Japanese indie studio Monthly Wetland (月刊湿地帯) and publisher Waku Waku Games have revealed Glow Box, a new text adventure game set to launch on August 28 via Steam. The Steam store listing for the title is now live. Waku Waku Games has confirmed that a Nintendo Switch version is planned, though an exact release date remains pending.
Initially offered for free on itch.io, Glow Box’s original Japanese name, “A Machine That Can Only Glow,” encapsulates its core concept. The game presents a simple blue-framed text box against a black backdrop, with gameplay centered entirely on one mechanic: making the text box glow by holding down the mouse button.
According to the Steam store page, Glow Box “lacks text input options and selectable choices,” placing players entirely at the mercy of the unfolding narrative. The experience can be completed in roughly 1 hour, and the game does not support saving progress.
Glow Box’s narrative follows an unnamed character who seeks shelter in a mountain cabin during a snowstorm while searching for something. Inside, they discover a peculiar machine that responds to their words and actions with a glow. As doubts about the device’s intentions arise, the player engages in an unusual exchange with this mysterious entity, communicating through the machine’s light signals.
The Steam edition of Glow Box retains all features from the free itch.io version, plus enhancements like controller support, English and Chinese translations, optional settings (volume and screen size adjustments), and a sound gallery that unlocks upon completion.
Developer Monthly Wetland previously released Enjoy the Diner in August 2023 and Why Dolphins Have No Scales (unofficial translation) in November of that year. They are also working on METRO PENGUIN EUTOPIA, scheduled for release later this year. The Steam version of Enjoy the Diner earned widespread acclaim, with 97% of its 1091 user reviews positive at the time of writing, granting it an “Overwhelmingly Positive” rating.
Glow Box will arrive on August 28 for PC and macOS (Steam), supporting English, Japanese, and Chinese (Simplified/Traditional) languages. A Nintendo Switch version is expected in the future.
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