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Spike Chunsoft to Localize 428: Shibuya Scramble Visual Novel for PS4/PC Release in 2018

Spike Chunsoft announced during the Game Developers Conference (GDC) 2017 event on Thursday that it will release a localized version of its 428: Fūsa Sareta Shibuya de (428: In a Blockaded Shibuya) game under the title 428: Shibuya Scramble. Spike Chunsoft will ship the game for overseas markets in spring 2018 for the PlayStation 4 and for PC via Steam.

The visual novel's story is told from the perspective of multiple protagonists, whose stories all begin from a kidnapping incident. The sister of the kidnapping victim orders a detective to deliver a ransom to the kidnappers, and the arranged meeting place is the Shibuya scramble crosswalk. Meanwhile, a young man sees a girl standing near the Hachiko statue, with someone pointing a gun at her. He rescues her and they then run for their lives.

The game follows the stories of the detective, the young man, a virus researcher, a freelance writer, and a cat mascot character. The stories intertwine with each other, and choices made by players through the game for one character may affect and even end the plotlines of other characters. The game's visual uses live-action footage and photography of actual locations in Tokyo.

Kōichi Nakamura and Jirō Ishii (Under the Dog creator, BBK/BRNK series composition) created and wrote the game's story.

The game shipped on the Nintendo Wii in 2008, on the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable in 2009, on the iOS in 2011, and on Android in 2013. Japanese game magazine Famitsu awarded the game a perfect score, the ninth game in the magazine's history to achieve the feat.

Kinoko Nasu and Takashi Takeuchi of Type-Moon (Fate/stay night, The Garden of Sinners, Tsukihime) wrote and contributed character designs respectively to a bonus scenario in the game. P.A. Works' 2009 CANAAN television anime serves as a sequel to that specific scenario. Sentai Filmworks released the anime on Blu-ray Disc and DVD in 2010.

Source: Famitsu.com (ミル☆吉村)