Shiravune finally released their latest big project! This time, we got Criminal Border in English!
The game will come in an episodic format, and there will be 4 parts to it. The first part, Criminal Border: 1st Offence (also known as Liminal Border Part 1) is now releasing on Steam ($11.99 until the 20th) and Johren (to get the 18+ patch and the full uncensored game, as is typical of Shiravune.) It’s also available in Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese.
Note: On Steam, the game is called Liminal Border Part 1 due to Steam’s Guidelines. As for Johren, they’ll keep the name as Criminal Border: 1st Offence.
Criminal Border is an episodic visual novel created by Purple Software. There are 4 chapters in total.
The first chapter called (Criminal Border: 1st Offence) features Yorozuya Hina as the main heroine; the next chapter (Criminal Border: 2nd Offence and so forth) features Teshigawara Kotoko; the third chapter features Meryl Hathaway; finally, the final and fourth chapter is called Criminal Border: Life Sentence and features Akinashi Rin as the main heroine.
The first chapter released last year on October 28th. Recently, Purple Software announced the next chapter, Criminal Border: 2nd Offence. This chapter released its trial version on March 31st 2023. Until now, those two chapters are the only ones available. As of now, the game is still in development.
This game was directed by Koume Ren, most known for the 9-Nine series, How to Raise a Wolf Girl, and The Seventh Sign: Mr. Sister; all of them were translated by Sekai Project.
The producer behind this is Ishikawa Yasushi, known for Hapymaher (available by MangaGamer) and its fandisc, as well as Amatsutsumi (available by Sekai Project) and Aoi Tori (currently being translated by NekoNyan).
The scenario was written by Kazuki Fumi. His most notable works are Nanairo Reincarnation (available on Sekai Project), Kimagure Temptation (also available by Sekai Project), Angelic☆Chaos RE-BOOT! (available by NekoNyan).
The character design was done by Same Manma—this is his debut work in the visual novel scene.
Purple Software is an eroge brand under the publisher Clear Blue Communications.
This brand established under the publisher JAST in 1998, and transferred to Clear Blue Communications in 2001.
Purple Software started their company in 2001 with their first game, Tenshi-tachi no Gogo – Season 2001. After that, they started releasing new titles each year. With the increased involvement of artists such as Tsukimori Hiro (for Natsuiro Komachi) and later on COQ (for Mirai Nostalgia,) Purple Software gained their popularity.
COQ is a visual novel artist and character designer. He was an artist from Chain-Reaction and C: drive. He is now affiliated with Purple Software. His debut was Mirai Nostalgia and his most recent work was Kunado Chronicles.
Tsukimori Hiro is another Purple Software artist and character designer. His debut was in Natsuiro Komachi and his most recent work was Amatsutsumi. Tsukimori is currently working for GLASSES, a company that focuses on the megane-type heroines Megasuki series (you can find the first three titles in English by Shiravune.) He also works for Windmill Cosmos, his works being Ichizu na Kanojo to Koi Shitai and Ichizu na Kanojo to Koi Shitai ver. Hirohashi Runa.
Recently, Purple Software released remasters for Hapymaher and Hapymaher -Fragmentation Dream- as to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the games’ release. Knowing this, there is a possibility Purple Software will remaster their other games as well in the future.
On September 28th 2023, Purple Software announced the third chapter of Criminal Border known as Criminal Border: 3rd Offence with features main heroine Meryl Hathaway. This chapter will be available on November 24th 2023.
No one cares if a geeky loser like me exists or not…
Shiravune
Itsuki Ninomae spends his time creating tacky fan videos which require no particular skill to make. One day, through a combination of coincidences, he accidentally creates a “digital hypnotism movie,” which has the power to send anyone who watches it into a trance.
I wonder what’d happen if I showed it to the one who always looked down on me?
A malicious urge possesses Itsuki.
Itsuki succeeds in showing his video to Rin Akinashi, a girl he has known since his youth. However, he also learns the secret hidden behind the straight-A student’s mask.
Rin puts forward a proposal: “A lucrative business using digital hypnotism.”
Wading into murky legal waters… Itsuki finds himself being swept away into an underworld that should have had nothing to do with him.
A geek, and our protagonist.
Making fan movies is Itsuki’s hobby, and he has several MAD videos uploaded to streaming sites, but his poor taste and ability, combined with a lack of desire to improve means that no one bothers to watch them.
Taking inspiration from FPS montages, Itsuki makes a video that cycles frantically through famous anime scenes, and coincidentally creates “digital drug video,” which has the ability to excites viewers and arouses their sexual desire.
Showing this video to Rin leads to him plunging into society’s underworld.
He possesses as much common sense as the next person and feels guilt and terror regarding his situation… at first.
MAIN HEROINE OF PART I
Itsuki’s classmate.
Due to her family’s circumstances, she was forced to choose a non-decent path.
Although she has many “bad friends”, Hina herself is friendly and is also hard to hate.
She is currently working with Rin on Papakatsu activities, in order to support herself.
Despite her unethical behavior, she is still a virgin and had neven been in a relationship with anyone.
However, she has an unusually strong affection for Itsuki, whom she rarely talked to, and treated him as if he were her boyfriend.
A good cook, she has strong opinions on how to make Japanese curry.
A student at the same school as the protagonist, in the grade above.
Her father is the boss of a crime syndicate.
Proud of her origins as the daughter of a yakuza family, she places great importance on the concepts of benevolence and justice.
She learned of Itsuki and his group’s business involving the electronic drug, and gave them permission to do business under her supervision.
A mysterious young girl who accompanies Kotoko.
Due to her slight build and indifferent temperament, she gives off the impression of being fragile.
However, she proves to have extraordinary skills when handling emergencies.
She likes sweet things.
Itsuki’s childhood friend and classmate.
Her beautiful looks, good manners, and excellent grades made her popular among both men and women at the school.
However, this is only a facade, and she is actually a cunning and evil woman.
She has a cold attitude towards Itsuki who knows her true self.
She saw potential in the electronic drug and proposed doing a business with Itsuki.
Despite coming from a wealthy family, she is obsessed with money, and has made a lot of money by working with Hina on a large-scale Papakatsu business.
She made all the arrangements and stayed behind the scenes to avoid being traced, and left the execution to Itsuki and Hina.
Hina’s older brother.
A student at the delinquent-filled so-called “Badman Academy,” he is also the leader of DREAD.
Similar to Hina, he isn’t choosy about the methods he uses to earn money for reasons of his own and doesn’t hesitate to resort to violence at times.
With the yakuza at his back, his money-making activities are a far cry from your average student’s.
Despite his crude and unapproachable aura, he is fiercely loyal and caring toward those he respects.
A schoolgirl in the same class as Rin.
She and Rin are close, and she is popular with the boys.
A student at Badman Academy and a member of DREAD.
He follows Tatsuya’s orders faithfully but isn’t the deepest thinker.
A teacher at Badman Academy.
He has a strong knowledge of computers and their peripherals and is always willing to help Hina out.
If this piqued your interest, check it out now on Steam or Johren!
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