When you think of Japanese games, the first genre that usually jumps to mind is the traditional RPG. But the country also has a love of interactive novels. Though these text adventures are rarely released in the west, Aksys Games' latest release brings a classic of the genre, Banshee's Last Cry, to iOS for free.
First published in 1994 by Chunsoft on the SNES, Banshee's Last Cry was one of Japan's first sound novels. Its popularity has seen it released on multiple platforms within the country, and now, after twenty years, Aksys Games has released an English translation on iOS.
Playing very similarly to a choose-your-own-adventure book, the game charges you with solving a grizzly murder in a winter lodge. Much like in the classic D&D books, this can only be done by reading scrolls of text, gathering clues, and deciding what to do next.
In classic Miss Marple style, protagonist Toru (or Max in the English version), has untangle the case while trapped in a lodge with a group of suspects - one of whom definitely has blood on their hands.
With chilling music, dozens of endings, and - if this port is true to the original - a number of follow up stories, Banshee's Last Cry should give murder mystery fans something to investigate.
If you're intrigued, you can App Store now where the first chapter of Banshee's Last Cry is available for free. You can unlock the rest of the game for £2.49 / $3.99.
Source – Joystiq
