A very short (about 1 hour and 20 minutes in length) low budget linear detective visual novel directed by Taisuke Kanasaki who is better known for directing Hotel Dusk and Another Code/Trace Memory, both games which I had a good time going through. A story about an arson case being reopened under the tip of an unknown caller being a possible murder and investigated by two misfits of the detective agency. Nanase is the stone cold grizzled detective while his partner Amekura is the lively youngster, pretty much the usual suspects you'll see in any law enforcement show. While seemingly cliche, they are written well enough to have engaging conversations with each other to keep you entertained.
Gameplay wise you can tell there was not much of a budget to work with (explains the $5 price tag) as the entire game takes place in either the interrogation room or your office. When you're not listening to Nanase and Amekura banter you're interrogating possible suspects in a Phoenix Wright sort of way. At times you'll have to present a statement and if it's wrong you'll lose some health. The answers are always really easy and nothing that'll make you think hard. It leaves much to be desired but what carries the game is the story. In such a sort length the plot flows as good as it can and keeps you wanting more as you learn about how everything transpired. For fans of Hotel Dusk you'll feel right at home with the sort of dialogue and music throughout the game (Same Composer too). There is only about 6 tracks in the game and none of them get overplayed to an extent and are memorable tunes especially the one that plays at the reveal of the killer.
Sadly what really holds the game back besides the lack of areas and interactivity is how much it tries to set up a continuation. There's a lot of things that the game doesn't explain such as Nanase's supposedly deeper involvement in the case. This game feels like its a pilot episode of a detective show. It ends abruptly on a huge cliff hanger that would've set up an entire full release game. From the looks of it that'll never happen as this was Kanasaki's last game as of 2016. Nowadays he doesn't seem to be involved in anything outside of this art for Guilty Gear Strive he did a couple months ago https://preview.redd.it/hwghm2addv171.jpg?width=841&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=753bc9ecf43d920a76725c84d9bbe808c781e95f
I do wish these characters and story line could continue in some form in the future.
Gameplay wise you can tell there was not much of a budget to work with (explains the $5 price tag) as the entire game takes place in either the interrogation room or your office. When you're not listening to Nanase and Amekura banter you're interrogating possible suspects in a Phoenix Wright sort of way. At times you'll have to present a statement and if it's wrong you'll lose some health. The answers are always really easy and nothing that'll make you think hard. It leaves much to be desired but what carries the game is the story. In such a sort length the plot flows as good as it can and keeps you wanting more as you learn about how everything transpired. For fans of Hotel Dusk you'll feel right at home with the sort of dialogue and music throughout the game (Same Composer too). There is only about 6 tracks in the game and none of them get overplayed to an extent and are memorable tunes especially the one that plays at the reveal of the killer.
Sadly what really holds the game back besides the lack of areas and interactivity is how much it tries to set up a continuation. There's a lot of things that the game doesn't explain such as Nanase's supposedly deeper involvement in the case. This game feels like its a pilot episode of a detective show. It ends abruptly on a huge cliff hanger that would've set up an entire full release game. From the looks of it that'll never happen as this was Kanasaki's last game as of 2016. Nowadays he doesn't seem to be involved in anything outside of this art for Guilty Gear Strive he did a couple months ago https://preview.redd.it/hwghm2addv171.jpg?width=841&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=753bc9ecf43d920a76725c84d9bbe808c781e95f
I do wish these characters and story line could continue in some form in the future.
PsychoWerefox
2 years ago