Update [Wed 22nd May, 2024 09:00 BST]: It has been confirmed that Hokkaido Rensa Satsujin: Ohotsuku ni Kiyu will have English language support when it launches on Switch and Steam on September 12th in Japan (thanks, Gematsu).
It will also offer Traditional Chinese and Simplified Chinese language options, and the Switch physical edition will cost 8,800 yen.
"Hokkaido Rensa Satsujin: Ohotsuku ni Kiyu is a detective adventure game released for PC by LOGiN SOFT in 1984, then for Famicom in 1987," reads the PR. "It is considered to be the third game in the “Yuji Horii Mystery Trilogy” following The Portopia Serial Murder Case and Karuizawa Yuukai Annai."
Here's the list of staff working on this one:
- Original Creator and New Scenario Supervision
- Yuji Horii (Dragon Quest series, The Portopia Serial Murder Case, Hokkaido Rensa Satsujin: Ohotsuku ni Kiyu, Itadaki Street, etc.)
- Producer
- Kazunori Orio (Dragon Quest IV to VII, Itadaki Street, Tower Dream, Tenkuu no Restaurant, etc.)
- Supervision and Quality Control
- Gouzou Shiozaki (Hokkaido Rensa Satsujin: Ohotsuku ni Kiyu, Itadaki Street, Tower Dream, Tenkuu no Restaurant, etc.)
- Character Design and Original Picture
- Kiyokazu Arai (BASIC’N, Hokkaido Rensa Satsujin: Ohotsuku ni Kiyu, Itadaki Street, Tenkuu no Restaurant, etc.)
- Sound
- Toshiyuki Ueno (Hokkaido Rensa Satsujin: Ohotsuku ni Kiyu, Itadaki Street, Kero Kero Keroppi no Daibouken, Mario’s Picross series, Mini-Yonkuu GB Let’s & Go!!, etc.)
- Sound
- Satoshi Kadokura (Southern All Stars and more, Mobile Suit Gundam F91 and more, Metal Max series, Tenkuu no Restaurant, etc.)
Original Story [Wed 21st Feb, 2024 16:00 GMT]: As is always the case with Nintendo Directs, there were a couple of announcements made in the Japanese version of the broadcast that were missing from those shown in other regions.
While many will likely be most excited about the news that Mother 3 has been announced as coming to the Switch Online service in Japan (potentially indicating a Western release in the future), there was also another announcement in the Japanese showcase that caught our attention.
This was the reveal of a G-Mode-developed remake of Hokkaidō Rensa Satsujin: Okhotsk ni Kiyu — Yuji Horii and Armor Soft's 1984 follow-up to the incredibly influential adventure game The Portopia Serial Murder Case (thanks 4Gamer!).
Hokkaidō Rensa Satsujin: Okhotsk ni Kiyu (or Hokkaido Chain Murders: Disappearance in Okhotsk as it is often translated) was originally released for the PC-6001 & PC-88 in 1984, before being published on other Japanese home computers like the PC-98, FM-7, and MSX, among others. There was even a Famicom port of the game, which came out in 1987, as well as a version for mobile phones released in the early 2000s.
It sees players controlling a Tokyo Police officer, tasked with solving a grisly murder after a body turns up in Tokyo Harbour and follows their journey as they travel to Japan's northernmost island Hokkaido to unravel the mystery.
It's unknown whether this remake will be brought to the West, but we certainly have our fingers and toes crossed that we'll finally be able to experience this obscure gem from the Dragon Quest creator! It will be released in Japan later this year in Summer.
You can watch the full trailer below: