The Silver Case 2425: Deluxe Edition

released on Jul 09, 2021

The Silver Case 2425 Deluxe Edition includes: - The Silver Case 2425 Game - Official Soundtrack - Soft Cover Artbook - Collector's Box


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Deluxe Edition


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An interesting game that runs like absolute custard on Switch for some reason. Suda51 is one of the most interesting writers in games. Second game doesn't really end so much as just fade out but it's worth the journey to get there.

This collection includes both The Silver Case, and it's later sequel The 25th Ward. The former is an old favorite, technically a PSOne game that was brought to the west some years after it's initial release. It features parallel storylines: in one, the Heinous Crime Unit investigate "Kamui;" in the other, Tokio's Morishima investigates the Heinous Crime Unit and Kamui on his own, often reacting to events in the former.

This mode of storytelling was apparently inspired by fanwork from one of SUDA's previous games: a fan of Moonlight Syndrome wrote a fan fic of someone in that game's universe reacting to the main narrative. The Silver Case has a lot of flaws, but the split narrative is one of it's biggest strengths. It contributes to the fractured, confused narrative, to the sense of confusion you and the characters experience.

The 25th Ward bumps this up with another storyline, a total of 3 narratives. Its kind of confusing. It's more confusing than The Silver Case. There is still a great sense of style, even better music, and some heady fucking shit going on, but you kinda wonder if they shouldn't've touched some things up here and there.

Overall the collection rules, though it's a shame it doesn't have Flower, Sun, and Rain. The Silver Case edges out 25th Ward in my head at least, if only because the flaws of the former are more easily excusable. I don't have the most experience with visual novels but these games feel relatively unique. They feel comfortable with laying around in ambiguity, in creating doubt about the specifics of any one plot event. Tokio recounts the events of The Silver Case by saying "the background of the background to this case is so ridiculous it may well be made up." This is really on point, and it's part of what make the games so fun and interesting.