To commemorate the Western release of the dark mystery visual novel Dark Auction, Izanagi Games and Good Smile Company are holding a launch sale. The Windows and Nintendo Switch versions will be discounted for a limited time until February 12. On the other hand, it looks like the PlayStation 5 version is still fully priced.
Set in Europe during the year 1891, Dark Auction follows Noah Crawford, a young man looking for his missing father, Leonard. Noah’s search leads him to Geheimnis Castle, where a mysterious Dark Auction is taking place. A series of unfortunate events leads Noah to take his father’s place in the Dark Auction, where more than just money is on the line.
A good chunk of the gameplay focuses on the “Word Cloud” system, which is a visual representation of Noah’s inner thoughts. By piecing together important information, you learn more about the titular Dark Auction and the events surrounding it. The Word Cloud can also be used alongside a memory-replay device known as an EPO to bid on items in the Dark Auction. Aside from the Word Cloud, Dark Auction also features light puzzle solving, exploration, and dialogue interaction.
Dark Auction has a pretty star-studded development team. Its story was crafted by author Rika Suzuki, best known as the author of Hotel Dusk: Room 215 and Another Code: Two Memories. Longtime Monster Hunter series composer Yuko Komiyama and character designs by GANGSTA author Kohske also lend their talents.
The standard and digital deluxe editions of Dark Auction are currently on sale for Windows (Steam) and Nintendo Switch, with the digital deluxe edition including the game’s soundtrack. The game is also available on PlayStation 5.
