The Silver Case (2016)

Developer: GRASSHOPPER MANUFACTURE INC., PLAYISM
Publisher: GRASSHOPPER MANUFACTURE INC.
Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux
Genres: Adventure
Rating: 4.5 of 5, 1,153 player ratings
Typical playtime: about 18 hours
Where to get it: Steam

The 3D catalog: game boxes on wooden shelves, with the cat sitting at the counter next to its greeting.

The catalog in 3D

The same catalog has a room you can walk around in. The cat behind the counter is the AI Catbot, and they pick real games from it when you tell them what you feel like playing. Nothing is for sale, here or in there. Go in from here and this game is already out on the counter, with more like it waiting on the shelf next to it.

More games like this Watch the trailer

or watch the trailer on YouTube

How it feels

A slow-burning, text-driven detective thriller that feels like wandering through a rain-slicked, neon-lit city while piecing together a cryptic, unsettling murder case.

atmospherictext-heavymysteriousdarkstory-richdetectivepsychologicaldeliberate

What players say

Players describe The Silver Case as a simple, linear visual novel with creative screen layouts. The soundtrack divides opinion and many reviews jokingly reference a 50,000-yen loan. The game's theme of 'kill the past' is a recurring touchpoint.

Screenshots

More games like this

More by NetEase

This page is from Underplayed Gems, a catalog of older and overlooked games. Not quite it? You can browse by platform and genre, or take this one into the 3D catalog and ask the Catbot for something closer.