Muv-Luv Photonflowers Finally Gets a Release Date, and It’s Next Week

Today publisher aNCHOR finally announced a release date for the Muv-Luv side-story collection Muv-Luv Photonflowers.

The game will be released for PC on Steam next week, on July 23. After several months in beta exclusively available to backers, the game is finally ready for prime time.

It comes with Japanese voiceovers only (obviously) and subtitles in both English and Japanese.

You can already find it listed on Steam. If you’re unfamiliar with the game, you can find an official description below.

We know the story: you’ve just finished the emotional roller coaster that is Muv-Luv Alternative, but you’re not ready for the ride to end. It’s called Muv-Luv Withdrawal, and it happens to the best of us. But we’ve got the perfect prescription: twelve delectable doses of Muv-Luv goodness, collected here in one sleek package. Reunite with familiar faces (and meet some new ones as well) in this epic compilation of supplemental stories never before released in English

The Best of Both Worlds

Just as the Muv-Luv saga takes place across multiple universes, this collection is divided into two distinct halves: lighthearted romps through the wacky world of Muv-Luv Extra, and sobering new perspectives on Alternative’s tragic timeline.

From the Extra universe, you’ll find:

• An extensive epilogue to Sumika’s ending from Muv-Luv Extra
• Six individual ministories from the perspectives of the game’s main heroines, taking place prior to the events of Muv-Luv Extra

From the world of Alternative, you’ll find:

• Three stories that shed new light on the events and characters introduced in Muv-Luv Alternative, including backstories for Captain Isumi and Sergeant Jinguuji
• Two ministories featuring all-new characters that expand upon Alternative’s war-torn alternate reality by exploring the unique perspectives of the unsung heroes and supporting players in the war against the BETA!

Do keep in mind that you should definitely play Muv-Luv and Muv-Luv Alternative before you get into Photonflowers, as many of its side-stories include relevant spoilers about the original games. On the other hand, if you have already completed them, this is a great way to learn more about the setting and the characters.

If you don’t know what Muv-Luv is all about, it’s arguably one of the best visual novel series of all time. You can already find Muv-Luv and Muv-Luv: Alternative on Steam and on PS Vita. If you’d like to know more, you can read our interview with creator Kouki Yoshimune.

Incidentally, we recently heard that aNCHOR’s localization team is already hard at work on the second side-story, Muv-Luv Photonmelodies.