As much as I love visual novels like Fata Morgana or Cyanotype Daydream, I would never recommend them to someone unfamiliar with the genre, or even someone who has played vn-adjacent titles such as planescape torment, 13 sentinels, library of ruina, kentucky route zero, or disco elysium. Many visual novels nowadays try to exclusively appeal to heavy visual novel readers, using tropes and references that people in the community can understand and enjoy, but often causes people outside the community to be alienated by.

Not 428. In fact, it's probably the single most mainstream-accessible visual novel I've ever seen, even more than visual novels that have actually found mainstream success such as ace attorney or DDLC. And unlike those two, it never sacrifices its writing quality or charm to do so.

If you like FMV games such as Her Story, you NEED to play this game.

If you like visual novels like Hakuchuumu, you NEED to play this game.

If you even have a remote interest in good storytelling in a video game format, you NEED to play this game.

4.5/5 (Near Masterpiece)

The English translation is infuriatingly unpolished, but that barely hinders the otherwise magnificent Visual Novel that this game is; heartfelt, with a daunting amount of twists and turns, funny even to me who usually stays away from comedy in media, and with certain mechanics that enhance the experience even more, 428: Shibuya Scramble is nothing short of a safe bet even for the most experienced Visual Novel enjoyers.

A proper alternative review for this game would be,
"I am simply cheesed to meet you."