A new trailer for the investigative visual novel Kotodama: The 7 Mysteries of Fujisawa has been released and it introduces you to the students of Fujisawa Academy who you'll be getting to know as you work to uncover the mysteries of the title.
By confronting your classmates after discovering their secrets, Kotodama duels will apparently enable you to 'literally strip away the lies and uncover the truth'. We think publisher PQube has confused the word 'lies' with 'clothes', and 'truth' with..., well... Ahem. Moving on!
The official blurb gives a run down of the eight students which we shall reproduce for you now:
Namani Kagura
A real bundle of energy, endlessly optimistic and a real chatterbox. She’s the first friend you make at the Academy and is super-eager to give you the grand tour of the campus. She’s obsessed with ‘The Curse of Mikoto’.Honoka Ichinose
Super shy and timid, she’s a quiet girl that’s universally well liked. Honoka is a real animal lover, and likes nothing more than getting close to nature, but here’s the thing – Animals really don’t seem to love her back.
Shuji Toyama
Fujisawa Academy’s track and field ace. He’s the most popular guy in school – so much so, he even has his own fan club. A decent and level headed guy, Shuji’s times have been slipping recently and these days he seems a little distracted…
Yukino Tsubaki
Considered the spoilt rich kid by pretty much everyone at the Academy. She’s hard-nosed and frosty even at the best of times. Quick to temper and not one to suffer fools gladly – she also has a pretty big grudge against Nanami Kagura…
Wakaba Asagiri
President of the Occult Research Club, or ORC, for short. Wakaba is smart, funny and responsible. There are a number of unsolved mysteries at the Academy and she’s made it her goal to uncover the truth – with your help.Kujo Satsuki
A stickler for the rules, and hands-down the smartest student at the Academy. He’s a pretty no-nonsense guy and a great source of information about the academy and its secrets – one of which he may just be a little bit too close to.
Chinatsu Hachisuka
Always on patrol around the Academy, Chinatsu likes nothing more than letting students know they’ve stepped out of line. Bossy doesn’t even cover it – but is she really so perfect herself? Seems like she’s overcompensating for something…Mikoto Sasaki
Before Kujo Satsuki, Mikoto was Fujisawa’s brightest star. An incredible student and athlete, she was the real deal - that is, before she killed herself. Loved by everyone, her death now haunts the academy as the mysterious ‘Curse of Mikoto’.
Pre-orders are now open on the European eShop, with US pre-orders coming in two weeks. Included with the physical edition are five exclusive art cards and some sticker sheets with chibi versions of the eight characters.
What kinds of secrets could these college kids and the academy itself be hiding, do you suppose? Are you tempted to pre-order Kotodama? Let us know below.
Comments 70
Not enough weirdly sexualized Japanese schoolgirls for my taste. Pass.
This one looks a little weird but I'm down to giving it a chance. Got the physical copy preordered pretty cheap.
Looks really similar to Huniepop. Might still nab this, though. I thought that game's mix of porn and Bejeweled was hilarious.
I'm just here for the bikini boobs.
Gotta love the obligatory beach scenes spearheading Japanese cast games.
Guess that's likely to happen when your country is like 70% beaches.
Normally visual novels are an instant pass for me, but I like match-3-like puzzle elements. Huniepop was fun, maybe this will be too.
@Ralizah I would kill for Huniepop on Switch or its spinoff Huniecam Studio hahaha
The Chibi stickers look like they were drawn by @Anti-Matter That's a compliment by the way.
@OorWullie
Whaat?! 😲
I didn't draw Chibi Moe Girls. 😅
I draw Chibi Six pack guys 99.99% 😉
PQube? More like Pube? Amirite? No, okey, I know the way out...
@Anti-Matter Haha, I know but the faces are similar. Especially this dude.
There's guys too?
Now that's what I call equality.
@Joeynator3000 Looks like your cat is already on it!
@LordMolecule ....wat?
Censored Edition exclusive to PS4!
@Joeynator3000 ....Because your profile pic....Sanya is bobbing her head side to side. Looking at boobs is the inference.
Do you hear that? Listen closely. Someone at Sony HQ is screaming hysterically about the amounts of bare skin appearing in this game.
Very interesting. ahem
I'll check it out for the plot
Some of those undergarments are not really to my liking.
But the skin colours all look perfect to me and I'm also pleasantly surprised by the voice quality.
@Lando_ Do you always making fun with the censored version of visual novels on the PS4?
@JR150 Why do you always saying stuff like that just because games like this would be censored on the PS4?
I would get this game just because it has some cute girls.
@Anri02 What do you mean by plot? You mean the story?
@JHDK What do you want in your games?
@Custom1991 Look at the thumbnail for the article
Women looking upset whilst their clothes come off. No thanks.
Eshop = SteamStore. So much shovelware on the Eshop, and they expect me to take them seriously. Quite sad really
@Anri02 I saw it but what about it?
Videogamesplus.ca also has a bonus keychain with the switch and PS4 version
https://www.videogamesplus.ca/kotodama-the-mysteries-fujisawa-day-one-edition-vgp-bonus-key-ring-ps4-plus-points-free-shipping-p-26621.html
https://www.videogamesplus.ca/kotodama-the-mysteries-fujisawa-day-one-edition-vgp-bonus-key-ring-switch-plus-points-free-shipping-p-26620.html
@Custom1991 I’m not only making fun of censored visual novels on PS4, I’m mocking Sony’s new censorship policy in general. I prefer playing games on my PS4 Pro, when they release on multiple platforms, because of better visuals, performance or loading times - since I don’t use my Switch in portable mode often. But: I’d always prefer a downgraded version of a game that is uncensored than the technically superior one with Sony’s SJW poop intact. What they’re doing with their censorship spree is just ridiculous.
Not 100% sold on the artstyle and I personaly could do without the manservice, but will pick it up. Hopefully the guys will make this game get less complains than ecchi games usually does
Japan's birth rate is dropping for this?!
@Lando_ Does this mean that every video game with fanservice on the girls will be edited out on Sony's systems? I mean, it's really bugging me because I don't have a Switch and seems like I am being forced to go with PS4 version of the same game since I have an PS4.
@Custom1991
It is still a confusing topic, because Sony hasn’t set up guidelines or any kind of rules, regarding what they are censoring in a game or not.
It started with Senran Kagura ReNewal; here they removed the „intimacy mode“ because of the possibility to sexually harass and touch underage looking characters like Mirai. Censoring modes like this was absolutely understandable in my opinion. But then they applied censorship on Dead or Alive Xtreme 3 Scarlet and even Devil May Cry 5 was modified only on PS4. It wasn’t about avoiding erotic thoughts on underaged characters anymore, because there are only adults showing skin in the games mentioned above.
Sony explained, that they want to „protect the children“ with their new censorship guidelines. Lots of gaming YouTubers and journalists had to laugh because of that terrible explanation. Why are they censoring boobs and not fatalities in Mortal Kombat XI if they are „thinking about the children“?
Regarding Sony’s confusing attitude against fanservicy games or virtual nudity in general, I became very cautious when choosing which console version to play. If you type in „Sony Censorship“ in Google and chose „News“, you’ll find a lot of specific articles about Sony’s new policy activities.
@Lando_ Still, I don't know why Sony is going through this route and wish they can at least fully explain what's going on.
@Custom1991 Have you ever heard a joke about only watching pornography for the plot?
As I was watching the trailer I was thinking, well this is another game Sony will censor, assuming it's even going to be allowed to release on their console.
I don't need Sony dictating what's okay for me to play. Stick an age rating on it and be done with it like everyone else.
It's good for Nintendo though.
I’m interested in this one, both for the story and for the fact that it’s got both guys and gals. I’m not against the ones with just ladies (given that that’s what I’m into), but judging by my girlfriend’s otome games there’s clearly a market for a mixed batch too. And if supporting titles like this gets more focus on everyone being able to enjoy the sexiness rather than trying to censor the crap out of stuff, then take my money.
“uncover the truth”
@Silly_G No, it's not. The real reasons are too many hours spent at work and the extremely high cost of raising children in Japan. Anime smut is nothing but a political talking point and deflection from the real issues.
@Custom1991 because sony deserves to be made fun of cause of trigger happy censorship on 3rd party games.
@YozenFroghurt nintendo is has not been censoring anything on the switch since their allowing more rated m games plus less censorship as well for the switch.
@RiasGremory Why is that? It's not like they are going to keep doing this forever.
@Lando_ @Custom1991 Sony headquarters has moved to Califronia, where SJWs is extremely high. The american branch can now force even the Japanese branch to censor their games, even for the Japanese version. Sony of Cali has total control now, and they talked about their new policy. You covered a little bit of it Lando. They also said they want to support the "MeToo" movement where women don't feel objectified, and less sexualization of women in video games. They also talked about in specific, they don't like the sexualization of women in games who APPEAR to be underage, even though in these Japanese games, for the most part, they aren't underage. Japanese women look a lot younger than their age, where as american women look older than their age, so american women think that they are just showing underage women and adding an older age to not draw controversy, but it's the exact opposite. Japanese women look younger because Japanese people in general go to a lot more lengths for their health and appearances, making them appear younger than they are. California branch just doesn't understand this, and is jumping to conclusions, and forcing this censorship policy on all Sony branches in the world. You want this to stop? Stop buying Japanese games from Sony. Get it on Steam or Switch, never Playstation. That is the ONLY way Sony will learn at this point. They are digging themselves a grave, and they don't even know it, and that's the sad part. I lost my faith in Sony, and I might honestly be done with them for good.
@Morrow What if this is going to last forever? I don't have a Switch or play games on Stream/PC.
@Custom1991 I think this is going to last the entire rest of Ps4's lifespan. If they do stop it, it won't be until Ps5, and they won't stop it unless it effects Ps5 console sales.
My honest advice? You have four options.
1.Sell your Ps4 and buy a Switch
2.Keep it and buy censored games
3.Keep it and dont buy censored games, (which means you wont be buying much Japanese games at all).
4.Play them on Steam anyways. Even if you don't right now, there's never a better time to start since Sony has gone mad.
@Morrow I'm not selling away my PS4 at all nor want to play games on Stream because I am not an PC gamer.
@Custom1991 That leaves you with options 2 and 3 then. Good luck bud. I hate to tell yah, but this is the worst time ever to be a Sony fan. new censorship policy that won't be going anywhere at least for a bit, crossplay bans, account bans, exc. It's pretty bad right now.
@Morrow Before all of this censorship policy occurred, was this issue was just this bad in the past?
@Custom1991 They did censor games in the past, but only a few. PS3 had a decent amount of games censored, but it wasn't this bad. PS4 didn't have much censored in comparison, but it had a few titles censored. However, after this policy, it became insane and now they force all japanese devs to comply with these rules, or they can't put their game on PS4.
@Morrow So basically they were more stable back in the PS3 days than they are now. Where did you find more information on all of this?
Wait, I'm confused. How did this get a PEGI 12 rating? The trailer alone is incredibly heavily sexualized, and nudity was certainly implied to be in the game. What gives?
@Custom1991 Actually no, Ps1-Ps2 was their best times. They had virtually no censorship on 1 and 2. PS3 had a decent amount of censored games.
Where did I found out? From censorship channels who keep an eye out for this stuff, friends and seeing it first hand myself. Maguna Souls on PS3 removed the bathhouse mini game, Tales of games on PlayStation had frequent dialogue changes to avoid talking about sexual things, Record of Agarest War series had censorship on spa and 'in bed' scenes, and many more.
@Morrow I agree with everything you wrote. It’s a bad time to be a PlayStation fan, especially if you prefer Anime based games.
@YozenFroghurt I don’t want to „bash“ Sony, mate. I even preferred playing games on my PS4 Pro than on Switch for better performance and loading times. There were lots of bad ports on Nintendo’s console, so the PS4 was the best way to play for me. Nights of Azure 2 and Attack on Titan 2, for instance, run extremely bad on Switch - especially in handheld mode. Hell, even the effin’ Vita has better performance in those games! Sony’s new attitude towards censorship gives me no other choice but to accept worse performance for an uncensored experience. I simply don’t want to support them if they keep on censoring things.
@YozenFroghurt Thank you. I just want to play video games I like in peace.
@YozenFroghurt How about a comment straight from Sony themselves? That good enough for you? Here's the link to the video that talks about it.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=y8T-3bISzHQ
I'll list a few censored PS4 games but I'm not listing them all. You can waste your own time on that.
*Nekopara Volume 1
*Senran Kagura Burst Remewal
*Omega Labyrinth Z
*Final Fantasy Type-0 HD
*Tales of Berseria
*Yakuza 6
*Akiba's Beat
*Blue Reflection
*Super Seducer
*Death Mark
*Dragon Star Varnir
*Date A Live Rio Re:incarnation
That's all I'm willing to spend my time on looking up. You want to see more? Look yourself.
@YozenFroghurt I did all the work I was going to. Like I said, if you aren't happy with what I gave you, you can look for yourself.
I never said it was a new thing, and you're right that Nintendo HAS censored games for a long time, but they stopped with Switch. They even released in a statement that all Nintendo braches don't force censorship on developers. The only things censored on Switch are because if it was left uncensored, it would be considered an 'adults only' (AO ESRB) game, which aren't allowed on console gaming platforms at all. The two were Nekopara (was still M rated and much less censored than the PS4 version--which was so censored it is rated E.) Obviously they can't leave the sex scenes in Nekopara, and couldn't show full nudity, so the full nudity was steamed out, and sex scenes were cut.
The other is some 'sexy' Majong game where the anime girls get fully naked if you beat them. They had to censor the full nudity, cause again, it would be AO if it wasn't.
Side note, Smash Bros Ultimate was censored, but that was the smash devs decision. They wanted to keep it at an 'E' rating, so that parents would know it's good for all ages. If they kept it uncensored, it would have been a T rated game, which they didn't want. However, Nintendo didn't force them to make that choice, they made it themselves.
I hated the Wii U because of the censorship, especially Tokyo Mirage Sessions. That game was trash. Im pretty sure it's the most censored game ever made. The 3ds has some bad censorship too like FE Fates removing the petting system, and a scene from the game that was basically gay conversion therapy.
I may love Nintendo, but I call out their bs all the time.
That's why I'm happy Nintendo stopped their censorship policy with the Switch.
FYI, I used to own a PS4 and owned a Ps2, PS3, psp, and Vita. I supported them but I got tired of the censorship.
There not be an objectively best console out of the big 3, but Xbox One is objectively the worst console ever. It has no exclusives at all, is purely a third party machine, barely gets any Japanese games, and the IPs it does have turned out to be awful. Sea of Thieves is trash, Halo 5 is trash, Gears 5 is the worst in the series, cancelled Scalebound, Rare Replay is literally all they done with their ownership of Rare. It's awful. All it can say is the games it has, it can play the best on and look the best. However, I care about exclusives. Which Is why I was always with Nintendo and Sony.
Uncharted, Last of Us, Jak and Dexter, and Ratchet&Clank are some of my favorite action games if you want me to give some examples of Sony games I love.
I was upset when Sony went this crazy because I wanted to stick with them, but I can't support a company that goes this crazy.
@YozenFroghurt Ah, okay. Np.
Yes, that’s right. There has always been censorship in games, but not in a quantity we are experiencing today with Sony going crazy about it. The only three big cases I can remember when censorship of erotic content kicked in were: Bravely Default (some sexy costumes were made more kids friendly), Fire Emblem and Tokyo Mirage Session. All from Nintendo. I also called them out in the past for making those dumb decisions. As for now, the same goes for Sony. While Nintendo is changing for the better, Sony gets worse. Don’t get me wrong, I love PlayStation, but I simply can’t keep my eyes closed when there are bad things going on like: Failing to support the Vita, only 2 games per month for PS Plus members instead of 4, a ridiculously bad PlayStation Mini, censorship, forcing Japanese developers to communicate in English... Considering all those things, not only the censorship topic, it’s hard to support a company.
Japan steals back Hunie Pop?
"truth" is boobies,
Boobies = truth!
Sir!
@YozenFroghurt Yes and it sucked when Nintendo were censoring things, now it sucks that Sony is. Especially since currently Nintendo are fine with content that Sony is censoring.
Just because it's happened in the past doesn't make the practice any less worth complaining about.
@YozenFroghurt Yes, exactly. I didn’t even know, there are discounted Vita games in the PS Store. Gonna take a look later, thanks for the info.
On the other hand: Every console has its flaws. Nintendo also isn’t without its cons; like bad online service, hiding game save backups behind a paywall, Nintendo exclusive games seldom get a discount, hardware is really expensive (a loose dock for 79-89 Euros is a bit harsh), poor eShop quality control (lots of shovelware), console feels cheap (I take care of my hardware, but my Switch already has scratches), poor battery life, and a lot of lazy ported third party games like the mentioned Nights of Azure 2, Attack on Titan, Atelier Lydie & Suelle, My Time at Portia, Ys 8, and many more. At the end, it all comes down to personal preferences.
@YozenFroghurt Oh yes, many great prizes for niche titles. Also the great Ys: Memories of Celceta is available for 4.49 Euro.
@Custom1991 look up the article on destructoid sony states the meetoo movement made them go the censorship route on 3rd party games.
@RiasGremory ok.
@TheFongz So, that means the comment I posted earlier meant “uncover the boobies”. Yay me.
@Joeynator3000 Ya know...cuz of ur avatar?
Judging from that screenshot they also thought about the girls, so there's nothing wrong lol!
Show Comments
Leave A Comment
Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...