Visual Novel News:
Frontier Works Inc. has launched the brand “kawaiinium” with the goal of delivering bishoujo games to users across the world by supporting localization from Japanese to English and Chinese. Their first international release will be a HD version of Lump of Sugar’s Tayutama: Kiss on my Deity. This title is scheduled to be released on Nintendo Switch and Steam in Spring 2025. The planned sale price is 5,500 yen in Japan for the digital version (currently approximately $35USD/£28 GBP).
A Deluxe Steam Edition with physical items available only in Japan (overseas customers may be able to use importers such as ZenMarket to import it) is also available with store-specific bonuses.
The story follows protagonist Yuri Mito, the only son of the local priest at Yachimata Shrine. After a series of events during spring break, Yuri meets Kikuramikami no Hime, the guardian of a mystical relic in the woods near his school. She explains the strained history between humans and the Tayutai, a mythical race sealed within the relic due to their potential threat to humanity. To bridge the gap between their worlds, the goddess reincarnates as a young girl named Mashiro and entrusts herself to Yuri. However, the relic is accidentally destroyed, releasing the Tayutai. Particularly dangerous are the “Three Mightiest,” powerful entities hostile toward humans. Armed with spirit powers unique to his lineage, Yuri teams up with Mashiro and three other heroines to explore whether humans and Tayutai can coexist peacefully. This romantic fantasy adventure tells a heartfelt tale of growth, connection, and the mysteries of love.
Sekai Project has announced that Harukuru. – Spring has come true? – (Harumade, Kururu.) from Sumikko Soft will be released on February 14th, 2025. This visual novel features a scenario by Watanabe Ryouichi, who worked on parts of Aokana -Four Rhythms Across the Blue-, including the Misaki route.
As per a blog post on the Sekai Project website, neither a full adult version or patch to restore the adult content will be available at launch as they are still in negotiations with the developer over whether this will be possible. Instead, a 17+ patch will be available.
A Certain Situation. Of course, even if I put it that way there’s no way I can explain the situation I’m in… In any case, I find myself with 4 other girls on a long spring break far away from civilization. To emphasize how middle of nowhere this is, there isn’t even a convenience store here. I don’t have a cell phone and despite having some rather good laptop computers, I have no way to connect to the internet. All that’s here is a large dormitory the likes you’d see at a hot springs resort and a school that looks like it’s on the verge of closing down. There’s a farm that’s closed and fields with ripening winter vegetables. In the distance you can see snow capped mountains and the beautiful, clear waters of the sea. …and out in the distance stood a tower of unimaginable height who’s purpose was anyone’s guess which stretched into the depths of the sky. This wasn’t a fantasy, or something out of sci-fi or even a mystery. With all that going on, the only intent was to spend some peaceful days with these four girls but that was totally not what was about to happen. “We’ll make this place a harem for him!” Wait, when you say harem, uhm… well… Huh???? I wondered what she meant by that as she took off her clothes and the events of that summer unfolded…
MangaGamer have announced that Alicesoft’s Beat Valkyrie Ixseal is coming to the MangaGamer store on February 27th, 2025.
Oudou Tsuguhiko is a student who believes he is the reincarnation of the Demon King, and is waiting for the time when he can fully regain his powers. When that time comes, he is attacked by the valkyrie Ixseal, and further betrayed by his Demonic Chancellor Bezel, who steals six of his powers and leaves him only with lust. Ixseal learns that the Wargrim, Bezel’s army, have isolated her from the heavens and her source of power, so she teams up with Tsuguhiko to fight back against them. He is able to power her up so she can fight again, but only by tapping into his power of lust–which she’s going to have to play a part in if they have any hopes of winning!
Shiravune have announced that Primal Hearts 1 and 2 by Marmalade will be coming to Steam on February 12th, 2025. Don’t want to wait? Primal Hearts and Primal Hearts 2 are already available on other storefronts, along with other titles by the same developer such as Marshmallow All the Way Home.
Schoolyard romance and campus politics are both cranked to 11 in this sequel, with feuding student counsels backing feuding extracurricular clubs in a battle for control of the school… and your heart!
ZerocreationGame has announced that The Hungry Lamb: Travelling in the Late Ming Dynasty has reached its 1 million copies sold. They have released a new illustration in celebration of this miletone.
Commissioned by a human trafficker, the lawless bandit Liang must escort four abducted girls to a swine demon disguised as a lord, who plans on eating the young ladies. Traverse ancient China in a time of war and rebellion, while bonding with the four girls and gaining their trust. Each decision made on this journey will incur its own risks and consequences. Choose wisely, learn from mistakes, and discover the true endings in this hand-drawn adventure paying homage to traditional Chinese art-styles.
More Visual Novel News
Gaming News:
Microsoft recently hosted a Developer_Direct highlighting many of their upcoming games coming to Xbox. However, they teased that a new game was going to be announced at the event, and it was quite a big one! Team Ninja in collaboration with PlatinumGames revealed that Ninja Gaiden 4 is now in development! The game features a new playable protagonist named Yakumo in a direct sequel to Ninja Gaiden 3. If you’re worried that Ryu Hayabusa has been forgotten for this new character, don’t worry. Gaming’s most famous ninja will be playing a significant role in the game’s story, including parts of the game where he will be fully playable.
Ninja Gaiden 4 arrives for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and PC this Fall.
Watch the announcement trailer for Ninja Gaiden 4
But Team Ninja didn’t stop there! They also announced a remake of Ninja Gaiden 2 titled Ninja Gaiden 2 Black! Originally released back in 2008, this new version boasts enhanced visuals with the power of Unreal Engine 5, as well as including the three additional playable characters from Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 and a new difficulty mode for those who may find the game too difficult. But the biggest surprise of all? The game is now available for purchase on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and PC!
Watch the announcement trailer for Ninja Gaiden 2 Black
Compulsion Games’ next game, South of Midnight got some time in the spotlight as well! This third-person action-adventure game has you take on the role of a woman called Hazel as she is thrust into a Southern Gothic world with many strange creatures. The game takes cues from Southern stories and environments, while you utilize magical powers to discover this mysterious land’s secrets. This new showcase also announced the game’s full release date.
South of Midnight launches for Xbox Series X and PC on April 8th.
Watch the story trailer for South of Midnight
Remember that turn-based RPG from Sandfall Interactive that was announced last year? Well, it got more details during Xbox’s Developer_Direct! Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 puts you in the shoes of a group of adventurers to stop a great curse that could spell the end of humanity. Players explore a world very similar in structure to classic RPGs, alongside the mix between turn-based and real-time combat. The trailer also revealed the game’s release date and it’s releasing sooner than you’d think.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 releases for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and PC on April 24th.
Watch the release date trailer for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
To close out the Developer_Direct, we got more information on the return of the demon’s greatest foe: the Doom Slayer! Doom: The Dark Ages is the third entry in the new Doom series following the release of Doom Eternal in 2020, with this game serving as a prequel to 2016’s Doom. This game takes inspiration from Medieval warfare and environments and aims to tell the origin story of the Doom Slayer’s endless rage.
Doom: The Dark Ages launches for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and PC on May 15th.
Watch the showcase trailer for Doom: The Dark Ages
The third movie in the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise hit a major milestone, pulling in approximately $424 million globally, making it the fifth highest-grossing video game-based movie! With the film now available for digital purchase, Paramount are keeping the anticipation for the next film high by announcing the premiere date for the fourth Sonic film.
Sonic the Hedgehog 4 is set to premiere in theaters on March 19th, 2027.
SNK are giving fans the chance to play their next entry in the Fatal Fury series ahead of its full release! Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves is getting an open beta test next month with eight characters being available to control across multiple online multiplayer modes. The beta will go live on February 20th and will last until February 24th.
Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves is coming to PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, and PC on April 24th.
Koei Tecmo wasn’t just relying on the hype of a new Ninja Gaiden game this week, as another long-running franchise got some love as well! Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land not only received a new trailer that goes over the various gameplay systems but also a 15-minute gameplay showcase that took place during the Taipei Game Show 2025.
Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land releases for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC on March 21st.
Watch the system overview trailer for Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land
A new anime collaboration has arrived in Fortnite! A cosmetic set inspired by the Shonen Jump+ manga series Kaiju No. 8 is now available to purchase in the in-game store. The set includes character skins for Kafka Hibino, Kikoru Shinomiya, and Reno Ichikawa, as well as other items from the original series.
Watch the reveal trailer for the Kaiju No. 8 collaboration in Fortnite
Anime News:
My Hero Academia‘s anime adaptation may be airing its final season this year, but did you know there was an official manga spin-off set in the same universe that’s also getting adapted into animation this year? My Hero Academia: Vigilantes is based on the manga by Hideyuki Furuhashi and Betten Court and focuses on a young college student named Koichi who dreams of becoming a hero, even if not in an official capacity. The series is being animated by Bones Film, a subsidiary studio owned by the studio that handles the animation production of the original series. Alongside a new trailer, we also received a new key visual ahead of the series’ release later this year.
My Hero Academia Vigilantes premieres on April 7th.
Watch the trailer for My Hero Academia Vigilantes
We won’t have to wait too much longer for the anticipated follow-up to ReZero‘s third season! This next part of the season is titled the Counterattack Arc, with us getting a brief glimpse of what to expect in the form of a new trailer.
The second half of ReZero season 3 premieres on February 5th.
Watch the trailer for the Counterattack Arc in ReZero season 3
Another hyped anime adaptation got a short but sweet update this week! Gachiakuta received a very brief teaser trailer which revealed a new piece of key art for the adaptation of Kei Urana and Hideyoshi’s original manga.
Gachiakuta is set to premiere in 2025.
Watch the teaser trailer for Gachiakuta
The new series set in Arc System Works’ Guilty Gear franchise got a surge of new information last week! Guilty Gear Strive: Dual Rulers is a fully animated series set in the same timeframe as the franchise’s latest video game: Guilty Gear -Strive- and aims to tell the story between humans and Gears, an advanced race of humans within the game’s original lore. The series is being produced by SANZIGEN, with Crunchyroll announcing they’ll be streaming the anime for worldwide audiences.
Guilty Gear Strive: Dual Rulers premieres this April.
Watch the trailer for Guilty Gear Strive: Dual Rulers
Upcoming Releases:
The next entry in the Hypderdimension Neptunia franchise is ready for an international release this week! Neptunia Riders VS Dogoos is all about riding motorcycles with characters from the iconic series as you take on hordes of monsters.
Neptunia Riders VS Dogoos launches for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch on January 28th.
An all-new version of a classic SEGA fighting game is coming to PC this week! Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O is a newly enhanced version of the game for the PC, with this new release also coming with a balance patch that will also be arriving in other versions of the game.
Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O releases exclusively for PC on January 28th.
On the topic of PC ports, a PlayStation 5 exclusive is also coming to PC this week! Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 focuses on the exploits of Peter Parker and Miles Morales as they find themselves in a battle with Kraven the Hunter, with a mysterious black suit also entering the picture. For fans of Marvel Rivals, a costume based on the Advanced Suit 2.0 for Spider-Man will be coming to the game the same day as this PC port.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2‘s PC port arrives on January 30th.
A sequel to a classic NIS game is finally releasing this week! Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero brings with it the strategy RPG gameplay fans of NIS games are very familiar with as you help a ghost girl named Apricot to find her father’s pirate crew.
Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero launches for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and PC on January 30th.
An anime/gaming aficionado, experienced content creator and lovable goofball. Name a game genre and Seamus has likely played it… yes, even that one. Follow him @TrueStorySeamus
