1997 Reloaded

1997 Reloaded is a linear coming-of-age adventure about three teenagers who uncover evidence of a decades-old murder. In Hove, England, in June 2023, Italian best friends Marco and Federico, both 16, are away from home for an intensive English summer course. They spend their free time with Shirley, Marco’s determined, pink-haired host sister, until the trio finds a vintage answering machine at a flea market. A recording inside provides clear evidence of a murder, leading them to investigate what happened and whether they can right a decades-old wrong.

The story and its world

The investigation takes the three friends from the grey coasts of Europe to the neon-lit nights of New York City and the sunlit streets of Los Angeles. They explore an alternate 1990s timeline in which grunge never existed and Los Angeles became the center of the alternative rock scene, uncovering forgotten secrets about good, evil and fame.

The game uses over 2,000 original hand-drawn illustrations, combining research into the 1990s with a modern visual style. Its fictional music scene features original pop and alternative rock songs performed by musicians the trio encounters, with vocals by Ken Gordon, Rosa Helena and Jessie Wagner.

Messages and archives

The vintage answering machine contains 12 voice messages recorded by actors. A dedicated Reading Room holds vintage articles, music files and other secrets to explore.

Puzzles

Three text and logic puzzles unlock key chapters of the story:

• Fill-in-the-gaps: listen to vintage audio tapes and complete their transcriptions.
• Text quiz: answer riddles to improve phone screen quality and find out who rented the movie.
• Star drag-and-drop: align the Little Dipper pattern to reveal the first lyrics of Walk Alone.

Language and length

The interface and main dialogue are in English, with some exchanges between the Italian protagonists in Italian and translated or rephrased in the narrative. Key segments can be experienced in either English or Italian. The story takes approximately 5 hours to play.