Look, let us be honest: Japanese developer Edia just lifted the curtain on August 19 for its upcoming otome crime suspense visual novel, Sin of Astraea. The developer calls it a romance adventure game focusing on a female detective investigating a missing persons case after getting reassigned to a secret investigative unit, currently in development for the Nintendo Switch.

The protagonist is a seasoned detective from the city police force who kicks off the pursuit of the truth after the investigation partner vanishes without a trace. When the higher-ups decide to halt the case entirely, the protagonist steps into the Galtenas Federal Police Bureau to sniff out fresh clues. This leads straight to a posting in the 11th Intelligence Support Office—a division infamous across the organization for dumping the most trivial busywork onto its staff.

Members affectionately or perhaps cynically refer to this 11th Intelligence Support Office simply as Eleven, making it look like a low-priority paperwork outfit on the surface. Yet, beneath that dull exterior lies a covert investigative unit handling high-stakes national cases that normal police methods just cannot touch. Side by side with colleagues sporting wildly different personalities and baggage, the protagonist dives into criminal syndicate plots while unravelling the true nature of the department and the complex ties binding the people around them.

You are looking at a romance adventure where a tense crime thriller narrative sits right at the core alongside interpersonal dynamics. The experience relies heavily on character dialogue and a twisting narrative surrounding the case, blending mystery and suspense nicely into an otome gaming framework.

Sin of Astraea is scheduled to land on the Nintendo Switch on March 25 next year, though whether it will see a release locally in South Korea remains under wraps for now. Best of luck waiting.