Visual Novel News:
Visual Arts has announced that Summer Pockets Reflection Blue is in development for Steam with an intended release window of early Summer 2025. It will include Japanese, English, and Simplified Chinese. No comment has been made on whether the Switch, PlayStation, or mobile versions will update to include these languages at this time. Summer Pockets is currently available on Steam, but Summer Pockets Reflection Blue adds new routes and an additional heroine, along with other changes.
To help manage his recently deceased grandmother’s effects, the protagonist Takahara Hairi travels to Torishirojima during his summer vacation. As he gets off the ferry boat, he spots a lone girl standing on the pier. A girl who simply gazes into the distance as her long hair flutters in the wind. He looks at the girl in utter bewilderment, but before he realizes it, she can no longer be found anywhere. Hairi finds himself starting to adjust to life on this island, surrounded by nature far lusher than anything he has ever come across back in the city. Time seems to flow by casually on this island, and as it does, memories of something nostalgic keep coming back to him… Memories of something he had long forgotten.
NEKOPARA After now has a release date set. Sekai Project/Denpasoft have announced this as 22nd May, 2025.
Having recognized Minaduki Kashou’s talents in running his patissiere, Beignet felt her role was over. So she closed La Soleil in France and entrusted Fraise, the catgirl she raised, to him. Fraise feels a fondness towards Kashou but becomes bewildered in the face of his 6 catpanions. She turns to Shigure for advice but she too harbors a hidden love for him. Fraise feels that the relationship between siblings is the most important while Shigure feels the happiness of her catgirls is what is most important. Motivated by their desire to make sure the other is able to fulfill their love for Kashou first, the battle between catgirl and girl begins!
Shiravune has announced the upcoming Steam/Johren release of Waning Flowers of a World Eternal – The Rainbow Appears After Flowering Rain (Karenai Sekai to Owaru Hana), a bittersweet visual novel by Sweet & Tea which won the 2016 Moe Game Awards’ “New Brand Award”. The same developer then went on to develop How to Raise a Wolf Girl and The Seventh Sign -Mr. Sister- which were both later localized by Sekai Project/Denpasoft.
Arriving in a scenic town filled with flowers, Sho and Ren encounters Haru and the others working at a café. Taking up residence on the second floor, Sho begins working alongside them. But one day, he spots Haru sneaking out alone in the dead of night and decides to follow her. Far from town, beneath a pale moonlit tree on a hill surrounded by flowers as far as the eye can see, Sho witnesses the moment a small girl in Haru’s arms turns into a flower. Noticing Sho, Haru smiles sadly at the magnificently blooming flowers. “This is how I’ve managed to survive in this world. But I want to keep on living. Even if that means exchanging another’s life.” Looking up at the falling petals with Haru, Sho declares: “No matter what this world forces upon you… No matter how much others will condemn you…” “I’ll wish for this world to end.”
In other news from Shiravune, they have announced Holy Valkyrie ExS-TIA P (Kouyoku Senki ExS-Tia P Parallel Episode 1 – Mahou Shoujo Pastel Marie ☆彡) from Lusterise.
By chance, Marina Katsuragi crosses paths with the creature known as Aramaki and gains the ability to transform into Magical Girl Pastel Marie. A magical girl’s duty is to close up dimensional portals that occasionally appear. So begins Marina’s secret war to defeat these monsters and safely close the dimensional rifts.
Cooking Companions is coming to PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox. Serenity Forge will be publishing this currently PC-only title on console. In addition, a “PlayStation 5 Premium Physical Edition” will also be released.
This upcoming console release introduces 15 fully animated cutscenes, new secrets to be discovered, and is fully localized in English, Latin American Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, and Japanese. The PC version of Cooking Companions will also receive these languages and animations as a free update on April 29, 2025.
Deep in the woods of the Tatras Mountains, supplies dwindle and flood waters are rising. It’s up to you to keep spirits high and make the most of your survival skills. Will you butter up the right person? Or will you wind up on the chopping block? Featuring Eastern European folklore in an unexpected package, Cooking Companions is a “dating sim” psychological horror title you won’t soon forget.
More Visual Novel News
- Lock & Key: A yuri magical girl mystery visual novel is now on KickStarter
- Dear Mirror Flower releases on Steam on June 19th, 2025
- Hakuoki SSL ~Sweet School Life~ is to be released on Nintendo Switch in late 2025
- Spirit Hunter: Death Mark Chapter 7 Kaerazu’s Amusement Park has been released, adding DLC content for Spirit Hunter: Death Mark on Nintendo Switch
Gaming News:
The final DLC character for Season 2 of Street Fighter 6 has been fully revealed! A fan-favourite from Street Fighter 3, Elena is joining the roster and will be released on June 5th, which is the same day the full game releases on Nintendo Switch 2.
Watch the Elena trailer for Street Fighter 6
While the game has been available in some regions, the latest release from Sonic the Hedgehog is finally getting a global release! Sonic Rumble has you going up against over 30 players to be the last one standing in a variety of mini-games, such as races or survival challenges. Pre-registration for the game is live, with you getting some in-game items and even different playable versions of some characters.
Sonic Rumble arrives for PC, iOS, and Android on May 8th.
Watch the release date trailer for Sonic Rumble
Bandai Namco has given us a better look at the new version of a Vita game originally released in 2012! Gundam Seed: Battle Destiny Remastered gives the original game a fresh coat of paint and marks the first time the game will be available in English. For this new release, there will be more controller settings and additional lock-on modes not seen in the original release.
Gundam Seed: Battle Destiny Remastered launches for Nintendo Switch and PC on May 22nd.
Watch the trailer for Gundam Seed: Battle Destiny Remastered
Anime News:
Fans of Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure have been eagerly awaiting the announcement of an anime adaptation of one of the best sections of the original manga for quite a while now. It took a few years after Part 6 -Stone Ocean‘s conclusion, but during the JOJODAY STAGE event, we finally have full confirmation that Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure Part 7 – Steel Ball Run is getting an anime adaptation! Outside of a short teaser and two pieces of art for the project, nothing else is known about the adaptation.
Watch the announcement teaser for Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure Part 7 – Steel Ball Run
Another huge anime adaptation got a small update as well! Science SARU’s anime adaptation of Masamune Shirow’s Ghost in the Shell received a second short teaser, as well as a brand new piece of key art of the protagonist, Major Motoko Kusanagi.
The Ghost in the Shell premieres in 2026.
Watch the teaser trailer for The Ghost in the Shell
After the release of the first season on Netflix, we already have confirmation that the story of this anime series will continue! The Devil May Cry anime series is getting a second season, with the announcement being made via a new piece of key art. It lists the second season as “coming soon”, so we have no idea when it will premiere on Netflix.
Upcoming Releases:
A new Metroidvania is ready for release, but it comes in quite a unique package! Rusty Rabbit sees you playing as a rabbit named Stamp in a post-apocalyptic world filled with animals. You control Stamp in a mech suit as you explore dungeons and find new items to progress. The writer behind this title is Gen Urobuchi, creator of famous anime series such as Puella Magi Madoka Magica and PSYCHO-PASS.
Rusty Rabbit releases for PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and PC on April 17th.
A set of remasters of classic SEGA Saturn RPGs are releasing this week! Lunar Remastered Collection remasters both Lunar: Silver Star Story and Lunar 2: Eternal Blue Complete. This new release includes a new English dub, the option to speed up battles, an arranged soundtrack, and more.
Lunar Remastered Collection launches for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC on April 18th.
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
