2025 will mark the year when Heart of Summer was released. And to avoid the impression that production of promised future content has seized, I wanted to give an update on where development currently stands.
At the moment,
Japanese translation is still on-going
I'm working on Heart of Summer sequel + DLC
another visual novel project
Of course, I understand that the Japanese translation will hardly be of any interest to the English-speaking players, which is why I want to write briefly about the stuff that actually matters to you. Again, the only reason I even mention it in these English language posts is to clarify the reason for why development is slow.
Akehabara is an indie studio and is entirely run by just one guy (me). Apart from the music, I create my projects alone which is incredibly time consuming. And that is why I want to reiterate that future content updates ARE underway. I am still as we speak, working on new games.
Heart of Summer SEQUEL + DLC after stories
I have all-new girls lined up, but also other storylines that build upon the current heroines from Heart of Summer. As mentioned on the forums earlier, the reason for a sequel was born from necessity, because there was simply too much content for a DLC alone.
The current game engine also limits the possibilities of a DLC, which is another reason why I decided that a sequel was a good idea. This time, Steam achievements will be implementable and the game will have a proper custom UI, and more.
One thing to clarify about the sequel is that it uses the same setting and characters as Heart of Summer. You will still meet Takao, kaichou, and many of the other characters (this time with new visuals of course), but the story won't play out the same and you will date new girls that weren't there before.
So, in a way, if you were hoping for a DLC for Heart of Summer, rather than a sequel, it will still feel very much like Heart of Summer, only fresh.
...However, for the people who wanted to see more of the girls who are already in Heart of Summer, I did mention on the forums that there are after stories as DLC. These would continue the stories from where the routes left off.
When will they release?
I'm working on them to the best of my ability, but can't give a set date yet. Both the sequel and the DLC will happen eventually, but depending on the feedback, I might prioritize working on one or the other to get them out faster for players. Which is why I would like to ask: do people want to see more of the same girls or brand new girls?
Moreover, I would appreciate it if you would tell me (but please keep it spoiler-free for the sake of other players) what you liked about Heart of Summer.
Which parts did you like the most?
Horror elements
Secret society stuff
Mafia shenanigans ːhigu_pistolː
Subculture stuff (i.e. skateboarding, emo stuff)
Romcom antics
Which girl was your favourite?
Emi
Natasha
Natsuko (kaichou)
Sakura
Harumi
I'm asking for future reference to know what resonated the most with players. In any case, for future content, the intention is to have:
more visuals and higher quality than before
more teasing options, and more juicy dating sim scenes than before💖💖💖
more of the same: unhinged comedy, unexpected twists
What is the other visual novel project?
I'm also working on another visual novel, which is a dating sim with more emphasis on mystery, thriller and horror aspects. Every game that Akehabara makes is also a dating sim, so the focus on horror elements won't take anything away from juicy romantic stuff.
Only, this project is done in a way stylistically that I feel can't be done in Heart of Summer while still maintaining the feel of the game, which is why it's a separate project.
I will post more on this later and keep you updated.
Going forward
You can expect these types of posts more in the future. I will keep you updated on the progress and hopefully post some teaser-visuals for the new content, soon.
Merry Christmas,
Ake
P.S. If you haven't, I'd like to kindly ask you to consider leaving a review for the game.