https://automaton-media.com/en/column/ AUTOMATON is a website that covers the Japanese gaming world. We bring you the news on video games from Osaka and Tokyo. Thu, 24 Sep 2026 00:24:06 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1.2 https://automaton-media.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/cropped-automaton-sitelogo-120x120-1-32x32.png https://automaton-media.com/en/column/ 32 32 https://automaton-media.com/en/news/ghostpia-season-one-is-a-denshi-graphic-novel-that-leverages-video-game-techniques-to-deliver-a-story-of-eternal-loneliness-steam-gems-from-japan-you-might-be-missing-out-on/ https://automaton-media.com/en/news/ghostpia-season-one-is-a-denshi-graphic-novel-that-leverages-video-game-techniques-to-deliver-a-story-of-eternal-loneliness-steam-gems-from-japan-you-might-be-missing-out-on/#respond Wed, 23 Sep 2026 14:00:00 +0000 https://automaton-media.com/en/?p=72603 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. The loneliness and violence behind the cute facade For this series’ fifth article, I’ll be writing about ghostpia Season One, a visual novel from the developer known as Chosuido. Based on the […]]]> https://automaton-media.com/en/news/ghostpia-season-one-is-a-denshi-graphic-novel-that-leverages-video-game-techniques-to-deliver-a-story-of-eternal-loneliness-steam-gems-from-japan-you-might-be-missing-out-on/feed/ 0 https://automaton-media.com/en/column/black-sheep-town-is-a-gangster-sci-fi-visual-novel-where-you-can-do-nothing-but-watch-as-the-characters-hit-rock-bottom-steam-gems-from-japan-you-might-be-missing-out-on/ https://automaton-media.com/en/column/black-sheep-town-is-a-gangster-sci-fi-visual-novel-where-you-can-do-nothing-but-watch-as-the-characters-hit-rock-bottom-steam-gems-from-japan-you-might-be-missing-out-on/#respond Thu, 03 Sep 2026 15:00:00 +0000 https://automaton-media.com/en/?p=71870 Steam gems from Japan you might be missing out on #4: BLACK SHEEP TOWN.]]> https://automaton-media.com/en/column/black-sheep-town-is-a-gangster-sci-fi-visual-novel-where-you-can-do-nothing-but-watch-as-the-characters-hit-rock-bottom-steam-gems-from-japan-you-might-be-missing-out-on/feed/ 0 https://automaton-media.com/en/column/seabed-is-an-overwhelmingly-positive-yuri-mystery-visual-novel-that-blurs-the-lies-between-delusion-and-reality-steam-gems-from-japan-you-might-be-missing-out-on/ https://automaton-media.com/en/column/seabed-is-an-overwhelmingly-positive-yuri-mystery-visual-novel-that-blurs-the-lies-between-delusion-and-reality-steam-gems-from-japan-you-might-be-missing-out-on/#respond Tue, 25 Aug 2026 14:00:00 +0000 https://automaton-media.com/en/?p=71393 Steam gems from Japan you might be missing out on #3 : SeaBed.]]> https://automaton-media.com/en/column/seabed-is-an-overwhelmingly-positive-yuri-mystery-visual-novel-that-blurs-the-lies-between-delusion-and-reality-steam-gems-from-japan-you-might-be-missing-out-on/feed/ 0 https://automaton-media.com/en/column/adult-sci-fi-visual-novel-2236-a-d-offers-a-birds-eye-perspective-on-the-self-and-the-other-steam-gems-from-japan-you-might-be-missing-out-on/ https://automaton-media.com/en/column/adult-sci-fi-visual-novel-2236-a-d-offers-a-birds-eye-perspective-on-the-self-and-the-other-steam-gems-from-japan-you-might-be-missing-out-on/#respond Thu, 20 Aug 2026 13:00:00 +0000 https://automaton-media.com/en/?p=71248 Steam gems from Japan you might be missing out on #2 : 2236 A.D.]]> https://automaton-media.com/en/column/adult-sci-fi-visual-novel-2236-a-d-offers-a-birds-eye-perspective-on-the-self-and-the-other-steam-gems-from-japan-you-might-be-missing-out-on/feed/ 0 https://automaton-media.com/en/news/my-planet-moon-child-is-a-sci-fi-visual-novel-that-explores-our-inability-to-understand-each-other-steam-gems-from-japan-you-might-be-missing-out-on/ https://automaton-media.com/en/news/my-planet-moon-child-is-a-sci-fi-visual-novel-that-explores-our-inability-to-understand-each-other-steam-gems-from-japan-you-might-be-missing-out-on/#respond Mon, 17 Aug 2026 15:00:00 +0000 https://automaton-media.com/en/?p=71068 Steam gems from Japan you might be missing out on #1 : My Planet MOON CHILD. ]]> https://automaton-media.com/en/news/my-planet-moon-child-is-a-sci-fi-visual-novel-that-explores-our-inability-to-understand-each-other-steam-gems-from-japan-you-might-be-missing-out-on/feed/ 0 https://automaton-media.com/en/game-development/each-ability-feels-like-it-could-have-been-the-central-mechanic-of-its-own-game-we-ask-a-fellow-developer-what-makes-nte-neverness-to-everne/ https://automaton-media.com/en/game-development/each-ability-feels-like-it-could-have-been-the-central-mechanic-of-its-own-game-we-ask-a-fellow-developer-what-makes-nte-neverness-to-everne/#comments Thu, 09 Jul 2026 13:00:00 +0000 https://automaton-media.com/en/?p=69403 Indie-Us-Games CEO Masahiko Nakamura talks about the the strengths of NTE: Neverness to Everness from a dev's perspective.]]> https://automaton-media.com/en/game-development/each-ability-feels-like-it-could-have-been-the-central-mechanic-of-its-own-game-we-ask-a-fellow-developer-what-makes-nte-neverness-to-everne/feed/ 2 https://automaton-media.com/en/column/wuthering-waves-is-full-of-beautiful-technical-headaches-that-would-make-the-average-ue-developer-say-please-dont-make-me-do-this/ https://automaton-media.com/en/column/wuthering-waves-is-full-of-beautiful-technical-headaches-that-would-make-the-average-ue-developer-say-please-dont-make-me-do-this/#respond Wed, 27 May 2026 14:00:00 +0000 https://automaton-media.com/en/?p=67296 We talk to Japanese game developer Masahiko Nakamura about what makes Wuthering Waves impressive, or even intimidating, from a technical perspective.]]> https://automaton-media.com/en/column/wuthering-waves-is-full-of-beautiful-technical-headaches-that-would-make-the-average-ue-developer-say-please-dont-make-me-do-this/feed/ 0 https://automaton-media.com/en/column/even-from-a-developers-perspective-wuthering-waves-use-of-unreal-engine-is-borderline-perverse-a-ue4-game-decked-out-in-custom-technology/ https://automaton-media.com/en/column/even-from-a-developers-perspective-wuthering-waves-use-of-unreal-engine-is-borderline-perverse-a-ue4-game-decked-out-in-custom-technology/#comments Thu, 07 May 2026 14:00:00 +0000 https://automaton-media.com/en/?p=66290 We talk to a Japanese developer about what makes Wuthering Waves' graphics and performance impressive from a technical standpoint.]]> https://automaton-media.com/en/column/even-from-a-developers-perspective-wuthering-waves-use-of-unreal-engine-is-borderline-perverse-a-ue4-game-decked-out-in-custom-technology/feed/ 11 https://automaton-media.com/en/column/infinity-nikki-level-designer-talks-about-philosophy-behind-large-scale-gameplay-and-map-expansions-in-version-2-0/ https://automaton-media.com/en/column/infinity-nikki-level-designer-talks-about-philosophy-behind-large-scale-gameplay-and-map-expansions-in-version-2-0/#respond Wed, 06 May 2026 13:00:00 +0000 https://automaton-media.com/en/?p=66266 Level design lecture by Infinity Nikki developer PR, held at Game Developers Conference (GDC) 2026.]]> https://automaton-media.com/en/column/infinity-nikki-level-designer-talks-about-philosophy-behind-large-scale-gameplay-and-map-expansions-in-version-2-0/feed/ 0 https://automaton-media.com/en/column/love-and-deepspace-is-designed-to-make-players-love-themselves-and-the-male-lead-more-producer-explains-the-romance-sims-unorthodox-design-choices-and-r/ https://automaton-media.com/en/column/love-and-deepspace-is-designed-to-make-players-love-themselves-and-the-male-lead-more-producer-explains-the-romance-sims-unorthodox-design-choices-and-r/#respond Tue, 05 May 2026 13:00:00 +0000 https://automaton-media.com/en/?p=66198 Love and Deepspace producer Lizi's lecture on game design, held at GDC 2026.]]> https://automaton-media.com/en/column/love-and-deepspace-is-designed-to-make-players-love-themselves-and-the-male-lead-more-producer-explains-the-romance-sims-unorthodox-design-choices-and-r/feed/ 0 https://automaton-media.com/en/column/when-a-three-month-project-turns-into-four-years-looking-back-on-japanese-indie-developers-struggles-to-estimate-development-time/ https://automaton-media.com/en/column/when-a-three-month-project-turns-into-four-years-looking-back-on-japanese-indie-developers-struggles-to-estimate-development-time/#respond Sun, 08 Mar 2026 13:00:00 +0000 https://automaton-media.com/en/?p=62096 AUTOMATON WEST's Weekly Throwback. ]]> https://automaton-media.com/en/column/when-a-three-month-project-turns-into-four-years-looking-back-on-japanese-indie-developers-struggles-to-estimate-development-time/feed/ 0 https://automaton-media.com/en/news/death-stranding-gameplay-tips-by-hideo-kojima-himself-a-paralell-universe-where-final-fantasy-7-remakes-tifa-has-long-hair-looking-back-on-what-we-were-doing-on-twitter-in-2021/ https://automaton-media.com/en/news/death-stranding-gameplay-tips-by-hideo-kojima-himself-a-paralell-universe-where-final-fantasy-7-remakes-tifa-has-long-hair-looking-back-on-what-we-were-doing-on-twitter-in-2021/#respond Sun, 22 Feb 2026 13:00:00 +0000 https://automaton-media.com/en/?p=58877 AUTOMATON WEST's Weekly Throwback.]]> https://automaton-media.com/en/news/death-stranding-gameplay-tips-by-hideo-kojima-himself-a-paralell-universe-where-final-fantasy-7-remakes-tifa-has-long-hair-looking-back-on-what-we-were-doing-on-twitter-in-2021/feed/ 0