Fujin Fam, Japanese publisher NitroPlus is giving us one heck of a holiday gift, announcing the Dramatical Murder Re:Code will be making its way to Steam (with English support) on December 24th (Dec. 25th JPT)!
Re:code was originally released for the PlayStation Vita in 2014 (later ported to the Nintendo Switch in 2025). This port retools the classic cyberpunk boys love story for console, removing the explicit sexual and graphic content and replacing it with alternate sequences. In addition, Re:code features an new original character route for Mizuki, expanding on the story and exploring plot points that had been previously glossed over in the original game.
About Dramatical Murder
A world far into the future.
Midorijima is an island located southwest of Japan’s mainland. It was once a prosperous island where people and nature lived in harmony.
However, the island was bought by Toue Corporation, one of Japan’s wealthiest conglomerates, and a whole third of the island was transformed into an exclusive luxury resort known as Platinum Jail.
While attention was focused on the resort, the islanders fell victim to coercion and intimidation behind the scenes. They were aggregated into the Old Residential District, where they are forced to live in poverty.
The younger generation of the Old Residential District choose to either join a Ribsteez gang and fight in daily brawls over territory, or play in a virtual world via Rhyme, a popular online game.
Aoba, our protagonist, lives with his grandmother, Tae, while working part-time at Hum-Drum Junk in the Old Residential District. All he ever wanted was to live a peaceful life.
However, strange events have begun transpiring in places beyond his fathoming—events that will inevitably shatter his tranquil days.
Synopsis
Characters of Dramatical Murder
Aoba (CV: Atsushi Kisaichi)
A young man who lives with his grandmother, Tae, and works part-time at the junk shop Hum-Drum Junk.
He’s a kind person who would never refuse anyone asking for help, though he may grumble about it a little.
He shows no interest in either Rhyme or Ribsteez. For years, he has been plagued by inexplicable headaches.
Koujaku (CV: Hiroki Takahashi)
Aoba’s childhood friend. Protective and empathetic.
A traditional hairstylist who operates on the street whenever he feels up for it. His skill and smile have earned him quite a large female following.
He is also the leader of Beni-Shigure, a Ribsteez gang.
Noiz (CV: Satoshi Hino)
Nobody can read his poker face.
He has a detached way of speaking, sometimes saying things that push others away.
After a certain point in time, he starts picking fights with Aoba and following him around.
Mink (CV: Kenichirou Matsuda)
A man who would do anything in pursuit of his goal.
He won’t hesitate to get his hands dirty if he deems it necessary.
He is the leader of Scratch, a Ribsteez gang.
Clear (CV: Masatomo Nakazawa)
Fell from the sky one day, right before Aoba’s eyes.
His facial expressions are hidden under a gas mask, and his words are often incomprehensible.
For some unknown reason, he refers to Aoba as his master.
Ren (CV: Ryota Takeuchi)
Aoba’s canine Allmate, an older model.
A reliable partner who calmly provides sound advice.
Mizuki (CV: Kenji Takahashi)
The head of Dry Juice, the largest Ribsteez gang.
Became fond of Aoba after seeing how disinterested he is in Rhyme. Has been a caring friend since.
Differences Between Dramatical Murder and Re:code
- Rating Difference: The original Dramatical Murder was released as an R18 title with explicit sexual content and graphic depictions of violence and torture. However, the content had to be adjusted to align with the 15+ (now 16+) console censorship restrictions when it was ported to the Vita.
- Altered Explicit Sexual/Romantic Content: Unlike the original game, Re:code had a lot of the sexual content either removed or replaced with alternate lighter romantic scenes. Many of the romantic displays were significantly toned down for the new younger targeted audience.
- Violence and Non-Consensual Scenes: All of these scenes were either completely replaced, altered (visually), or cut to avoid depicting anything too graphic. CGs are either replaced or redrawn to hide anything too “distressing”.
- A New Mizuki Focused Route: Re:code adds a new route for Aoba’s friend, Mizuki, giving him a route that expands on his relationship with Aoba and involvement with the story. It comes with its own distinct endings.
- Additional Endings/Content: Re:code also includes content that was previously only available in the fandisc, Re:connect. These endings expand on the finales of the original game and give players a chance to explore what happens after the credits roll on the OG story.
- New Musical Tracks, CGs, Re-recorded audio, and more…
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