The Silver Case 2425 is a fascinating, if not janky, representation of Suda51’s inspirations and unique style. The presentation and narrative themes are excellent and, while certain aspects have taken a beating due to their age, this collection is worth visiting if you’re a fan of Suda Goichi.
The Silver Case 2425
Developer: Grasshopper Manufacture
Price: $40
Platforms: Nintendo Switch (reviewed)
MonsterVine was provided with a Switch code for review
I’m not a huge visual novel guy, but I am a huge Suda51 guy. I’ve only really played a few visual novels, but the promise of a dark detective-themed Suda51 visual novel had me pretty excited, as I wanted to see Grasshopper’s first foray into the gaming scene. What I got was unique, but also rather dated. Even then, it gave me greater insight into Suda’s work, and was pretty enjoyable on its own, even with its flaws.
The Silver Case 2425 is a collection of The Silver Case and The 25th Ward; two visual novels that were originally made for the PS1 and Japanese mobile phones respectively. They occur in a city called the 24 Wards, where unusual crimes have started to occur. It’s sometimes hard to differentiate both games’ literal and symbolic aspects, but their presentation is undeniably special. There’s moody darkness to both games that is hard to describe, but it’s heavy and eerie in a way that few things are.
The main theme of The Silver Case is “transmissible crime.” Following the possible resurgence of famed serial killer Kamui Uehara, the 24th Ward begins to see serveral crimes committed by people who were seemingly inspired in some way by the very existence of Kamui. There is minimal gameplay, which has you walk around or occasionally use an object with another, but most of the game is presented through text and images. The Silver Case tackles some impressive topics for a game that came out at the end of the 90’s, from the dangers of becoming obsessive over the internet to bullying. Some swathes of dialogue isn’t especially necessary, and the gameplay is typically obtuse to unravel, which are probably the biggest flaws of the first game.
“The art itself is striking, and they don’t hold back on detail for even grotesque crime scenes.“
The Silver Case has an interesting method of using the avatar character in the narrative, as the nameable protagonist is a central figure in the story. You’re not an avatar, rather, you’re a character who just so happens to be whatever you named them. Your character is essential to the plot, and it makes you feel like you’re something of a stranger to the game itself, which adds to the isolated melancholy of the main game. The use of different forms of media, from 3D environments to live-action videos, is an inspired choice that also adds to the unsettling nature of the game.
On the other hand, The 25th Ward follows a new character, set years after the first Silver Case game. This one follows two government agencies and Tokio Morishima through different stories involving the 25th Ward. It’s largely presented in a shorter way, due to its original release on mobile phones, but this full remake does feel like a step forward from the original game. The gameplay is still very simple and simultaneously a bit hard to follow at times, but it feels smoother and more planned than in the previous game. The art is sharper as well, with lots of black and white to make the use of color more striking.
“The music is brilliant as well, as it perfectly suits the dark and cynical tone that many of the cases take on, with some genuinely haunting and tragic tracks that really make you feel for the characters.“
The transition between the two games is a bit shaky, as the game that takes place between them, Flower, Sun, and Rain, is not present in this collection. This makes certain characters’ situations a bit confusing, so I would have liked for the title to be included in this collection for the sake of narrative consistency. Even an in-game synopsis of this and Moonlight Syndrome, which features characters that reappear in the first case of Silver Case, would go a long way in making the story easier to follow. Both games do slow down a bit when a lot of text is scrolling at certain points, which is disappointing.
Visually, The Silver Case 2425 is quite stylish. Text boxes appear in various sizes around the screen, while art and videos dynamically change shape and size to give you different sensations throughout the stories. The art itself is striking, and they don’t hold back on detail for even grotesque crime scenes. The style also sells the cold nature of the world of The Silver Case, as everything looks clean and almost sterile, in a good way. The music is brilliant as well, as it perfectly suits the dark and cynical tone that many of the cases take on, with some genuinely haunting and tragic tracks that really make you feel for the characters.
The Final Word
The Silver Case 2425 is a captivating collection of The Silver Case and The 25th Ward that, while flawed, provide a good deal of insight into the mind of Suda51. The stories are engrossing despite some unnecessary filler and some missing entries, and the visuals and sound are excellent. It certainly won’t be for everyone, but those who enjoy crime drama or Suda51 will get a lot out of it.
MonsterVine Rating: 3.5 out of 5 – Fair
