With countless games released on Steam every single day, Japanese games from smaller independent devs tend to get lost in the shuffle, but there’s no shortage of unique titles featuring original ideas with their own distinct identity. So, AUTOMATON has recently decided to start “Steam gems from Japan you might be missing out on”, a new series which aims to shine a spotlight on these overlooked indie gems by highlighting one game per article and sharing its appeal.
This series’ fourth entry will focus on BLACK SHEEP TOWN, a visual novel from developer BA-KU released in September of 2022. The planning and script for this title were provided by veteran scenario writer Renya Setoguchi, known for his work on CARNIVAL, Swan Song, and Hira Hira Hihiru. The game is set in the fictional “District Y,” a Japanese slum controlled by a criminal gang known as “YS,” and populated by immigrants, gangsters, and “mutants,” – individuals with psychic powers. The story opens with a power struggle between members of YS, triggered by the death of their leader Chris Xie. Meanwhile, the district’s inhabitants are engulfed in turmoil spreading throughout the city from the rise of a serial murderer known as Koschei and The Eight Dragons Society, a secret organization controlling the mutants.
This title’s story unfolds through the alternating perspectives of protagonist Xie Liang, Xie’s friend Michio Mido, former detective Kuniaki Roji who had his psychic powers stolen from him, the mischievous psychic Haigami Sisters, and various other inhabitants of District Y. By reading through specific scenarios, new storylines are unlocked, and events that seemed unclear from one character’s perspective take on new meanings when presented in a different context, making you ask questions like “What is this person thinking?” or “How will this end up for them?”
At first glance, BLACK SHEEP TOWN might look like a garish novel that combines a gangster tale of blood and violence with a sci-fi twist courtesy of the psychic mutants. However, the part of the game that truly leaves a lasting impression isn’t the psychic battles or the sci-fi mysteries, but the gritty portrayals of those who live in District Y, each seeking their own answers. Their blood ties, fealties, points of pride, ideals and all the other different values they hold dear bring them into conflict with one another, gradually throwing everything off the rails. Seeing how one person’s “correct” choice can inadvertently hurt others and lead to unexpected tragedies makes for a harrowing reading experience.
The mutants aren’t simply a device to have battle scenes either. They serve as depictions of the difficulties of living with unusual physical or mental conditions and the discrimination such individuals face from society at large. Despite the fantastical setting, the game’s story portrays real-world issues such as the difficulties of not being understood by others and the challenges of daily life that are beyond one’s control. Furthermore, the characters are not simply labeled as good or evil, and their conflicted feelings living as mutants on the receiving end of discriminatory treatment are carefully depicted through internal monologues that make up a significant portion of the script.
Another one of the game’s characteristics is the lack of player agency. There are no choices provided, meaning there are no ways to prevent the story’s tragic outcomes. Regardless of how much the player may empathize with the characters, they cannot alter the trajectory of their lives as they move forward driven by their own beliefs. “If only I had said this, if only I had made a different choice, if only we had discussed this sooner…”Precisely because they’re reading the novel from an objective point of view, the player feels the weight of sadness building in their heart as the preventable tragedies pile up, but despite this, the results of the characters’ actions cannot simply be dismissed as them “making the wrong choices.”
The emotions the player is left with upon completion of BLACK SHEEP TOWN are more than just sadness, however. You come to realize that even when their lives didn’t turn out as planned and they made choices that can never be undone, it was all the result of the characters giving everything their all until the very end. That’s why this visual novel leaves players with a quiet sense of acceptance, making them feel grateful for the opportunity to have watched these characters live out their lives even as they careened toward ruin, and leaving them with a complex mixture of sadness and affection. BA-KU also announced its upcoming title, Hyakubyaku, on August 6th. I’m already looking forward to finding out what kind of experiences it will offer upon its release.
BLACK SHEEP TOWN is available now on PC via Steam. Please note that, at the time of this writing, BLACK SHEEP TOWN only supports Japanese language options.
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