The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story to open in May

Written by Jack Allin — February 15, 2022 at 10:29

Many (fictional) tragedies have occurred in pursuit of eternal life, but rarely have so many happened to one family, as they do in The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story, a live-action Japanese mystery from h.a.n.d. and Square Enix that is due to arrive this spring. 

In search of "the Fruit of Youth," which has been passed down for generations in the eponymous Shijima family, the "Scarlet Camellia" has committed a series of four murders spanning an entire century. Hoping to finally identify the culprit(s), aspiring novelist Haruka Kagami, who "excels at solving mysteries, as well as creating them," will "transcend time across different eras of Japan while collecting information scattered throughout each era to uncover the truth." 

Directed by Koichiro Ito (Metal Gear Solid V), with Yasuhito Tachibana (producer of Netflix's The Naked Director series) serving as cinematographer and scenario director, the game stars "a cast of talented Japanese actors," headlined by Nanami Sakuraba as the protagonist and Yuta Hiraoka as Eiji Shijima, the "second son of the Shijima family who returns home to help unravel the mystery behind his ill-fated family." Many actors will portray a different character in each of the four eras, such that "the victim in one case may end up being the culprit in another."

Beginning in 1922, players will observe a full-motion video re-enactment of each murder. Everything needed to deduce the killer "can be found somewhere in the video itself," and you are able to "check clues and information on the characters involved in real time." Once enough evidence has been found, players can "build a connected path of logic" to form a hypothesis in Haruka's "cognitive space." It's up to you to decide which of the available hypotheses is true, but beware that making the wrong choice can "lead your deduction down the wrong path" and end badly for all involved (including you).

The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story is in the final stages of development and its release is just around the corner, with an expected launch date of May 12th on Steam for Windows PC, as well as console versions for PlayStation and Nintendo Switch. Those who pre-order will receive a "mini soundtrack" and a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the game's production. To learn more about the game, you can check out the official website for additional details.