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This article is about the remastered version of the game. For the original version, see Shirubā Jiken.

The Silver Case is an adventure video game for Microsoft Windows, Mac OS, Linux and PlayStation 4. It is a remake of Shirubā Jiken, developed by Active Gaming Media and published on October 7, 2016.

On May 6, 2016 Grasshopper Manufacture officially revealed that a remastered HD edition of Shirubā Jiken was in development[1]. The remaster, which was released on October 7, 2016, is available not only in Japanese but in English as well - the first time that Shirubā Jiken has ever been localized overseas[2][3].

Plot[]

Cases and Reports[]

  • Transmitter
  • Placebo
    • report*1:YUME
    • report*2:HANA
    • report*3:TSUKI
    • report*4:AI
    • report*5:HIKARI
    • report*6:YAMI

Introduction [1][]

The 24 Wards make up a beatiful and stylish city, bustling with activity. Well-equipped to fulfill any need, citizen life is managed efficiently and the city continues to feed its residents the illusion of safety. The 24 Wards Heinous Crime Department works hard to prevent and eliminate heinous crimes that disturb peace and order in the city. You, the player, a former member of the Special Security Force, now work for the 24 Wards Heinous Crimes Department. There you must find your place among a group of detectives with sharply distinctive personalities and accept the reality that criminals are constantly commiting inhumane acts all around you. Computer hackers operating over digital networks, corrupt corporate executives, psychopaths seeking their own twisted forms of pleasure, conspiracies to overthrow the government, state officials clinging onto power... and the return of the legendary serial killer kamui!

The Silver Case is experienced through the unique medium of "Film Window"!

Summary[]

The Silver Case follows the events surrounding the apparent resurrection of serial killer Kamui Uehara in a special Kanto ward known as Ward 24. Ward 24 is a densely populated municipality patrolled by the law enforcement agency, the Administrative Inspection Office. Kamui Uehara was an infamous killer from its past who was arrested in an incident known as the Silver Case, which has since become shrouded in myth. At the beginning of The Silver Case, various signs appear that Kamui will soon return, and the events of the game show how this affects the culture of the people living within the Ward.

The A-side of the story, the Transmitter cases, revolve around the Heinous Crimes Unit, a division of the AI Office. The HC Unit specializes in taking down dangerous and sadistic criminals, and operates under unorthodox methods. The protagonist of Transmitter, Akira, is a member of fellow AI Office division Republic, which is decimated in an operation to capture the newly awakened Kamui. Akira finds himself picked up and hired by the HC Unit, assisting them in various investigations, some of which have to do with Kamui, some that are mostly unrelated. Over the course of the story, the cases bring to light secrets about the members of the Unit, Kamui, and Ward 24 itself.

The B-side of the story, the Placebo reports, follows the daily life of freelance journalist Tokio Morishima. Tokio lives in the Typhoon apartment complex with his turtle, Red. He receives an assignment from his old boss, S. Inohana, to report on Kamui, and begins tracking the HC Unit's investigations. In the course of doing so, he has a traumatic experience, and begins to look into his own life and past as well. He also contends with a mysterious online stalker known as "The Bat", and as the story goes on, his personal problems become more and more prominent.

History of "24 Wards" [2][]

A Brief History of the 24 Wards[]

<03/1979>
●The Silver Case


The dispute among the Kanto Big 3 NGO Parties
(Nonprofit civic organizations)
The Diet-governed, market economy-based socialist state of Kanto, its economic activities drastically limited by government regulations, was exhausted and impoverished.
Severe reductions in both corporate taxes and private consumption only exacerbated the weakening of the government. Employing tactics such as exhaustive lobbying and direct communications with citizens, the three factions known as the FSO, TRO, and CCO―previously operating as nonprofit organizations―had finally forced the government to pay attention. Then, in March of 1979, the “direct governance system” was implemented.

This meant the “volunteerization” of everything from collection and separation of garbage to maintaining public order and security. But this caused a new problem to arise. Since the main source of funding for the three respective factions’ operations was political contributions from a wide range of both corporations and private citizens, the feud among the corporations developed into a war between opposing factions.

As time went by, this war gradually shifted into a battle between the FSO and the TRO/CCO alliance. En route to a symposium, TRO/CCO alliance chairman Ginji Nakane was assassinated in front of the TTV Station building. He was stabbed to death with a sharp, metallic tube-like object. The suspected assassin, Kamui Uehara―said to have been sent by the FSO―then went to the secret headquarters of the TRO/CCO alliance located inside TV Tower and murdered 10 top alliance members. Regional Investigation Unit Special Agent Tetsugoro Kusabi arrived at the scene and arrested Uehara. Uehara was thought to have carried out the assassinations alone under contract, but the person or persons who contracted him were never found.

Due to the victims of this attack being elderly, the incident was christened “The Silver Case”. Taking into consideration the possible effects on society, only the name “Kamui Uehara” made it into the mass media.


<01/1980>
●“24 Wards” recognized by the government as a Special Administrative Region.


<02/1980>
●Kaoru Hachisuka is appointed as the first mayor of the “24 Wards”.

As a means of avoiding unwanted conflict, the primary center of the government and Department of Finance are established around the former TRO, while the Department of the Environment and Department of Investment are run mainly by the former CCO.

However, the Department of Security is organized into a combination of the two factions: the Central Police Department/Heinous Crimes Unit (former TRO) and Public Security Department/Secret Security Unit (former CCO).


<04/1980>
●Residents begin moving into the “24 Wards” Special Administrative Region

Residency in the wards – established as a “special tax area” - is put up for public offering to citizens throughout the country. Approximately 80,000 residents are selected. Resident selection criteria are based on education, income, and lack of religious affiliation.


●First “Shelter Kids” Project

TRO/CCO alliance chairman Hachisuka, worried about the decrease in vitality and viability in teenagers, implements the project as a “crisis control capability enhancement measure”, with approximately 1440 subjects, all two-year-old boys. The participants are made eligible for tuition exemption from elementary school through high school.


<04/1984>
●Second “Shelter Kids” Project

Differing from the first project, this is a group abduction incident in which approximately 100 two-year-old boys go missing over a period of two years. Fortunately, almost all of the children are recovered unharmed in 1986. Twenty-two percent of them retain impressive vitality and high-level crisis management abilities.


<11/1990>
●Establishment of the Heinous Crimes Unit

Shinji Kotobuki acts as ringleader, with four other establishing members: Tetsugoro Kusabi, Kiyoshi Morikawa, Shigeo Ishikawa, and Sawa Kobayakawa.


<02/1991>
●“Running Off”

Headed by Kusabi and Ishikawa, the unit faces off against violent bank robbers.


<11/1992>
●“Royal Nine” Tsubaki Syndicate Conflict

This case, in which the HC Unit’s first female investigator Sawa Kobayakawa and Tsubaki Syndicate member Kenta Arai end up killing each other, develops into all-out war between the HC Unit and the Tsubaki Syndicate. The murder of dyed-in-the-wool HC Unit investigator Shigeo Ishikawa at the hands of the Kenta Arai sets Kusabi and Morikawa into full-on revenge mode, after which they go after syndicate head Tsubaki himself. The case is closed once Tsubaki is made to take responsibility.


<12/1994>
●“Power Girl”

This is Sumio Kodai’s first case after his assignment to HC Unit 2. A romance between Sumio and a terrorist on the East Side.


<12/1996>
●“Still Town”

Kusabi and Morikawa close off and clean up areas that have devolved into slums. The two agents completely wipe out a group of young criminals.


<10/1997>
●“Moon”

Nakategawa heads an investigation into a series of serial murders of high school girls. The perpetrator of the chain of bizarre crimes turned out to be the high school principal. ====


<07/1998>
●“Gas Kids” Exhaust Fume Serial Murder Case

An industrial truck enters a quiet bedroom town. After several months, a string of elementary school students die under strange circumstances, one after another. Then, the driver of the truck is shot to death with a shotgun. Kusabi and Sumio rush to the scene. The culprit turns himself in. He turns out to be the father of one of the dead school children.


<01/1999>
●“Pre-Lunatic”

The high school girl serial murders begin again. Kusabi encounters a suspicious figure with a gun.

◎“#0 Lunatic”
onward-------------------------------------------------------

<05/1999>
●“After Kamui” Copycat

The case occurring immediately after “#1 Decoyman”. A series of crimes are committed using the same M.O. as Kamui. Sumio and Hachisuka join together to investigate. A certain national university student arises as a suspect.

<010/1999>
●Recurrence

In accordance with the growing population, the 24 Wards―the Kanto Government Special Administrative Region is divided into five separate areas.

An economic rift developed among the residents selected from around the country, with 80% having relatively low income and the remaining 20% having much higher income. The most striking conflict and source of resentment between the economic classes was not the difference in income itself, but rather the discord stemming from stark differences in the distribution and dissemination of information between the two groups.

The crime rate began to soar, and various news programs and other news media propagated and inadvertently exacerbated said conflict.

The population hit 100,000. Mayor Hachisuka was about to enter his fifth term.

The central Police Department Heinous Crimes Unit was basically transformed into an organization tasked with promptly eradicating what became known as “transmittable heinous crimes”.

◎“#5 Life Cut”
onward---------------------------------------------------


<2000~>

●“Lovers” Bonnie & Clyde――Headed by Kusabi, Kosaka, and Sakura.

●“Mondo & Land”――Scheduled for the next game. Kusabi takes his daughter Toriko on vacation to a summer resort. There, he meets a man named Sumio Mondo. “Sumio”... That reminds him of a certain someone.

●“Hyena Shot” Genichiro Hara the Hitman――A case in which Genichiro Hara, the imaginary hitman, actually exists. Invisible himself, his heinously evil crimes take physical form in the real world. Kusabi and Sumio uncover Hara’s true identity.

●“Life & Money”――Headed by Sumio and Koshimizu.

●“Animal Hunting”――Headed by Kusabi, Sakura, Sumio, Kosaka, and Koshimizu.

●“Door Lock”――Headed by Kusabi, Sumio, Kosaka, and Sakura.

●“Angel X”――Headed by Sumio.

●“Triple Kids”――Headed by Sakura.

●“Cut Doctor”――Headed by Sakaguchi, Kusabi, Sakura, Sumio, Kosaka, and Koshimizu.

●“Call”――Headed by Kusabi.

Development[]

Early attempts[]

Increasing interest in Grasshopper's later releases, particularly killer7 and No More Heroes, has given SUDA51 ambition to release his earlier works internationally, starting with Flower, Sun, and Rain: Murder and Mystery in Paradise in 2008. Despite demonstrating a Nintendo DS port of Shirubā Jiken[4] which was reportedly completed as late as July 2009,[5] SUDA51 has expressed that the port will no longer be released as it "originally came out ten years ago, so to make a proper port I would need to remake a lot of parts of it, and it would take a lot of time."[6] By January 2011, plans to update Shirubā Jiken for a modern release were still being considered, albeit put on hold indefinitely.[7] Shirubā Jiken has since been speculated to resurface in the form of a Nintendo 3DS port.[8]. During an interview released in July 2015, he stated that Grasshopper is now definitively considering to release the game and he hopes it could happen very soon.[9]

Remastered Edition[]

In April 2016, tentative announcement of a project was given in the form of the website Believe in the internet, which featured glass shards in the same style as Shirubā Jiken's logo. SUDA51 also posted a visual on Instagram containing the title of the game in code overlaid on top of pictures of characters from the game.

Silver-Case-Ann 05-06-16 003

Official preview of how the Film Window system may appear in the HD remaster. Finalised game graphics may differ.

On May 6, 2016 believeintheinternet.com changed to an official site, confirming that a "remastered" HD edition of Shirubā Jiken would be released for the PC in Fall 2016. The remaster is a collaboration between Grasshopper Manufacture and Japanese developer Active Gaming Media, and is available on Steam, Playism and other digital gaming platforms. The remaster is the first time ever that Shirubā Jiken is available in English.

The remaster retains the "Film Window" system used in the original, but features enhanced graphics and other assets. Active Gaming Media are responsible for the game's localization and other enhancements, and developed it using Unity 5[10]. Certain puzzles and quiz sections in The Silver Case are rewritten in order to be more understandable to players outside Japan[3].

The remaster's release date was eventually revealed as October 7, 2016. A deluxe edition package, which is available both digitally and in a limited physical run, includes the soundtrack, an art book, and a short manga as extras.[11]

SUDA51 stated that if the remastered edition of The Silver Case sells well, The 25th Ward may receive a similar localized remaster, which eventually came to fruition. When asked about the possibility of further Silver Case games if the remaster performs well, SUDA51 stated that nothing was currently being planned, but that he was considering the idea. "Another sequel - whether a direct story sequel or more of a thematic sequel - to games like The Silver Case may be possible, but it would be a very different type of experience. Perhaps even VR."[3]

In September 2016, the website kamuinet was launched, connected to The Silver Case's official site. It is a recreation of the KamuiNet website seen in the game.

2017 update[]

After the release of The Silver Case's remaster, it was announced that it would receive a release on the PlayStation 4 on April 18, 2017. Later on, SUDA51 and Ooka announced that this version would include two new epilogue chapters, which would also be released on the PC version as an update of some sort. These new chapters are #25 whiteout prologue, a short preview to The 25th Ward, and *6 YAMI, a new story about Tokio Morishima.

Upon the PS4 version's release, the new chapters were accidentally not included; an update fixed the error on April 21. They were added into the PC version on May 29.

Other changes in the 2017 update on both systems included previously-advertised Akira Yamaoka remix tracks, as well as additional remix tracks by Erika Ito redone art and video for the Sayaka Baian segment of the game. Both of these changes can be reverted in the options menu.

Cover art[]

Release history[]

  • Deluxe disc bundle – October 7, 2016 (Limited Run, LR-PC01)
  • Steam – October 7, 2016 (Grasshopper Manufacture, di/web/20080102064324/)

External links[]

References[]

Grasshopper Manufacture games
International Shining Soul · Shining Soul II · Killer7 · Michigan: Report from Hell · Samurai Champloo: Sidetracked · Contact · No More Heroes · Flower, Sun, and Rain: Murder and Mystery in Paradise · No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle · FROG MINUTES · Shadows of the DAMNED · Sine Mora · Diabolical Pitch · Lollipop Chainsaw · Liberation Maiden · Black Knight Sword · Killer Is Dead · Short Peace: Ranko Tsukigime's Longest Day · LET IT DIE · Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes · No More Heroes III
Japan-exclusive Shirubā Jiken · Flower, Sun, and Rain · Shirubā Jiken 25 Ku · BLOOD+ One Night Kiss · Zero: Tsukihami no Kamen · Evangerion Shin Gekijōban -Saundo Inpakuto- · No More Heroes: World Ranker · Dark Menace
Other Suda material Super Fire Prowrestling III: Final Bout · Super Fire Prowrestling Special · Towairaito Shindoromu: Tansaku-hen · Towairaito Shindoromu: Kyūmei-hen · Moonlight Syndrome · Sdatcher · Liberation Maiden SIN · Tsukikage no Tokio · Kurayami Dance · Suda Fables
  1. The Silver Case. May 6, 2016
  2. Grasshopper Manufacture plans to localize The Silver Case for PC later this year. Destructoid. Ben Davis. May 6, 2016.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 Suda 51's first game, The Silver Case, is getting a western remake. Eurogamer. Jeffrey Matulef. May 6, 2016.
  4. The Silver Case's Nintendo DS port, demonstrated.... Tiny Cartridge. Eric Caoili. May 31, 2010.
  5. Suda51: More Sumio Mondo, Silver Case 'Up in the Air'. C3 News. Adam Riley. July 15, 2009.
  6. Suda 51 Interview.... The Official Nintendo Magazine. May 27, 2010.
  7. SUDA51 pulled the.... Facebook. Grasshopper Manufacture Inc.. January 23, 2011.
  8. 3DS Yoshi & Demos Rumored For TGS Showcase. Game Informer. Dan Ryckert. September 7, 2011.
  9. [3][4]
  10. The Silver Case remaster announced for PC. Gematsu. Sal Romano. May 6, 2016.
  11. [5]
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