The imperial court's premier poison tester is making the leap to console hardware. Publisher Koei Tecmo Games and TOHO have officially announced The Apothecary Diaries: The False Imperial Brother (Kusuriya no Hitorigoto: Itsuwari no Koutei), the franchise's first dedicated mystery adventure game. The title is scheduled to launch worldwide on March 18, 2027, across Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, and Steam.
Supervised directly by original light novel author Natsu Hyuuga, the project features a standalone narrative rooted in palace intrigue. Set against the interconnected shadows of the imperial rear palace and the pleasure quarter, the plot centers on a series of suspicious curses and urban mysteries that ultimately converge on whispers of an illegitimate royal claimant. A full promotional trailer offers a first look at the game's atmospheric exploration and court deduction mechanics.
Deduction and Multi-Perspective Investigation
Gameplay revolves around crime scene investigation, witness testimony, and deductive synthesis. Players gather clues across palace chambers and pleasure houses before piecing together alibis and physical evidence. Alongside familiar faces, the scenario introduces key original figures who hold critical pieces of the puzzle: the itinerant stage actor Ganyu, high-ranking female court official Yanshi, and Chenhan, a regular patron at the Verdigris House.
The investigative phase expands beyond Maomao herself. Certain leads can only be uncovered by taking direct control of Jinshi or even Maomao the kitten, whose diminutive perspective grants access to restricted palace corridors and overheard conversations that human investigators cannot reach.
Apothecary Crafting and Court Relations
Outside of high-stakes court intrigue, players can engage in domestic activities across the medical office. Crafting herbal concoctions and fulfilling pharmaceutical requests for courtyard residents deepens relationships with characters, unlocking exclusive vignettes and lore conversations.
Progressing character files for figures like the Quack Doctor and Luomen unlocks assistance during preparation mini-games, altering gameplay difficulty. Fulfilling chapter objectives awards commemorative achievement seals, with total completion yielding exclusive full-screen event illustrations.
Alongside standard physical and digital editions, Koei Tecmo has prepared Premium and Special Premium physical collector's boxes, as well as a Digital Deluxe package featuring exclusive downloadable content.
