Izanagi Games is a developer that clearly consists of some talented individuals, and you can’t accuse the folks there of lacking in creativity. Games like Death Come True, World’s End Club, and Yurukill: The Calumniation Games show staff aren’t afraid to try new things. Pairing the staff with Rika Suzuki of Hotel Dusk and Another Code fame seems like it should be a home run. But between things like some narrative issues, repetitive gameplay, and genAI used for art and perhaps even flashbacks rather than KOHSKE work, it’s currently difficult to recommend.
Dark Auction is the sort of mystery that relies upon the more unsettling and dark parts of history, but while also trying to play coy about it in a way that doesn’t make sense and use an alternate reality with differing timeline to remove Adolf Hitler and his nazis’ actions in WWII, while still making him a war criminal and leader who took part in a war and lost. Dictator X’s collection of paintings and collectibles are now up for auction, with a young man named Noah drawn in after his own father was invited to attend and bid. Except his father died because he didn’t follow the auction’s rules. Now that Noah’s there, he can take part in Parrot Man’s affairs and the different auctions other attendees appeared for to learn the truth about their situations and his family.
While this is a Suzuki scenario, the structure doesn’t follow that of games like Another Code. Each auction is connected to another one of the characters who was invited to the event. Before the puzzle that sees us restoring memories and learning the truth about a situation to complete the auction process, we take part in an investigation. That helps us find out what the original memories were. Each one of these people connected to the guests ended up tied to or affected by Dictator X in some way. Some of these people are incidentally tied or removed from the actual atrocities of war and the fascist, but there are more direct connections as you get later into it.
Which comes to my greatest problem with Dark Auction. It isn’t that the actual auctions process that involves piecing together the timelines is bad. (It’s not great or revolutionary, nor challenging in any way honestly.) It’s more that the scenario doesn’t handle the topic well. In the right hands, this could be an exploration about the atrocities of war, generational trauma, the affect of crimes on families, and how people live, learn, and hopefully ensure these things never happen again. By going with Dictator X and choosing to feature certain story elements and character reactions, I feel the game lacks any punch or meaningful critique.
As for the genAI being behind the art instead of actual human work and pieces by KOHSKE, it’s disappointing how it gradually came out that LLM ended up used for imagery in the game and that knowledge wasn’t immediately presented. Especially since a selling point for visual novels and adventures such as Dark Auction is the creativity and human ingenuity that went into its designs. The Steam listing statement from Izanagi Games noted, “We will continue to progressively replace in-game artworks—such as paintings displayed in the corridors—that contain elements inspired by AI reference materials. No AI tools were used in the creation of the scenario, characters, or UI elements.” However, makes me wonder how long before we see changes. Especially since I’m fairly certain some of the memories I’ve seen and paintings don’t look right, as even the flashbacks feel like AI.
I suppose I’m just generally disappointed in Dark Auction. The story could have actually said something. But because of the combination of going with “Dictator X,” erasing parts of actual history, and certain characters’ reactions to some memories, it doesn’t feel as meaningful. The case investigations and piecing together timelines for each auction aren’t terribly exciting. Worst of all, there’s genAI used for some artistic elements. It’s just a shame.
Dark Auction is available on the Switch, PS5, and PC.