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- PQube
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- PQube
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- PQube
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- PQube
Root Film
Released On: Mar 19, 2021
70
8.0
All Platforms
Metascore
Mixed or Average
Based on 11 Critic Reviews
70
36% Positive
4 Reviews
4 Reviews
64% Mixed
7 Reviews
7 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Metascore
Mixed or Average
Based on 11 Critic Reviews
70
36% Positive
4 Reviews
4 Reviews
64% Mixed
7 Reviews
7 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
If you’re even slightly interested in visual novels or are just a fan of good mysteries in general, your life will only be better for picking up Root Film.
When it comes to storytelling, Root Film is a gem and a great example of how to evoke anxiety and curiosity using written word and spot-on music. Sadly, the story is linear, but vivid characters and a cool mystery to solve make up for it. [05/2021, p.65]
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 5 User Ratings
8.0
80% Positive
4 Ratings
4 Ratings
20% Mixed
1 Rating
1 Rating
0% Negative
0 Ratings
0 Ratings
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 5 User Ratings
8.0
80% Positive
4 Ratings
4 Ratings
20% Mixed
1 Rating
1 Rating
0% Negative
0 Ratings
0 Ratings
There are no user reviews yet. Be the first to add a review.
Murder mysteries are a wonderful genre of any medium that have near limitless potential and Root Film is a great entry that fans of other similar visual novels are likely to find enjoyment from. While it may not have a ton in the gameplay department due to focusing much more on the storytelling, it does its job well and the build up to uncovering the criminal in a fun who-done-it moment is worthwhile no matter the case at hand. Titles like these are hard to discuss due to the spoiler nature of murder mysteries, but anyone looking for a new mystery series that’s a mix of wonderful comedy and serious murder drama should check out Root Film.
Root Film is the kind of game you recommend to a friend who is wanting to get into visual novels. It was hard not to compare it to its peers, but I think some of that is a bit fair. It felt like an earnest attempt at a love letter to a subgenre of visual novels. The attempt was surely appreciated, and makes it impossible for me to dislike the game in its entirety. On its own, I feel the game is just short of greatness, but that in no way makes it bad or even mediocre. The presentation and characters carry the experience, and the game made me laugh out loud more times than I could count. I wish there could have been some more complexity in the game’s writing, but so often do visual novel writers fail when it comes to penning good dialogue for the characters. I’d be more than interested in checking out a third possible game in this series if we’re lucky enough to see one.
Root Film is an incredibly stylish and beautiful adventure visual novel held down by a few flimsy opening chapters. The pacing takes a dramatic hit due to a lack of direction, which caused me to step away several times. However, the second half is where the stars align and provide a solid and memorable conclusion to those who stick around.
Root Film is a visual novel that shares some points with other genres.
Its plot ends up feeling too cumbersome and takes some time to pick up
momentum during the first half of the game, along with an exploration
that doesn't transmit the player a clear sense of purpose, only to then
become much more compelling later on. This can be a problem for those
not persistent enough, but players who won't put it down will enjoy a
much more engaging effort closer to the end of the experience.
Somehow, Root Film has two competing problems that turn the whole game into a narrative mess. It’s incapable of telling a compelling mystery, always bogging the player down in needless exploration and conversations to get a single character’s full dialogue. Which leaves it feeling like it deliberately wants to extend its length by wasting the player’s time.
Summary Two protagonists star side by side in Kadokawa Games's latest mystery adventure, Root Film. Up-and-coming filmmaker Rintaro Yagumo is scheduled to participate in the production of a mystery drama/PR initiative TV series set in Shimane Prefecture, which was cancelled for an unknown reason 10 years ago. However, a series of bizarre murders...
Rated M
for Mature
Platforms:
- PlayStation 4
- Nintendo Switch
Initial Release Date: Mar 19, 2021
Developer:
- Kadokawa
Publisher: PQube
Genres:
