Japanese indie studio lvl374 has unveiled the Steam store page for their forthcoming game, She Doesn’t Know. This upcoming visual novel features a unique 1-bit pixel art aesthetic (employing a two-color palette) to narrate a coming-of-age tale centered around two young girls.
She Doesn’t Know unfolds over a single day in 1999 Japan, following high school sophomores Haruka and Shiho. The narrative is presented from Haruka’s viewpoint as she engages with Shiho, her lifelong friend and romantic partner.
Throughout the game, the two girls exchange conversations on various topics. These discussions span from everyday matters like school grades, part-time employment, and adolescence, to more personal and profound themes such as Shiho’s family difficulties, their mutual romantic feelings, mortality, and their future aspirations after graduation. The developer notes that the game includes depictions of potentially unsettling content, including mild bullying, violence, and suicide.
These dialogues occur as the characters navigate their day. Though the game appears largely linear, it offers dialogue choices that expand on aspects of Haruka and Shiho’s backgrounds and personalities.
She Doesn’t Know is currently in development for Windows (Steam) and will offer support for English, Japanese, and Chinese (Traditional and Simplified). A free demo is scheduled to launch during the October Steam Next Fest.