The Forest of Drizzling Rain remake, whose Steam store page was opened in August 2022 and announced for release in the fall, will now be available in Japanese on Wednesday, November 16, 2022.
The Forest of Drizzling Rain is a multi-ending horror game by Makoto Sanada, the author of the psychological horror adventure gameAngels of Death, which has also been made into a TV anime, first released in October 2013, and has been developed into various media mixes such as comic books, novels, and drama CDs from 2014 to the following year.
When the decision to produce a remake of the game was announced last October, it drew a huge response, especially from fans who had played the previous version.
The release dates for English, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, and Korean will be announced at a later date.
■ Main Remake Parts
(1) Upgraded Dialogue, Event Direction, Maps, and More
In the previous work, the game was created using almost all the default RPG Maker materials, but in this remake, all the dots have been newly drawn. In particular, in “Azakawamura,” where the story takes place, the village map was newly drawn, which was not in the previous work. In addition, the standing illustrations, character chips, and dialogue have been completely redesigned for the 2022 release. Care has been taken to ensure that even those who have not played the free game version from about nine years ago can enjoy the game as a new game.
(2) Additional Scenarios and Branching Routes
On the other hand, between the first and second halves of the old scenario, a “Chapter 2” scenario appears, in which you and the main character, Shiori, freely enjoy your days in Azakawa Village while playing mini-games and exploring the area. You can spend time with the unique residents of Azakawa Village. In addition, a new ending branch reveals the truth about the monster, the Taking Spirit, who appears in the game, and other new information not depicted in the free game version has been added. There are multiple branching routes from the beginning to the end of the game, and a “special scenario” will be released when all the endings are completed. The game is also fully enjoyable for users who have played the free game version.
■ Story
All alone following the death of her parents, Shiori Kanzaki happens to run across an old photograph in their bedroom. In that photograph, which bears the unfamiliar inscription “Azakawa Village,” is a young Shiori with her parents, along with another man old enough to be her grandfather. Shiori goes looking for that village and pays a visit to the local museum, where she meets Kotaro Suga. Suga, the museum curator, strongly urges her to leave the village immediately. When Shiori continues exploring Azakawa Village, a secret truth gradually comes to light. What will her reaction be once all is fully revealed?
■ Official Twitter Account Updated Daily
The official The Forest of Drizzling Rain Twitter account, which began operating on August 11, 2022, provides the latest information on The Forest of Drizzling Rain. In addition to distributing information about the remake, the reading theater, and merchandise, the account occasionally holds “special events” such as the distribution of Twitter icons for everyone’s enjoyment.
Posting Development Screenshots of the Remake on an Irregular Basis
The development screenshots of the remake, currently posted on the Twitter account, clearly show the differences from the old version that has already been released, further increasing the anticipation of the fans. Hashtag: #阿座河村の一コマ.
We will continue to tweet about the remake after it goes on sale, so don’t miss it!
—There are also scenes between Shiori and Suga that were not depicted in the old version.
—New characters from the remake are also pictured.
■ Second Lottery for Reading Play Tickets Now Available for Advance Reservation
The second lottery advance reservations for tickets to the reading play The Forest of Drizzling Rain, to be performed on December 10 and 11, 2022, are available until November 6, Japan time.
The “SIDE SHIORI” production is a thorough reenactment of the original story, allowing the audience to experience the “fear” and “thrill” that Shiori experiences after arriving in Azakawa Village. On the other hand, “SIDE Suga” is a special story that can only be seen in this reading play, and allows the audience to learn the secrets that Suga, who usually does not speak, has been harboring for many years and his “feelings” for Shiori. We hope that many people will come to the venue to witness this “day and night” story woven together by the skillful expressions of the voice actors and dancers.
Details of the readings and ticket information can be found on the official website.
■ What is The Forest of Drizzling Rain?
A multi-ending exploration horror ADV game by Makoto Sanada, the author of Angels of Death, which has also been made into an animated TV series. Although it is his first game, it attracted a great deal of attention immediately after its release in 2013, and translated versions by volunteers appeared in various countries. A full remake of the game with new graphics and a new storyline is scheduled for release in the fall of 2022, just before the game’s 10th anniversary.
About Makoto Sanada
Makoto Sanada is a Japanese video game designer. His debut title, The Forest of Drizzling Rain, drew lots of attention when it was first made available on the Internet in October of 2013. And it continued to grow in popularity as translations appeared from volunteers in countries all around the world. His next game, Angels of Death, released in installments by Game Magazine (formerly NicoNico Game Magazine) starting in August of 2015 and continuing until the following February, saw an anime adaptation and went on to become a big hit. Together, both titles have garnered a wide fan base of all ages with their various multimedia releases including novelizations and comic adaptations.
Crossing the boundaries between entertainment and literature with their sensitive character portrayals and bold plot lines, Makoto’s stories have become hugely popular among fans both young and old.
