Ring Games, the developer of 'Seoul 2033,' has unveiled its new mystery game, 'Preservation Department,' which tasks players with solving cold cases by analyzing words and context within documents. The game features eight distinct cases and is currently in development with a target release for the first half of 2027.

Ring Games announced the reveal of 'Preservation Department,' a context-based text mystery game. Players take on the role of an investigator in the Preservation Department, tasked with restoring documents damaged by fire and uncovering the truth behind cold cases by collecting and reconstructing past criminal records.

The game begins with the discovery of materials in a prosecutor's office that was gutted by fire. The recovered records contain eight cold cases the prosecutor was tracking before their death. Players must use digital forensics to restore the original text of the fire-damaged records and re-investigate the cases based on the information found within the documents.

Restored records serve as key clues to reconstruct past crime scenes. By connecting information scattered across various documents, players can infer the situation at the time and the relationships between characters, ultimately approaching the truth by answering specific questions posed for each case.

Preservation Department' specifically utilizes the act of reading text as a core investigative mechanic. Players discover new context by identifying words and expressions within documents and finding connections between different records. This approach offers a mystery-solving experience that goes beyond simply following a linear story, allowing players to actively synthesize information and reconstruct events themselves.

Developer Ring Games has built a reputation for creating titles with unique themes and narrative structures, such as the text-based Roguelike adventure 'Seoul 2033,' 'Harvest Master,' 'Fakebook,' and 'Used Peace Country.' With this new title, the studio combines its expertise in text-based narratives with the mechanics of a mystery game.

Ring Games co-CEOs Jung Yoon-ji and Lee Yu-won stated, "We wanted to create a mystery experience where a single word in a document opens up new context, and scattered clues connect to form a single case. We look forward to showcasing the strengths of Ring Games' text-based storytelling through this new style of mystery game."

Ring Games is an indie game developer that operates under the motto, 'Better to fail as an original than to succeed as a copycat.' The studio has developed and serviced a variety of titles across different genres and formats, including 'Seoul 2033,' 'Used Peace Country,' and 'Harvest Master.'

The Steam Shop page for 'Preservation Department' is now live. Ring Games is currently developing the title with a goal of an official release in the first half of 2027.