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 web browser and smartphone game “ghostpia,” ghostpia Season One is a polished version of the game with revised text, refined character art and cut-in visuals, and enhanced animations, which released in March 2023 for the Nintendo Switch, followed by a Steam release in August.
ghostpia Season One is set in a town at the end of a train line, cut off by snow, inhabited by 1024 “immortals” also known as ghosts. Sayoko, the protagonist, lives in the town as its only outsider and dreams of one day returning to her hometown. When a new ghost named Yoru mysteriously appears in the secluded town, her stagnant daily life gradually begins to shift.
What stands out most are the warm, picture-book style graphics, and glitchy static effects that come together to form a unique visual style. Chosuido themselves call this a “Denshi” digital graphic novel, and the combination of an art style reminiscent of western graphic novels with bespoke animations a feel totally unlike any other visual novels out there.
On the other hand, despite its cute appearance, the game’s story is much grimmer than one might expect. Since the ghosts are unable to die, they can survive gunshots and even car explosions. The slapstick violence and dark humor that this premise invites are part of the title’s appeal. But what leaves the strongest impression after playing isn’t simply the provocative imagery. It’s the way the girls, including Sayoko and Yoru, grapple with feelings like having no place to call home, not knowing who they really are, and struggling to form relationships despite a craving for connection – the isolation and loneliness anyone can relate to.
In the real world, the passage of time, environmental changes, or the severing of relationships may allow someone to eventually move on from the wounds of the past. In ghostpia, however, the ghosts never die, and they cannot leave the town, so they are forced to live out an endlessly repetitive daily life. What makes this title truly unique isn’t simply the gimmick of its immortal cast, but the way it utilizes that premise to questions about how we should live to the forefront. The total lack of any foreseeable end to their existence is precisely what forces the girls to keep confronting their inescapable loneliness.
As a result, the “cuteness” of the game’s female cast members stems more from just their character designs. Beneath their fleeting conversations, mischievous antics, and their violent exchanges lie earnest wishes for companionship and a place to belong. Those emotions are accentuated by a meticulously crafted presentation that includes subtle lip-syncing and blinking animations, glitchy static effects veiled over the screen, music, sound effects, and even a unique system that allows players to fast-forward and rewind scenes as they please.
The glitch and noise effects are also more than simple decoration. Their grainty texture, which evokes VHS tapes and CRT screens, gives the entire game a worn-out feel that mirrors the stagnant lives the girls live out together in their snowbound town. When the screen jitters and shakes unsteadily, it seems to visualize the mental instabilities faced by Sayoko and the others as they go about their days. The story, characters, graphics, music, UI, and voice elements aren’t made to stand on their own, but rather weave together to form a cohesive “reading experience.” This kind of design reveals the title’s efforts to go beyond simply telling a story using video games as a medium and instead shape the very act of “reading a story” by leveraging techniques unique to video games themselves.
ghostpia Season One is a game that depicts the friendships of adorable girls, but dig a little deeper and you’ll find it also deals with fundamental struggles such as loneliness, violence, and the search for meaning in life. All of this means that by the time you’re done, you’re left feeling much more than simply “That was a fun time.” It’s an emotion that’s difficult to describe – something between loneliness, affection, and a hint of unease. What’s more, this title is only the first half of a two-part work. The sequel, ghostpia Season Two, is currently in development. Chosuido are also planning to release another new title, Mata ne to Iwanai Mama de Ite, later this year.
ghostpia Season One is available now on Steam and Nintendo Switch.
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