Video Game Review: Urban Myth Dissolution Center

Urban legends spread like wildfire, becoming more terrifying as they circulate enough. In Urban Myth Dissolution Center, players step into the role of recruits at an institution dedicated to investigating and unraveling myths.

Urban Myth Dissolution Center follows Azami Fukurai, a student burdened by spooky visions that no one else can see. Seeking help, she stumbles into the Urban Myth Dissolution Center, an agency that investigates supernatural anomalies. Azami doesn’t exactly receive aid and is instead pulled into working for the agency.

Each case is self-contained yet feeds into an overarching mystery, much like a television series like Fringe. The game leans more into psychological horror than outright scares, using its eerie atmosphere and themes of cyberbullying, paranoia, and social cruelty to create an experience that pulls players in.

The game is a blend of visual novel storytelling with light detective gameplay, but it’s more visual novel than anything else. Players explore locations, search for clues, and interview folks. Azami’s ability to perceive supernatural traces lets players switch between normal vision and hidden details that one usually can’t see, which is a nice way to see the same settings from a different perspective. The deduction system is simple, with little punishment for mistakes, making it more about experiencing the story than presenting a challenge.

The variety of investigations, from scouring physical locations to researching urban legends keeps the game engaging. In some ways, Urban Myth Dissolution Center is like the Ace Attorney series in that while it might be a visual novel, there is a nice investigative twist that can pull in people who aren’t particularly a fan of the genre.

Urban Myth Dissolution Center is a masterclass in atmospheric presentation, blending eerie pixel art with a strikingly minimalist color palette. The game primarily uses blue and red tones, enhancing the contrast between reality and supernatural horror. Subtle character animations and cinematic cutscenes bring the narrative to life, making even pixelated sprites feel expressive and haunting. While the point-and-click segments could use a bit more visual variety, the overall aesthetic is stunning, capturing a distinct, almost dreamlike unease.

The soundtrack perfectly complements the unsettling tone, ranging from eerie synth beats to pulse-pounding tension tracks. There isn’t any voice acting, which could have helped with the

Urban Myth Dissolution Center is a lovely paranormal mystery that thrives on atmosphere and tension. The deduction mechanics are on the simpler side, but the game’s narrative and haunting presentation more than make up for it.