Be Missed and Remembered: The Letter from Mayoiga (hereafter The Letter from Mayoiga) marks the debut title from Overlap Games, a fresh visual novel brand established by Japanese light novel publisher Overlap. Crafted by Nekoneko Soft, the game is set to launch on July 10 via Steam.
In anticipation of the release, we had the opportunity to speak with Tadafumi Kamioka – the game’s producer at Overlap Games – alongside director and scenario writer Tomo Kataoka (recognized for his work on acclaimed visual novels Narcissu and Mizuiro), who shared insights into the project’s origins and what players can anticipate from this new visual novel.
Set against the backdrop of rural Showa era Japan (1972), The Letter From Mayoiga is a poignant visual novel that weaves in elements of Japanese folklore. The narrative centers on Naofuyu Matsuda, a student visiting his grandparents’ home in the countryside. Within the village, a local legend cautions that venturing into the mountain will bring a curse upon anyone who dares to enter. Dismissing such superstitions, Naofuyu disregards the warning and explores the forbidden mountain. There, he stumbles upon an old shrine from his childhood and is unexpectedly reunited with the heroine, Susu.
The partnership between Overlap Games and Nekoneko Soft was ignited by producer Kamioka’s admiration for Narcissu. Impressed not only by the 2005 game’s storytelling but also by its sound and visual design, Kamioka entrusted Kataoka with the project’s direction, providing only a loose directive to create a “supernatural game set in rural Showa-era Japan.”
Another objective for the project was to craft a game that would resonate with “old-school fans” of visual novels, adhering to a more traditional format rather than venturing into overly unconventional or quirky territory.
Regarding his approach to the scenario, Kataoka remarks, “As this is the inaugural title from Overlap Games, with more to follow, I felt it wouldn’t be appropriate to debut with something overly heavy or avant-garde. From the outset, I decided the game would have a happy ending and that I didn’t want to leave players with a sour aftertaste, so I consciously aimed for a lighthearted tone. Additionally, while the brief called for a ‘Showa-era supernatural tale,’ I made it clear early on that I wouldn’t be making a mystery or horror game. I even joked that if they desired that kind of vibe, they should ask Ryukishi07 instead (laughs).”
The developers clarify that The Letter From Mayoiga is not a romance story, as the main characters, Naofuyu and Susu, rediscover a familial childhood bond from a decade prior. The Showa setting serves as a nod to a nostalgic era when “topics like UFOs and alien invasions were discussed earnestly, and science and space were still perceived somewhat like fantasy.”
Notably, The Letter From Mayoiga will feature an episodic narrative with an estimated playtime of 7 to 10 hours, which is relatively brief for the visual novel genre. The director explains this design choice, stating, “I’m simply not very fond of dialogue scenes where characters endlessly discuss trivial matters. I prefer the pacing and atmosphere of films. Of course, I acknowledge that games emphasizing dialogue have their own merits, such as allowing readers to project onto the protagonist and immerse themselves in the atmosphere, so this isn’t about which approach is superior. However, I believe the maximum concentration span for reading text is about 4 to 6 hours at most, and I worry that if it extends longer, more people will start skimming or rapidly clicking through the text.”
As a solution, Kataoka opted for a length and pacing that will encourage players to “binge through to the ending,” catering to modern players’ preferences.
Be Missed and Remembered: The Letter from Mayoiga is set to launch on July 10 for PC (Steam).