Regarding our previous coverage of the announcement for Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs: The Thrilling Steamy Maze onto PC, some new developments have since been made.
Namely, with publishers FuRyu and developer Matrix Software announcing that the game will officially launch on January 18th 2024, alongside the release several more versions of the game have been announced, namely for Sony’s PlayStation 4 & 5 and Nintendo’s Switch home consoles alongside mobile iterations on Apple iOS and Android phones.
The game, as previously established is your average dungeon crawler based upon the Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs manga by Miura Tadahiro, the game itself features dungeon crawling, turn based combat, but the main attraction most certainly has to be the “spiritual spring”.
Due to the “ecchi” nature of the source material, the game is abundantly filled with fanservice. The spiritual spring introduces an additional element, portraying characters bathing in a natural hot spring as the player dispels negative energy and spirits, raising character satisfaction and development of the characters.
Previously available only in the region of Japan for the PlayStation 4, Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs The Thrilling Steamy Maze Kiwami will now be making its western debut on various platforms, though do be warned, the official FuRyu website explicitly states that the Nintendo Switch version will feature differing content alongside a different presentation of the steamy Spring events versus other platforms.
Nintendo Switch版ではゲーム内システム「感応霊泉」の内容・演出が、一部他プラットフォームとは異なります
“In the Nintendo Switch version, the content and presentation of the in-game system ‘Sensory Spirit Spring’ may differ from some other platforms.”
Given the nature of Sony in regards to censorship of Japanese games, especially in regards to “anime”-esk fanservice, it would be safe to assume that FuRyu are implying that the game will be somewhat censored on PlayStation consoles and possibly the PC as well.
Though I wouldn’t go as far as to judge the potential of PC censorship just yet, at least wait until the game officially releases before making such assumptions, especially given Sony’s history.
I cannot help but find it hilarious yet bizarre how the Nintendo Switch, the most child-like of modern console platforms is arguably one of the best in terms of censorship policies that don’t proactively target Japanese developers but the message from the publisher is certainly concerning to say the least, rest assured that the mobile iterations will be censored.
However the prospect of Sony interjecting once again to enforce changes on a game that previously released on the PlayStation 4 is unorthodox yet somehow the most likely scenario, however FuRyu haven’t specifically stated that the PC version is altered, but then again there’s no citation below the PC release as offering a different experience versus other platforms either.
The real intriguing aspect is perhaps the possibility of Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs The Thrilling Steamy Maze Kiwami potentially releasing with its original PS4 censorship removed, as the hot spring segments were initially announced showing the characters in all their glory during the spiritual spring segment.
For instance, this is how the FuRyu website of the game in question was presented during its announcement back around July 2018.
However as the release for the game on Sony PlayStation 4 drew closer, changes were made to incorporate visible steam covering up the characters on screen.
The game released on PlayStation 4 on November 15, 2018, however the earliest website capture post its launch showcases the visible fog and induced censorship on the Sony system.
If FuRyu wishes to do right by its fans and customers, it would make the most sense if they were actually able to remove the steam fogging the view during the spiritual spring sequences, for platforms such as PC and Nintendo Switch, however Valve predominately has a fixated hatred towards heterosexual fanservice of Japanese games so it’s also likely that the PC release could maintain status quo with the earlier PS4 release which is likely to be caried over onto the western rendition on PS4 and PS5 when the game launches on January 18th.
In theory, the Steam version might provide an offsite patch, but currently, the trailer for the game on Steam is identical to the one on PlayStation 4.
But obviously, it is best to simply WAIT and see in regards to potential PC censorship, if you’re looking to buy the game and support the developer your best bet is most certainly on the Nintendo Switch given the circumstances, it’s reasonable to consider that the Switch version will likely be the most practical choice at this point in terms of how lax their censorship policies are in contrast to Sony.
