Portopia Renzoku Satsujin Jiken (Japan)

Portopia Renzoku Satsujin Jiken is one of the earliest and most influential detective adventure games, released on Nintendo's NES (Famicom) system. Players take on the role of an unnamed detective, accompanied by his assistant Yasuda, investigating a mysterious murder case that begins with the death of a wealthy banker named Kouzou Yamakawa.

The gameplay of Portopia Renzoku Satsujin Jiken is primarily based on a text-driven user interface and command selection. Players navigate through various locations, from the crime scene to other places within the city of Portopia, to search for clues, evidence, and interview witnesses and suspects. Actions are performed by selecting commands from a menu, which include options such as: "Go" (move to another location), "Look" (observe the surroundings), "Ask" (interview characters), "Investigate" (search for specific items or clues), "Phone" (make a call), "Report" (review collected information), and "Save" (save game progress).

When interviewing characters, players can choose specific questions to elicit information. The answers often lead to new clues, reveal relationships between characters, or provide further details about the case. Gathering enough information and connecting the events is key to progressing in the game. Sometimes, players will need to revisit locations or re-interview characters after acquiring new information.

The game not only demands attention to detail but also requires logical deduction skills to piece together the narrative. Some puzzles or situations might require players to think "outside the box" or experiment with different commands. Portopia Renzoku Satsujin Jiken is renowned for its complex plot, numerous twists, and a surprising ending, which laid the groundwork for many subsequent detective adventure games.