Plot Twist, a Melbourne-based games studio, has announced that the visual novel Ashes will launch in Early Access this May, with a full launch planned for December. This period of time will be used to finish the story, refine the existing minigames/add new ones, and provide new narrative content. The game blends graphic novel panels with interactive puzzles.…
Not A Cat Studios has announced STARCULT. Night: Twisted Age. The dark fantasy romantic visual novel is set in a world on the brink of disaster, and players must use an Emotion Palette to read others’ true emotions and intentions, influence relationships, and uncover the truth behind a brutal murder.…
Publisher Idea Factory International has announced a preorder date of April 22…
The first otome visual novel that I played – in fact, the…
I love love. It is beautiful to see what can blossom between people, whether platonic or romantic love. I’m a very monogamous gal — I feel best when I give everything I have to one person, who, in turn, gives everything back to me. But that’s just my personal preference.…
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Shuten Order was announced last week, but information was sparse, save for a 27-second teaser trailer. Today, a September launch date was revealed alongside information about the game that features five routes, each with distinct narratives and gameplay tied to different suspects. The game is set in a world steeped…
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Fans of MAGES. have not seen a new IP from the developer in nearly three years, but that will change in August with the launch of eye-catching visual novel Iwakura Aria. The game launched for Nintendo Switch about a year ago in Japan, making its Western PC release is the…
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7’scarlet has been around for several years on Steam, but the Nintendo Switch has become a solid home for the visual novel genre, so why not have it on this nice, slim, near-perfect “reading” device? I doubt many otome fans would say that it’s their favourite Otomate project, but at…
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I love game remake inception: remakes of remakes of remakes (and so on). That’s what is happening here with D.C. ~Da Capo~ Re:tune. It is a full remake of the 2002 remake of visual novel D.C. ~Da Capo~. Today, a launch date of late October was announced for this newest…
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Nearly a year ago, PQube announced it would publish otome crime-solving cinematic visual novel Bustafellows season2 in the West in 2025. And it is making good on that promise! The sequel to Bustafellows (which DDNet Editor-in-Chief Matt describes as being right up there with the best crime fiction works he’s…
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Set in contemporary São Paulo, visual novel Pivot of Hearts explores the idea that love doesn’t follow a single path. Branching relationships are determined by tarot-based choices, a gameplay mechanic explored in my recent interview with Brazilian developer Dragonroll Studio. The game’s narrative explores love, identity, and the many forms…
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I’ve played some great games that use in-game smartphone mechanics; for example, I love 2017’s A Normal Lost Phone. Waiting for Reply brings this type of gameplay to a visual novel format as you interact with the world through your smartphone. Use apps to send messages, check emails, take photos,…
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Brazilian indie developer Dragonroll Studio has been making games since 2019, but until now, they have all been game jam or free titles. Its focus is on making cute, subversive games. The team is poised to launch its first premium game, visual novel Pivot of Hearts. (A free demo is…
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Games that touch on mental illness can be difficult to both develop and play; if not done correctly, these games could do more harm than good to their players. This is a risk that Borealis and Eastasiasoft take with Secrets in Green, a game that follows a mentally ill woman…
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