Highly Acclaimed by Director Hideo Kojima! The MSX Version of The Portopia Serial Murder Case

Before the massive success of Dragon Quest, PC-savvy kids recognized Yuji Horii as a master of adventure games. The three titles "The Portopia Serial Murder Case," "Okhotsk ni Kiyu," and "Karuizawa Yukai Annai" were known as the Horii Mystery Trilogy and have been passed down as legendary masterpieces.
In this article, I will discuss the appeal of Portopia, which can be called the prototype for "Okhotsk ni Kiyu," and Karuizawa, which can be considered its evolution.

❶ Is Yasu the Protagonist? The Portopia Serial Murder Case

Around 1983-1984, the star of PC gaming was the adventure game. As thinking-based games for adults that couldn't be played on home consoles or in arcades, the adventure games introduced in Hello Mycon were the envy of many young gamers.
A significant number of adventure games were produced during this period, but what made the "Horii Mystery Trilogy" decisively different from other works was that the quality of the writing was on a completely different level.

At that time, PC game development was often centered around a single programmer, who was also responsible for the scenario and text, despite being an amateur in those fields. In contrast, the profound stories crafted by Mr. Horii, a "professional writer" with a proven track record, felt like a gateway to the next generation of games that would eventually lead to Dragon Quest.
For reference, let me introduce some adventure games from the same period that I played.

It might have been inevitable that adventure games of that time prioritized visually impactful graphics over text. There was also a trend of competing over the number of scenes and the speed of rendering, so text tended to be secondary. However, this is just my personal opinion, but I feel that adventure games were "reading material" before they were games.

The first installment of the "Horii Mystery Trilogy," The Portopia Serial Murder Case had its original PC-6001 version released in June 1983, making it a work from the very early dawn of PC gaming history.
The thing I felt most when playing this game was that the characters were incredibly well-defined. The true culprit of Portopia became famous after being ported to the Famicom, to the point where it was said that "even if you haven't played the game, you know the culprit," but it was already a fairly well-known topic among PC kids.

So, I started it knowing who the culprit was, but I was still able to enjoy the game thoroughly. It was just like the feeling in "Columbo," where the culprit's careful crime is shown at the beginning, and then Columbo gradually corners them. One of the highlights of "Columbo" is the depiction of the culprit's growing anxiety as the investigation progresses, and I couldn't help but grin at the scene where you are encouraged to drop the investigation with the words, "It was a sad incident, but the case is solved now."

I believe the protagonist of the story "The Portopia Serial Murder Case" is the "partner" and also an "unreliable narrator" named Yasu, but I doubt there are many people who hold ill feelings toward him for constantly deceiving the player. The tragic background hidden behind his clownish behavior, and the depiction of the guilt and conflict that weigh on him as the investigation progresses, actually illuminate Yasu as a charming character. The line added in the Famicom version,

"If you killed Kozo for revenge, you must have regretted it after finding out the truth."

feels like it symbolizes this work. All the descriptive text in Portopia is unified through Yasu's dialogue, which gives it the feel of a confession he is telling, making it extremely literary. When I saw the final conclusion, I felt the same emotion as finishing a profound mystery novel. I think that was due, above all, to the human drama woven by the fascinating character of "Yasu."

Warning: Spoilers ahead! You won't be able to watch this scene without shedding a tear 🥹

The Famicom version's ending, which uses the box art, is such a clever touch. Was Yasu really this cool all along?

I remembered watching the popular show Game Center CX a while back, where guest Director Kojima mentioned 'The Portopia Serial Murder Case' as the game that inspired him to enter the game industry.

Director Hideo Kojima

'The deciding factor was definitely The Portopia Serial Murder Case. There was a background story explaining the motive for the murder, and it was truly moving. Since human drama was being expressed within a game, I thought that perhaps this industry, or this medium, had potential...'

Director Kojima is a pioneer who introduced cinematic direction to games, and I feel it makes perfect sense that Portopia was at the root of that. Come to think of it, Director Kojima is also said to be a fan of 'Columbo'.

The original Metal Gear on MSX also features an "unreliable narrator" reminiscent of "Yasu." Perhaps this development was inspired by Portopia.

Additional article: Gamebook version of Portopia

It also appeared as The Portopia Serial Murder Case: The Mystery of the Locked-Room Murder in the familiar "Futabasha Famicom Adventure Gamebook" series. The basic story is the same, but the style has more of a detective drama atmosphere. The crucial truth was in a sealed section, but it was already opened when I bought it at a used bookstore😁

I also enjoyed the original developments, such as dying in the line of duty during a shootout that wasn't in the original game, or being removed from the investigation for being reprimanded for my investigative methods.

Because there were so many characters, I had the impression that it was difficult to digest the entire story in a gamebook.

The illustrator was Ryo Nakamura. The American comic-style illustrations were a perfect fit. The protagonist's boss has plenty of presence and looks cool!

❷ Fusion of sex appeal and RPG: Karuizawa Kidnapping Guide

The final installment of the "Horii Mystery Trilogy." Like Portopia, this was the last work where Mr. Horii handled everything himself, including the program, scenario, and graphics for the original version. In a complete turnaround from the tragic tone of the previous two works, the story here progresses with a lighthearted, breezy vibe. If Okhotsk and Portopia are like a "Tuesday Suspense Theater" episode, then Karuizawa feels more like an 80s trendy drama. The setting of Karuizawa also feels quite bubbly.
The writing style is close to the anime magazine "Monthly OUT," which Mr. Horii was contributing to at the time, and perhaps this taste is Mr. Horii's natural writing style.

I played "Karuizawa Yuukai Annai" at the end of 1986, when Japan was in the grip of unprecedented Dragon Quest fever. My bad influence friend, FM7-kun,

😸 "There's an erotic game made by the creator of Dragon Quest."

That was how I was introduced to it. The MSX version was released right around that time. My childhood friend Namco-kun, who was a Famicom kid, didn't believe it at all, but he was shocked when he saw the images. I got carried away and boasted to the guys in class,

😁 "Heh heh, the Famicom can't imitate this. Only the MSX can play the Horii Mystery Trilogy (a lie™)."

I was bragging to the guys in class.

Only the erotic scenes have become legendary, but the development where a girl becomes your partner to investigate allows you to simulate a date in the digital world, which might be the origin of bishoujo games like "Tokimeki Memorial." This taste was also seen in the previously introduced"AVG Wingman".

Also, the twists and turns typical of Horii's works are top-notch, and I think the volume of the work surpasses Okhotsk. Furthermore, homage-like developments reminiscent of early adventure games are inserted throughout, making it truly the culmination of Mr. Horii's adventure games. Since Mr. Horii was exploring the fusion of adventure games and RPGs during this period, I feel it can be said that this is the closest work that led to Dragon Quest.

Additional article. April 1985, a conversation between Mr. Horii and Mr. Hikaru Sekino as PC game designers from the Waseda Manga Research Society. This is just before the release of TOKYO Nanpa Street. The comment, "I hate adventure games that are like elementary school compositions," is quite memorable.

❸ How did Mr. Horii perceive PC games?

There are many interview articles with Mr. Horii, but this is one of the earliest from June 1984. He still seems undecided about whether to pursue a career as a magazine writer or a game developer. He also already discusses the division of labor in game development. Additionally, there is content about how he emphasized characters in "The Portopia Serial Murder Case."

This is a PC game feature in an anime magazine that Mr. Horii was in charge of in November 1984. At this time, PC games were still a niche market. I think this is a valuable document that allows us to know what kind of PC games Mr. Horii was focusing on during this period.

❹ In Search of the Origins of Dragon Quest...

I had intended to feature an interview with Yuji Horii this time, but before I knew it, it had turned into an article about the "Horii Mystery Trilogy." I truly believe that the origins of Mr. Horii, a storyteller of rare talent, lie in Portopia.

I am of the generation hit directly by Dragon Quest fever, but at the same time, I felt a tinge of sadness, thinking,"It's a shame I can't play Mr. Horii's adventure and PC games."Looking back on those days for this article, I remembered that feeling all over again.

Next time, I want to delve into the mystery of whether there might have been a phantom sequel to "Okhotsk ni Kiyu." Stay tuned!

I am always grateful for your likes💛, your posts introducing my work on X, and your warm comments🙇 Your connection with me is what encourages me to keep posting🥰

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Cyborg MSX