Sunday, October 26, 2025
Now
the spookiest month is behind us, we can come out from under the
covers and see in the light all the visual novels which came out this
month. There has been a good variety of releases to dig into from a
remaster of a classic title to a spin-off from a popular anime to the
horror of a zombie outbreak which make for a delectable buffet of
games. Let’s dive in and see if any of these can tickle your fancy.
Official Releases
D.C. ~Da Capo~ Re:tune
The
Da Capo series is one of most memorable of its time for its charming
mix of light fantasy elements alongside a strong core of romance with
slice of life drama. It is nice to see the original title which began
it all receive a much deserved face lift to bring it in line with the
later entries. This update is primary related to the graphics as
it aims to make them compatible with modern hardware and screens
while appealing to the changing tastes. Some of the classic charm of the
original style is somewhat lost in this process yet there is an
awareness of the way the old game looked and an attempt has been made
to recapture it even if it falls more onto the side of the modern. It
also contains exciting additional storylines and new heroines to get
to know which adds something new for long time fans. Even without
this new material the original story still holds up surprising well
after all these years and it has a purity of intent and execution
which later entries moved away from in order to carve out their own
identities, so it still remains distinct for them. If you have not
played Da Capo or have a desire to revisit it, this version offers a
convenient way to experience a classic romance.
The Ancient Magus' Bride: Midsummer Pilgrimage
As
a spin-off of a popular anime which aired two years ago, this title
was always going to have an uphill battle justifying itself and
attracting an audience. Its solution to this issue is to double down
on what made the anime so popular, its magical world and its two
leads. There is absolutely nothing here for someone who is not an
entrenched fan to quite an extreme degree with it just assuming
knowledge of the universe and characters and never explaining itself.
For those fans what is here is essentially a greatest hits of
characters and world building which blends together the highlights of
the anime within a self contained original story. Its aim was clearly
to offer a way to spend more time in the series fans have come to
love and once again immerse them. In that regard there is a lot
here to like as the original content treads much of the same ground
as the anime just in a new context to keep it fresh. Overall, one for
the fans and nobody else.
Yomegami: My Sweet Goddess!
Fancy
something wholesome, funny and sweet? This is precisely the feelings
Yomegami invokes as its protagonist struggles his way through a
series of slice of life comedy set pieces. Despite being the
reincarnation of a devil there is nothing the protagonist, Narukawa
Hayato, want more than to live a simple virtuous life, but the powers
inside him and the whims of fate have other plans. Unable to control
his demonic powers and caught up in the jaws of romantic
misunderstandings, Hayato must fight against the tide of silly
situations and maybe even find love at the end. This is a game
carried by its fun and endearing cast who fill every moment with
their sharp banter and offer a variety of amusing foils to the
studious Hayato. For anyone looking for something light hearted and
relaxed then you cannot go wrong with Yamegami.
BatteryNote
Emulating
the retro aesthetics of the Game Boy Colour and with some striking
robot designs, BatteryNote immediately leaves an impression on the
player. Focused around interacting with three robots the protagonist
has picked up from a scrapyard and each only has a small amount of
battery life left so the player must choose their dialogue carefully.
This subtle time pressure makes for an interesting bit of flavour
which is in the background all game long asking what getting to know
them means if it is for such a short time. Or you could just shock
them and laugh at their silly reactions. For all its set up this is a
game not afraid to engage in some light fun in order to create a
short experience made for a single memorable play through. An amusing
take on the retro aesthetics format for visual novels and one
respecting the player time.
Tayutama -It's Happy Days-
As
a fandisc to the sweet and light romance visual novel Tayutama: Kiss
on my Deity, Its Happy Days builds off this foundation to imagine
what trails and joys await its heroines after the original’s
conclusion. It maintains its signature light fantasy element with its
tayutama still holding a major role in the narrative and its
conflicts and help reinforce the idea of this title as a continuation
of what came before. There is an overall slight shift into a more
romance centred story rather than a mix with slice of life since the
heroines are more or less set in their roles so the only place left
to go is into the tender moments between the couples. For a fandisc
is does a good job of capitalising on the original’s strength for a
game fans are going to love.
Tokidoki Tactical Squad
Our
final visual novel is another capitalising on a retro aesthetic
although of a very different kind as it leans into a retro anime
mixed for a classic survival horror feel. It follows the journey of
Iris a squad leader who is fighting to keep her team alive in the
face of a world now crawling with infectious zombies. Rather than
simply focusing on the action of this battle for survival, there is
an important emphasis placed on the psychological health of its
characters and it is from this strain the game produces much of its
textured conflict. A short experience which knows how to press all
the correct buttons for a good zombie horror title and keeps things
fresh with its likeable cast and their reactions to this stressful
situation.
