A generation who only knows “The culprit is ○○” tries “Portopia Serial Murders: The Sequel.” Reiwa’s “Portopia” is fun! [TGS2026]

From Thursday, September 17, 2026, through Sunday, September 20, 2026, the “Tokyo Game Show 2026” (hereinafter “TGS2026”), celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, was held at Makuhari Messe.

In this article, we’ll cover one of the titles on display—*The Portopia Serial Murders Case: Burial of Oblivion*, which garnered attention following its announcement during “Nintendo Direct 2026.9.9”—*The Portopia Serial Murders: Burial of Oblivion*, and we were also able to speak briefly with Koichi Takeshita of G-Mode, the game’s publisher, so we’ll cover that as well.

Incidentally, since I’m not from that generation, I’m in a position where I only know the phrase “The culprit is ○○” but have never actually played the original game… Right after the demo began, following an explanation of the case’s overview, I came face-to-face with Yasuhiko Mano.

There’s a wide range of options, and right from the start, there’s even one that says “Arrest him.” Deciding to try them all out one by one, I clicked through the options from the top. Whenever I chose an option that didn’t fit the situation, Yasu would either tease the player—who is the boss (Mr. Go)—or calmly call me out on it. He’s actually a pretty cute guy.Even though they’re in a boss-subordinate hierarchy, it seems like they have a good relationship where they don’t have to hold back.

This case involves the suicide of Kozo Yamakawa, the president of Loan Yamakin. We head to the scene—the Yamakawa residence—to investigate.

You have to collect evidence after you find it. When I was still getting used to the game, I accidentally forgot to pick it up a few times. It felt a bit retro, but I found that making a conscious effort to collect items actually helps you remember what you’re currently holding.

Also, not only can you adjust the message display speed, but the response times for options and controls are very snappy—I didn’t feel any system-related stress while playing. It successfully revives a classic from the past, making it easy to play even today.

As I explored further, I discovered a suspicious basement! When I went down, it turned out to be… a 3D dungeon!?

I ignored the extremely suspicious warning and pressed on, only to find myself trapped underground—and that’s when my trial playtime ended.

Although I knew the culprit’s name, I wasn’t familiar with the plot of *The Portopia Serial Murders*. Even though it’s a hard-boiled adventure game—a genre I love—featuring a police officer as the protagonist, the unexpected twists kept me entertained, and I found myself getting excited, thinking, “*The Portopia Serial Murders* is actually really fun!”

I’m really looking forward to being able to play such a game today as an accessible remake!

――What led to the decision to remake “The Portopia Serial Murders” this time?

Mr. Takeshita: As I actually wrote about on Game*Spark, we released Mr. Horii’s adventure game *Hokkaido Chain Murders: Vanished into the Okhotsk—Drifting Ice of Memories, Tears of the Nipopo Doll*.

Interview to Commemorate the Announcement of “The Portopia Serial Murder Case 2”! Will the New Content Exceed the Scale of the “Vanishing in the Okhotsk” Remake? We Asked About the Work of “Connecting Classic Adventure Games to the Future” [Interview] | Game*Spark - Domestic and International Game Information Site

An interview with Koichi Takeshita of G-Mode, the developer behind *The Portopia Serial Murders: Part 2 – Burial of Oblivion*. We asked him about the journey continuing from *Vanished in the Okhotsk*, the intent behind the “Part 2” title conceived by Yuji Horii, and his work as a publisher.

https://www.gamespark.jp/article/2026/09/13/172204.html続きを読む »

Thankfully, the game received excellent reviews from players, who said it was “not just a remake, but essentially a brand-new game.” It was a natural progression for the team to ask, “What should we do next?” Mr. Horii also encouraged us, so we thought, “Well, maybe next up should be *The Portopia Serial Murders Case*.”

At first, the title didn’t include “Sequel,” but as development progressed, Mr. Horii made a suggestion. He came up with the name *Sequel: Portopia Serial Murders* to emphasize that this wasn’t just a remake, but a true sequel.

――I see… So, does that mean it started out as a simple remake?

Mr. Takeshita: Our approach was the same as with *Vanishing in the Okhotsk*: faithfully remaking the original content while adding new elements. We wanted to ensure that both people who had played it before and those who hadn’t could both enjoy it fully. So, it was decided from the start that we’d do a remake plus something extra. As for exactly what form that would take, there were various ideas on the table.

――Thank you. There were no character voices in this demo, but will the actual retail version be fully voiced?

Mr. Takeshita: Yes, it will be fully voiced. We plan to gradually announce various details, including the voice cast, leading up to the release date. Above all, we want to keep the excitement building among our customers until the release date.

――What is the estimated overall volume of the game?

Mr. Takeshita: In addition to the original story, there are five new scenarios told from different perspectives, so I think it will be quite substantial. For those who enjoyed *Hokkaido Serial Murders: Vanished into the Okhotsk—Drifting Ice of Memories, Tears of the Nipopo Doll*, the content is sure to satisfy you!

――Oh, I’m looking forward to it! Finally, could you share a few words for the players eagerly awaiting the release of this title?

Mr. Takeshita: Following *Hokkaido Serial Murders: Vanished into the Okhotsk*, we’re able to bring you another one of Mr. Horii’s adventure games as a remake—for the first time in nearly 40 years. I think you’ll really enjoy it, so please hang in there just a little longer!

――Thank you very much!

“Portopia Serial Murders: The Burial of Oblivion” is scheduled for release in 2027 on PC (Steam), Nintendo Switch 2, and Nintendo Switch.