Visual Novel News:
Shiravune have announced the upcoming release of CLOCKUP’s The Restless Sheep & The Lone Wolf -A Tale of Cutthroat Lovers- (Nemurenu Hitsuji to Kodoku na Ookami -A Tale of Love, and Cutthroat-) and The Restless Sheep & The Lone Wolf -Woolly Eyes GAIDEN- (Nemurenu Hitsuji to Kodoku na Ookami -A Tale of Love, and Cutthroat- Gaiden).
Another restless, sleepless night… from the mind of Maggot Baits creator Tatsuya Kurashiki comes a twisted love story! Kabukicho, Shinjuku. There’s a love hotel here where I work as a live-in cleaner—or at least, that’s my day job. By night, I suffer from chronic insomnia with just one cure: killing people. So I moonlight as a yakuza bigwig’s pet killer, waiting for him to toss me a bone and order a hit so I can sleep. Might sound like a fine line to walk, but my life’s pretty quiet. Pretty stable. Until I meet this call girl, Azami. Having sex with her got me a night of sleep so peaceful, I’ve been mulling over the idea of keeping her around. Thing is, my boss wants her dead, and if I bite the hand that feeds me, there’s my quiet, stable life out the door…
Sekai Project have updated Hana’s Campus Life to include English support. It’s a multi-route Korean visual novel with voice acting and an original OST.
What does one do when a girl appears, claiming to be a god? For college student Jeong Lee-Han, his life suddenly becomes turned upside down by the appearance of the god, Hana. A supernatural love comedy visual novel with multiple endings.
NekoNyan have announced that the Aoi Tori Steam release date has been brought forward from the 28th June, 2024 to the 26th June, 2024. It will require a free 18+ patch to access all routes, including only the Mary route by default. Don’t want to wait? You can get the full version on JAST USA, MangaGamer , and Denpasoft now.
Kirihara Academy for Girls, a missionary boarding school located in the remote Japanese mountains. It’s here we find our protagonist, Shiratori Ritsu, the sole male allowed on campus and the school priest. He has the power to bring bliss to those he touches, and that ability is enhanced if the contact is sexual in nature. Never once has he set foot outside the academy grounds, which protect him from demons lusting after him. But the girls of this academy come to him, believing he’s their guardian angel, and he obliges. For he is burdened by the death of a girl, which strengthened his resolve to make others happy.
You can find our walkthrough/guide here and our detailed review of Aoi Tori here.
Kanon has now released with English and Chinese support on Steam. While the Steam version released on the 20th June, 2024, the date of the language update for the Nintendo Switch version has yet to be confirmed, only mentioned the “near future”.
It’s a winter’s day, and snow is fluttering down…
On a bench in front of the train station, I reunite with my cousin, Nayuki Minase for the first time in seven years.
Nayuki and my aunt welcomed me back to this town after I suddenly had to move.
It’s also home to some hazy childhood memories of mine. In this town, covered in deep snow, five girls and I will come to experience small miracles…
The crowdfunding project for Kimi Ga Nozomu Eien’s rerelease (also known as Rumbling Hearts) was previously planned to release with both Japanese and English support in mid-July. This has now been delayed to late-July according to a backer-only update.
The game will initially only be available to backers, with plans to put it on sale at an unstated later date.
This is explicitly advertised as an all-ages version and no announcement has been made regarding an adult patch. There has been some community speculation that they may be unable to mention it, based on this post by Bamboo of Overdrive and other speculation based on the removal of the Muv Luv patch that it may not ever be made available. It has also been stated that the Hotaru/Slave ending will not be included in the Steam version, with a post saying that the Japanese version will have it available post-release. It will also be included on the Japanese-only DVD version.
Find the Crowdfunding Page Here
More Visual Novel News
- The UsoNatsu ~The Summer Romance Bloomed From a Lie~ Voice Drama has been released on Steam
- Sexcalibur: Knights of the Pound Table will be releasing on 12th July, 2024
Gaming News:
We already knew a Nintendo Direct was happening this month; the question was when it would go live. In their typical fashion, Nintendo announced it a day beforehand, making sure to temper expectations by saying that no news regarding the Switch’s successor would be mentioned. This means this Direct was all about the games! Speaking of which, let’s talk about the highlights:
The Direct started out strong with the announcement of a brand-new RPG featuring gaming’s most famous plumber brothers! Mario & Luigi: Brothership is the latest entry in the Mario & Luigi RPG series in almost a decade and marks the first game in the series to be in 3D. This new quest has the Mario brothers journey to the land of Concordia and includes the now iconic turn-based combat with button timing elements to add some flair to the gameplay.
Mario & Luigi: Brothership launches exclusively for Nintendo Switch on November 7th.
Watch the announcement trailer for Mario & Luigi: Brothership
A sequel to an RPG based on a popular manga is releasing later this year! Fairy Tail 2 sees players going through the events of the Alvarez Empire arc, which is the final arc in the original Fairy Tail manga. The sequel now uses a real-time battle system and will also include an original epilogue which is exclusive to this game.
Fairy Tail 2 releases for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and PC this Winter.
Watch the announcement trailer for Fairy Tail 2
From the studio that brought you Blue Dragon, some of the biggest names in RPG history are making an all-new game! FANTASIAN Neo Dimension was originally released as an Apple Arcade game back in 2021, but it’s now getting ported to consoles. This RPG brings in unique mechanics, such as being able to adjust the trajectory of your skills to attack multiple enemies at once and the ability to stack random battles into an alternate dimension to fight at another time.
FANTASIAN Neo Dimension launches for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch, and PC this Winter.
Watch the trailer for FANTASIAN Neo Dimension
A beloved Nintendo Wii classic is receiving a HD port! Donkey Kong Country Returns HD brings this charming and challenging platformer to modern platforms while also retaining the two-player co-op feature. Alongside the original 80 levels, this new port will also bring with it the additional levels originally found in the Nintendo 3DS version.
Donkey Kong Country Returns HD releases exclusively for Nintendo Switch on January 16th, 2025.
Watch the announcement trailer for Donkey Kong Country Returns HD
After three years of waiting since its initial announcement, we finally have an update on a remake of one of the most beloved RPGs ever! Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake utilizes the HD-2D engine made popular in Octopath Traveler to breathe new life into this iconic title, while also modernizing it with adjustable battle speeds, an auto-battle toggle, and more.
Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake launches for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch, and PC on November 14th.
Watch the trailer for Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake
But that wasn’t all! We also got confirmation that we’ll be getting HD-2D remakes for both the original Dragon Quest and Dragon Quest II, which are chronological sequels to Dragon Quest III‘s story.
Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake will be released in 2025.
Originally released all the way back in 2004, Phantom Brave is getting a sequel to celebrate its 20th anniversary! Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero comes to us from the creators of the Disgaea series and sees you taking on the role of Marona as she travels the world in search of her lost companion, Ash. This turn-based strategy RPG will have you recruiting phantoms and binding them to objects or weapons to take on the hordes of foes that’ll come your way. With over 50 characters and 300 skills in the game, there’ll be no shortage of content available to you.
Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero arrives for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and PC in 2025.
Watch the announcement trailer for Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero
The entire fighting game community wept tears of joy with the announcement of a beloved fighting series finally coming to modern platforms! Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics brings seven classic arcade classics including Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter, Marvel vs. Capcom, and Marvel vs. Capcom 2. These games will also include online gameplay using rollback netcode, ensuring a smoother online experience playing these classic games.
Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics launches for PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and PC in 2024.
Watch the announcement trailer for Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics
Looking for the next big party game to play with your friends and family? Mario and company have got your back with the latest entry in the Mario Party series: Super Mario Party Jamboree! This new release has five new boards to play, along with two classic boards from the previous games. With over 110 minigames to play and a new 20-player online mode, this is easily one of the most packed Mario Party games you could play.
Super Mario Party Jamboree releases exclusively for Nintendo Switch on October 17th.
Watch the announcement trailer for Super Mario Party Jamboree
The next entry in the Legend of Zelda series is coming later this year and is a first for the series (unless you count the Philips CD-i games). The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom sees you playing as Zelda for the first time in a mainline title. Utilize a new item called the Tri Rod to recreate objects, elements, and enemies to solve new puzzles and save both Link and the kingdom of Hyrule.
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom launches exclusively for Nintendo Switch on September 26th.
Watch the announcement trailer for The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
The last of the titles not released in the West in the Ace Attorney series has finally been confirmed! Ace Attorney Investigations Collection brings together both entries in the spin-off series that stars Miles Edgeworth, with this collection being the first time the sequel is being released worldwide. Travel to crime scenes and uncover the truth in all new mysteries with brand-new HD graphics for this new port.
Ace Attorney Investigations Collection arrives for PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and PC on September 6th.
Watch the announcement trailer for Ace Attorney Investigations Collection
The next game from the creators of Danganronpa announced their brand-new game titled The Hundred Line – Last Defense Academy! After freakish monsters attack, Takumi Sumino is forced to transfer to the Last Defense Academy alongside a range of colorful characters. They’re now tasked with defending their school from invaders for the next 100 days in strategic RPG battles.
The Hundred Line – Last Defense Academy launches for Nintendo Switch and PC in 2025.
Watch the announcement trailer for The Hundred Line – Last Defense Academy
The sequel to Romancing SaGa is getting a full remake! Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven brings with it full English voice acting and a rearranged soundtrack to this classic RPG. Choose from a selection of playable characters to take on the legendary Seven Heroes, who have returned to take revenge on the world for forgetting their efforts.
Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven releases for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and PC on October 24th.
Watch the announcement trailer for Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven
To close out the Direct, Nintendo absolutely saved their best announcement for last! Announced all the way back in 2017 when the Switch was brand new, one game has yet to see the light of day… until now. Metroid Prime 4: Beyond received its very first gameplay trailer and also revealed that Sylux would be returning in an antagonistic role. This new game has been in development hell for quite a while, but the original creators of the Metroid Prime trilogy, Retro Studios, have returned for this long-awaited sequel.
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond launches exclusively for Nintendo Switch in 2025.
Watch the trailer for Metroid Prime 4: Beyond
Upcoming Releases:
The remake of the sequel to a Nintendo Gamecube classic is arriving this week! Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD is a remake of the 3DS original and sees Luigi on another quest to save his brother across five different haunted mansions with his trusty Poltergust 5000.
Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD arrives exclusively for Nintendo Switch on June 27th.
Based on the popular manga and anime, Spy x Family‘s first video game is ready for release this week! Spy x Anya: Operation Memories has players take on the role of Anya Forger with the task of creating a photo diary for a school assignment. Visit a variety of locations and take part in over 15 different mini-games, all of which bring in characters from the original series.
Spy x Anya: Operation Memories releases for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and PC on June 28th.
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
