Urban Myth Dissolution Center

About

In "Urban Myth Dissolution Center," become Azami Fukurai, an investigator at a unique organization that deals with paranormal urban myths. Gather evidence from social media and the real world to unravel each myth's truth and face unexpected consequences. This episodic adventure game offers captivating psychedelic pixel art and a blend of online and on-site research.

Genres & Tags

Adventure

Play Modes

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

Urban Myth Dissolution Center screenshot

86%

Audience ScoreBased on 156 reviews

story60 positive mentions

gameplay6 negative mentions

The game features a captivating story with engaging characters and a unique art style that enhances the overall experience.
The pacing and structure of the episodes allow for a gradual reveal of the plot, keeping players intrigued without overwhelming them with exposition.
The game successfully combines elements of mystery and urban legends, providing enjoyable twists that keep players guessing.

The gameplay can feel linear and simplistic, with puzzles that are often too easy, leading to a lack of challenge for seasoned players.
The final twist in the story has been criticized for being unsatisfactory and potentially undermining the narrative built up throughout the game.
The absence of manual save options and a chapter select feature can be frustrating, as players may miss content due to the auto-save system.

story
142 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
54%
4%
The story is a central focus of the game, featuring an engaging plot with intriguing twists and well-developed characters, though it is criticized for being linear and containing plot holes, particularly in the ending. While many players found the narrative enjoyable and thought-provoking, some felt that certain twists undermined the overall coherence of the story. Overall, the game is recommended for those who appreciate visual novels and detective themes, despite its narrative flaws.
- “Overall, I really enjoyed this game, from its story to its characters. I feel like I got great value out of the money I spent on it.”
- “The characters, the expressions they make, and all those idle movements add a lot of charm to this story, and from where I'm at right now, it's taking a pretty wild direction so I'm happy with this purchase.”
- “Adding that with the beautiful pixel art, creepy themes, and excellent storytelling, all at a price that I believe is perfect, gets you a game that I am very happy I stumbled across.”
- “There was no time or opportunity to learn about this world or enjoy the characters, just immediate back-to-back things that happen to move the plot forward.”
- “But man... the story is just a complete mess.”
- “Every episode was building up to some grander story, where you don't know until the very end if there really is something anomalous hiding behind the mundane, and it ruins everything in the end, creating multiple plot holes in the process.”
graphics
44 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
48%
7%
The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim for their stunning art style and effective sound design, which together create a captivating atmosphere that enhances the occult mystery theme. Reviewers particularly praised the character designs and animations, noting that the visuals stand out from typical visual novel art. While some found the pacing slow, the overall aesthetic and engaging presentation were highlighted as key strengths of the game.
- “The graphics and presentation are top notch and are what immediately got me interested many months ago.”
- “The art style is amazing, the sound design is stellar, the vibes are great all the way through, and what it tries to convey about the role and dangers of social media in modern society is a sentiment I can 100% get behind.”
- “Great visuals and audio, really stands out from usual visual novel art.”
- “It might feel a bit too slow-paced for its own good—perhaps even boring at times for some—but everything else like the characters, visuals, and music come to the rescue.”
- “Again, I really admire what the team was going for, and I love the aesthetic, but this story needed a lot, lot more time in the oven.”
- “While I miss voice acting sometimes (would have loved to hear the blood-curdling screams at some point to match the spooky art style), it isn't that big of a deal because the characters are so expressive you can just hear them in your head!”
music
36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56%
36%
8%
The music in the game is widely praised for its ability to enhance the atmosphere and aesthetics, with many reviewers highlighting the catchy ending song and the overall quality of the soundtrack. While some noted a limited variety of tracks, the main theme and several standout pieces were particularly appreciated, contributing to the game's charm alongside its pixel art style. Overall, the music is considered a significant strength, complementing the engaging visuals and story.
- “The soundtrack is great, too, despite not having many tracks; it really adds to the atmosphere.”
- “The music is also great with a sick 'ending' song for each chapter.”
- “The art style and music are gorgeous!”
- “It might feel a bit too slow-paced for its own good—perhaps even boring at times for some—but everything else like the characters, visuals, and music come to the rescue.”
- “The sound track is sooooo gooooood.”
- “Points I can gush about are the art style, animation, music, and sound effects.”
gameplay
32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
9%
72%
19%
The gameplay features a mix of varied mechanics, including social media investigations, puzzles, and point-and-click elements, but lacks a fail state, leading to a repetitive experience. While the gameplay can be slow and simplistic, it is generally enjoyable due to its engaging story and characters. Overall, it is best approached as a stylish visual novel rather than a deep investigative game.
- “I appreciate the fact that the game mechanics are varied between social media investigations, fill-in-the-blank puzzles, multiple choice deduction quizzes, and more stereotypical adventure game point-and-click mechanics.”
- “Sometimes the game is a bit slow in certain parts of the gameplay, but the story and characters are very enjoyable, and the themes are certainly something to think about.”
- “100% recommended for the price, length, simple gameplay, and amazing story.”
- “These mechanics feel less impactful once you realize that there is no 'fail state' for any of them.”
- “There is some variety in gameplay, for example word puzzles or quizzes regarding your current case, but this is not an investigation game at its core – there is no failure state, the outcome of the case is always the same.”
- “Gameplay is repetitive and doesn't have any challenge or variety to it, but is fun at least for the first few episodes.”
atmosphere
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
40%
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its fitting art style and music, which effectively enhance the aesthetics and mood. Reviewers note a unique, somewhat creepy ambiance that aligns well with the mystery theme, complemented by a strong soundtrack that, despite its limited number of tracks, significantly contributes to the overall experience. Additionally, the game features engaging characters and spooky moments that further enrich the atmospheric experience.
- “The art style and music are both pretty fitting, setting up the aesthetics and atmosphere really well.”
- “The difference between the environment, the character sprites, and the close-up view creates a unique, somewhat creepy atmosphere, very fitting for the mystery novel about urban myths.”
- “The soundtrack is great, too, despite not having many tracks; it really adds to the atmosphere.”
humor
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is highlighted as a key element, with players enjoying the interactive dialogue that blends valuable information with comedic moments. Additionally, the restriction on streaming chapter 6 until April 1st adds a layer of humor to the experience, enhancing the overall enjoyment of the visual novel.
- “It's a visual novel that's more than clicking a textbox; you actually have to interact and discern which dialogue is valuable or just funny to solve the mysteries.”
- “Also, this game can be really funny!”
- “I've read that we aren't allowed to upload/stream our gameplay of chapter 6 until April 1st (kind of funny).”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, particularly due to the repetitive backtracking and extensive internet research required to progress. While some enjoy other elements of the game, the necessity for prolonged clue searching detracts from the overall experience.
- “The internet research is quite tedious, which detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game.”
- “It prolongs your playing time because it requires you to backtrack multiple times searching for clues, which becomes tedious after a while.”
- “The repetitive nature of the grinding makes the experience feel drawn out and less enjoyable.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game's optimization is generally praised, with users noting that performance is smooth and not resource-intensive, which is expected for a title of its nature.
- “The performance is also smooth, though it would be a real surprise if a game like this ends up being resource heavy.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviewers appreciate the game's character development, highlighting its engaging character designs and well-crafted dialogue that contribute to a compelling narrative experience.