Mystery adventure fans are in for a dark ride. 'Magical Girl's Witch Trial' (魔法少女ノ魔女裁判) officially hits Steam on the 18th, dragging us into a grim tale where girls trapped in a remote prison must cast suspicion on one another and face execution.

The project is steered by Acacia, an original brand from the scenario house Re,AER. Character designs come courtesy of the illustrator Umemaro, whose unique aesthetic has earned a devoted following. Meanwhile, the theme song is provided by none other than the hit Vocaloid producer SLAVE.V-V-R.

The story kicks off with Emma, a character who expected nothing more than the life of an ordinary high schooler. Emma awakens in a gloomy dungeon, only to be told by a mysterious owl that she has been identified as a 'witch' capable of causing world-ending harm, sentencing her to a lifetime in captivity.

Emma finds companionship among thirteen other girls summoned as witch candidates. The owl, acting as a twisted overseer, declares that a 'Witch Trial' is to commence—a brutal game where one girl must be selected and executed as the 'witch' until only one remains.

The game leans heavily into Gothic mystery territory. As Emma navigates life within the prison mansion alongside the other candidates, players must peel back layers of deception to uncover the nature of the mansion, the true identity of the witch, and who is actually pulling the strings. Expect revelations to shift your perspective as the truth comes to light.

The gameplay loop is structured around social interaction, mansion exploration, investigating murders triggered by the witch, and the subsequent trials and executions that spiral toward a tragic conclusion. The adventure phase is where Emma interacts with the other girls to uncover their hidden magic and traumatic histories, which prove vital to solving the case.

The trial phase begins whenever a murder occurs. Emma must use logic and deduction to pinpoint the culprit. Players have to sift through the statements of these distinct characters, identifying contradictions to expose the lying witch. Success hinges on how effectively players use gathered evidence and magical insights to seal a suspect's fate.

'Magical Girl's Witch Trial' is heading to PC (Steam) and Nintendo Switch. The Steam version is set to unlock on July 18 at 7:00 PM (KST), while the Switch release remains TBD. Note that, at present, it only supports Japanese and Simplified Chinese; there is no Korean language support.