Tails by the Foxfire

Tails by the Foxfire’s Review of 1997 Reloaded: Gaigo Studio’s Roxyverse Visual Novel

1997 Reloaded follows Federico, Marco, and Shirley: three teenagers in Hove, England who visit a jumble sale (flea market for the non-Brits with us) and buy a 90’s answering machine with the tapes still inside. As the debut visual novel from Gaigo Studio (a small independent visual novel studio based in Genoa, Italy), 1997 Reloaded does a fine job of introducing us to the company’s ‘Roxyverse’ alternate history where grunge never gained popularity and where Los Angeles was the epicentre of the alt-rock revolution. Gaigo Studio’s brand is producing ‘enhanced comics’ that use striking images and music to spin thought-provoking stories, and 1997 Reloaded certainly does that with its clever use of mixed media, immersive soundtrack (featuring a selection of 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. In all, 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. However, there are a handful of trigger warnings to be mindful of, which I have listed below.

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 cheaper 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!

Disclaimer: A Steam Key for 1997 Reloaded was very generously provided to me by Gaigo Studio, but I have offered what I believe to be a fair review and score based on my experience with the game.

Thank You to Gaigo Studio for Featuring Tails by the Foxfire in 1997 Reloaded’s Official Press Kit!

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Cold Calling Review: Fast Paced Puzzles & Historical Hilarity

What is 1997 Reloaded About?

1997 Reloaded follows teenagers Federico, Marco, and Shirley. Federico and Marco are best friends from Italy, and Shirley’s family are hosting Marco while he’s studying in England. The English portion of 1997 Reloaded takes place in the seaside town of Hove in East Sussex, and that’s where our three heroes find the jumble sale/flea market selling the answering machine that sets off the story proper. When they listen to the messages on the tapes inside the machine, Federico, Marco, and Shirley embark on an ambitious journey to discover the machine’s previous owner, going as far as LA to understand what happened back in 1997 when the last message was left.

Trigger Warnings: Content With an Impact

1997 Reloaded dives deeply into Gaigo Studio’s alternative ‘Roxyverse’ universe where the grunge movement never gained popularity, meaning the alt-rock and rap scenes play huge roles in the game’s worldbuilding. As a result, the twisting tale of 1997 Reloaded includes some sensitive topics that should be noted by players who’d rather not engage with:

• Death of a Loved One
• Drug Use
• Domestic Abuse
• Gang Violence
• Suicide
• Murder

Does 1997 Reloaded Have Multiple Paths?

No, but… technically? While the main throughline of 1997 Reloaded stays consistent, there are two sections where players can choose to follow Federico (who will experience events in Italian, with a helpful ‘Marco Translates’ button in the top right for English speakers) or Marco (who will experience a different scene in English). These choices are present but minor, and do not impact the overarching story. Though some visual novel fans may not enjoy the linearity, I found I didn’t mind the change from obsessing about the optimal route to take first, or which ending to pursue: just like with reading a graphic novel, I could relax, browse the Reading Room for extra newspaper/magazine clippings & musical tracks, and enjoy the full story from beginning to end without trying to metagame.

Art Styles & Sounds That Tell a Story

One thing I appreciated about 1997 Reloaded was its creativity with mixed media. Real images are interspersed with strong, black ink-style outlines & colours to create a visual story that feels rooted in two worlds at once: our world, and the Roxyverse. This immersion is helped by the use of detailed audio effects played softly in the background (like snacks being eaten, hands being wiped, diner ambience, flight announcements) and believable voice recordings for the answerphone, complete with the distortions one would expect from an aged cassette tape.

As well, we see recognisable visual formats throughout the game like search engines and streaming services, rather than the game relying only on the standard character and/or background + text box format. All these aspects combine to create a game that looks like a college project, in a really good way: 1997 Reloaded feels constructed by people, not a huge organization. The result is a visual novel that keeps itself in-line with the alt-rock vibes of its soundtrack and soul, differentiating itself from ‘polished’ and ‘smooth’ titles on the market with blended mediums and a home-made construction, lending itself to the idea that this is Marco, Shirley, and Federico telling their story and sharing the truths they uncovered on their journey. This distinct and blended art style also helps when putting emphasis on critical moments, as it allows for Gaigo Studio to purposefully play with colour palettes and sounds that force your attention to the moment at hand when they realize something important.

Mixed Media Storytelling Using Articles, Photos & Music

I mentioned the ‘Reading Room’ earlier, and you’re probably wondering what that is. Basically, it’s an office area that you can access via the in-game menu to engage with newspaper clippings, magazines, photos, and CDs that Marco, Federico, and Shirley accumulate as the game goes on (usually new things are added at the end of each chapter). These articles can actually be read in their completion by using the mouse’s scroll wheel, and are formatted to mimic music publications of the time, with full articles written about the Roxyverse’s music scene as a whole (not just the story-relevant band, ALIAS/INSANE). Again, the word that comes to mind is ‘immersive’. At the time of writing, it’s been a week since I finished 1997 Reloaded and I’m still thinking about the level of detail injected into the supporting materials that bring the story to life.

I mentioned earlier that the art style seems to use a blend of graphic novel art and photos for its environments (resulting in, I want to note, some really nostalgic areas for me that reminded me of towns and houses I’ve stood in when growing up in the UK), but it goes a step beyond that by interspersing real photos of objects and blurred footage, like one instance where footage of trees indicates a scene transition by train. Initially I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about the art style in 1997 Reloaded, but when I saw how it flirted with reality to ground itself there and build its story’s believability, I was fully on board. I also feel it worth mentioning that in a story with such focus on music, I really appreciated the work Gaigo Studio put into crafting a thematic soundtrack including songs of varied genres and styles, with lyrics sung by artists rather than simply written on the screen. I love this; I love it so much, because it adds a layer of detail that helps you form an emotional connection with the artists performing.

Chips or Crisps? A Few Minor Nitpicks

Ok, ok, as British born and raised, I had to point out a couple of minor, minor nitpicks I had (which did not impact my scoring of the game, but that jumped out at me because they spoiled the immersion a bit at times):

• The first half of 1997 Reloaded is set in England, but the crew are eating ‘chips’ on the train. It would be crisps. I even checked to make sure there wasn’t a regional difference I was missing as a midlander myself, and found the ‘Sussex Crisp Company’.
• Later in the game, an American character says her mother taught ‘maths’ to elementary students. To my knowledge, Americans prefer the term ‘math’, with ‘maths’ being more of a British-ism.

As I said, a couple of minor, minor nitpicks that have no bearing on the game’s ratings here at the Foxfire, but… well, I did say I’d be honest.

On to the verdict!

Verdict: Is 1997 Reloaded Worth Playing?

This is a confident ‘yes’ from me, especially if you’re a fan of 90’s alt-rock, visual novels, and mysteries. The premise of 1997 Reloaded is really strong, and for the most part, it delivers on all counts. I did feel a bit of a ‘That’s it?’ feeling with the resolution, but I would by no means call it a let-down. The experience overall feels really engaging despite 1997 Reloaded being a linear visual novel without the elaborate branching routes other titles are known for. Treat it like you’re reading a graphic novel and you’re sure to enjoy the ride. Like I said earlier in the review, it’s been a week since I played and I still find my mind wandering to Andy’s story, which was hauntingly constructed and perfectly heartbreaking in all the ways you’d hope when looking back at the life of a young rockstar faced with the gritty truths behind the music industry’s glimmering facade.

Video Game Reviews, Guides, and Deep Dives at Tails by the Foxfire

Thank you very much to Gaigo Studio for thinking of me and generously donating a game key for this review of 1997 Reloaded! I enjoyed every minute of this fascinating visual novel and highly recommend it to any gamer who loves 90’s alt-rock and a good mystery. If this sounds up your alley, you can play 1997 Reloaded now on Steam or secure your copy from Gaigo Studio’s itch.io storefront!

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