Review: Urban Myth Dissolution Center (Nintendo Switch)

Urban Myth Dissolution Center is a point-and-click visual novel for the Nintendo Switch. It takes the creepiness of Emio and the investigative elements of the Ace Attorney series and wraps them into a pixel-art bundle of mysteries to solve. In short, it’s an excellent addition to your Nintendo Switch collection.

The story follows Azami, a shy student with a strange power; she can see ghosts. Or, at least, she thinks she can. When Azami summons the courage to find out more about her powers by visiting the mysterious Urban Myth Dissolution Center, she becomes entangled in a series of events that rely on her unique skills.

The game unfolds over six chapters. Each one follows a different urban legend that needs to be unravelled. Is there really a man hidden under your bed? If you say “bloody Mary” three times into a mirror will the spectre of a murderer really appear? These are just some of the encounters Azami comes across during her adventures. Your goal is to work out what’s causing these disturbances. In short, are they myth or reality?

If you enjoy myth-busting and detective stories, you’ll get a kick out of this premise. There’s certainly an occult theme to the game, with people sporting special powers and whatnot, but I love the way it’s generally grounded in reality. It’s a good mix that takes the real world and applies a splash of the supernatural over the top. It makes you wonder about each and every case and whether the myth could actually be real.

Urban Myth Dissolution Center oozes creepiness. There are horror elements littered throughout each chapter, from blood splatter to knife-weilding maniacs. Not to mention the fact the entire world is actually at risk. This overarching story across all chapters slowly becomes clearer as you progress. And, in true, gripping fashion, the end of each chapter leaves you wanting more.

Each mission features several rooms to explore. You begin by interviewing the person who called the center along with any other witnesses or interested parties. You can freely move around each setting to speak to anyone present or investigate certain aspects of the room. The more you investigate, the closer Azami gets to solving the events of each mystery.

There’s also an interesting social-media element whereby you scroll through reactions to posts about the myth, discerning anything worth delving further into. These clues help unravel the full picture in a satisfying way. It’s often unclear until the end of a chapter exactly what is the cause.

During each mission, Azami must fill in the gaps in the story. This is where the Ace Attorney aspect comes into play. For example, you’ll sometimes be required to select from several options based on what you’ve learnt so far. At other times, you’ll have to insert three phrases into a sentence. It’s a fun and relatively simple exercise, though I found it stressful at first. It soon becomes obvious that there’s no penalty for incorrect answers; simply try again. This makes it a relatively easy game in a sense as you’re mostly following a story and helping to keep it moving by interacting with the narrative. Personally, I enjoyed this style and pace. Anyone looking for more of a challenge may not be as interested.

One of the neatest aspects of this title is Azami herself. She’s thrust into this dangerous world against her will, but her sweet nature is so endearing you can’t help but feel sorry for her and want to help her. Her politeness keeps her going despite being used for her powers, and it’s fascinating to watch her grow as she becomes more adept. 

Graphically, the game sports a retro pixel look that looks great. It also helps make the horror slightly more palatable for sensitive gamers, making it appear less realistic. When a character speaks, their static on-screen image is presented in true visual-novel style, often with reactions to the current conversation, like shock or fear. The background is presented in a side-scrolling way, with a pixelated approach that relies on a distinct red color to highlight specific objects. Blood is an obvious one, but even people can be outlined with red at times. It creates a stark visual side of the game that truly stands out. 

The audio is pretty terrific, too. The soundtrack blends neatly into the background with ominous tones when the mood calls for it, adding to the dramatic and horrific feel of the game. There’s also some terrific voicework on display. It’s all in Japanese, adding to the feel of being set in the land of the rising sun.

Overall, Urban Myth Dissolution Center is an absolute blast. It features fantastic graphics, spine-tingling mysteries to solve, and a point-and-click style that works well. I would love to see another entry in this series.