Village in the Shade
Village in the Shade is a horror life simulation developed by Nippon Ichi Software that combines peaceful farm life in a Japanese mountain village with rule-breaking, secrets and supernatural dangers.
- Developer
- Nippon Ichi Software
- Publisher
- NIS America, Inc.
- Genre
- Adventure, Lebenssimulation, Simulation
- Game modes
- Singleplayer
- Also known as
- Honogurashi no Niwa, Hono-gurashi no Niwa, ほの暮しの庭
- Steam user reviews
- 92 % positive · 757 reviews
- At Steam
- View store page
On this page 9 sections
What is Village in the Shade?
Village in the Shade is a hand-drawn life simulation from Nippon Ichi Software. In Kagatsu you build a new home, work the fields, gather resources and get to know the villagers. At the same time, the village has a mysterious second side tied to fixed rules and exploration.
Updated 02.10.2026
Sources
- NIS America – Village in the Shade nisamerica.com
Release
The Japanese and Asian version came out in late July 2026. The Western release follows on Oct 27, 2026.
-
PC, PS5, Switch, Switch 2
First release in Japan and parts of Asia.
Source
- Steam – Village in the Shade store.steampowered.com
-
PC, PS5, Switch, Switch 2
Western release with NIS America.
Source
- NIS America – Village in the Shade nisamerica.com
-
Q2 2027
PC, PS5, Switch, Switch 2
Paid DLC with new scenarios, gameplay systems, events and maps is planned.
Source
- RPG Site – Roadmap rpgsite.net
Updated 02.10.2026
Sources
- NIS America – Release nisamerica.com
Platforms
Village in the Shade is native for PC, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2. It is designed as a single-player game.
Updated 02.10.2026
Sources
- NIS America – Plattformen nisamerica.com
Gameplay
The game combines farming, livestock raising, fishing, gathering, crafting and furnishing your own house with relationships and seasonal festivals. If you dive deeper into Kagatsu, you can explore the village's hidden sides and its rules. For a completely relaxed playthrough, there is a mode that prevents rule violations.
Updated 02.10.2026
Sources
- NIS America – Spielbeschreibung nisamerica.com
- Steam – Features store.steampowered.com
Trailer
DLCs and expansions
Free content updates are planned for the Western launch, including additional furniture, more farm animals, catalogue features, more farmland and a birthday event for the main character. A paid DLC with new scenarios, additional gameplay systems, standalone events and new maps is also announced for Spring 2027.
Updated 02.10.2026
Sources
- RPG Site – NIS-America-Roadmap rpgsite.net
System requirements
The PC minimum configuration calls for Windows 10 or 11, Intel Core i5-6400, 8 GB RAM, GeForce GTX 750 Ti and 9 GB of free storage. Recommended are Intel Core i5-12500, 16 GB RAM and GeForce GTX 1650.
The details apply to PC.
Minimum
- Operating system
- Windows 10/11 (64-bit)
- Processor
- Intel Core i5-6400
- RAM
- 8 GB RAM
- Graphics
- GeForce GTX 750 Ti
- Speicher
- 9 GB
Recommended
- Operating system
- Windows 10/11 (64-bit)
- Processor
- Intel Core i5-12500
- RAM
- 16 GB RAM
- Graphics
- GeForce GTX 1650
- Speicher
- 9 GB
Editorial details
Updated 02.10.2026
Sources
- Steam – System Requirements store.steampowered.com
