The visual novel genre scene of gaming can, at times, be difficult to get into. Poorly made releases, carbon copies, and plainly obvious cash grabs are around every corner, but the good news is that this particular release we’re talking about here is anything but one of those. This is one you want to pay attention to.
The Grisaia: Phantom Trigger series has only been around since 2017, and it’s already up to its 8th instalment, but don’t worry too much if you haven’t been into the series until now. Getting in at any point is better than just letting the series pass you by. If you like them… then go back and experience the rest!
It should first be noted that Phantom Trigger is a bit of a spin-off of the original Grisaia series, with very little in relation, besides its setting. The story itself is about Mihama Academy, filled with deviant and divergent students training specifically for their new roles in the national defence of their great nation. Throughout the entire series, there’s been a combination of slice-of-life, ordinary sort of drama, and violent, grim, and brutally extraordinary elements strewn within.
Frontwing, the series’ developer, knows the core of plot development, championing a balance between the known and unknown which has been consistently captivating throughout the entire series. Just recently, we watched the release of the 7th and 8th come to Steam for PC with a very positive reception from gamers, and now it’s set to be made even more available to different markets.
Grisaia Phantom Trigger 07 & 08 is set to release on Switch in December of this year and February 2023 respectively. The big problem here is how to read the rest of the series if you’re keen to catch up (PC’s the way to go, and these games do run on bricks), but it’s always nice to see the new home for VNs, the Switch, getting more of the top-flight examples of the genre.
(Note: we do still need an announcement of an English release of these games, and there’s no guarantee of that happening, so unless you can read Japanese, hold tight on getting too excited just yet).
