Muv-Luv Alternative: Total Eclipse Announced for The West for PC Via Steam

Muv-Luv publisher aNCHOR had an exciting announcement for visual novel fans today: Muv-Luv Alternative: Total Eclipse is coming west.

The game will launch in winter 2021 on PC via Steam.

Muv-Luv Alternative: Total Eclipse is one of the most well-known episodes of the multifaceted Muv-Luv universe. Besides the original light novel series from 2007 and the visual novel that is now coming west (launched in 2013 for PS3 and Xbox 360 and in 2014 for PC), it was the subject of the first Muv-Luv anime series, aired in 2012 (followed by Schwarzesmarken in 2016 and the brand new Alternative series that will debut this October).

Today we don’t get a trailer, but you can check out the original opening cutscene and the theme song “Insanity” below, courtesy of YouTube user VisualNovelOP. At the bottom of the post, you can also find a lot of images from the old Japanese website featuring the beautiful art style of the game portraying characters and mecha.

The story is set in the same timeline as the beloved Muv-Luv Alternative, starting about 11 months earlier. It focuses on a multinational group of test pilots gathering at the Yukon Base in Alaska, where they are tasked to perform the trials for the future TSF mecha built to protect humanity against the apparently unstoppable BETA aliens.

It offers a wider look at the Muv-Luv Alternative setting, bringing in characters from all over the world and all walks of life, and it’s the perfect way to learn more about this charming and nightmarish sci-fi world from a very different set of perspectives compared to the original trilogy.

It’s worth mentioning that this release won’t include the prequel “The Burning of the Imperial Capital” which was a bonus of the Windows version.

Speaking of the original trilogy, the whole series (or at least what’s available for now in English) is currently up to 40% off on Steam, so it’s a great time to jump in or grab the visual novels you have missed.

If you’re interested in the Muv-Luv franchise in general, during recent events we saw the reveal of the official title of Muv-Luv Resonative (which is the continuation of The Day After) and new gameplay of Project Mikhail.

A few months ago, we also heard the much-awaited announcement that Kimi Ga Nozomu Eien (also known as Rumbling Hearts) will finally be released in English.

For additional information, you should definitely read our interview with the series’ creator Kouki Yoshimune and producer Kazutoshi Matsumura, alongside our semi-recent chat with Kitakuou about Project Immortal.

If you’re unfamiliar with the franchise, you can read my extensive article explaining all you need to know to get into one of the best visual novel series of all time.