The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story

The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story is a great example of FMV done right, with a captivating mystery and engaging investigations throughout.

86%Game Brain Score

story, gameplay

grinding, replayability

87% User Score Based on 272 reviews

Critic Score 72%Based on 2 reviews

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About

The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story is a single player action game with mystery and historical themes. It was developed by Square Enix and was released on May 12, 2022. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and positive reviews from players.

"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.

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Play Modes

Single-Player

The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story screenshot

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87%

Audience ScoreBased on 272 reviews

story117 positive mentions

grinding23 negative mentions

The game features a captivating story with well-written mysteries that keep players engaged.
High production value with excellent cinematography, acting, and a compelling soundtrack.
The gameplay, while sometimes tedious, offers a unique deduction mechanic that allows players to piece together clues and form hypotheses.

The gameplay mechanics can feel clunky and overly guided, making the deduction process tedious and less engaging.
The ending and epilogue are criticized for being convoluted and unsatisfying, undermining the overall experience.
Some players found the English dub lacking in quality, suggesting that the original Japanese audio with subtitles is a better option.

story
288 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
41%
57%
2%
The story of "The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story" is a compelling and intricate murder mystery that spans a century, featuring a blend of engaging characters and numerous plot twists that keep players invested. While the narrative is praised for its cinematic quality and depth, some reviewers noted that the pacing falters towards the end, leading to a disjointed conclusion filled with convoluted plot points. Overall, the game is recommended for those who appreciate a well-crafted story, even if the gameplay mechanics may detract from the experience.
- “Centennial Case manages to present an intriguing plot with a really interesting mystery that crosses time.”
- “The story spans over the time of 100 years and everything is connected.”
- “The locations are beautiful, the cast was very good and the story was compelling and fun to figure out with its many twists and turns.”
- “For the entire game, it had stuck a perfect balance between showing and telling, but now throws all that hard work in making a tightly knit, comprehensive story right out the window.”
- “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 and it caused the tone of the entire game (which was initially quite lovely) to completely shift and clash.”
gameplay
122 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
16%
73%
11%
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 mechanics that can feel like a drag. While the game offers a compelling narrative and strong performances, the interactive elements often detract from the experience, making it feel more like watching a drama than engaging in a traditional game. Overall, players recommend approaching it primarily for the story rather than the gameplay mechanics.
- “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 (albeit for one which does not allow you to skip past videos for the clues) 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
38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
63%
29%
8%
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its ability to enhance the atmosphere and emotional depth of the experience. The soundtrack is described as phenomenal, memorable, and integral to heightening dramatic moments, contributing to a cinematic feel. Despite some minor interruptions during gameplay, the overall consensus is that the music significantly enriches the game's narrative and immersion.
- “This game has definitely a great atmosphere and soundtrack.”
- “The music was phenomenal and I honestly can't remember any track that I disliked because they were all so good to listen to.”
- “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.”
- “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 insanely long.”
- “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
23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The grinding aspect of the game is frequently criticized for its tedious and slow-paced mechanics, particularly during the hypothesis and logic segments, which can feel unnecessarily prolonged and frustrating. Players noted that the lengthy animations and repetitive deduction processes detract from the overall experience, making it feel padded and less engaging, despite the strong story and acting. Overall, while some moments shine, the gameplay often suffers from a lack of pacing and clarity.
- “The gameplay is admittedly rather tedious.”
- “The realistic environment sets captured through FMV in this game also improved the immersion, although I felt that most of the murder mysteries felt solved too easily and most of them hinged on the problematic gaming mechanics, the reasoning system which I did not like as it felt tedious, and since the system is based on multiple hypotheses, it feels like a stab in the dark sometimes since you are basically finding out which puzzle pieces fit, which can be brute forced if you are really stuck. Most hypotheses also had really long and unnecessary playback animations and only served to bore the gameplay segments more.”
- “And then if you mess up, it takes like a minute or two to get a second shot because of a long 'lol you failed' cutscene, then dragging you all the way back to the fact-vomit screen for no good reason, and it's just... tedious.”
optimization
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
69%
31%
The game's optimization is a mixed bag; while it features engaging narratives and outstanding performances from its cast, it struggles with gameplay mechanics, leaving some players wanting more in terms of interactivity. The overall experience is enhanced by beautiful sets and music, making it enjoyable for those who appreciate a cinematic approach, despite its budget limitations.
- “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.”
- “[engaging mysteries to unravel, great performances, campy in all the right ways]”
graphics
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
16%
17%
The graphics of the game have received high praise, with many users calling them the best they've ever seen, particularly highlighting the transition to a live-action FMV presentation. While there are instances of misleading visuals, the overall design is noted for its careful construction and the skill of the actors involved. The visuals significantly enhance the storytelling and detective elements of the game, 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, part due to that it is live action, and has some really good detective solving parts to the game that really make you think hard about some things because it doesn't give you the direct answer for some questions, so you have to piece it together yourself.”
- “I feel like the switch from a traditional cel-shaded/hand-drawn art style visual novel to an FMV presentation is a bold one.”
humor
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is a standout feature, with players finding both the dialogue and plot amusing, particularly during incorrect answers and over-the-top scenes. The chemistry between the main actors enhances the comedic elements, making even the wrong choices entertaining. Overall, the game successfully blends humor with its narrative, providing a lighthearted experience amidst its complex storytelling.
- “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.”
- “So much effort was put into the dialogue and plot, and the cast's acting only made it even better. Although sometimes it does get a bit over the top (particularly the funny scenes at the bad endings, which I found quite amusing), the main actors, Nanami Sakuraba and Yuta Hiraoka, acted excellently and I enjoyed seeing the chemistry between them and the cast play out in the story.”
emotional
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviews highlight a mixed emotional impact, with some players feeling that the story's clichés and predictable character actions undermine its emotional weight. While a few moments resonate deeply and the true ending is described as very touching, others express fatigue with the narrative, suggesting that the emotional beats often feel unearned. Overall, the emotional experience is seen as inconsistent, balancing between touching moments and a lack of originality.
- “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
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its strong atmosphere and engaging soundtrack, contributing to an overall enjoyable experience despite some weaknesses. Players appreciate the fun, atmospheric locked room mysteries that enhance the storytelling.
- “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
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
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.”

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72%Critics’ scoreBased on 2 critic reviews

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Frequently Asked Questions

The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story is a action game with mystery and historical themes.

The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story is available on Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 5, Phone and others.

The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story was released on May 12, 2022.

The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story was developed by Square Enix.

The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story has received mostly positive reviews from players and mostly positive reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its grinding.

The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story is a single player game.

Similar games include Murders on the Yangtze River, AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES, Tangle Tower, Tyrion Cuthbert: Attorney of the Arcane, Lacuna and others.

The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story

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