Sunday, April 26, 2026
Now
that the April showers have arrived with their usual
unpredictability, let’s take shelter under the eaves of the visual
novel space and see what comforts it has to offer. This month has
seen quite a spread of releases such as spiritual sequels to popular
romances, a historical fiction crime drama and a spin-off of a
classic anime, all pushing for your attention. Let’s dive in and
pick out the best from among this deluge of outstanding titles.
Official Releases
Rose Guns Days - Season 1
The
first part of Rose Guns Days finally sees an official English
translation some fourteen years after the original Japanese release.
Ryuukishi07 crime drama was worth the wait as he applies his
distinctive style to create a compelling addition to the genre. Set
in a post world war 2 Japan which has been divided down the middle by
China and America and where the Japanese are marginalised in their own
country. Into this messy situation step the game’s two
protagonists, Leo Shishigami and Rose Haibara, who find themselves
becoming involved in the machinations of the criminal underworld as they
push back against their position in this society. It is filled with
character drama backed up by a dose of brawling action. There is a
reason Ryuukishi07 continues to be a much loved developer and Rose
Guns Days demonstrates his talent making for an entertaining ride.
Making*Lovers: First Blush
As
the spiritual successor to the original Making*Lovers, First Blush
states its intent to recapture what made that title special but its
interpretation of that has led to some interesting choices. One of
the main elements which allowed the original to stand out among the
many similar romance titles was the majority of its heroines being
adults and being treated that way by the story as their love brushes
up against the adult world. However, First Blush has moved into an
entirely school based setting removing this distinctiveness entirely.
Instead what it aims to capture the pure love element of the original where the
shape and shyness of the characters slowly define the outline of their
romance. In this regard the title can be considered a complete
success as it achieves this sense of fresh and inexperienced love
which is pleasing to witness. Yet in doing so it has become more like
its peers and blurs into the many other such titles vying for your
time. As long as you do not come in with expectations from the
original game then you will have a suitably entertaining time.
Machine Child
Opening
with a choice of three daughters for the player to select from
immediately makes Machine Child stand out against the single
character focus of other raising sims. This is a game that not only
wants you to replay it to get the different endings but also to see
how these endings influence each daughter. Choice is heavily
emphasised as expected from the genre, but here it really puts a lot
of power in the player’s hands in order to make the daughter’s
fate completely their responsibility which adds impact to the consequences. A
combination of Ooyari Ashito’s memorable artwork and a light
fantasy world create an upbeat and endearing title aiming to simulate
the feelings of parenthood without straying into any particularly
dark topics. While a connoisseur of the genre might find Machine
Child’s simplistic mechanics lacking, there is enough heart and
soul here to keep you smiling throughout your daughter’s growth.
Café of Roses
Ebi-hime
is once again back with another excellent yuri visual novel and this
time having the love interest being a mysterious vampire. Filtered
through the lens of a cafe where the vampire works, this aims to be a
low stakes romance where the tender build up of the pairs emotions is
front and centre. It follows Meike who is pressured into a
relationship with a man she does not love by her parents and one day
while trying to avoid him she ducks into a Victorian inspired cafe
where she meets the strange Magdalena. Meike cannot seem to get her
out of her mind and as the two get to know one another a special bond
begins to bloom. This is not a story aiming to break any boundaries
but is instead a well realised vision of the genre written by an
experienced hand.
Fan Translations
Kokoro Connect Random Predictions
Patch Download VNDB Genre
– Spin-Off, Mystery, Romance Play Time – 15 hours
Released
all the way back in 2012 as a spin-off based on the Kokoro Connect
anime, this game aimed to capitalise on the popularity of the
original material and leans into echoing its best qualities. It has
an original scenario rather than being an adaptation so is free to
have a bit of fun putting these familiar characters into new
situations. Kokoro Connect has always been about the strange things
happening to the members of the cultural club and for Random
Predictions they find themselves afflicted by visions of the future
which they must struggle with and confront. The strong group
chemistry combined with the friction between them make for the game’s
core appeal while allowing the story to believable move off in
different directions depending on the player’s choices. However, it
does rely heavily on the player having already seen at least the
anime as it makes no attempt to bring them up to speed. A visual
novel for those wanting to experience this era of spin-off games at
its best.
Double Wings Demonbane
Patch Download VNDB Genre
– Science Fantasy, Mecha, Action Gameplay Play Time – 10 hours
Being
the sequel to the popular lovecraftian mecha visual novel, Deus
Machina Demonbane, was always going to be difficult so Double Wings
Demonbane strives to stand out in its own right. While not quite as
out there as the original in terms of narrative and content, it makes
up for it through leaning into the characters and action in ways
which push them into new territory. The duo of Kurou and Al must
confront the mysterious ‘Blood Monsters’ which threaten their new
found peace alongside the arrival of a strange pair who are somehow
connected to this case. There is a push to create a parallel between
these two pairings and it from this conflict which the game much of
its new character development and drama. It is also a shorter and
more concise experience than its predecessor with it using this
condensed feeling to its advantage to keep the pace up. Overall, a
good successor to Deus Machina that is sure to entertain fans.
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