Part 1: Day 1, Part 1

I didn't get a screenshot of it (mostly because it's not a very interesting screen), but right after starting a new game you get to choose your character's name and gender. We'll be playing as a girl named Erika (a name I picked out of a hat). The main character's gender doesn't really affect anything after day 2, and neither one is the "official right choice", as it were. They also don't have official names.



It had been stirring up the gaming scene for several years -- the handheld device called the "Twin Screen". Called a "TS" for short, it was an unprecedented hit.

Accordingly, it wasn't unusual for stores selling household electronics to have a display of TS games and a TS station for network play at the front of the store, and people were always crowding around them.



"Hey, have you heard? There's supposed to be this game where if you play it, you die a week later."

"Are you serious? Isn't that an urban legend? There have been a lot of those lately, like the one about the baby that was left in a locker and took revenge on its mother... Anyway, if there was a game like that, I'd make my boyfriend play it. Things haven't been going so well with us lately."

"That's terrible!"



[Nanto University, Modern Sociology Lecture]

Professor: Now that we can exchange information over a network-

No, before I get into that I should talk about the portable game system that's been so popular lately. That ought to get you kids' attention.

Now, one of the selling points of this system is the possibility of distributing games over a network, but...

Apparently, Our Heroine takes the professor's mention of TSes as a suggestion.

Video #1: Welcome to Varna! (We've got water and creepy festivals!)



Erika... Erika...

Jeez, Erika! What are you doing?


[Nanto University sophomore; Humanities Department, History major
Nagasawa Riko, age 19]

Our protagonist is semi-silent -- she does talk in a number of scenes, but for some reason in these beginning-of-chapter info sessions we only get the other half of the conversation. I have taken the liberty of guessing what she might be saying.


Riko: Hey, that's--! It's that game, right? I've been playing it too. I got it from Odaka... what was it, six days ago? Somewhere around there.

But you know, if you play it you'll die a week later. It's cursed.

Our Heroine: ... Seriously?

Riko: ...

Our Heroine: I mean, I'm pretty sure stuff like that only happens in the movies.


Riko: Ahh, you're a tough one. But soon you'll see.

Our Heroine: If it's all the same to you, I think I'd rather not.


Riko: That's the rumor, anyway. Probably an urban legend. Hadn't you heard it?

Our Heroine: I don't pay much attention to stuff like that.


Riko: Anyway, Odaka has been skipping lectures all this week, even though he's short on credits. He spends all his time just playing that game.

Our Heroine: That doesn't sound good. Maybe you should talk to him about it.


Riko: I had a fight with him about it, actually. Asked him which was more important to him, me or the game.

Our Heroine: Sorry to hear that.

Riko: Hey, Erika, I'm sorry, but could you go get him?

Our Heroine: It's only been a week, he's probably not in that much danger of failing. Maybe we can talk to him after classes are over.

Riko: Just to be on the safe side. I mean, he's a junior, he can't keep this up.

Our Heroine: Why don't you do it?

Riko: Me?

Our Heroine: I mean, you're much closer to him than I am.

Riko: Hel-lo, we just had a fight! It'd be way too awkward.

Our Heroine:I've got another class after this, though.

Riko: I'll answer the roll call for you.

Our Heroine: Well, maybe...

Riko: C'mon, please? We're friends, aren't we?

Our Heroine: Okay, I'll do it.

Riko: Ah, but Odaka might be sleeping...

Our Heroine: So?

Riko: Just don't touch him, okay? If you lay so much as a finger on him I'm never speaking to you again.

Our Heroine: Hey, what kind of friend do you think I am?

(If you're playing as a guy, Riko instead says something along the lines of "Oh, you don't think men and women can be friends? Do you want to be my boyfriend, then?")

Riko: Kidding, kidding! It was just a joke!

Our Heroine: Good.

Riko: Right, here's the spare key. He lives in Famille Tenjin, apartment 904. Thanks!

Next time on Let's Play Nanashi no Game, we stage an intervention for our annoying buddy's video-game-addicted boyfriend. Wacky hijinks ensue! Absolutely no death is involved! And if you believe that I've got a mysterious cartridge I found in the bargain bin to sell you.

I apologize for the short update; they'll probably get a bit longer after this, although the length of each segment will depend somewhat on how much translating I have to do.