Japanese developer coly has announced a release date for Kindaichi Mystery Series: The Honjin Murders, their new murder mystery puzzle visual novel.

Kindaichi Mystery Series: The Honjin Murders is set to launch on April 24th for Windows PC (via Steam) and Switch, a slightly later date from its original March 20th launch (this was likely to accodomate for the Switch port).

The game is based on the classic Japanese novel series The Honjin Murders by Seishi Yokomizo, which got serialized in the magazine Houseki way back in 1946. The game will support Japanese, English, and Chinese languages.

Here’s a rundown on the previously announced game:

Famous detective Kosuke Kindaichi’s first case, the Honjin Murder Mystery. Honjin descendant Kenzo Ichiyanagi and his new wife Katsuko Kubo lay dead in a bed of blood on the night of their wedding. Kosuke Kindaichi searches for the truth about this locked room murder mystery. However…

Story

A mystery puzzle novel game full of the emotion, fear, and macabre from the Showa era has arrived in the modern Reiwa era.

The Koto Murder Case… A horrifying locked room murder that beset the Ichiyanagi family.

Together with a detective novelist from Okayama, your goal is to piece together testimonies collected from villagers and those involved in the incident and uncover the truth.

Then, you must complete the detective novel based on this incident.

What kind of ending awaits you?

It begins:

On November 26, 1937 at approximately 4:00 AM, honjin descendant Kenzo Ichiyanagi and his new wife Katsuko Kubo lay dead in a bed of blood on the night of their wedding.

Aside from the lifeless married couple, not a soul lurked inside the annexe on the night of the incident.

T’was a “locked room murder” with the fallen snow covering any traces of an escaped killer.

After hearing of the incident, detective Kosuke Kindaichi arrives at the scene, collecting testimonies about the incident as he searches for the truth about this locked room murder mystery. However…

Gameplay:

A unique experience with the thrill of piecing together clues and testimonies like a puzzle while also enjoying the immersive feeling of learning the truth as it unfolds.

• The visuals and sounds of Japanese horror heighten the excitement of this mystery drama.
• As you lead the story to its conclusion, you will discover the shocking truth behind the incident.