The Silver Case Reviews
As noted, The Silver Case isn’t an experience that everyone will enjoy or want to engage with. I’ve seen people on Steam go so far as to request refunds because of the simple presence of the “solve the puzzle for me” button — it’s fair to say that people like that were never this game’s intended audience. If you’re up for what this game has to offer, though, which is a fascinating story told in a particularly fascinating way, you’ll have a thoroughly enjoyable time. And you’ll be left wanting more.
I suspect The Silver Case still has plenty more to offer beyond the point I’m at — I’ve only cleared the prologue chapter and the first main “case” in the Transmitter scenario — but I’m already thoroughly intrigued. If you’re looking for something very, very different from pretty much anything you’ve played before then The Silver Case is well worth checking out. I will certainly be continuing to do so in my own free time.
The Silver Case is an intriguing package that provides an insight in to the early works of Suda51, one of gaming’s more interesting personalities. The game might’ve aged but its quality still shines through.
While it's nice to see how far Suda 51 has come, only diehard adventure and Suda 51 fans will be able to appreciate this. The Silver Case hasn't aged well, and feels both clunky and underwhelming. This feels like a first attempt, and compared to many others, it's a novel one. Still, it's hard to appreciate the beauty of a mirror under all the dust, and The Silver Case is definitely a dusty one.
A solid HD release of a game that remains not for everyone.
The Silver Case is best enjoyed as an intriguing historical document: a statement of intent from a developer that would go on to bigger and better things. Removed from that context, however, it is difficult to recommend. An utterly glacial pace combined with often nonsensical dialogue means the experience is dull at best – and frustrating at worst.
The Silver Case greatest strength lies in keeping the player constantly interested and confused. Many moments of the story will seem absurd, leaving the player wanting to know more. Once the player continues to dwell into the game, mysteries change, new information is discovered and even more absurd things happen, restarting the feeling of complete confusion and interest once again. If you are searching for a highly complex and interesting story, The Silver Case is a great recommendation.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
A visual novel with a good story, but a bad rythm, no voices, and poor gameplay. Like Deadly Premonition, only the most hardcore gamers may enjoy it.
Review in French | Read full review
The Silver Case is a difficult game to review: the first work of Suda51 still has an intriguing gameplay, but there's no denying that time took its toll. Anyway, if you love Suda51, and you love graphic novels, it's really a no-brainer.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Suda 51 and his creativity brought to life incredible story and characters in psychedelic detective novel. Yet it will be appreciated only by those, who can look past archaic mechanics and certain „weirdness” in games.
Review in Polish | Read full review
The Silver Case is a rare breed of game that is a breath of fresh air in today's gaming landscape. The gameplay elements are somewhat rigid, but fans of gritty crime dramas or Suda51's distinct style will find a lot to like here.
The Silver Case is pure Goichi Suda, riveting and moody in idiosyncratic ways, but also frequently confounding
Fans of Suda51 may find something to love, but The Silver Case is a mess whose flaws far outweigh its strengths.
Although redesigned for a modern audience, much of The Silver Case is left behind in the past. The avant-garde storytelling and newly added chapters are the only things to properly stand the test of time.
All in all, The Silver Case is a long, enjoyable visual novel that is feeling the aches of time – The controls haven’t aged well, nor has some of the dialogue…But if you can fight through it, and battle against the urge to fall asleep during some of the lesser parts of the game and understand what the bloody hell is happening, you’ll possibly find yourself with a new gem courtesy of Suda51…
In the end, The Silver Case is a strange, but interesting title.
Although with all of this being said, if you are looking for an adventure/point-and-click style detective game, this is definitely one to take into consideration. The main issue I have with The Silver Case is that it shows its age all too well. You can easily tell by looking at and playing the game that it was originally released over 17 years ago. No amount of remastering is going to make this any better, unless the entire game was to be remade from the ground up, which just isn’t feasible at the moment. However, fans of Suda51 should absolutely pick this up and digest it at some point, as it is extremely fun to go back and see where his career with Grasshopper Manufacture all began. Everyone else should probably think hard before jumping in.
The Silver Case is still an enjoyable experience, despite some of its antiquated designs. Delving into the mind of a younger Suda51 can be a bit mental, and it's something that any enthusiast for his works should ensure they don't miss.
A nuanced masterpiece.
The Suda-sensory Mother Lode The Silver Case, more than any virtual art piece I’ve experienced this year, is a product of its time. It is a reflection and speculation on the technological potential and cultural paranoia that partially defines the digital revolution and, more specifically, global internet culture from the late 90’s to the present day.