Introducing The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story
Who doesn’t love a good mystery story?
We certainly do, which is why we’re excited to unveil The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story - a brand new live-action mystery-adventure game!
Directed by Koichiro Ito (Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain), the title combines superb storytelling, cinematic cinematography, and thought-provoking deductive gameplay to create a highly immersive experience that’s as compelling as it is unique.
Take a look at the trailer for a taste of what to expect, and then we’ll tell you all about it:
What is The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story?
The complex and interwoven mysteries you’ll unravel in this investigative adventure are centred around the ill-fated Shijima family, which has suffered a series of inexplicable deaths over the last century.
As Haruka Kagami, it’s up to you to use your powers of deduction to uncover the truth behind these mysterious events and the ‘Fruit of Youth’ that allegedly lies somewhere in the Shijima Mansion. You’ll explore both the past and the present in four murder cases, set across different eras of Japan.
Of course, unravelling this intricate web of secrets won’t be straightforward. You’ll have to have your wits about you as you uncover clues, speak to suspects, and put all the pieces of the puzzle together to form a hypothesis. Not everyone you speak to will be cooperative, so be ready to counter their arguments when you present your case. And don’t worry if your detective skills are a little rusty - the game is designed in such a way that you’ll be able to reach the correct answer if you don’t give up.
Who’s making the game?
There’s a frankly astonishing array of talent working on The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story, from across the games and TV industries.
Just look at this lineup:
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Koichiro Ito (Director) - Ito has lent his writing skills to some amazing games, including Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes and Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain. He also worked on the game design of the psychological horror experience P.T.
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Junichi Ehara (Producer) - Ehara began his career in the games industry in 2003, and joined Square Enix in 2016, working as a producer on titles including NieR:Automata and BABYLON’S FALL.
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Yasuhito Tachibana (Film Producer and Scenario Director) - Tachibana served as a producer for the Netflix Original comedy period-drama The Naked Director. In 2018, he founded his own production company Nemeton, making shows including Oh my Jump! Shonen Jump Saves Earth and many more.
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Yuki Hayashi (Composer) - Hayashi is best known for his work on TV dramas such as Your Turn to Kill (2019). He’s also credited in anime series My Hero Academia, and DRAGON QUEST: The Adventure of Dai (including the game series).
The game also has an impressive cast of actors, some of which play multiple roles across the different time periods, including Nanami Sakuraba (protagonist Haruka Kagami), Yuta Hiraoka, Gaku Sano, Yuta Hiraoka and more!
When is the game coming out?
The next mystery to solve is… when and how can you play it? The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story launches for PS5, PS4, Nintendo Switch and PC (Steam) on May 12, 2022.
PC users pre-purchase the game on Steam from today. Anyone who buys the game before May 19, 2022, will receive the base game, The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story BEHIND THE SCENES video, and ‘The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story’ mini soundtrack, which includes 12 tracks composed by Yuki Hayashi, Daiki Okuno, Ryoshi Takagi, Shuichiro Fukuhiro and Shogo Yamashiro!
It’s shaping up to be a uniquely immersive and inventive adventure, and one that fans of detective games and stories will adore. We’ll have more to share in the coming months, so make sure you follow Square Enix on social media to get news and updates first: