This is an article introducing "Akito DATE Short ~The Black Cat Without a Tail~," a mystery adventure game that makes generous use of high-quality images.
This work is a short story in the "Akito DATE" series, but it is a work with a very strong mystery element.
Anyone who's even slightly interested should give it a try; you'll be amazed by its quality.
The completion time was approximately 2 hours.
Game Overview (No Spoilers)
Akihito Date, a university student, was impatiently waiting for his laundry to finish at a laundromat when he was reported as a suspicious person.
Akihito is asked to accompany police officers who are investigating an incident that occurred in a nearby apartment building to the scene, where he finds Detective Tadano, whom he met during a previous case.
Detective Tadano somewhat forcibly asks for your cooperation, and you end up helping with the investigation.
At first glance, it seemed like an ordinary fatal accident, but then we started to notice some strangely inconsistent details.
This game primarily involves investigating the crime scene in an apartment building.
You will proceed with your investigation by clicking on various locations in the room with the pointer.
In this game, the color of an object changes when you click on it, so you can see that examining that part will reveal the same information.
In previous works, it was sometimes unclear what the dialogue was based on or the details of the research, so this can be considered an improvement.
Finding interesting objects or talking to detectives will trigger flags, eventually leading to the deduction part of the game.
The deduction part progresses by selecting the correct options and cards that serve as evidence, just like in previous installments of the series.
If you answer incorrectly, your "confidence level" gauge will decrease, but you will receive a hint.
If your confidence level drops to zero, it's game over, so frequent saving is important.
Review (no spoilers)
I successfully completed the game and enjoyed it to the very end.
During the investigation phase, there were times when I didn't know what to do next.
However, since this is a short film, the setting is limited to just one room in an apartment building.
Since thoroughly investigating every possibility isn't that difficult, I felt the difficulty level was relatively low.
The process of deduction, from seemingly insignificant details to the proof of important facts, was incredibly meticulous and fascinating.
At first glance, it might seem like a leap in logic.
However, as I listened to the explanation, I was impressed by the meticulous logic that built upon it, making it clear that there was no other way to think about it.
Spoilers are taboo in mystery stories, so I won't go into details.
However, the way the story unfolds, turning what initially appears to be just an accident into a crime based on subtle inconsistencies, was incredibly exciting and engaging.
It's not a very long game, so I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys mystery stories.
Strategy Notes (Contains Spoilers)
Since the official walkthrough page hasn't been released yet, I'll write down what I managed to figure out on my own.
This section contains spoilers, so we recommend reading it only if you are completely stuck.
The final deduction is challenging because you have to choose three pieces of evidence, but even if you get it wrong, it will tell you which parts you did get right.
The evidence for the parts you answered correctly will be fixed, so let's focus on the parts you got wrong.
<Investigation Part>
*This is the point where I became unsure of what I should do, which prolonged the process (only one point).
What should I do after examining the small tail I found on the balcony?
→ Check the badge holder in the living room
<Deduction Part>
Proof of loss
Photo A + Cat's tail
• Places where traces were left
balcony
Reasons why I think it's strange
Actually, I haven't washed it.
Why do you think it hasn't been washed?
Laundry A
- Designating the culprit
The person in the lower left corner of the card
• Traces that they wanted to hide
Strange smell
• Hidden scent
wine
- The final deduction
Change → Cat badge disappeared
Background → Unnatural shaking
Traces → Detective Tadano
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