Nakano Laboratory Time-Loop Mystery Game Announced for Steam in 2027

Menya Spice Tokyo Shiten has announced The Nakano Laboratory, an upcoming mystery text adventure scheduled for release on PC via Steam in 2027. The title introduces a unique gameplay loop centered around personality transplantation technology aboard the Nakano Institute for Personality Transplantation, a large-scale research vessel. Players assume the role of Kamome Mamiya, who must investigate the mysterious disappearance of researcher Haruka Hoshihira by utilizing experimental tech to possess the bodies of six other scientists on board.

Each investigation cycle operates within a strict fifteen-minute real-time window, requiring players to gather clues across multiple branching paths to uncover the truth. Because every researcher lacks ethical boundaries and possesses alibis, identifying the culprit demands exploring all available options through repeated loops. The game features multiple endings that only reveal the complete narrative after players have exhausted all possibilities. With an estimated total playtime of five to six hours, the experience combines time-loop mechanics with body-hopping exploration to solve the central mystery.