Just in time for the Halloween season, the horror visual novel title NG is coming to the west sometime in October of 2019, publisher Aksys Games announced.
Preceded by Death Mark, which was released for the western market around Halloween of 2017, NG is the second entry to publisher Experience Inc.’s Spirit Hunter horror series. The story revolves around a young man embarking on a perilous journey to discover who –or what –is responsible for the disappearance of his little sister. To succeed in saving her, the player must form unlikely alliances with a number of shady characters and make difficult decisions that can affect the outcome of the game immensely.
NG differs itself from its predecessor by providing a more common and mundane setting for its scares. In comparison to Death Mark, which found its sweet spot for fear in “distinct, horrifying locales”, NG attempts to weave horror into the most unexpected places. In NG, even the player character’s own home is not safe.
As I mentioned earlier, the weight of decisions made in this game is of the utmost importance. One key feature is a “Judge System”, a mechanism that allows players a number of options to choose from with regards to responding to each unique event. It also requires the player to look for vital clues to help them progress with their quest.
What should western fans expect from the title? Well, based on the reception for Death Mark, horror fans have a lot to look forward to. Receiving acclaim for its engrossing storytelling, horrifying imagery along with a complementary soundtrack, Death Mark hit the metaphorical mark in creating its own voice in the horror genre. Experience Inc. succeeded in creating a haunting experience for players without resorting to blood, gore, and cheap scares. I would guess that is to be expected since Japan seems to have mastered horror across multiple mediums.
NG will be launching sometime in October this year. Digital and physical copies will be available for the PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch. It will also be released on the PS Vita and PC digitally.
