According to Polygon, the demo of the HD version of Grasshopper Manufacture’s debut game, The Silver Case, is now available to play on Steam. The Silver Case is graphic adventure game from the acclaimed video game director, Goichi Suda, also known as “Suda 51.” It’s also the debut title from Grasshopper Manufacture a company headed by Suda 51. The company has been well known for its bizarre games such as Killer 7 and No More Heroes. According to Siliconera, Grasshopper’s most financially successful game was Lollipop Chainsaw, a collaboration between Grasshopper Manufacture, Warner Bros, and James Gunn of Guardians of the Galaxy fame.
In The Silver Case, a series of mysterious and bizarre murders have been committed in an area called the “24 Districts.” The detectives spot similarities between these cases and the assassinations of government figures at the hands of a man named Kamui Uehara. Though initially believed to be dead, it seems as if Uehara is alive and at large. Players take on the role of different characters through two linear scenarios. The characters are a detective investigating a murder and a freelance journalist covering the investigation.
The game was originally released on the original PlayStation in 1999. Prior to the HD re-release on Steam, the game saw no release outside of Japan. According to Suda, the the reasoning behind the lack of an outside release was the burden of properly translating and localizing the game’s dialogue. Japanese culture and language also played huge part in the game’s puzzles and dialogue. For many years, Suda believed an English version of the game to be impossible, but after seeing the results of the HD re-release, he’s happy about the idea. Below is a quote from his announcement:
This title was originally released in 1999, but was never released outside of Japan …. The English version will also be available, another promise made to you and will be on Steam, Playism and other platforms.
According to Polygon, the localization is being handled by by Grasshopper Manufacture and Active Gaming Media; the same company who translated Demon’s Souls into English and Dear Esther into Japanese. According to Eurogamer, the game’s soundtrack will be remixed by Akira Yamaoka; a longtime Suda 51 collaborator and former composer of the Silent Hill games and films.
The Silver Case HD Remaster is slated for a worldwide fall release on Microsoft windows.