Urban Myth Dissolution Center Review

I’ve been on a folklore and legends binge since the end of 2024, adding myriad collections of short stories to my bookshelves over the holidays, spanning local myths from my countryside county of Devon, folklore from all over England, weird and wonderful horror tales of Japan, eerie tales from North America, and ghostly tales from Korea.

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It’s safe to say I’m open to reading any sort of folklore from anywhere in the world because I find these sorts of stories fascinating. The spookier the better. That’s why Urban Myth Dissolution Center was the perfect game to play as I settled into this new hyperfixation. The visual novel adventure follows heroine Azami and her unique powers to see traces of past events as she works for the titular center to solve seemingly supernatural cases revolving around well known urban myths.

Identification

Each chapter focuses on a specific urban myth, such as men hiding under your bed, eerie doppelgangers, and the infamous Bloody Mary. During each case, you’ll investigate rumours you’ve heard about such tales, like dropping dead if you ever meet your own doppelganger, or how many times you have to say Bloody Mary to make her appear. We all know a trait or two about such legends, either because we read them on some creepypasta site or from whispered corners of the playground years ago.

Urban myths are the modern equivalent of folklore, so I was really lapping these up. It’s always interesting to see how many stories parallel each other, even when they originate from completely different parts of the world. Tales of Bloody Mary are just as well known in America as they are in Japan.

While I love curling up with a good old-fashioned book, Urban Myth Dissolution Center proved to be an equally enjoyable way to explore new stories. The pixel graphics are gorgeous no matter what, but for me, they had the added benefit of channeling even more nostalgia alongside its core theme of classic urban legends. It felt like I was back in school experiencing them for the first time.

The eerie red pixelated monsters lurking in scenes when you’re investigating them with your special vision only add to the experience of encroaching upon the unknown, as much is left to your imagination. In one scene, what appears to be a multi-limbed creature clambers down a bookcase, conjuring images of horrific centipede-human monstrosities, until Azami realises its multiple traces overlapping of a person climbing down towards her.

Aside from the main urban myths you’ll tackle in each chapter, Urban Myth Dissolution Center is jam-packed with additional tales. Throughout cases you’ll consider other possibilities or hear fresh rumours, all of which are added into an in-game menu you can peruse at your leisure. Here you’ll find more myths that you’ll likely be unfamiliar with, as many focus on the game’s Japan setting. However, there are still plenty that will remind you of similar legends from your own country.

One thing that always lingers in my mind when I’m reading about folklore and legends is how these stories only remain accessible today because they were shared with others. They might change and evolve as they drift from person to person, but persist because we keep putting them out into the world. It’s funny to think that Urban Myth Dissolution Center is feeding into that cycle, keeping these tales alive by utilising them in its narrative in ways we’ve never seen before.

When you think about the most persistent urban myths like Bloody Mary, these originated in a time before the internet, when rumours were shared from student to student and passed down to new generations. Of course, these days the internet makes it much easier to share and record spooky tales, and it’s no surprise that creepypasta tales are incredibly popular.

Urban Myth Dissolution Center plays into this aspect of how people love to gossip and share such legends, with one integral gameplay mechanic having you search through social media threads for clues. In doing so, you’ll naturally find out more about your specific case and those involved, but you’ll also come across additional information,new myths, and other elements that make it feel achingly authentic. There’s even spam posts.

One incredibly clever thing during these sequences was netizens often confusing two urban myths, something that happens often. As with any tale, the details change and grow, and there are many cases where myths have melded together to become something new or they take on elements that they’ve lifted from another similar myth. You see that in action here a lot.

Dissolution Phase

Unfortunately, the core gameplay can start to feel repetitive in later chapters, as you fall into the same pattern of talking to others, analyzing scenes, and digging through social media posts. However, the intriguing mysteries you unravel go a long way to help in making up for these shortcomings. The finale in particular ties all the previous cases together, making you realise how much foreshadowing was peppered throughout the entire narrative as it elevates the plot in ways I didn’t expect.

Urban Myth Dissolution Center is a fantastic game for those who appreciate short story collections that encompass all things weird and creepy. I played it on my Steam Deck, curled up in bed with it much like I would with one of my folklore books. Just don’t forget to check under your bed before you get into it.

Played on PC.

Adventure

Visual Novel

Exploration

Released

February 13, 2025

Developer(s)

Hakababunko

Publisher(s)

Shueisha Games

Pros & Cons

• A must-play for urban myth lovers, with a clever narrative that comes full circle at the end.
• Incredibly stylish pixel graphics and soundtrack.

• Core gameplay elements can feel repetitive.