like FATE as a system, and WoD seems too much for one or two sessions pick up game.

Is this a gritty real-life style thing?
Is it pulp-heroes, heroic investigations?
Cheesy X-files campness?
Gritty supernatural horror?

It's a real-life investigation, but not gritty. Like I said above in this post, Broken Sword, more serious Monkey Island-ish, even Discworld Noir would be the video games equivalent.

For literary works, Sherlock Holmes, but no Poirot, bit Indiana Jones (with more investigating, and less shooting).

Thank you all for help so far

[Yora]

IF you want to play it only once or twice, try Risus. Simply pick non-comical Archetypes for the characters, and you're ready to go.