2026 may be the year of visual novels and perhaps murder game visual novels. Kumitantei is throwing their hat into the ring of murder games with the first of six episodes releasing April 23, 2026.
At first glance and to the untrained eye, it may appear to look quite familiar and it should. Kumitantei: Old School Slaughter takes inspiration from Rumiko Takahashi’s artistic styling and Danganronpa’s narrative design. Yet, there is something that seems to be poking just a bit of fun at some of the archetypes of characters you could find in a Kodaka work. In Kumitantei you’ll play not as an ultimate lucky student, but as an absolute barista named Himari Sanada. As Himari, investigate murders, bond with your fellow absolutes, and get to the bottom of the murders and your kidnapping. In the far off year of 1989, can you survive the kill or be killed Apathy Experiment?
Kumitantei: Old School Slaughter revealed its first trailer in 2024 and went through a successful Kickstarter campaign in October 2024. Since then the development team at Mango Factory has been polishing the game and prepping for the release of the first episode. However, that is not to say they haven’t provided additional information over the last two years. In fact, they’ve provided an overview for the rest of the cast over this time as well.
The team at Mango Factory has also used this time to tweak their game play mechanics which include their card battling system. These cards won’t always come easy either. While there are some you can find throughout exploring the bunker, this isn’t the only way you can gain cards. Continue to build your deck through bonding with your classmates and building up their trust. There are 15 other characters to bond with, so be sure to choose your options carefully.
Deck building isn’t the only game play mechanic you’ll experience. Investigation of the murders and surviving the trial will be familiar to those but how about your retro gaming skills? Kumitantei promises to test your skills with “a variety of faithfully crafted anemoic riffs on true old-school arcade icons!” It promises to be an ambitious visual novel with a good bit of variety for those ready to take a stab at it. For those who want to know more, check out the trailer for this upcoming release below.
If you can’t wait to try it out, the demo is now available on Steam. Kumitantei’s first episode will be available on Steam April 23, 2026. Can you solve the murder and survive the old school slaughter? Let us know in the comments below! Be sure to also check out the rest of our coverage from The MIX x Kinda Funny Spring Game Showcase 2026.
