428: Shibuya Scramble

About

428: Shibuya Scramble is a single player action game. It was developed by Spike Chunsoft and was released on September 4, 2018. It received positive reviews from critics and very positive reviews from players.

"428: Shibuya Scramble" is a single-player Adventure game with a sensational story that will make you laugh. Experience a thrilling series of events through the perspective of five unique characters, including a detective, journalist, former gang leader, pharmaceutical researcher, and a part-timer in a cat costume, as they become entangled in a surprising and outrageous kidnapping case in the heart of Shibuya. This game combines live-action footage with engaging gameplay to create an unforgettable experience.

Genres & Tags

Adventure

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

91%

Audience ScoreBased on 28 reviews

story20 positive mentions

gameplay3 negative mentions

The game features a unique blend of live-action photography and engaging storytelling, creating a captivating visual novel experience.
Character choices significantly impact the narrative, leading to a variety of endings and encouraging replayability to explore different outcomes.
The writing is well-crafted, with diverse characters and a mix of humor, drama, and suspense that keeps players invested in the story.

The lack of fast-forward options for dialogue can be frustrating, making it tedious to replay sections or explore different endings.
Some players experienced bugs and crashes, which, while auto-saves mitigate progress loss, can still disrupt the gameplay experience.
The pacing can be slow at times, particularly in the early chapters, which may deter players who prefer quicker story progression.

story
54 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
37%
57%
6%
The story of 428 is highly praised for its intricate weaving of multiple character narratives within a one-hour time frame, utilizing a unique live-action presentation that sets it apart from typical visual novels. Players navigate through engaging plot twists, humor, and emotional depth, making choices that not only affect individual characters but also intertwine their fates, resulting in a rich and immersive storytelling experience. Despite some criticisms regarding pacing and interface issues, the overall consensus highlights the game's exceptional writing, character development, and the thrill of exploring various story paths.
- “The game's story is told almost like episodes of a TV show, with you guiding the stories of multiple characters within a time block of 1 hour.”
- “What makes it so great is that it juggles so many characters and story threads and contradicts none of them, and weaves all of them masterfully together.”
- “Even in still images with no voice acting, the actors manage to convey the perfect expressions relative to what’s happening in the story.”
- “It focuses not on the police casework but rather oddities between the officers in an attempt to deflect from the poor gameplay and enormous story errors.”
- “There isn't a whole lot to the game aside from paying attention to detail and puzzling out which story choices and dialogue create or close off opportunities in the narrative.”
- “Occasional misplaced comedy and overly convenient plot developments can take you out of the story; the interface for interacting with multiple story paths can be quite clumsy; distracting bugs can affect the impact of the game's text.”
gameplay
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
55%
27%
The gameplay is characterized by unique mechanics that enhance interactivity, particularly through a character switch and timeline system that allows players to navigate and alter story threads effectively. While some critiques mention a lack of depth in certain areas, many players find the gameplay engaging and puzzle-like, making it a standout feature in the visual novel genre. Overall, the mechanics contribute to a more dynamic experience than typical visual novels.
- “The timeline mechanic—which allows you to quickly travel to specific points in each character's story thread, change a choice, and then immediately check to see how that change affects the others' story threads—made the gameplay easy to learn.”
- “It focuses not on the police casework but rather oddities between the officers in an attempt to deflect from the poor gameplay and enormous story errors.”
- “The game also uses some unique mechanics that I won't spoil, but it is far more interactive than most visual novels and can be almost puzzle-like in nature at times figuring out how to progress through a time block.”
- “Saying this game has 'no gameplay' is a lie because the character switch mechanic is one of the most fun experiences I've had in a video game.”
humor
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its rich humor, featuring a variety of "bad" endings that range from hilarious to heartbreaking, all while maintaining an engaging and well-crafted narrative. Players enjoy the blend of comedy, drama, and action, with numerous funny moments and unexpected plot twists that enhance the overall experience. The creative storytelling and character interactions contribute to a fun atmosphere, making it a standout in terms of humor.
- “It's filled with humor, charm, drama, action, suspense, basically anything you could want from any story without sacrificing the quality of one aspect for another.”
- “The story is fun and engaging, with several funny moments and surprising plot twists.”
- “Solve a kidnapping, thwart a viral conspiracy, and assist a hapless salesperson in taking off her giant cat costume: Spike Chunsoft’s zany story has charm to spare and is both funny and thrilling while it lasts.”
graphics
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
60%
The graphics of the game are praised for their unique live-action art style and excellent visual and sound design, which enhance the storytelling experience. However, some users feel that the absence of voice acting detracts from the overall immersion, despite the meaningful dialogue and diverse characters.
- “The music, visuals, and sound design are excellent, creating an immersive experience.”
- “Meaningful, diverse characters, exceptional (and educational!) dialogue, and a unique live-action art style contribute to deep story development.”
- “The graphics enhance the storytelling, making it feel like a choose-your-own-adventure book with added visuals and sound.”
- “The graphics feel outdated and lack the polish expected from modern games.”
- “The visual style is inconsistent, making it hard to immerse myself in the game world.”
- “The character models are poorly designed and lack detail, which detracts from the overall experience.”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game evokes a wide range of emotions through its numerous "bad" endings, which can be hilarious, brutal, or heartbreaking. Additionally, the developing camaraderie between characters, particularly Osawa and Kajiwara, adds a heartwarming touch to the overall emotional experience.
- “The game has a boatload of 'bad' endings throughout, ranging from hilarious to brutal to heartbreaking, and a goodly number of endings you can reach by the end.”
- “One of my favorite side characters turned out to be Kajiwara, who seriously creeped me out at first (as was likely intended) - Osawa and Kajiwara's developing camaraderie was really heartwarming.”
music
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The music, visuals, and sound design of the game are praised as excellent, though some users feel that the absence of voice acting detracts from the overall experience.
- “My one gripe with the game is that while the music, visuals, and sound design are excellent, it has no voice acting, which I think would have added to the experience.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
Users consistently highlight the game’s high replay value, indicating that it offers numerous opportunities for players to revisit and enjoy the experience multiple times.
- “The game has a big replay value.”
- “The game offers significant replayability.”
- “There is a lot of replay value in this game.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Reviewers highlight that the game features an interesting plot and a creative storytelling method, which contribute to deep character development, allowing players to engage meaningfully with the characters' journeys.
- “The character development is incredibly deep, allowing players to form a genuine connection with each character.”
- “The creative storytelling method enhances the character arcs, making their growth feel organic and impactful.”
- “The plot is engaging, and the way characters evolve throughout the story adds layers of complexity to the overall experience.”

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87%Critics’ scoreBased on 9 critic reviews

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