428: Shibuya Scramble is an early pioneer of detective gaming, a visual novel set in Japan's Shibuya ward that uses live action photographs and a complex timeline mechanic to present its crime narrative. Originally launching in 2008 for the Wii, it was released on Steam a decade later, garnering 'Very Positive' reviews and a cult following.
Last year, 428's executive producer Jiro Ishii announced a spiritual successor—Shibuya Scramble Stories—launching a crowdfunding campaign on the Japanese platform Ubgoe to fund it. The game blew past its funding goal in less than an hour, raising a total of 55 million yen ($340,000) by the campaign's end.
