Vampire On Titus
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IzanagiGames, Inc. (located in Koto-ku, Tokyo, and led by CEO/Producer Shinsuke Umeda) has announced the company will be crowdfunding for Dark Auction: Hitler’s Estate, a brand new “authentic mystery adventure” game with an original story/scenario written by Rika Suzuki (Trace Memories, Hotel Dusk: Room 215), and character design by Kohske (GANGSTA.). The title is due for release on Nintendo Switch™ and Steam® in 2024.
Full details from the publisher's official site.Comment: Rika Suzuki
The game is a mystery adventure centering on the idea of a historical figure having surreptitiously bequeathed a fictitious estate, following the drama that plays out among the characters faced with an enigma extending all the way into their modern world.
The tale unfolds in an ancient castle in 1981, 36 years after Hitler’s death. 18-year-old protagonist Noah is determined not to turn out like his father, but, beyond that, he has no idea of the kind of person he wants to be. Noah takes part in a mysterious auction held at the old castle, and, as someone living in the 1980s, comes to terms with the absurdity of the trauma the war left behind, learning of the truths hidden deep within those affected, ultimately closing in on the big secret his father has been concealing.
When we learn about history, we think about the present and what it means to be human.
Thinking about the past also means thinking about the future.
Throughout the long flow of time, certain individuals are predestined to make history—a projection of, and projection onto the times in which they lived. Hitler was one such individual—an evil specter at the heart of the tumult of the Second World War.
What if, behind the scenes, as a final act, he sought to bequeath something to the next generation?
In the 1980s, in a Germany still haunted by this dark specter, how did the youngsters who found themselves entangled with his estate react? How did their perceptions of the future change? My goal is to portray the human drama at the heart of it all.
Having been nearly a lifelong fan of Rika Suzuki's games and someone who was crushed by CiNG's closure back in 2010, this is actually a dream coming true. The scenario sounds absolutely insane and I can't wait to see what she does with it. Great to see one of my all time favorite developers come back to gaming!
Edit:
The publisher's synopsis is worded in a way that suggests the game's protagonist is related to Hitler but that's not the case. Here is a much clearer summary from the game's campfire campaign:
Germany, 1981.
Noah is an 18-year-old who remembers being abandoned by his mother when he was a child,
He lives with his eccentric father Leonardo, an unsuccessful writer who is devoted to Hitler research.
Noah wishes he could stop his strange research, but Leonardo will never stop his research, no matter how much money he has to spend.
One day, an invitation arrives for an auction where "items related to Hitler" are to be sold,
Leonardo overcomes Noah's objections and heads for the old castle where the auction is to be held, with the promise that he will tell him everything when he returns.
Noah goes to the castle to pick up his father, who has not returned by the scheduled date and cannot be reached.
There, Noah witnesses a shocking sight.
Noah soon discovers that he and the other participants are trapped in the old castle,
He is invited by the auctioneer to participate in this strange auction.
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