The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story Reviews
For those who would still like to try the game in intrigue, it is recommended to maintain its original Japanese voice instead of the English dub. Though a good option for accessibility, the English dub hires voice actors that make a scene almost unbearable to watch because of the lack of emotions in their delivery. While there are FMVs with great dubs, this is definitely not one of them.
The Centennial Case aims to make poignant statements about life and death but succumbs to its poor medium choice and confusing logic.
The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story brings a commendable effort, but the whole thing feels like being at a twelve hour murder mystery dinner with intermissions of the most boring game of dominoes you’ve ever played.
The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story tells a fun and intriguing detective story. Unfortunately, it mostly fails to deliver meaningful and fun gameplay.
The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story is a massive FMV-game that tries to do way too much with its story, and in result loses its focus, especially compared to some smaller scale titles.
Review in Russian | Read full review
The Centennial Case tries to engage the player/viewer, but lacks the bite of a Telling Lies or the simple, but welcome interactivity with the scenarios of an Ace Attorney.
Review in Italian | Read full review
The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story is difficult to be a good FMV game. The tedious plot, boring detective gameplay, and many unnecessary misleading information make playing it almost a disaster.
Review in Chinese | Read full review
Due to this lack, The Centennial Case is therefore not recommended for the full price of 50 euros. Now it's the hypotheses that make you think before you point out a culprit, but if the puzzling around it had been just a little more exciting, then this game would have come out much stronger. All the other elements in the game are very well worked out and will not get bored for a moment. With an offer, this is therefore an absolute must for anyone who loves a good mystery.
Review in Dutch | Read full review
If you like investigative dramas and are interested in something that's more interactive than your typical TV show, Centennial Case might be up your alley.
The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story is absolutely one of the better murder mystery FMVs out there, bringing together acting portions with interesting mechanics and a stellar story with a surprising twist. Although the mechanics did feel a bit at odds with each other at times, it doesn’t stop The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story from being a truly fascinating experience that was hard to put down. If you love a good murder mystery that plays like a movie but makes you feel like you’re reading an Agatha Christie novel (albeit in Japan), The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story has waited a century for you to try it out.
The Centennial Case : A Shijima Story is a game with very clear strengths and really pronounced weaknesses. In the end,its strengths are what stand out thanks to a story that keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. It would be great if its interactive parts were less tedious. However, those who manage to see past its stumbling blocks will find the mystery story engaging.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
If you fancy yourself a bit of a budding sleuth and enjoy a good murder mystery, you’ll love The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story. The narrative is rich and twisting, and even as it jumps between time periods it always manages to keep you engaged. As long as you don’t mind a bit of ham and cheese (and stay away from the English dub), you’ll have a grand old time with this whodunnit.
In the history of gaming there have been experiences where everything about the game is fantastic except for the actual gameplay.
The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story is more like watching a campy murder-mystery drama than playing a video game, and what gameplay there is often kills the story's pace. While we enjoyed our time with it all the same, you'll have to ask yourself how interested you are in watching what amounts to a decent Japanese TV series with mediocre interactivity. For us, we won't let another FMV murder-mystery developed by Square Enix escape our notice again, though we certainly hope they rework how we uncover the culprits.
The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story is an exceptional grouping of semi-connected detective stories. Experiencing a whodunnit while marginally helping piece the mystery together was a great combination. While much of the investigation is much too guided, getting to watch the suspect react as you place down piece after piece of evidence is completely worth it. The game never works better than it does when you just get to sit back and enjoy watching the story unfold.
The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story is a killer combination of murder mystery meets TV drama. While the puzzle-solving aspects tend to come with too much unnecessary guidance to help you along, it’s thoroughly enjoyable to be able to channel your inner Poirot and figure out the events of the crime before dramatically unveiling the murderer to all involved. What the game lacks in a challenge, it makes up for with its exciting plot that ticks all the classic whodunnit tropes that mystery drama fans love to see.
The Centennial Case is a unique experiment, and a solid one at that, with a good central plot and a few missteps too, first of all its high price. A good choice for the visual novel fans.
Review in Italian | Read full review
The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story goes against the FMV adventure title mold and offers more interactivity than usual, which works in its favor.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
A very well realized, feature production, in which the game itself is admittedly few, but the title shows how to make interactive films.
Review in Polish | Read full review
Overall, The Centennial Case is probably not going to knock anybody's socks off, but it is at the very least an interesting mystery filled with enjoyable characters that is worth a few afternoons of an aspiring detective's time. It may not be up to the standards of a big budget theatrical production, but the actors feel competent and the musical score adds an air of drama that makes it hard not to get sucked in at times. If you find yourself with a craving for a relatively simple set of mysteries to walk through and solve, this is likely a game to keep your eye on for a rainy day.