Has it already been four years since we started these new roundups? And more than six since the website started? Where does the time go? Thank you so much for continuing to support us at NookGaming and we hope you’ve been enjoying these weekly updates on visual novels, games, and anime over the last four years! With all of that said, there’s quite a lot of news this week, so let’s get right into it:
Visual Novel News:
Visual Arts has announced the upcoming release of AIR on Steam, which was initially launched in Japanese in September 2000. This is Key’s second work, which followed the 1999 release of Kanon. It will include support for English, Chinese, and Japanese language, along with full voicing and touch controls for those playing on a tablet PC or Steam Deck. AIR is due to release on March 5th, 2025.
Summer had come to that town. A young man is performing with a puppet in front of a seaside bus stop. Only two children are watching his show. However, they soon lose interest and run off. The young man is a traveller. He has two companions on his travels. A decrepit doll that moves without strings and a powerful oath made a long time ago. Just when he began to feel despair, a young girl comes to talk to him. She has a friendly, innocent smile. Following this meeting with her, the young man begins to live in that town. Spending gentle days enveloped in the scenes of summer. Encounters with girls in the sunlight. Summer stretches on endlessly. Beneath the vast blue sky. Beneath the air in which she awaits.
Shiravune have announced the upcoming release of Marshmallow All The Way Home on Steam. It is already available on other platforms, including JAST USA and MangaGamer. At this time, the Steam release date is not confirmed.
We recommended Marshmallow All The Way Home in our review, noting that it stands out as different from many other café-themed visual novels.
She peers down at me collapsed from hunger on the ground, then holds out her hand. As our fingers touch, her sweet, gentle aura feels almost palpable—so soft and fluffy, like a marshmallow… Kanon: “Welcome to our humble pâtisserie!” The next thing I know, we’re standing outside a cute cake shop called Marshmallow Tree where, as luck would have it, she’s the new owner… and is hiring me as a full-time, live-in employee! Ushio: “Great to have you on board. Let’s make this shop the best it can be.” And so begins my second lease on life—as a worker at a cake shop. Sure, business isn’t exactly booming here, but we’re dead set on fixing that, whatever it takes.
Sekai Project has announced that Harukuru. – Spring has come true? – (Harumade, Kururu.) from Sumikko Soft will be delayed indefinitely due to some unexpected issues. It was originally planned to release 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…
PQube Games have announced that Him, the Smile & Bloom will be released on February 27th, 2025 as planned, but that a post-release patch will be released with the completed edit as it wasn’t finished in time.
Gaming News:
Sony recently held a State of Play presentation and it had a ton of new information to share! Here are the highlights:
Monster Hunter Wilds got its launch trailer and it had one thing to reveal at the very end: more monsters! Sometime this spring, Mizutsune will return as a fightable monster in a free update, with more updates coming to the game later this year.
Monster Hunter Wilds launches for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and PC on February 28th.
Watch the launch trailer for Monster Hunter Wilds
SEGA are bringing back the Shinobi series in a big way! Developed by the same team behind Streets of Rage 4, Shinobi: Art of Vengeance sees you once again playing as Joe Musashi in many high-octane action sequences with a striking art style.
Shinobi: Art of Vengeance releases for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC on August 29th.
Watch the reveal trailer for Shinobi: Art of Vengeance
Sonic the Hedgehog is getting back in the driver’s seat as the franchise returns to kart racing! Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds brings the many iconic characters from the series as they boost, use items, and drift across tons of race tracks themed on other Sonic games. The big twist with this game is being able to travel to other tracks mid-race, giving players much more variety and unpredictability to each of their races. If you’d like to have a chance to play the game early, the game is getting a closed beta from February 21st to February 23rd which you can sign up for now.
Sonic Racing: CrossWorld launches for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC. No release date was announced at this time.
Watch the trailer for Sonic Racing: CrossWorld
After almost eight years, a follow-up to the beloved Digimon Story RPGs has finally been announced! Digimon Story: Time Stranger allows you to make a party of Digimon to use in turn-based combat, all while trying to solve a mystery while traversing between the real world and the Digital World.
Digimon Story: Time Stranger releases for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and PC in 2025.
Watch the announcement trailer for Digimon Story: Time Stranger
This game has been in development for over 10 years, but we finally have the release date for this highly anticipated title! Lost Soul Aside was developed by a single developer named Yang Bin, and we’ve had many trailers over the years that highlighted its grand combat sequences and Final Fantasy XV-inspired visuals.
Lost Soul Aside launches for PlayStation 5 and PC on May 30th.
Watch the release date trailer for Lost Soul Aside
Borderlands 4 got a few updates this week! We got a new in-game trailer and the announcement that we’ll be getting a State of Play event solely around Borderlands 4 this spring. Also, we got the full release date for the game: September 23rd.
Watch the release date trailer for Borderlands 4
A new Warriors game from Koei Tecmo was announced, but it’s not the kind of game you might be expecting! Warriors: Abyss takes the action gameplay from Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors and puts it in a roguelike gameplay structure as you build up your characters to make them stronger in the hopes of fighting through all of hell. When the game was announced, it was also revealed that the full game is now available to purchase and play!
Warriors: Abyss is now available for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC. Look forward to our upcoming review of this title.
Watch the announcement trailer for Warriors: Abyss
We received the first full trailer for the remaster of Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny! The game got its full release date, along with confirming that you’ll get a bonus outfit if you already own the remaster of the original Onimusha. If you don’t, Capcom will also be releasing both remasters in a bundle.
Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny‘s remaster launches for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC on May 23rd.
Watch the trailer for the Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny‘s remaster
On a related note, we also got a new trailer for the next installment in the Onimusha franchise: Onimusha: Way of the Sword! This new trailer showcases not only the gameplay but also reveals that the protagonist of the game is Miyamoto Musashi.
Onimusha: Way of the Sword releases for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and PC in 2026.
Watch the trailer for Onimusha: Way of the Sword
The remake of Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater got a new trailer! We got a better look at many of the antagonists you’ll be facing and also confirmed the game’s full release date. Not only that, but they also teased that the monkey-catching mode based on Ape Escape is returning.
Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater launches for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and PC on August 28th.
Watch the release date trailer for Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater
Lies of P is getting a DLC expansion later this year! Titled Lies of P: Overture, this new content is set in the past, making it a prequel to the game’s events as you explore and fight in the city of Krat during winter. As you might expect, you’ll be facing more intimidating enemies, but you’ll also gain access to new weapons and Legion Arms.
Lies of P: Overture releases this summer.
Watch the announcement trailer for Lies of P: Overture
We’re getting more content for Stellar Blade later this year! If you didn’t know, the developer of Stellar Blade also runs their own gacha game named Goddess of Victory: Nikke and we’re getting some crossover content based on Nikke. Full details on the collaboration weren’t announced but multiple costumes based on various characters from Nikke were revealed with the collaboration set to release this June. But that wasn’t all, as we got confirmation of a PC port of Stellar Blade and when it will be released.
Stellar Blade is coming to PC this June.
Watch the Goddess of Victory: Nikke collaboration trailer for Stellar Blade
We got a new game reveal from Eclipse Glow Games titled Tides of Annihilation! This game is inspired by Arthurian legend and sees you playing as Gwendolyn, a woman who gains the power to summon various knights as she aims to thwart an invasion in London. The game’s combat seems to be inspired by games like Devil May Cry and Final Fantasy XVI which you can see in a gameplay showcase released after this initial trailer.
Tides of Annihilation is coming to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and PC. No release date was announced at this time.
Watch the announcement trailer for Tides of Annihilation
To close out the new State of Play, we got the announcement of a new game from one of PlayStation’s studios! Saros was revealed in a pre-rendered trailer which is a new game from the studio behind Returnal and is described as a third-person action game. Beyond that, not much is known about this new game.
Saros launches exclusively for PlayStation 5 in 2026.
Watch the announcement trailer for Saros
The fighting game based on Hunter X Hunter got a new trailer that revealed a ton of information! Hunter X Hunter Nen X Impact is a three vs. three fighting game being developed by 8ing with this new trailer showcasing the various modes the game will come with at launch, including single-player content and online multiplayer. We also got confirmation that we’ll be getting a season pass that will include four new characters with the the first one being Nephelpito. Last but not least, we also got confirmation of the game’s release date.
Hunter X Hunter Nen X Impact releases for PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and PC on July 17th.
Watch the release date trailer for Hunter X Hunter Nen X Impact
SNK’s next big game got a ton of updates! Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves is getting a season pass that will include five characters which will be released across 2025 and 2026. They include Andy Bogard, Joe Higashi, Mr. Big, and Ken and Chun-Li from Street Fighter as guest characters. We also got a new character reveal named Kain R. Heinlein. Alongside this, we received more information on the upcoming open beta test which will be running from February 20th to February 24th.
Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves launches for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, and PC on April 24th.
Watch the season pass trailer for Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves
Keeping up the theme of season passes, Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising got more details regarding its second season pass! It will consist of five characters, with the first releasing on February 26th. The pass will include Sandalphon, Galleon, Wilnas, Meg, and Ilsa.
Watch the season pass 2 trailer for Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising
The upcoming multiplayer mech game is giving players a chance to try the game early! Mecha BREAK is getting an open beta test which was announced alongside a new extraction game mode named Mashmak. The open beta will begin on February 23rd for both Xbox Series X and PC.
Mecha BREAK is coming to Xbox Series X and PC in 2025. A PlayStation 5 version is also in the works for later this year.
Watch the open beta trailer for Mecha BREAK
A remaster of a PlayStation Vita game set in the Gundam universe is releasing later this year! Mobile Suit Gundam Seed: Battle Destiny launched all the way back in 2012 but this will be the first time the game is coming to the West. The game boasts over 100 different mobile suits to play, with this remaster including some new additions to help aid the gameplay.
Mobile Suit Gundam Seed: Battle Destiny releases for Nintendo Switch and PC on May 22nd.
Watch the announcement trailer for Mobile Suit Gundam Seed: Battle Destiny
Even after a season pass and years after the game’s initial release, One Piece Pirate Warriors 4 is getting more content! Bandai Namco are hosting a survey to let fans determine which characters could come to the game as DLC from a selection of 23 possible options. This announcement also came with news that the game is coming to current-gen consoles with you being able to upgrade the game for free if you already own the PlayStation 4 or Xbox One version.
Watch the Next Gen announcement trailer for One Piece Pirate Warriors 4
Anime News:
It’s been half a decade, but the spin-off of A Certain Magical Index is getting a new season! A fourth season of A Certain Scientific Railgun has been confirmed via a short teaser trailer. Other than confirmation that Tatsuyuki Nagai is returning as director and J.C. Staff are back to handle the animation production, no other information was revealed.
Watch the announcement teaser for A Certain Scientific Railgun season 4
Another series is getting a continuation, and that is Bocchi the Rock! A second season of the hit series was revealed via a teaser trailer and some new key art of the protagonist. The animation production is being worked on by Clover Studio with Yuusuke Yamamoto directing, but no release window has been announced at this time.
Watch the announcement teaser for Bocchi the Rock! season 2
The first movie starring the famous Vocaloid Hatsune Miku has been confirmed for a US release! Colorful Stage! The Movie: A Miku Who Can’t Sing is based on the mobile game Hatsune Miku: Colorful Stage! and we can thank GKIDS for helping bring this film to the West.
Colorful Stage! The Movie: A Miku Who Can’t Sing releases in US theaters on April 11th.
Watch the trailer for Colorful Stage! The Movie: A Miku Who Can’t Sing
Upcoming Releases:
The next entry in the Like a Dragon franchise is ready for release this week, but it’s not what you’d expect it to be! Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza stars fan-favorite character Goro Majima and is set in Hawaii after the events of Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, but with a big twist. This game sees you building a pirate crew as you take on other ships in naval combat with the action gameplay from prior entries returning.
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza launches for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, and PC on February 21st.
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
