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Japanese publisher 5pb has a hit on its hands with the Memories Off franchise. The visual novel series has seen multiple sequels and spin-offs since its debut in 1999, with the most recent entry, Memories Off 6, recently getting an Xbox 360 port in Japan.
Today, the franchise premieres on the iPhone with Memories Off ($18.99), a port of the first title in the series, as originally seen on the Sony PlayStation. The port features an overhauled interface designed to accommodate the iPhone’s touch screen, and includes multiple save slots, voiced dialog, and several animated sequences.
Unfortunately, all in-game text remains in Japanese, with no option for English-language dialog or menus. Given that gameplay in visual novel titles boils down to a series of menu selections, much of the content in Memories Off is likely to be lost on western audiences.
The game’s cost and file size are barriers even for those able to speak the language. $18.99 is a hefty price tag by App Store standards, and developer Mtrix recommends that users free up one gigabyte of space before installing the 459 MB game.
Still, the release remains a significant one for the App Store and for 5pb, and if it finds an audience among iPhone owners, Memories Off could be the first in a series of visual novel apps from 5pb and other prominent publishers.
[...] have flourished on the iPhone. The platform has hosted ports of successful PC games like Gift and Memories Off, and many titles are available for purchase in North America, though they often lack English [...]