The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story

This multi-generational mystery is one worth solving.

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"The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story" is a narrative-driven mystery game involving live-action video sequences. Players take on the role of a detective, unraveling a century-old family curse across four separate incidents. Through investigation, evidence collection, and deduction, help the Shijima family break free from the cycle of tragedy. This game offers a unique blend of storytelling and puzzle-solving to create an immersive and suspenseful experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

87%

Audience ScoreBased on 136 reviews

story54 positive mentions

grinding11 negative mentions

The game features a captivating story with well-written mysteries that keep players engaged throughout.
High production value with excellent acting, cinematography, and a compelling soundtrack enhances the overall experience.
The deduction mechanics, while sometimes tedious, encourage players to think critically and piece together clues, making for a satisfying mystery-solving experience.

Gameplay can feel tedious and slow, particularly during the hypothesis and deduction phases, which may detract from the overall enjoyment.
The ending and epilogue are criticized for being convoluted and unsatisfying, with some plot points feeling forced or illogical.
The game is expensive for the amount of interactive gameplay it offers, leading many to recommend waiting for a sale before purchasing.

story
137 mentions
39 % positive mentions
58 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The story of "The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story" is a compelling and intricate murder mystery that spans over a century, featuring a well-crafted narrative filled with twists and engaging character arcs. While the production quality, including acting and cinematography, is praised, some reviewers note that the gameplay mechanics can detract from the experience, making it feel more like a visual novel or film than a traditional game. Despite its flaws, the story's depth and connection between cases make it a worthwhile experience for fans of the genre, though some caution against the convoluted ending that may leave players feeling unsatisfied.
- “The story spans over the time of 100 years and everything is connected.”
- “Centennial Case manages to present an intriguing plot with a really interesting mystery that crosses time.”
- “The storyline is also great in that it kept me engaged until the very end.”
- “At one point in the story, you have to decide whether or not a killer didn't enter a room because they are either afraid of fire, darkness, or tanuki statues, with the only clue about the right answer being that someone mentioned they disliked cigarettes and that someone had stepped on a matchbox out in the yard.”
- “However, that steady pace gets disturbed when you've been going at a steady pace for 90% of the experience, and suddenly, in the very last portion of the game, it hits you with an avalanche of many unrealistic and jarring plot points that require you to suspend your disbelief not once, but several times.”
- “The narrative tried to cram so many different ideas into the last half of the game, and it became so disjointed that it was painfully obvious that these plot twists all felt jumbled together, causing the tone of the entire game (which was initially quite lovely) to completely shift and clash.”
gameplay
57 mentions
16 % positive mentions
74 % neutral mentions
11 % negative mentions
The gameplay in "The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story" has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it tedious and clunky, particularly the hypothesis generation and deduction mechanics. While the interactive elements can feel frustrating and simplistic, the game's narrative and character performances are praised, suggesting that it may be better enjoyed as a story-driven experience rather than a traditional game. Overall, players recommend approaching it with lowered expectations for gameplay, focusing instead on the engaging mystery narrative.
- “Overall, the gameplay was surprisingly enjoyable for something so simple, and dare I even say a little therapeutic.”
- “The story is filled with enough twists to keep you engaged, and the game mechanic is pretty user-friendly and for an FMV, there are mechanics that are very innovative.”
- “In terms of actual gameplay, it almost feels like a live-action dramatic Ace Attorney game, and I want to be clear that I absolutely mean that as a compliment.”
- “Gameplay-wise, the game doesn't really shine, since the interactive bits of it are more of a drag than something really interesting.”
- “The gameplay is admittedly rather tedious.”
- “It's a good story - the only caveat is that you're essentially spending your money on a lengthy detective story rather than a bunch of gameplay, because there's very little gameplay to be had here.”
music
18 mentions
61 % positive mentions
22 % neutral mentions
17 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its quality and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere, with many reviewers noting its effectiveness in heightening dramatic moments and creating an immersive experience. The soundtrack is described as memorable and enjoyable, contributing significantly to the game's cinematic feel. Overall, players appreciate the combination of great music with strong acting and visual elements, making it a standout feature of the game.
- “This game has definitely a great atmosphere and soundtrack.”
- “I purchased the OST CD because the music is truly great.”
- “The music was phenomenal, and I honestly can't remember any track that I disliked because they were all so good to listen to.”
- “I actually viscerally enjoy them to an extent, but each time you put in one of the hexagons, the music stops and it gives you several popups. You can make it go faster by hitting escape, but it really takes an insanely long time.”
- “The soundtrack only served to heighten dramatic moments and tension, and there were a lot of memorable ones that I found myself listening to multiple times.”
- “Mood-setting techniques more subtle than 'play sad music when the guy is sad'!”
grinding
11 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Players consistently find the grinding aspects of the game, particularly the hypothesis and logic segments, to be slow and tedious, often detracting from the overall experience. Many reviewers express frustration with lengthy animations and repetitive mechanics that can make solving mysteries feel laborious, leading to a sense of padding in gameplay. While the story and acting are praised, the tedious nature of the deduction process is a common point of criticism.
- “My only real negative is that the hypothesis segment is a little slow and tedious, especially when you've already figured out certain parts of the mystery. I wish those animations were a little faster.”
- “The cons are that the 'logic' segments are really tedious.”
- “For a $50 game, this sure feels both too short and yet frustratingly padded out via its tedious deduction mechanics.”
graphics
6 mentions
67 % positive mentions
-17 % neutral mentions
50 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with some praising the stunning visuals and the bold transition to a live-action format, while others noted instances of misleading visuals. Overall, the combination of high-quality graphics and skilled performances enhances the storytelling and detective elements, making for an engaging experience.
- “Best graphics I've ever seen.”
- “Graphics are great and the actors are skilled.”
- “This is a very amazing story and I can't deny that; it has amazing visuals, partly due to the fact that it is live action, and has some really good detective-solving elements that really make you think hard about certain things because it doesn't give you direct answers for some questions, so you have to piece it together yourself.”
- “The graphics are a significant downgrade from what I expected, making the game feel less immersive.”
- “The transition from a traditional cel-shaded art style to a full-motion video presentation feels jarring and doesn't suit the game's tone.”
- “The holographic memory bridge feature is visually confusing, with vague statements that detract from the overall experience.”
optimization
6 mentions
67 % positive mentions
-17 % neutral mentions
50 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is a mixed bag; while it features engaging performances and a solid narrative that enhance the cinematic experience, it struggles with gameplay mechanics, indicating a lack of polish in that area. Overall, players may appreciate the charming acting and visuals, but the gameplay may not meet expectations.
- “This game is worth it if you enjoy sitting back for a detective live-action movie that also allows you to 'somewhat' influence the performance.”
- “Really enjoyed the performance of the actors and the beautiful sets, which paired with some fine pieces of music made a great cinematic experience.”
- “This FMV game has managed to deliver outstanding performances from its cast and a solid narrative that keeps players engaged, but unfortunately falls short when it comes to gameplay mechanics.”
- “The optimization is severely lacking, leading to frequent frame drops and stuttering during key moments.”
- “I was disappointed by the poor optimization; it feels like the game was rushed and not properly tested.”
- “Despite the intriguing storyline, the optimization issues made it frustrating to play, detracting from the overall experience.”
humor
6 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as both intentional and unintentional, with players finding joy in the absurdity of wrong answers and over-the-top performances. The dialogue and plot are noted for their comedic effort, particularly in bad endings, while the chemistry between the main actors adds to the overall amusement. Overall, the game successfully blends humor with its narrative, making for an entertaining experience.
- “And while you can't say that the resulting performance is good, it is absolutely hilarious.”
- “Although this is an incentive to be as correct as possible, please do not miss the chance to watch the wrong answers as well, because some of them are hilarious and I was glad I was wrong sometimes.”
- “I find it hilarious this game has 'choose your own adventure' listed as a genre because despite the game throwing over 400 red herrings at you, there is only one correct story.”
emotional
5 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate a mixed reception regarding the emotional aspect of the game. While some players feel that the emotional moments are unearned and overshadowed by cliché storytelling, others appreciate the unexpected touching moments that resonate deeply, particularly in the true ending. Overall, the emotional impact varies significantly among players, with some finding it genuinely moving and others feeling fatigued by the narrative.
- “It also doesn’t get as wacky or crazy as 428 did at times, but also manages to make the most unexpected moments touching almost effortlessly.”
- “All while still managing to be a very touching story.”
- “This true ending is really, really, really touching.”
atmosphere
3 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised, featuring an engaging soundtrack and a compelling overall story that enhances the experience. Despite some weaknesses, the atmospheric design, particularly in its locked room mysteries, contributes significantly to the enjoyment.
- “This game has a great atmosphere and soundtrack.”
- “In spite of all these serious weaknesses, the overall story and atmosphere were good enough.”
- “This game is full of fun little atmospheric locked room style mysteries.”
replayability
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The game offers limited replayability, as it is a detective title where solving the cases and riddles diminishes the mystery, making subsequent playthroughs less engaging.
- “But do not expect much replayability as this is a detective game, and a very good one at that. But once you solve the cases/riddles, the mystery is gone.”