Kadokawa Games today revealed Root Film, a new mystery adventure title. It’ll be released for Switch in Japan this spring.
Below are the first batch of details (courtesy of Gematsu), along with a trailer:
Overview
– The voice actor idol unit i☆Ris sings the theme song and play the roles of the main characters
– Ladies’ man voice actor Wataru Komada plays the role of the male protagonist
– Produced by Yoshimi Yasuda, who launched the Kadokawa Games mystery adventure series
– Written and directed by Hifumi Kouno, who has a reputation for working on adventure games
– Character design by Taro Mino, who also worked on the previous game Root Letter
– New mystery title set in Shimane
– As you progress through the protagonists’ stories and unravel records of the past, you will witness the truth
– Game developed with realistic and beautiful backgrounds from data that was carefully gathered of Shimane Prefecture
– Catharsis of the dark side of the Internet, madness, and art that are prevalent today
Story: Murderous Intent Hidden in 29.97 Frames
– Spirited young filmmaker Rintarou Yagumo is involved in a new TV project – a mystery drama production set in Shimane that also served as tourism promotion for the prefecture
– It has been 10 years since the original pilot was shot
– While the project was discontinued for unknown reasons, plans for a revival seems to be in place
– One of the characteristics of this project is that it is a competition between three filmmakers, and each filmmaker shoots using a different actress as the protagonist
– Yagumo is excited to learn that the other two filmmakers are famous directors
– Before long, Yagumo and the staff members head off to go pre-location scouting, but a murder occurs at their destination…
Rintarou Yagumo
– Up-and-coming young filmmaker
– Poor filmmaker with a small, personal office
– Makes a living by occasionally making small promotional videos and sham psychic DVDs
– Not satisfied with his current situation and is always trying to improve himself
– Recently won awards at the “6-Minute Film Festival,” “Asia Movie Competition,” and so on
– Garnering attention as an up-and-coming filmmaker
Riho
– The other protagonist
– Cheerful and often laughing
– She was scouted in high school and transferred to another high school in Tokyo
– Studied acting alongside her school studies and made her debut at 17 years-old
– While it was a sober debut due to the fact that she signed with a small office, she is gradually gaining value within the industry for her talent as an actor
Aine Magari
– Foul-mouthed assistant who works for Yagumo Pictures
– Very skilled in the use of editing software and equipment
– Has a bad attitude and the air of a former delinquent, but is a good girl at heart
– Takes notice of the smaller details and often looks after Yagumo
Hitoha Amakata
– An idol signed with a small office
– One of the three actors chosen as the leads for the Shimane mystery drama project
– Yagumo chooses her as a partner and together they travel around Shimane’s various locations
Kyouichi Kanade
– Cameraman who often hangs out with Yagumo
– While he may still be learning, he has courage and cameraman will-power, and since cameramen tend to ask for a lot of money, he is a saving grace for the poor Yagumo
– Quiet and takes pride in his work
– Always comes off as somewhat sleepy
Tomie Ao
– Riho’s friend from high shcool and a freshman at Shimane University
– She is studying the work of Yakumo Koizumi
– She moved to Shimane during high school
– Has a deep love for her father, and can sometimes be strongly opinionated
– She is cute, but does not have much of a fashion sense
Ayane Kotoshiro
– A friendly and strong-willed girl
– A girl from the esteemed Kotoshiro family of Shimane
– Simple-minded and friendly, but can also be strong-willed and selfish
– She is dating Kazuya Makida, who works for her, and even thinks she wants to get married
Game System
– “Synesthesia Mode”: during conversation, words that have been singled out as “words that should not be forgotten” in your subconscious will appear on screen
– The keywords you acquire can be used as part of your hand in “Max Mode”
– Max Mode: debate between the protagonist and other characters in the game, which occurs in the resolution chapters you switch over to as you progress through the game
– While this mode is carried over from root Letter, it has the appearance of a fighting game and the system has been completed renewed
– Another characteristic of Root Film is the stylish user interface and text design themed around film work under the supervision of Hifumi Kouno
Root Film Theme Song: “Utakata no Hikari”
– i☆Ris, who play the roles of the main characters in Root Film, are also the singers of the game’s original theme song
– The theme song “Utakata no Hikari” is a mature ballad with an air of suspense
