Launched in conjunction with Crime Opera II: The Floodgate Effect, Crime Opera Fandisk: The Caterpillar Candids is a series of short stories that take place before, during, and after the events of the first visual novel. Developed by the small team behind Crime Opera Studios, the fandisk has been available for PC for some time and has finally made its way to Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and PlayStation, making it more accessible than ever.
What Is Crime Opera Fandisk: The Caterpillar Candids?
It’s worth pointing out that The Caterpillar Candids is not a standalone novel, and this is reflected in the price. It isn’t going to take more than a couple of hours to go through all the content, and whilst I wished there was a little more, the fandisk kept me entertained. It is directly connected to the first Crime Opera novel, so it’s definitely recommended that you read that one first. If you already have, you might even want to re-read it like I did. Since I’ve just finished reviewing Crime Opera II, I needed to refresh my memory of the first novel before jumping in.
In terms of content, The Caterpillar Candids features three short stories and some behind the scenes commentary. The side stories primarily focus on the side characters we meet in the first novel but don’t necessarily spend too much time with. I don’t want to give away too much, so I’ll just provide a brief summary to give you an idea of what to expect.
A Day in Strife
First, there is A Day in Strife, which features Terry Childers. He was a character I didn’t really remember. He played a key role in the first novel, but as he wasn’t a narrator, the focus was never really on him. We didn’t get to explore his life or motivation, so it was quite interesting to see things unfold through his eyes. His chapter in the fandisk actually provided some much-needed insight into his character and the sheer desperation that led him to become entangled in the world of organised crime.
I really enjoyed the black and white artwork that was used for this story. It gave it a cool film noir aesthetic that really fit Terry’s character and the overall tone of a man who is down on his luck.
Recollections
The second short story, Recollections, focuses on Molly and Alice, the mothers of the Gallo children. This story alludes to something that happens towards the end of the first novel but is primarily set beforehand. It answers some important questions about the relationship between Molly and her husband, Xander, particularly regarding why she married and then stayed with such an abusive man. There is also some insight into the relationship between Alice and her husband, Gerald.
The beginning of this story featured the same art style the series is known for, but it shifted to a retro pixel-like style for scenes that took place in the past. This not only made it clear that it was a memory, but it also added some visual flair.
Aftermath
The final short story, Aftermath, is set a little after the first novel and sees an unknown character conducting interviews with the Gallo children to see how they are coping. This serves as a nice bridge between the first and second novels, offering a bit more insight into the minds of the Gallos while they are still children. It could have gone into their psyches a little more, but it was still enjoyable.
Aftermath sticks to the tried and tested art style of the main entries, but considering how much I like the art style, I can’t really complain.
Extras
In addition to the trio of short stories, the fandisk also features a note from the developer and a director’s commentary. While these do not add anything to the story itself, I enjoyed reading about how the novel came to fruition, especially considering the challenges faced during its development. Given that the novel is created by such a small team, I think it is admirable how much work and passion has gone into it.
Final Thoughts
While it isn’t essential for enjoying the Crime Opera novels, Crime Opera Fandisk: The Caterpillar Candids adds extra context and depth to some of the less developed characters. Since both Crime Opera novels feature a specific set of narrators, these short stories would have felt out of place within the main novels, but I think they are worth reading if you’re a fan of the series.
The music and artwork are good, and I enjoyed the variety of styles that were used to keep things interesting without going over the top. I wish there had been a few more short stories, maybe some that take place during the nine years between the first two novels, but for the price, I’d say you’re getting good value for money.
Developer: eastasiasoft, Crime Opera Studios, Ratalaika Games
Publisher: eastasiasoft
Platforms: PlayStation 4/5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One/Series X|S
Release Date: 26 February 2025
Gaming Respawn’s copy of Crime Opera Fandisk: The Caterpillar Candids was provided by the publisher.
