Recent activity by publisher Square Enix indicates that a remake of the classic visual novel / adventure / mystery gamePortopia Serial Murder Casemay be in the works. The currently Japan-exclusive game, which released in 1983, is known for its surprisingly large world, nonlinear gameplay, and twisty mystery which players must solve.A remake ofPortopia Serial Murder Casefor modern consoles would do well to draw inspiration fromDisco Elysium,a recent game that managed to successfully blend open world gameplay with a tense mystery story and turn deduction and investigation into genuinely compelling gameplay.
The Portopia Serial Murder Casestars an unnamed detective, known simply as “Boss,” who alongside his assistant Yasu is tasked with solving the murder of wealthy businessman Kouzou Yamakawa. It was developed by Yuji Horii, who would later go on to create theDragon Questseries. Initially released for personal computers,Portopialater received remakes for the Famicom and mobile phones, but never left Japan. Within Japan, it is an extremely influential game, having been cited as a source of inspiration by both Eiji Aonuma and Hideo Kojima. Recently,Square Enix filed a new trademark for thePortopiatitle, indicating that a remake may be on the horizon. The title’s gameplay and story would be best updated for the modern era by drawing from what madeDisco Elysiumwork.
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Disco Elysium’s Skill System Would Pair With Portopia’s Interrogation Mechanic
One of the core mechanics ofPortopia Serial Murder Caseis calling suspects into police headquarters and interrogating them. Given the game’s age, the interrogation mechanic anddialogue system are naturally fairly straightforward: the player chooses from a list of prompts and the character responds accordingly. However, the choices available to the player allow them to play “good cop” or “bad cop” to some degree - they can politely request the suspect’s alibi or show them evidence, or they can physically steal items from their person. Notably, the player character can, despite the protests of assistant Yasu, force characters to stripto check their bodies for wounds, markings, or other physical evidence.
These interrogation options could be expanded in a remake by implementing a system of skill checks like the one used inDisco Elysium.Players inElysiumhave a great deal of freedom in choosing how to build their character: he can be kind and understanding or short-tempered and quick to resort to violence. Which skills the player chooses to invest in also significantly affect the game’s story and outcome, as they determine what NPCs are willing to interact with them and what information they can learn.Portopiaadding a similar skill check system would help the player character feel like less of a blank cipher and add variety to the game’s many interrogations.
Yasu Shares Similarities With Kim Kitsuragi
Because the player character is a mostly-silent protagonist, the majority ofPortopia’sdialogue comes from his assistant, Yasuhiko Mano, aka “Yasu,” a young, nervous junior detective. Yasu’s role in the plot is very similar to that ofDisco Elysium’sLieutenant Kim Kitsuragi, who assists the protagonist and provides information that theplayer character lacks due to his amnesia. Throughout the game, Kitsuragi is consistently willing to provide his own unique take on situations and characters, and can be consulted for clues and hints as needed. APortopiaremake should focus heavily on Yasu similarly, allowing him to serve as both a hint system for the player and a fleshed-out character in his own right.
Unfortunately, Square Enix has not shared any official information regarding whether aPortopiaremake or re-release is coming. The trademark was filed in late 2022, so it might be several months or even a year or more before any information is revealed. However, if thisPortopia Serial Murder Caseremake is indeed on the horizon, its development team will hopefully look toDisco Elysiumfor inspiration on how to deliver a successful murder mystery / adventure game /visual novelhybrid for modern consoles.
