A release date for visual novel Root Film has appeared on Nintendo’s website, though no official announcement has been made.
As previously reported, the game is a sequel to 2016’s Root Letter. Players return to the Shimane prefecture of Japan for a new murder mystery. Rintaro Yagumo has been cast as the main character in the revival of Shimane Mystery Drama Project, a TV series that was cancelled 10 years prior.
While three teams including the director, main actress, and Rintaro all scramble to get the show off the ground, a grizzly murder is uncovered. With production halted, players must dig deeper into the mystery.
Players gather key-words through conversations, using them to investigate, confront, and interrogate characters. Gather enough, and you can confront a suspect in Max Mode to break the suspect’s argument down. The game also has a “zapping” mechanic to see events from the perspective of two characters at once.
While a recent tweet from PQube Asia states the game will launch in 2021, the official UK website states the game will launch in March 2021 for Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4. It has been noticed however, that the Nintendo website states the game will launch March 19th on Nintendo Switch.
We have reached out to PQube for comment. UPDATE: PQube have confirmed “the release date is correct for all platforms,” and “We will have more information and content to come very soon on the Root Film project.”
You can find the full rundown (via Nintendo) below.
Unravel a 10-year-old mystery lost in 35mm film
Root Film is a thrilling adventure game with visual novel elements. Follow Rintaro Yagumo as he is selected to be the director for the rebooted “Shimane Mystery Drama Project”, a TV series which was cancelled for an unknown reason 10 years ago. His excitement for this amazing opportunity is quickly curbed when a horrible murder interrupts their location scouting process.
Follow him and a cast of unique and memorable characters as they are drawn deeper into a thrilling mystery. Become your own detective as you unravel the truth through investigative gameplay mechanics, adding a new layer onto the visual novel formula.
Beautifully hand-drawn illustrations
From character designs to environments, Root Film is brought to life by gorgeous artwork. Every scene becomes picture perfect, with meticulous detail and a carefully curated color pallet.Travel across the Shimane prefecture
Visit multiple locations spanning the entire Shimane prefecture as you try to find out the truth about “Shimane Mystery Drama Project”!Become your own detective
The ‘Intuition’ mechanic allows players to acquire keywords during in-game conversations. Once activated, ‘Intuition’ reveals words on screen that are essential to investigations and confrontations.Face off against suspects
After collecting enough keywords, you can confront suspects in ‘Max Mode’ to resolve a mystery. In this fighting-game like face-off, you must ensure that enough evidence has been collected before the confrontation to successfully bring suspects to justice.
Image: PQube
