Izumi Jiken File Vol. 3 - Yujuku-hen

About

Izumi Jiken File Vol. 3 - Yujuku-hen is a visual novel that casts you as Izumi, a young editor solving a murder mystery in Kagoshima. Instead of taking notes or interrogating suspects directly, you piece together clues by reviewing interview transcripts and crime scene details. The story alternates between your investigation and the novelist Kagamizuki, who’s already solved the case but needs your input to confirm it. Your choices during Q&A sessions with Kagamizuki determine how the mystery unfolds, leading to one of several endings. The game’s structure leans into its novel-like pacing, letting you pause and revisit evidence before making deductions. Set in Kyushu’s Yujuku district, the story benefits from real-world location details that add texture to its narrative. While the 2003 mobile original had basic visuals, the 2007 Deluxe Edition upgraded art and added a web-connected epilogue for players who solve the case. The gameplay hinges on careful reading and timing responses during dialogue, making it a brisk but methodical mystery. Fans of text-driven sleuthing with minimal combat or branching paths might find it rewarding, though its age shows in the interface and presentation.

Storyline

The player will be the female editor "Izumi". "Izumi" deduces murder cases while interviewing instead of the popular novelist "Kagamizuki" who is worried about a murder case and can't write a novel. The novelist "Kagamizuki" has actually already finished deducing the culprit. "Izumi" will go to "Kagamizuki" when the criminal's eyes are revealed based on the information obtained by inquiries, etc., and will solve the mystery while answering the questions answered by "Kagamizuki". Players who have solved the case can jump from the app to the web, browse the epilogue, and get the original standby screen.