While the fan comparisons between Japanese solo game developer Hyogo Onimushi’s previous work, Return to Shironagasu Island, and Jeffrey Epstein’s private island are unfortunate, their next visual novel, The Distant Circular World (working title), will hopefully not accidentally predict any real-life scandals. Set after the events of the previous title, you control returning protagonist Sen Ikeda and his assistant, Neneko Izumozaki, as they find themselves living separate lives that are intertwined through an unusual time rewind mechanic.
“Side A” of the upcoming sci-fi suspense mystery is set in New York and follows private detective Sen Ikeda. When a mysterious girl named Lila visits his office, Sen learns that an illegal organization known as Babylon is after her. Eager to learn more about them, he conducts an investigation alongside his assistant, Koi Inui (since the game involves time travel, it’s likely that Sen hasn’t met Neneko at this point). NYPD detective Tio Fiorentina and billionaire child heiress Akira Edgeworth also join the case, with foes such as Babylon operative Callander standing in their way.
Around the same time that Lila enters Ikeda’s life, a Babylon Chief Researcher by the name of John Walton hands the detective a time leap device. This explains why you can switch between Sen and Neneko, and why they can rewind time (more on that later).
“Side B” has you controlling Neneko Izumozaki as she lives as a high school student in provincial Japan. Her photographic memory returns from the previous game, and just like before, she tries to hide it to maintain a peaceful life. Things take a dark turn, however, when she discovers a body in the local river on her way to school.
With her knack for detective work, Neneko finds herself searching for the identity of the deceased person. As it turns out, the mysterious traces beside the body are linked to the disappearance of her mother, who vanished months ago. Alongside her older sister, Kisaragi, and friends Kazuki and Torako, Neneko aims to get to the bottom of this disturbing case.
The Distant Circular World centers on two gameplay systems. The first system is called “Zapping,” which allows you to switch between Sen and Neneko. Using the clues found throughout their respective stories, you must piece together the mystery that connects their two cases.
The second system is the aforementioned time leap mechanic. When certain conditions are met, you can rewind time to undo specific events. While this may seem overpowered, the points where you can rewind time become fewer as you progress through the stories. Rewinding time also has its cons, as strict rules determine what a person remembers.
Though Hyogo Onimushi initially peddled physical demo copies of The Distant Circular World for people to try, they have since sold out. The release platforms are TBA. You can find the official website here.
Related: Return to Shironagasu Island quietly sells over 210k copies
