Subculture is no longer just a subculture, having firmly established itself as a major trend in the recent gaming market. The number of users enjoying subculture games is increasing over time, and a multitude of new subculture titles are emerging accordingly.

Amidst this current, Netmarble also threw its hat into the subculture market by unveiling the new title 'Pearl in Blue' at Tokyo Game Show 2026. Among the flood of subculture games, it put forward gameplay combined with romantic comedy as its differentiating point. We experienced it firsthand at the Tokyo Game Show venue to see what kind of subculture game Netmarble intends to present.

In the world of Pearl in Blue, all humans carry a mysterious power called 'Pearl' inside their bodies from birth. However, the pearl does not manifest from the beginning. Pearls grow according to the desires possessed by the owner. Desire here does not mean a negative sense, but a comprehensive concept encompassing wishes and goals such as 'I want to become like this' or 'I want to realise this.' When desires become clear, the pearl blooms, and through this, powerful strength can be exerted.

The demo version begins by spotlighting the protagonist, a blacksmith apprentice living in such a world. After training for a long time, the protagonist completes a sword for the first time, but is attacked by a mysterious monster right after completion. At this moment, Nika, the girl who ordered the sword, appears and saves the protagonist, but because both Nika and the protagonist have not yet manifested their pearls, they face the danger of falling off a cliff in an instant.

In this situation, when the protagonist tries to sacrifice themselves to save Nika, Nika also throws herself off the cliff to save the protagonist. At that exact moment, Nika's pearl blooms, and the two dramatically escape from the crisis. Taking this as an opportunity, it is revealed that the protagonist has the power to make other characters' pearls bloom, and the story that unfolds while meeting various characters afterwards forms the core narrative of Pearl in Blue.

The game unfolds this process with an atmosphere and art style reminiscent of a romantic comedy. Characters and scenes commonly seen in romantic comedy anime appear in abundance, such as a character seeming to like the protagonist while trying not to show it, or another character playfully interrogating them upon seeing such a sight. In situations emphasising laughter, SD characters are utilised to maximise cuteness, and the atmosphere unique to romantic comedies was actively brought to life in terms of direction, such as using manga panel layouts for screen composition.

We were able to experience combat, albeit briefly. Although it may change in the future, the combat of Pearl in Blue checked in the demo version was a sort of defense method utilizing parrying. There are no controls to move the character directly, and when enemies approach, pressing the counterattack button in time with the attack timing triggers a parrying to deal damage. When dealing with some enemies, continuous parrying is required, and the satisfying feel when successfully completing all parries in time is quite substantial. In addition, ultimate skills with flamboyant direction are prepared to supplement the visual fun of combat.

As this demo version focused on introducing the worldview and story of Pearl in Blue, it was difficult to check progression elements, content, and combat overall. However, given that it took romantic comedy, preferred by many subculture fans, as its core theme, and faithfully implemented it across atmosphere, characters, and direction, the distinct individuality of Pearl in Blue was clearly felt. If solid content and progression elements to back up these charms are equipped alongside this, it appears it can settle into a game that romantic comedy fans can immerse themselves in and enjoy.