Software:Tokyo Dark

Tokyo Dark
Developer(s)	Cherrymochi
Publisher(s)	WW: Square Enix Collective JP: Unties
Producer(s)	Maho Williams
Designer(s)	Jon Williams
Artist(s)	Laura Jin
Writer(s)	Jon Williams Chris Krubeck
Composer(s)	[Matthew Steed]
Engine	Construct 2
Platform(s)	Microsoft Windows Nintendo Switch PlayStation 4
Release	Microsoft Windows WW: 7 September 2017 Nintendo Switch WW: 7 November 2019 PlayStation 4 WW: 10 January 2020
Genre(s)	Point-and-click adventure
Mode(s)	Single-player

Tokyo Dark is a point-and-click adventure game developed by the indie developer Cherrymochi and published by Square Enix Collective for Microsoft Windows and macOS. It follows the story of Detective Itō Ayami who searches for her missing partner, Detective Kazuki Tanaka, who disappeared under mysterious circumstances while following a case. The player’s choices directly affect Ayami’s mental state and thought processes which later result in one of the game’s multiple endings.

Plot

The player takes control of Detective Itō Ayami (voiced by Asama Hikage) who is looking for her partner, Detective Kazuki Tanaka, that went missing during an investigation. The story can change significantly depending on the player's actions.

During the exposition, Ayami falls victim to workplace drama, a steady mental decline, and an obsession over the events surrounding her partner's disappearance. She also comes into possession of a mask that, through events that are spoilers for the story, she believes to be critical in her mental and physical journey of finding and bringing back Tanaka at all costs. The end result is determined by the player's choices; an epilogue from Ayami ends the story before credits are presented.

After the credits, two ghosts appear and speak to each other, philosophically debating and reflecting on the choices Ayami—the player—made. It ultimately reveals to the player that all endings in the game are valid and true, but only one of them is canonical. The ghosts then leave after noting that the cycle perpetuates once more.

Gameplay

The game is a point-and-click adventure game. The game's store page on Steam describes the gameplay as "the exploration, discovery and puzzle solving found in Point and Click Adventures married with narrative depth and intrigue of visual novels."

Development

The game was funded via Kickstarter. The goal of the campaign was 40,000 CAD and was surpassed with a total of 225.000 CAD. The game features an original soundtrack by Reign of Fury front man Matt 'Bison' Steed. The animated sequences were produced by Graphinica, while the Japanese novelist Ureshino Kimi was responsible for the Japanese localization.

A port of the game to Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 in Japan was announced in August 2018 by Unties. The port will be developed by mebius. The new release, titled Tokyo Dark: Remembrance, includes additional content, new endings, and a full German translation. The Nintendo Switch version was released on November 7, 2019, while the PlayStation 4 version followed on January 10, 2020.

Reception

Reception
Aggregate score Aggregator Score Metacritic PC: 70/100 NS: 74/100 Review scores Publication Score Adventure Gamers Destructoid 7/10 VideoGamer.com 6/10

Tokyo Dark received "mixed or average" reviews, according to review aggregator Metacritic.

Matthias Glanznig from Adventure Gamers said that "Although falling short of its full potential, Tokyo Dark tells an intriguing mystery story and nicely integrates elements of both western and eastern cultures, combining point-and-click adventure-style exploration and simple puzzles with visual novel-length conversations and multiple endings, some more satisfying than others."

TheBlondeBass of Destructoid said that the game is "Solid and definitely has an audience. There could be some hard-to-ignore faults, but the experience is fun."

Colm Ahern's of VideoGamer.com stated that "Tokyo Dark is an enjoyable supernatural mystery that holds your attention up until the end, which makes the disappointing execution of the SPIN system a real shame."

Awards and nominations

• "Vermillion Gate Award Winner" at BitSummit 4th
• "Magical Presence Award Nominee" at BitSummit 4th
• "Dengeki PlayStation Indies on the Rise Award Nominee" at BitSummit

External links

• Tokyo Dark at The Visual Novel Database