Night owls and admirers of Kotoyama’s Call of the Night should keep an eye on Dance with the Moon. Crafted by Japanese indie studio Hummingway, this visual novel centers on a human boy and vampire girl who find themselves bound by the same “curse” of only being able to emerge during nighttime hours.
Teru Hinomoto is a young man plagued by a rare condition that makes sunlight unbearable for him. One evening, he crosses paths with Luna, the sole remaining vampire striving to change how humans view her kind. Despite Luna’s efforts to assist others, deep-seated myths about vampires hinder her goal. Determined to help, Teru joins Luna on her nightly adventures, and the two gradually develop feelings for one another.
Teru and Luna’s escapades occasionally involve procuring blood packs, which Luna substitutes for feeding on humans directly. Over multiple nights, they meet individuals like Mio Toriumi (Teru’s childhood friend harboring feelings for him), Meguru Ichihoshi (a disillusioned runaway idol), Sui Morino (a girl missing her right arm seeking answers about her brother’s demise), Sakuya Konohana (a victim of bullying), and Heliodor (a mysterious gothic lolita). Each character carries their own burdens, which Teru and Luna listen to with the hope of offering solutions.
Though Dance with the Moon aims for a lighthearted tone, the developers mention it includes scenes of blood and violence, as well as themes touching on suicide (along with kissing scenes and characters in swimwear). While Teru and Luna appear to be the main couple in the initial playthrough, subsequent runs unlock different routes and endings with the other female characters, extending the estimated playtime to roughly 10 hours.
Boasting a stunning anime art style and partial Japanese voice acting (some dialogue is unvoiced), Dance with the Moon is currently in development for Windows (Steam). For more details on the game, visit its official website.