1997 RELOADED

[H1]1997 Reloaded: A Cold Case Visual Novel with 90’s Music at its Heart[/H1] 1997 Reloaded introduces us to Gaigo Studio’s ‘Roxyverse’ alternate history where grunge never gained popularity and where Los Angeles was the epicentre of the alt-rock revolution. With its clever use of mixed media, immersive soundtrack (featuring a selection of authentically 90's-style alt rock, soul & R 'n B songs composed for the game to ground us firmly in the universe’s musical scene), and an instantly-recognisable graphic-novel visual style that immediately put me in the mindset of enjoying a comic book due to its use of solid black lines and bold colours, 1997 Reloaded was a very enjoyable, engaging read that I knocked out in about 5 hours, and is ideal for visual novel fans who don’t mind a mostly linear plot. It doesn't have branching paths or alternate endings, but its story delivers quality over quantity and will stay with you well after you finish. Read my full review at [url=https://tailsbythefoxfire.com/2026/05/09/1997-reloaded-review/]Tails by the Foxfire[/url]! 1997 Reloaded Foxfire Review Score: 3.6 Price Point: Received For Free (but priced at $12.99, I’d rate 1997 Reloaded about a 4 since it’s a relatively short but well-made game with a rich story, and it’s still less expensive than a graphic novel volume with the same amount of content.) Fun Factor: 3/5 Gameplay: 3/5 Story, Characters & Worldbuilding: 4/5 Maps & Environment: 4/5 Music: 4/5 Time to 100%: 5.2 Hours Recommended: Yes!

If you like powerful and emotional stories, stories that leave a mark on you, this one is for you. THE PLOT (AVOIDING SPOILERS) I can’t tell much of the plot without spoilers! Suffice it to say that it’s a coming-of-age adventure revolving around three kids finding an answering machine at a flea market that contains a spooky message from 1997. The kids are honestly confused and also moved by this voice revealing that a murder has happened, and they start realising that the past is never too far, and that past wrongs should be amended. It’s a story about justice, set in 2023 and in an alternate music scene in 1996 and 1997. An ‘ENHANCED COMIC’ ‘1997 RELOADED’ is by definition an ‘enhanced comic’. You can get the vibe by watching the product page here on Steam already, but when you dive into it, that’s when you really understand what an ‘enhanced comic’ is. And you completely enjoy it! It’s like reading a graphic novel brought to life by a compelling sound design and an atmospheric soundtrack, with every frame being the equivalent of a comic book panel. The dialogues appear in balloons (with each character also having their own colour to make it easy to understand who’s talking, or in any case to add a touch of their personality to their text). The colours are captivating, the hand-drawn images look so good, so different from the usual video game aesthetics, with what look like water-coloured backgrounds opposed to characters drawn with black edges to stand out. LINEAR STORY The story is linear, there are no choices that will alter the plot in the end (although there are small cosmetic choices here and there which allow you to grab a different perspective on things). MINI-GAMES (TESTING YOUR ATTENTION!) There are also a couple of mini-games in the ‘enhanced comic’ format, as declared in the game description, that I personally enjoyed, as they didn’t distract me too much from the story. One of which is a quiz that tests your knowledge of the characters, forcing you to go back to the so-called Reading Room to look for clues. I found it funny, especially because it was true that by reading so fast to find out the truth, I hadn’t really taken in some names on the way! THE ROXYVERSE When you finish ‘1997 RELOADED’, you are left with the feeling that there is so much more to it, that this is just a piece of a universe – the developers call it ‘The Roxyverse’ – and that there are more interesting stories waiting for you, somewhere in the distance. It’s a nice feeling. Although the experience is complete, it leaves the door open, so to speak. MUSIC LOVERS One last thing: it’s a story about musicians for the most part, and music plays an essential role in it. So I would recommend this game also to those people who are into music and like reading music magazines, collecting records, reading rockstars’ biographies and, in a word, exploring what it means to be a rocker.

1997 Reloded is fantastic! a trip down memory lane for oldies like myself, great music! The story is compelling and it unfolds beautifully. The details are stunning, real artistry at work here... it calls you back, you want to start again, there is so much to discover. Hope more of this will come. Well done! One to buy and cherish for sure!

An intriguing and twisting storyline that kept me hooked! The artwork is very unique and the original soundtrack really made the game feel it’s own