{"rewrite":{"id":"r_abd9e08e0e60458b87c46917","clusterId":"c_b55d0a34b60a4f0f8ea3fd27","slug":"lvl374-releases-short-visual-novel-halfmoon-on-steam","model":"deepseek-v4-flash","headline":"lvl374 Releases Short Visual Novel 'halfmoon' on Steam","summary":"lvl374, the indie developer behind the acclaimed dream-walking simulator 'NIDANA', released their new adventure game 'halfmoon' on PC via Steam on May 22, 2026. The game is a short visual novel with point-and-click mechanics set in a guidance office before the afterlife, featuring 1-bit pixel art and a story centered on protagonist Mio and clerks Nami and Rei.","whyItMatters":"The release marks the first new game from lvl374 since 'NIDANA', and its short, dialogue-driven format with distinctive 1-bit pixel art offers a different experience from the developer's previous work.","webCardHtml":"\u003cp\u003eThe game is set in a guidance office that exists before the afterlife. The deceased protagonist Mio is scouted to work alongside senior clerks Nami and Rei. Players progress the story through conversations with the clerks and by examining objects, with mini-games simulating work at the afterlife guidance office. The developer describes the game as having a short playtime, a dialogue-driven story, and distinctive 1-bit pixel art visuals.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e'halfmoon' is available on Steam for 265 yen. It is also sold in a bundle with 'NIDANA' and 'Peripeteia' by Ninth Exodus.\u003c/p\u003e","blueskyPost":"lvl374's 'halfmoon' uses 1-bit pixel art, a style that demands strong composition because it has no color to lean on. The afterlife guidance office setting turns death into a workplace comedy premise.","twitterPost":"lvl374's 'halfmoon' turns the afterlife into a workplace comedy with 1-bit pixel art. The style choice forces the art to carry the mood without color.","threadsPost":"lvl374's 'halfmoon' uses 1-bit pixel art, a constraint that forces every sprite and background to communicate through shape and contrast alone. The premise, a guidance office before the afterlife, recasts death as a bureaucratic comedy. The bundle with 'NIDANA' and 'Peripeteia' suggests lvl374 is building a recognizable aesthetic brand across their catalog.","newsletterBlurb":"lvl374, the indie developer known for the dream-walking simulator 'NIDANA', released their new adventure game 'halfmoon' on Steam. The short visual novel is set in a guidance office before the afterlife and features 1-bit pixel art. It is available for 265 yen, and is also sold in a bundle with 'NIDANA' and 'Peripeteia'.","attributionJson":"[{\"source\":\"Game Spark\",\"url\":\"http://www.gamespark.jp/article/2026/05/22/166801.html\",\"title\":\"Short Visual Novel 'halfmoon' Set in a 'Guidance Office' Before the Afterlife Launches on Steam - Latest Work by Developer of Acclaimed SLG 'NIDANA'\"}]","lintFlagsJson":"[]","lintHits":0,"costUsd":0,"inputTokens":3278,"outputTokens":602,"status":"published","repairAttempts":0,"nextRepairAt":null,"factsAttemptedAt":1779826464,"createdAt":"2026-05-22T16:02:16.000Z","publishedAt":"2026-05-22T16:16:07.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-05-22T16:16:07.000Z"},"cluster":{"id":"c_b55d0a34b60a4f0f8ea3fd27","canonicalTitle":"死後の世界に行く前の「案内所」で働く短編ビジュアルノベル『halfmoon』Steamにて配信開始―高評価SLG『NIDANA』開発者による最新作 | Game*Spark - 国内・海外ゲーム情報サイト","representativeArticleId":"a_a16abb184c306a30cf8c65b5","sourceCount":1,"writtenSourceCount":1,"writeAttempts":0,"isSolo":true,"entitiesJson":"{\"anime_titles\":[],\"manga_titles\":[],\"studios\":[],\"people\":[\"lvl374\"],\"type\":\"release\",\"domain\":\"games\",\"is_roundup\":false}","contentType":"news","status":"published","firstSeenAt":"2026-05-22T14:00:05.000Z","lastSeenAt":"2026-05-22T14:00:05.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-05-22T16:16:07.000Z"},"attribution":[{"source":"Game Spark","url":"http://www.gamespark.jp/article/2026/05/22/166801.html","title":"死後の世界に行く前の「案内所」で働く短編ビジュアルノベル『halfmoon』Steamにて配信開始―高評価SLG『NIDANA』開発者による最新作 | Game*Spark - 国内・海外ゲーム情報サイト"}],"entities":{"anime_titles":[],"manga_titles":[],"studios":[],"people":["lvl374"],"type":"release","domain":"games","is_roundup":false},"keyFacts":["lvl374 released the visual novel 'halfmoon' on Steam on May 22, 2026.","The game is set in a guidance office before the afterlife, where protagonist Mio works with clerks Nami and Rei.","'halfmoon' features 1-bit pixel art and a short, dialogue-driven story with point-and-click mechanics and mini-games.","The game costs 265 yen on Steam and is also sold in a bundle with 'NIDANA' and 'Peripeteia' by Ninth Exodus.","This is lvl374's first new game since the dream-walking simulator 'NIDANA'."]}