US-based publisherIdea Factory Internationalhas revealed it will be releasing theOtomate-developed otome visual novel Charade Maniacs in Englishthis summer. While the game is currently available in Japan for the PlayStation Vita, Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android, the English version will be releasing exclusively for the Nintendo Switch both as a physical hardcopy and via the Nintendo eShop as a digital download.
Two versions of the physical release will be published: a standard edition priced at $49.99 USD and a limited edition priced at $89.99 USD, with the components of the latter yet to be unveiled. Regardless of edition, all pre-orders of Charade Maniacs placed throughIdea Factory International’s online storewill come bundled with an exclusive trading card, the design of which will be revealed at a later date.
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Charade Maniacs features a scenario from Uta Amamiya, the celebrated writer of otome visual novel Psychedelica Of The Black Butterfly and its companion title, Psychedelica of The Ashen Hawk, both developed by Otomate also. While the Psychedelica stories were concerned with gothic mystery, Charade Maniacs takes place in the bizarrely theatrical world of Arcadia, which is primarily populated by people who have been kidnapped.
One such kidnappee is Charade Maniacs' heroine Hiyori Sena, who is summarily abducted at the very beginning of the story. She and nine fellow captives are taken to Arcadia, where they must learn lines and perform in plays in order to be granted the chance to leave. Each of the nine characters is romanceable, although the group includes a traitor who will stop at nothing to verify the show doesn’t go on.
Charade Maniacs originally released on the PlayStation Vita in 2018 exclusively in Japan. While previous Switch ports of Idea Factory and Otomate titles have been brought into English by localization companyAksys Games, the English release of Charade Maniacs will be handled by Idea Factory International itself.
