PQube and MAGES have brought us the newest installment in the Memories Off series, SINce Memories: Off The Starry Sky. This visual novel emerges as part of a franchise that first appeared on the PlayStation way back in 1999. While it serves as a spin-off, fans won’t have to wait long for a new mainline entry, set to hit the Nintendo Switch in Japan next year, with fingers crossed for a global release. Set a decade after the central storyline, this iteration centers on college student Junya Mizumoto.
Junya finds himself grappling with the profound loss of his brother, who died in a tragic accident the previous year. As if that grief weren’t enough, he encounters a mysterious girl who confronts him with a chilling declaration: it should have been Junya who died. How does one even begin to process such a thought? Amidst this turmoil, he’s drawn into a project with his childhood friend Chihaya Hojo. The task? Renovating her family’s traditional Japanese estate, the Hojo manor. The manor holds significant familial value for Chihaya, which made her choice to ask Junya for help inevitable. What paths and tales unfold from there? To explore the twists and turns, you’ll need to dive into the game yourself. Be prepared for storylines that branch out, guided by your decisions, influencing your ties with characters like Chihaya Hojo, Hinata Ise, Azusa Satomi, Chunyu Huang, and Yuriko Oyama.
If you’re new to visual novels, here’s the gist: these games are essentially books in a digital, visual format. Some are even complemented by voice acting—a costly addition in game development. This particular visual novel is fully voice-acted, albeit exclusively in Japanese. So, unless you’re fluent in the language, get ready for an immersive reading experience, which is the essence of a visual novel.
Returning to our story, the narrative puts you in the shoes of Junya Mizumoto, as he copes with his brother’s loss and navigates the unexpected project with Chihaya. As you interact with the unconventional cast, you’ll quickly find yourself embroiled in choices that shape the narrative.
What about the focal project? Well, it’s all about breathing new life into the Hojo family estate. This manor, steeped in legacy, beckons for restoration, a task Chihaya entrusts to you without hesitation. To discover what lies ahead, you’ll have to take the plunge and play the game. Other than some occasional grammar slip-ups in the localization, there’s little to fault here. SINce Memories: Off The Starry Sky is available on Nintendo Switch for $39.99.
Lastly, a note for transparency: this review was crafted based on a Nintendo Switch copy provided by PQube.
