Visual Novel News:
Sol Press seems to be undergoing some issues. While no official statement has been made, Denpasoft has delisted all of their games and all stores except Fakku have delisted Newton and the Apple Tree. The Sol Press website itself has been offline for quite a long time. We gave Newton and the Apple Tree a score of 8/10 and consider the declining availability of this title a loss.
Shiravune has just launched Saimin Gakushū: Secret Desire on Steam. Following a serial slacker who purchases a “hypnology device”, he takes on the student council president and others in this visual novel with three branches. A free 18+ patch is available via Johren.
Find the store page for Saimin Gakushū: Secret Desire
Crime Opera II: The Floodgate Effect has launched a Kickstarter. It’s the direct sequel to the first visual novel in this series and highly recommended to play that first. Unfortunately it was controversially removed from Steam, despite not containing sexual imagery. The first game can be purchased on Itch.io, Nintendo Switch, and XBox.
Light Novel Novel News:
Tentai Books has just announced three new licenses. Extra art items are only for purchases via their store where available.
- Toxic Classmate to Girlfriend Goals (Yatarato Sasshi no Ii Ore wa, Dokuzetsu Kuudere Bishoujo no Chiisana Dere mo Minogasazu ni Guigui Iku)
- You Like Me, Don’t You? (Kimi tte Watashi no Koto Suki Nandesho?)
- I Kissed My Girlfriends Little Sister?! (Kanojo no Imouto to Kiss wo shita)
Work continues on their other series, including How to Melt the Ice Queen, which we reviewed volume 1.
More information can be found here.
Gaming News:
Players of the hugely successful MMO, Final Fantasy XIV Online will have to wait a little longer for its Endwalker expansion. Originally planned for a November 23rd release, it has been delayed by two weeks and will now launch on December 7th. On the bright side, the expansion got a brand new trailer, which serves as the game’s launch trailer.
Watch the launch trailer for Final Fantasy XIV Online: Endwalker
The expanded version of Rune Factory 4 is getting released on more platforms. Rune Factory 4 Special was initially released on the Nintendo Switch in 2020, but it will now be released on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC via Steam on December 7th. You can find our review of the Nintendo Switch version here.
Watch the announcement trailer for Rune Factory 4 Special‘s other ports
Our first look at the gameplay of The Cruel King and the Great Hero was finally unveiled, along with a special edition. It will include a hardcover art book, a digital soundtrack from the game, and a 6″ plush of the Great Hero character from the game.
The Cruel King and the Great Hero arrives on PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch on March 1st, 2022.
Watch the gameplay trailer for The Cruel King and the Great Hero
One of the biggest criticisms of Demon Slayer: The Hinokami Chronicles was the lack of playable characters. Thankfully, the game received its first big update and released the first two out of six free DLC characters to the roster! Rui and Akaza have joined the fight, and come with brand new mechanics to spice up the game’s combat system.
The Rui and Akaza update for Demon Slayer: The Hinokami Chronicles is now available.
Anime News:
After years of silence, the long-awaited continuation of Bungo Stray Dogs is now on the way! This will serve as the fourth season of the series, with BONES returning to produce the project. While no trailer was released, we got our first look at the fourth season in the form of a key visual.
Bungo Stray Dogs‘s fourth season currently has no release window at this time.
It’s been teased for a while now, but the first trailer for Shonen Jump’s Jujutsu Kaisen movie has finally been released! Adapting the short prequel manga of the series, Jujutsu Kaisen 0, Studio MAPPA is helming the film. Along with the release of the first trailer, the film’s theme song was also unveiled: Itto, which is performed by King Gnu.
Jujutsu Kaisen 0 premeires in Japan on December 24th. No western release has been announced as of yet.
Watch the trailer for Jujutsu Kaisen 0
The romance series, TONIKAWA: Over the Moon for You is getting a second season! Not only that, but they also teased a “new episode”, both of which currently have no release window. The announcement was made in a video presentation, along with the second season’s key visual being revealed.
Watch the announcement video for TONIKAWA: Over the Moon for You‘s second season
But the second season announcements don’t stop there! Last year’s In/Spectre is also getting a second season in the near future, with a trailer being released announcing the series’ continuation.
In/Spectre season two will arrive sometime in 2022.
Watch the season two trailer for In/Spectre
Upcoming Releases:
Koei Tecmo’s latest release is a sequel to an underrated JRPG released a few years back. BLUE REFLECTION: Second Light is a high school story that follows Ao Hoshizaki’s journey across alternate realities called Heartscapes, all in the form of a real-time RPG battle system. You’ll find our review on NookGaming shortly before the release date.
BLUE REFLECTION: Second Light launches on PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam on November 9th.
Announced all the way back in 2017, Atlus’ next installment in their classic JRPG series is finally ready for release! Shin Megami Tensei V is set in modern-day Tokyo where you, the player, are whisked into a post-apocalyptic version of the city inhabited by demons. Create a team of demons with the series’ iconic Interrogation system, with you also being able to fuse demons together to create stronger party members to aid you in a turn-based combat system.
Shin Megami Tensei V releases exclusively on Nintendo Switch on November 12th.
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
