Jake Hunter: Detective Chronicles

Last updated
Jake Hunter: Detective Chronicles
Jake Hunter Detective Chronicles cover.jpg
Developer(s) WorkJam
Publisher(s) Arc System Works, Aksys Games
Series Jake Hunter
Platform(s) Nintendo DS
ReleaseDetective Chronicles
July 19, 2007 (JP)
June 11, 2008 (NA)
Detective Story: Memories of the Past
May 26, 2009 (NA)
Genre(s) Visual novel, adventure game
Mode(s) Single-player

Jake Hunter: Detective Chronicles [lower-alpha 1] is a detective visual novel adventure game developed by WorkJam and published by Arc System Works in Japan and Aksys Games in the United States. It is part of the Jake Hunter series of detective games, and the first to be localized in the West. It was released on July 19, 2007 in Japan, and June 11, 2008 in the United States for Nintendo DS. Marking the series' 20th anniversary, it includes remakes of the series' first five games as well as an additional case. Unlike its Japanese version, the initial Western version of the game lacked three of the cases, and was widely criticized for its poor localization. It was re-released on May 26, 2009 as Jake Hunter Detective Story: Memories of the Past, also for Nintendo DS, which received more positive reviews for its completely new translation and inclusion of the game's full content.

Contents

Gameplay

The gameplay of both the game and its re-release involve solving crimes by going to various locations, collecting evidence and information, and then answering an end-of-day quiz in order to proceed the story. The cases are linear with losing impossible. [1]

Reception

The original Detective Chronicles received an aggregate score of 47/100 on Metacritic, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews". [2] The game's re-release, Detective Story: Memories of the Past, received a Metacritic score of 72/100, indicating "mixed or average reviews". [3]

Neal Chandran of RPGFan rated Detective Chronicles 69/100 points, comparing the game's localization to that of Revelations: Persona and calling it "hacked up for US audiences", even after games like Persona 3 had embraced their Japanese setting. He criticized the game's "Americanization", calling it "incongruent with the Japanese aspects of the game" such as a right-hand-side steering wheel and obvious Japanese signs. Stating that the game had no replay value, he called it a "rip off" even at its budget price due to its cut cases. He also called the cases "shallow" in comparison to similar games for the platform, like Hotel Dusk: Room 215 , and the graphics "unimpressive" and "washed out" compared to the Ace Attorney series. [4] In his subsequent review for Detective Story, he rated it 73/100 points, calling it a "major improvement" on its predecessor, but stating that his score for the former may have been generous. While praising the new translation, he criticized the decision to keep the games set in America, and noted that the gameplay remained linear and largely menu-based, with only a single ending to each case and unlimited retries. He continued to call the music "mostly forgettable". [5]

Daemon Hatfield of IGN rated Detective Chronicles 6.4/10 points, saying it held the player's hand too much and could not compare to Phoenix Wright. Calling the game's characters "one-dimensional", he stated it was a "decent way to kill a few hours", but lacked effort or any humor, with artwork being generic and having only a single pose regardless of emotion, rather than scenario-appropriate art. [1] Lucas M. Thomas of the same publication rated Detective Story 7.9/10 points, calling it polished and fun, and describing the Unleashed bonus episodes as "hilarious". He said he came away impressed with the game, saying it "does the introduction of Jake Hunter to America right". [6]

Emily Morganti of Adventure Gamers rated Detective Chronicles 1/5 stars, calling it a "terribly-written snooze-fest", despite the Nintendo DS's potential for visual novels. Saying that the music was so repetitive she turned it off for most of the game, she also disliked the writing's constant emphasis on it being set in America, despite the Japanese version's setting. Describing the translation as poor, she said that the game "takes localization gaffes to the next level", and that the writing contained "a slew of errors any half-decent proofreader should have caught". Stating the characters "have zero personality", she summed up the game as not even worth it for free, and that its plastic case was of higher value than the game cartridge itself. [7] Andrea Morstabilini of the same publication gave a comparatively higher review of 4/5 stars to Detective Story, saying it was "no surprise" that the game had been re-released, and calling the new version "clearly the game as it was originally intended to be". She described the new translation as "staying true to the gritty, grim realism of the setting without lapsing into triviality or flatness". Characterizing the game's setting as "depressingly harsh" in comparison to games like Phoenix Wright, she called it "refreshingly realistic", similar to early Police Quest games. Stating that she enjoyed all of the cases, she noted that one of them made her cry, demonstrating the game's immersion. However, she said that the game lacked interactivity, and was too straightforward for its own good. [8]

Notes

  1. ↑ Known in Japan as Detective Jinguji Saburo DS ~Ancient Memories~ (Japanese: 探偵 神宮寺三郎DS ~いにしえの記憶~, Hepburn: Tantei Jingūji Saburō DS ~Inishie no Kioku~).

Related Research Articles

Front Mission is a collection of video games and related media produced by Square, now Square Enix. The series was created by Toshiro Tsuchida and developed by G-Craft, a studio that was later absorbed by Square and existed within Square Enix as Product Development Division-6. Since the release of the original Front Mission in 1995, the series has gone on to encompass several media, including film, manga, novels, radio dramas, mobile phone applications, and toys. While the series is primarily rooted in the turn-based tactical role-playing genre, it has also ventured into other genres such as side-scrolling shooter, real-time strategy (RTS), massive multiplayer online (MMO), and third-person shooter through its spin-offs. The Front Mission video games achieved moderate success, selling over 3 million units worldwide up until January 2006.

<i>Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney</i> 2001 video game

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney is a visual novel adventure game developed and published by Capcom. It was released in 2001 for the Game Boy Advance in Japan and has been ported to multiple platforms. The 2005 Nintendo DS version, titled Gyakuten Saiban Yomigaeru Gyakuten in Japan, introduced an English language option, and was the first time the game was released in North America and Europe. It is the first entry in the Ace Attorney series; several sequels and spin-offs were produced, while this game has seen further ports and remasters for computers, game consoles, and mobile devices.

<i>Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney</i> 2007 video game

Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney is a visual novel adventure video game developed and published by Capcom. It is the fourth title in the Ace Attorney series, and was released for the Nintendo DS handheld game console in Japan in 2007 and in the West in 2008, for iOS and Android in 2016, and for the Nintendo 3DS in 2017. It is also set to be released for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows and Xbox One in 2024, as part of the Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy compilation.

<i>Digimon World DS</i> 2006 video game

Digimon World DS, known in Japan as Digimon Story, is a role-playing video game for the Nintendo DS developed by BEC and published by Bandai Namco Games. The game was released in Japan on June 15, 2006, and in North America later that year on November 7. Despite its localized title, the game shares no relation to the separate Digimon World series.

<i>Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure</i> 1998 video game

Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure is a tactical role-playing video game developed and published by Nippon Ichi Software for the PlayStation. Released in 1998, it is the first installment in the Rhapsody series. A version for the Nintendo DS was released in Japan and North America in 2008, and in PAL regions in 2009. The game was released for Nintendo Switch as part of the Prinny Presents NIS Classics Volume 3 compilation in western regions, and for Windows as a standalone game worldwide in 2022. The game's story focuses on a young girl named Cornet as she seeks to rescue a prince after being turned to stone by a witch.

<i>Ace Attorney</i> Japanese media franchise of adventure games by Capcom

Ace Attorney is a visual novel adventure video games franchise developed by Capcom. With storytelling fashioned after legal dramas, the first entry in the series, Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, was released in 2001; since then, five further main series games, as well as various spin-offs, prequels and high-definition remasters for newer game consoles, have been released. Additionally, the series has seen adaptations in the form of a live-action film and an anime, and has been the base for manga series, drama CDs, musicals and stage plays.

<i>Touch Detective</i> 2006 video game

Touch Detective or Mystery Detective in Europe is a point-and-click mystery adventure game for the Nintendo DS which makes use of the device's touch screen. It was developed by BeeWorks and released in Japan by Success Corporation. It was published in the United States by Atlus USA, and in the PAL region by 505 Games. Touch Detective was released for the iOS on August 4, 2011. Its first chapter is free to download. The game is set to be released in Japan for Nintendo Switch as part of a compilation of the Touch Detective franchise titled Touch Detective: Rina and the Funghi Case Files.

<i>Digimon World Dawn</i> and <i>Dusk</i> 2007 video game

Digimon World Dawn and Digimon World Dusk, originally released as Digimon Story Sunburst & Moonlight in Japan, are two role-playing video games for the Nintendo DS handheld game console released in Japan on March 29, 2007 and North America on September 18, 2007. Together, they serve as the second instalment of the Digimon Story series, part of the larger Digimon franchise. Despite their western title, the games are not part of the Digimon World series.

<i>Mystery Dungeon: Shiren the Wanderer</i> 1995 video game

Mystery Dungeon: Shiren the Wanderer, originally released in Japan as Fushigi no Dungeon 2: Fūrai no Shiren, is a roguelike video game developed and published by Chunsoft. It is the second entry in the Mystery Dungeon series, following 1993's Torneko no Daibōken. It was originally released for the Super Famicom in 1995 in Japan. Sega published a Nintendo DS remake in 2006 in Japan and in 2008 internationally. The remake was later ported to iOS and Android and published by Spike Chunsoft in 2019.

<i>Touch Detective 2 ½</i> 2007 video game

Touch Detective 2 ½ is an adventure game for the Nintendo DS, iOS, and Android. It is a sequel to the Nintendo DS game, Touch Detective that is centered around the titular character, Mackenzie. It features 5 chapters that each have a case to be solved. Like its predecessor, this game is a point-and-click game that utilizes the device's touch screen. Its release sparked the development of many Funghi based spin-off games for mobile devices. The game is set to be released in Japan for Nintendo Switch as part of a compilation video game titled Touch Detective: Rina and the Funghi Case Files.

<i>Lux-Pain</i> 2008 video game

Lux-Pain is a visual novel adventure video game developed by Killaware and published by Marvelous Entertainment for the Nintendo DS video game console. The game was released in Japan on March 27, 2008. It was published in North America by Ignition Entertainment on March 24, 2009, and in Europe by Rising Star Games on March 27, 2009.

Jake Hunter, known in Japan as Tantei Jingūji Saburō, is a mystery adventure game series originally developed and published by Data East in 1987. The property would later transfer to WorkJam, and then to Arc System Works.

The Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles video game series consists of Crystal Chronicles, a spin-off of the main Final Fantasy series, its sequels My Life as a King and My Life as a Darklord, and their spin-offs, Ring of Fates, Echoes of Time and The Crystal Bearers. Crystal Chronicles, Ring of Fates, and Echoes of Time have had released soundtrack albums to date, and Crystal Chronicles and Ring of Fates each have an associated single. Kumi Tanioka is the main composer for the series, having composed the three released soundtracks as well as the music for My Life as a King and My Life as a Darklord. Hidenori Iwasaki is filling that role for The Crystal Bearers. Nobuo Uematsu, the main composer for the regular Final Fantasy series, contributed one track to the Ring of Fates soundtrack. Yae and Donna Burke sang the Japanese and English versions of the theme song for Crystal Chronicles, respectively, while Aiko sang the theme song for Ring of Fates.

<i>Again</i> (video game) 2009 video game

Again: Interactive Crime Novel, known in Japan as Again: FBI Chōshinri Sōsakan, is an adventure video game developed by Cing and published by Tecmo for the Nintendo DS. It was released in Japan on December 10, 2009 and in North America on April 2, 2010. It was originally titled Again: Eye of Providence.

<i>Solatorobo: Red the Hunter</i> 2010 video game

Solatorobo: Red the Hunter, originally released in Japan as Soratorobo -Sore Kara Kōda e- is an action role-playing video game developed by CyberConnect2 for the Nintendo DS. Originally released in Japan by Bandai Namco Games in October 2010, an English version was released by Nintendo for Europe in July 2011 and Australia the following November, with a North American release in September by Xseed Games. It is the spiritual sequel to Tail Concerto, and, like its predecessor, features artwork and character designs by manga artist Nobuteru Yūki and music by Chikayo Fukuda. The game includes animated cutscenes produced by Madhouse, as well as vocal themes performed by Tomoyo Mitani.

<i>Radiant Historia</i> 2010 video game

Radiant Historia is a role-playing video game co-developed by Atlus and Headlock for the Nintendo DS. It was released in Japan in 2010 by Atlus, and in North America in 2011 by their subsidiary Atlus USA. An expanded remake for the Nintendo 3DS, titled Radiant Historia: Perfect Chronology, was released in 2017 in Japan and released in North America and Europe the following year, with the European version being published by Deep Silver.

<i>999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors</i> 2009 video game

999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors is a visual novel and adventure video game developed by Chunsoft. It is the first installment in the Zero Escape series, and was released in Japan in December 2009 and in North America in November 2010 for the Nintendo DS. The story follows Junpei, a college student who is abducted along with eight other people and forced to play the "Nonary Game", which puts its participants in a life-or-death situation, to escape from a sinking cruise liner. The gameplay alternates between two types of sections: Escape sections, where the player completes puzzles in escape-the-room scenarios; and Novel sections, where the player reads the game's narrative and makes decisions that influence the story toward one of six different endings.

<i>Tokyo Twilight Ghost Hunters</i> 2014 video game

Tokyo Twilight Ghost Hunters is a 2014 visual novel produced by Toybox Inc. for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita. It was originally released in Japan by Arc System Works and was released in North America by Aksys Games and in the PAL region by NIS America in 2015. An updated version with a reworked battle system, titled Tokyo Twilight Ghost Hunters Daybreak: Special Gigs, first released in Japan in 2015 before releasing worldwide for PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, and Windows.

WorkJam Co., Ltd. was a Japanese video game and software development company. Its main headquarters were located in Chiyoda, Tokyo.

<i>Jake Hunter Detective Story: Ghost of the Dusk</i> 2017 video game

Jake Hunter Detective Story: Ghost of the Dusk is a visual novel adventure game developed and published by Arc System Works and Aksys Games in the United States. The game is part of the Jake Hunter series of detective games. It was released for Nintendo 3DS in August 31, 2017 in Japan, and September 28, 2018 in the United States. It received mixed reviews from critics, who criticized the game's linearity and thought its gameplay was outdated.

References

  1. 1 2 Hatfield, Daemon (2008-06-17). "Jake Hunter: Detective Chronicles Review". IGN . Retrieved 2023-07-31.
  2. ↑ "Jake Hunter: Detective Chronicles". Metacritic. Retrieved 2023-07-31.
  3. ↑ "Jake Hunter: Memories of the Past". Metacritic. Retrieved 2023-07-31.
  4. ↑ Chandran, Neal (2008-07-10). "RPGFan Reviews - Jake Hunter: Detective Chronicles". RPGFan. Archived from the original on 2009-12-15. Retrieved 2023-07-31.
  5. ↑ Chandran, Neal (2009-08-20). "RPGFan Reviews - Jake Hunter Detective Story: Memories of the Past". RPGFan. Archived from the original on 2009-08-26. Retrieved 2023-07-31.
  6. ↑ M. Thomas, Lucas (2009-06-19). "Jake Hunter Detective Story: Memories of the Past Review". IGN . Retrieved 2023-07-31.
  7. ↑ Morganti, Emily (2008-07-15). "Jake Hunter: Detective Chronicles review". Adventure Gamers . Retrieved 2023-07-31.
  8. ↑ Morstabilini, Andrea (2009-08-26). "Jake Hunter Detective Story: Memories of the Past review". Adventure Gamers. Retrieved 2023-07-31.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.