Fortune Favors The Bold: A Retro Mystery Club Vol. 2: The Beppu Case Review

By Manuel

Players: 1
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PC

A few months back I reviewed the first Retro Mystery Club game that released on the Nintendo Switch and PC, and I wondered at the time if we'd be getting the other two games in the series. (You can check out that review HERE.) Today, I am pleased to announce that its sequel, Retro Mystery Club Vol. 2: The Beppu Case, is out now on those same two platforms. We're going to be taking a look at the Nintendo Switch version now, and see if the wait was worth it. We have quite the game to dissect here, so let's dive right in!

I want to learn more about this guy.

Ken is always the optomist.

Retro Mystery Club Vol. 2 picks up not long after the events of the first game, with our detective duo, Ken and... You, tracking down a suspect that forces them to cross jurisdictional lines. The fallout from this opening scene prompts their chief to form a new division within the Tokyo Police Department called SEID to help foster better inter-jurisdictional relations, but mostly to keep the two out of his hair. They are eventually assigned to a case in Beppu, located in Oita Prefecture. Possibly seen as a rather low-risk job, they're tasked with providing security for a sold-out event called Technomix. This event is a collaboration between a digital art group known as Artenova, and a prominent local bamboo craftsman named Soichiro Anan. After establishing connections with everyone involved, our duo learn that the collaboration has brought mixed reactions from people on social media. Some see it as a bad look that the tickets for what should be a local event are being scalped for high prices, while others simply seem jealous of the Anan family. Into this murky scene, things get more complicated when Soichiro's wife, Midori, dies under mysterious circumstances. While not confirmed to be murder, it's up to You and Ken to make sense of the situation. Family secrets are revealed, the future of Technomix is in doubt, and more people lose their lives as the case progresses. There's far more to the story than this of course, but I think I'll leave most of the details unrevealed so that potential players can experience them for themselves. Much like the first game, The Beppu Case has one of the best stories I've seen in a game like this, and the writing is spot on. I'll circle back around to it later, but the characters and mystery are sure to keep fans of the genre on the edge of their seat.

The Anan family have a lot in their closets.

Social media plays in heavily here.

At its core, Retro Mystery Club Vol. 2 is an adventure game in the style of something like the Phoenix Wright series. Those in the know might notice that it actually takes more inspiration from the Famicom Detective Club games, but seeing as that series has never seen the light of day in the US in its original form, I think the Phoenix Wright comparison works best. Gameplay consists of selecting the correct options from a series of menus, typically involving examining an object or location, or choosing a specific dialogue option. One thing you'll notice right away is the sheer amount of actions available to you in certain situations. You'll be bombarded with options like "Talk", "Ask", "Investigate", and "Show", and you'll often have to go back and forth between oddly worded or similar actions in order to progress the story. I complained about the first game having several sections where it was possible to sequence break the game by accident if you stumbled into the correct path too quickly, but I think that has been mostly fixed in this game. I rarely felt like I was dragged into the next scene without having seen and heard everything I wanted to from the previous one, though this did make things feel a bit more railroaded. Though you have far more options this time around, some of them are purely optional. While I'm willing to bet that they have Steam achievements tied to them, the act of taking pictures with your phone's camera seems to only exist for a few bits of dialogue, and maybe so you can look back on them later. Besides actions, there's also an inventory to keep track of, but it seems to come into play very infrequently. The shift in focus from inventory management makes this game feel a bit more like a standard visual novel, and I'm not sure if I think that's a negative point or not.

While not having a deep inventory system might seem like a small point, it actually figures into how the game plays. There's nothing wrong with a game moving players along a pre-determined story, but I can see how some might feel that shouldn't be the case in a game like Retro Mystery Club Vol. 2. The first game in the series featured the use of physical clues to figure out parts of the mystery. You'd constantly find new items, and show them to other characters in the hopes of revealing their secrets. You also had the ability to freely travel between several locations at any given time. Neither of those gameplay elements really are in use here, and I can only imagine they were trimmed back for the sequence breaking issues I mentioned earlier. While I'll admit that it felt weird to basically be steered to each location one at a time, but that might just be because I have experience with the first game. The few times you are seemingly presented with a choice between two different options, you usually end up experiencing both before long anyway. Seeing as the game only has one save file, it's somewhat hard to save scum one's way into seeing if different choices had different outcomes, but I didn't notice anything major during my bit of experimenting. This doesn't mean that the game suffers for its stronger focus on dialogue and interrogation. Probably owing to the slightly smaller cast, and the slightly longer run-time, Retro Mystery Club Vol. 2 felt like a much more fleshed out experience despite what may seem like a limitation. I'm getting ahead of myself big time here, but even the ending seemed to pack in far more characterization and story bits than I could've possibly imagined. You may not have as many physical clues to show random people, but the act of questioning and interrogating people felt a bit more natural in the grand scheme of things. I can't really say which game took a better approach to revealing and solving a mystery, but both do an admirable job, and both game have their own unique take on how to tell a story of that type.

The mystery begins.

The in-game manual is really neat.

Even though I think that the first game might be a better fit for those looking for Phoenix Wright-style gameplay, I found that Retro Mystery Club Vol. 2 was by far the better game. Just about everything was improved here. The pacing was better, the graphics were more impressive, there was more of the awesome music, and they even added the optional stuff like the aforementioned picture taking. One odd element about the first game was that there was a "Game" in the phone option that never seemed to be available to the player. I was amazed to find that said cellphone game was indeed playable here, and even has its own manual and high scores. It's a shooter in the style of ones released for the NES and Famicom, and actually acts as a sort of precursor to an actual arcade-style sequence you're forced to take part in about halfway into the game. This section of the game was one of the few areas of the game that made me feel frustrated, and I was extremely annoyed when I realized that it was somewhat optional. I'm only revealing this part of the plot so no one goes through what I did, but you can actually "fail" this drone-controlling section and still go on with the game. I didn't realize this initially, and wasted about 45 minutes restarting the game until I was just about to give up for good. Then the game just kept going after I thought I'd get a Game Over screen. Why they would put such a random action sequence, especially one that has bad controls and a wonky curved 3D perspective, is beyond me. While I'm on the topic of annoyances, this game also brings back the maze areas the first game had, but this time you have the added fun of a time limit. I didn't fail that section thankfully, but these two parts of the game really sucked the fun out of things a bit. I probably would've given this game a full perfect rating (the first time I've ever done so by the way) if it wasn't for these two sections. As it stands, Retro Mystery Club Vol. 2 is still an amazing game, but I hope that the third game doesn't have these kind of gameplay elements.

The game literally said "MILF".

The plot thickens.

Before we move on, I want to circle back to discussing the story and characters. Obviously this is where the heart of the game is, and the cast is simply superb. Ken is back as our partner, and the player takes on the role of what is essentially a silent protagonist. Unlike the first game, you get to name him this time around. Calling him "AMRA" was fun (That's my current D&D character name by the way!) and a nice touch of immersion that I didn't realize I wanted until it happened. I wish more characters could've been used to put in a name, but I guess that the four-character limit is accurate to the type of game they're emulating. Ken is as funny as ever, and our main supporting character this time around is Fumika, an ambitious employee of Artenova. She is the strongest of the characters, and the one you'll learn the most about. She also acts as a sort of love interest for Ken, but that part of the story felt a bit weaker in this game. She's not the only character introduced here though. Joining Fumika in this game's cast are characters like Tokiko, a mysterious and complex individual who I think is a hostess, Soichiro, the overbearing artist who does come off more than a little bit suspicious, Mitsu, a housekeeper who also provides much-needed comic relief, Arakane, an Elon Musk-style investor in Technomix, and even Midori, the dark, mysterious, and alluring figure that kicks off this entire sequence of events. There's others of course, but the cast is a lot lighter when compared to the first. The smaller cast probably helped the writing, as the story is deep, complex, and thoroughly well-written. I kept waiting for little bits and odd ends to be left unresolved, but most things reach some sort of conclusion by the game's conclusion. I don't think I've ever been so impressed by a game's storytelling than I was here. Things ramp up at about the halfway point, and parts of the plot do feel like they're moving just a bit too fast, but this climax goes on for so long that you don't really notice the tonal shift that takes. There were several times where I felt like the game was a collection of several thirty minute episodes of a series. Perhaps an entire season of a TV drama that's only missing its opening and credit sequences. Anyway, this is one of the best games I've played so far this year, and I just wanted to rave about it a bit directly before we move on.

Another bath scene?

This is sort of the theme of the game.

It may seem weird for me to say that I found the graphics in Retro Mystery Club Vol. 2 to be perfect, but that's exactly how I feel. Obviously this isn't a modern game, and it looks rather plain in screenshots, but I don't think there's a better example on how to perfectly emulate a particular retro style than what you'll find here. This game looks exactly like a Famicom-era game, and I'm sure it could be made to run on contemporary hardware with a few adjustments here and there. Countless other games try to emulate the look, and usually fall short, or create something that looks far too modern for what they were shooting for. The Retro Mystery Club series manages to navigate that tricky balance perfectly, and this is a treat for those who are fan of the style. The characters are all well-designed, the backgrounds and locations all look great, and the sprite art is among the best you'll ever see. There's all sorts of other neat touches here too, like the way locations shift and change depending on what's happenings, special illustrations that show off the art style even more, and even the in-game instruction manuals that feature art in a slightly different style. I guess there is the odd point that the game looks like it's completely retro even though it tells a very modern story, but that's part of its charm too. Besides the occasional typo and grammatical error, I don't think I can find a single thing wrong with the game's look and presentation. I may be raving a bit too hard about the visuals because other aspects of the game swept me off my feet, but I don't think I'm being too hyperbolic in saying that this is a very beautiful game by just about any standard.

I almost feel like I don't need to talk about music because a lot of the things I have to say about the game's soundtrack are similar to what I said about its visuals. Retro Mystery Club Vol. 2 has one of the best soundtracks that I've heard in any game, and it's a testament to the compositions that everything continues to shine even though it's ran through an 8-bit sound font. I didn't think the first game's soundtrack could be topped, but we have even more tracks here, and lots of references and themes that I loved from the first game too. There's also another excellent vocal track that can only be heard while viewing the game's manual, and it's just as good as the ones from the previous game. There isn't a single part of the soundtrack that disappoints. The tracks that play when things are getting intense get the blood boiling, the ones that play during the investigation scenes are mysterious, and the ones that play during the more relaxed scenes are decently upbeat. I literally have nothing at all negative to say about the Retro Mystery Club Vol. 2's sound. Even the sound effects are spot on, and some of them have a weird nostalgic retro-ness that is hard to explain to those who haven't been gaming for decades. (I swear that walking noise was used in tons of games of the time!) There isn't any voice acting of course, but the typing sound used for dialogue has a weird sort of character of its own. I can keep going on like this, but I think it's obvious that I'm essentially saying the developers hit it out the park when it comes to sound.

I HATED this section...

Midori's past gets revealed.

Clearing Retro Mystery Club Vol. 2 will take you maybe 5-6 hours depending on how distracted you get with some of the optional stuff, and how fast you speed through the story. This might sound like a rather short game, but I think it does a good job with the time and never overstays its welcome. It's also priced at just $9.99, so it's not like you're being taken to the cleaners paying too much for a game that's light on content. That said, I'd easily pay more for this game if needed to, as it's just that good. Like I said earlier, this is an experience more akin to watching a TV show, or maybe a very long movie. It's cinematic in all the best ways, and has a lot of interaction to boot. Normally I mention how there isn't much reason to go back to games like this after you clear them, but I think Retro Mystery Club Vol. 2 is a somewhat special case. I mentioned how there are some choices here and there that change the way things play out slightly, and while I never noticed anything very different, I wonder if I would if I did a complete opposite playthrough at some point down the line. Even if I don't, there is always a certain sense of understanding that comes when revisiting a mystery story like this. Knowing how things wrap up, and even why some things play out the way they do, means that you can now look for more clues and details you may have missed the first time around. So while I still don't think it's something that most people will ever bother with, there is a sort of replayability here that adds to its value.

That's quite the sentence.

I need more Seina Momozawa!

I think it goes without saying that I give Retro Mystery Club Vol. 2: The Beppu Case the highest of recommendations. I didn't mention this at all earlier, but it doesn't even require any prior knowledge to the previous game to enjoy. Just go into this one and have fun, although I do also suggest picking up that first game too. This is a must buy for fans of the Phoenix Wright series, fans of the Famicom Detective Club series, fans of visual novels, or simply fans of great games in general. Seriously, there is something for everyone to enjoy here, and I don't think you'll regret playing it for one second. With this review wrapped up, I'm going to sit and patiently wait for the third game to release. Hopefully it does just as great a job as this one did in capturing that ever-elusive retro aesthetic.

Check Out Retro Mystery Club Vol. 2: The Beppu Case on Nintendo Switch:
https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/retro-mystery-club-vol-2-the-beppu-case-switch/

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Story: A+
Gameplay: A-
Graphics: A+
Music/Sound: A+
Value: A+

Overall: A+

Pros:
+ Another fun, retro-inspired take on the Famicom Detective Club games.
+ Upgrades just about every aspect of the game compared to the first Retro Mystery Club game.
+ The story and characters are well-written, and the game features the perfect mix of humor, drama, and intrigue.
+ I literally have no negatives to say about the game's graphics or music, both are perfect.
+ Paced like a great short-form show, and has a resolution that is fulfilling and satisfying.
+ While I assume they're meant to play into achievements on Steam, there are a lot of random touches to the game that keep it from being purely linear.
+ Seina Momozawa is back!

+/- Though not a pro or con, this game features far more dialogue to figure out the mystery rather than using physical clues.

Cons:
- The arcade and maze sections still feel like they come out of nowhere, and are the only part of the game that I found to be rather annoying.
- Even though it adds flavor, the various actions that sound similar, like "Talk", "Ask", and "Question", feel redundant in-game.
- There are several typos and grammatical errors scattered throughout the game's script.
- I found myself wishing that the game had a rewind feature so that accidentally skipped messages could be reviewed.

A copy of this game was provided to us free-of-charge by the publisher for the purpose of this review. This did not affect our review in any way.

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Me too, me too...

#RetroMysteryClub2