Misohagi Crossing

● ABOUT THIS GAME Misohagi Crossing is a visual novel adventure game set in a rural Japanese town, blending horror and mystery with a character-driven story. The game consists of three main styles of gameplay: visual novel sections, where you follow the story like a novel; adventure sections, where you explore the town, talk to its residents, and gather information; and escape-game sections, where you solve puzzles and find your way out of supernatural otherworlds. ● STORY Hotaru Akasaki, a first-year university student, returns to Yokomizo, his father's hometown, for the first time in seven years for his grandfather's first Obon, a summer observance honoring the spirits of deceased family members. There, he reunites with relatives he hasn't seen in years. His cousin Inori, now so beautiful she hardly seems like the girl he remembers. And Sayo Amano―the girl who was his first love when he was a child. Beyond a railroad crossing surrounded by blooming misohagi flowers, Hotaru meets Sayo again. But later that night, his cousin Shinya tells him something impossible to believe. The entire Amano family died three years ago in what was believed to be a family murder-suicide. Then who was the Sayo he met that day? When Hotaru returns to her house the next day, Sayo is still there, exactly as she was before. Sayo and her older sister Mizuho know that they are already dead. They say they are trapped in a single summer day, repeating endlessly. What really happened to the Amano family? Why is Hotaru the only one who can enter the world where the dead remain? And what is the grotesque “black flesh” that appears whenever he draws closer to the truth...? As Hotaru speaks with the people of Yokomizo and investigates the incident from three years ago, memories he had long forgotten slowly begin to return. Face the supernatural horror of the black flesh alongside Hotaru. And set that frozen summer day in motion once more― ● CHARACTERS Sayo, Hotaru & Inori Hotaru Akasaki A first-year university student and the protagonist of the story. He returns to Yokomizo for the first time in seven years for his grandfather's first Obon. As he begins retracing memories from his childhood, he becomes entangled in the mystery of an incident that occurred three years ago. Inori Akasaki Hotaru's cousin and the same age as him. Cheerful and straightforward, she has adored Hotaru since they were children. She is delighted to see him again after so many years, but grows increasingly worried as he involves himself in a dangerous mystery. Sayo Amano Hotaru's first love from childhood. She was the one who taught him the name of the misohagi flowers and the local name for the railroad crossing. Hotaru reunites with her for the first time in seven years―but Sayo is supposed to have died three years ago. The Akasaki Family Shinya (23) ― Inori's older brother. Three years ago, he had feelings for Sayo's older sister, Mizuho. Kaori (17) ― Inori's younger sister. An otaku high school girl with a boyish way of speaking. Shinichi (49) ― Inori's father and Hotaru's uncle. Boisterous, outgoing, and always looking after those around him. Satomi (43) ― Inori's mother, and one of the people who keeps the lively Akasaki household running. Setsuko (69) ― Hotaru's grandmother. She dotes on her grandchildren, though some of her views are firmly rooted in old-fashioned values. The People of Yokomizo The daughter of a local family-run diner. A young man working tirelessly to revitalize the town. Members of the volunteer fire brigade. A Buddhist priest. A hard-drinking old man― Yokomizo is home to plenty of people who have little or nothing to do with the incident itself. Explore the town and talk to its residents, and you'll discover glimpses of their pasts and everyday lives that you would never see by following the main story alone. ● EXPLORE YOKOMIZO AND DISCOVER WHAT LIES BEYOND THE MAIN STORY The main story follows a single path. There are no branching endings based on dialogue choices. Instead, the adventure sections allow you to freely visit various locations around Yokomizo. Choose a location on the map, travel there, talk to the people you find, and investigate your surroundings to gather information. Some events are necessary to move the story forward, but wandering away from the main objective can reveal unexpected sides of the characters and glimpses of everyday life in Yokomizo. Right beside supernatural phenomena and the shadows of past tragedies, people are preparing for the summer festival, struggling to promote their hometown, or simply gathering with neighbors for drinks. Life in this warm, close-knit community goes on. ● ESCAPE FROM SUPERNATURAL OTHERWORLDS At key moments in the story, Hotaru himself is dragged into strange otherworlds where supernatural phenomena occur. Investigate suspicious locations on the screen, find items, and use them in the right places as you search for a way out. Examining the same location while holding a particular item may also produce a different reaction. By investigating these otherworlds yourself and searching for an escape, you can experience Hotaru's fear and tension firsthand. Every puzzle includes both hints and full solutions accessible from the menu. Even if escape games aren't your specialty, you can continue the story without getting permanently stuck. ● OPTIONAL EXPLORATION & COLLECTIBLES Small discoveries are hidden even in places that have nothing to do with the main incident. As you explore Yokomizo, you can collect: - Photos of the town's stray cats - Photos of insects you discover - Yokomizo's local “Seven Mysteries” None of these collections are required to complete the story. They are optional activities for players who want to wander off the main path, explore more of Yokomizo, and complete everything the town has to offer. ● NAVIGATION THAT KEEPS THE STORY MOVING During the adventure sections, the screen always displays guidance based on your current progress, showing where you should go or what you should do next. If you want to focus on the main story, simply follow the guidance and you'll always know how to proceed. Or take a detour and discover sides of the characters that never appear in the main story, along with more of everyday life in Yokomizo. Explore the town and experience the story at your own pace. ● FEATURES - A horror mystery set in rural Japan - A linear main story combined with freely explorable adventure sections - Gather information through conversations and exploration to uncover the truth behind both the incident and its characters - Escape-game-style puzzle sequences set in supernatural otherworlds - Hints and full solutions available for every puzzle - Navigation showing your next destination and objective - Optional collections featuring stray cats, insects, and Yokomizo's Seven Mysteries - A human drama about first love, family, home, and saying goodbye to the past - Regional dialects, summer festivals, Obon, local revitalization projects, and other elements of everyday life and culture in rural Japan - One ending - No voice acting - Estimated playtime: approximately 6–14 hours Playtime can vary considerably depending on how much optional dialogue and exploration you choose to experience, as well as the amount of time spent solving puzzles.