Murder on the Marine Express
A mystery visual novel taking place aboard the underwater train Marine Express. Follow student Ranko Togawa on her quest to find the culprit on the murder of an accompanying teacher... with lots of surprises along the way!
Does this feel indie?
Vote based on whether this game feels indie to you. You can change your vote at any time. Results earn an IGF score after 10 accepted votes.| ContextThe evidence factors used to assess whether this game belongs on IndieGame.Fan. | Status | Notes Latest Contributor: IGF TeamEdit notes |
|---|---|---|
Updated: Jul 14, 2026Developer scaleThe operating scale of the game's developer. | ||
Updated: Jul 14, 2026Publisher scaleThe operating scale of the game's publisher. | ||
Updated: Jul 14, 2026Publisher statusHow the game's publishing relationship is classified. | ||
Updated: Jul 14, 2026Creative controlWho appears to retain creative control of the game. | ||
Updated: Jul 14, 2026Release statusWhether and how the game has been released. |
Media
6 itemsAbout the Game
Murder on the Marine Express is a kinetic novel (linear, no choices) and the first installment of The Mysteries of Ranko Togawa series.
The St. Joachim Academy for elite girls booked the maiden voyage of the new Marine Express submarine train, which runs along the ocean floor from California all the way to the Japanese coast. The journey seems like the perfect opportunity to enjoy the beautiful underwater scenery, learn about marine biology and, ultimately, relax from regular school life. However, the idyllic travel turns into a nightmare when one of the teachers is found dead in his room. Who could have killed the most popular and beloved professor in the academy?
Ranko Togawa, accompanied by her friend Astrid, takes it upon herself to investigate the events and clear the name of the main suspect. Of course, it won't be that simple. As the number of victims grows, the possibility of facing a serial killer becomes more real and panic slowly sets in. Ranko will have to make the most of the time left to find out the truth and prevent the mysterious murderer from killing again, although not all the answers will be to her liking.
Learn the secrets hidden in the Marine Express and discover the culprit in this story of tragedy, surprises and lots of humor!
[FEATURES]
► A mystery visual novel with classic locked-space whodunit development following the style of popular detective fiction.
► A story in 5 chapters offering 3-4 hours of reading.
► Retro-feel graphics with pixel art in the style of old text adventure games.
► Large cast of charismatic characters with humorous dialogues.
► Side conversations on Ranko's phone which help to understand the situation on the train and know more about the students of St. Joachim.
► Texts in English, French, Spanish and Japanese.
