The official X account for the Japanese indie animation project lain: Protocol 7 recently shared news of a playable demo for the visual novel adaptation being made available. This demo offers approximately 20 to 40 minutes of gameplay and is compatible with both PC and Mac systems. Fans can download it from itch.io.
Lain: Protocol 7 is an independent fan project inspired by the anime and PS1 game, Serial Experiments Lain. A crowdfunding campaign for an OVA adaptation was launched on Campfire on July 7, and it quickly gained momentum, hitting its initial 2 million yen target within 24 hours. The OVA aims to bridge the gap between the 1998 original and the 2020s, exploring the theme: “What remains human in an age where records and AI can speak for us?” The creators have embraced AI-assisted tools in production to reflect this modern perspective. The project operates under the TTL 2019-2028 fan creation guidelines for Serial Experiments Lain.
The visual novel adaptation was originally planned as a reward for reaching the 5 million yen stretch goal, which was achieved just two days after the campaign began. Additional stretch goals, now also met, include full voice acting and an animated opening sequence. The crowdfunding drive continues, with the project surpassing its original goal by 600%, currently at 12 million yen.
According to the itch.io page, the demo presents an alternate version of events that will unfold in the full OVA. The complete visual novel is expected to include scenes cut from the animation and offer alternative story conclusions for lain: Protocol 7.
The demo for lain: Protocol 7 is available now for free on PC and macOS via itch.io. It offers 20 to 40 minutes of gameplay and is currently only in Japanese. The full version’s release date has not yet been announced.
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