Plan of Attack partnered with Shueisha Games to launch Urban Myth Dissolution Center (UMDC), a pixel-art horror visual novel developed by indie studio Hakababunko. Set in a hauntingly atmospheric world of Japanese urban legends, the game follows Azami, a young woman with supernatural perception, as she investigates eerie cases through a mysterious agency. The episodic narrative, retro visuals, and integration of a Twitter-like in-game research mechanic positioned UMDC as a unique title in the narrative adventure space.

Our goal was to introduce this niche yet striking game to a global audience, generate sustained media interest and establish Shueisha Games as a publisher capable of delivering standout narrative-driven titles in the West.

The Campaign

Our work on UMDC began in June 2024 and spanned nearly a year. The campaign was built around key PR beats and elevated by strong international press relations, multilingual localization efforts and thoughtful creator outreach. The cadence of outreach was designed to mirror the episodic nature of the game - building suspense, revealing new information and re-engaging audiences over time.

Early visibility came from high-profile showcases like the Guerrilla Collective, Nintendo Indie World and the inaugural SHUEISHA GAMES ON! event, where the game’s retro style and mysterious premise drew early interest. We followed these announcements with beat-driven releases through major global events including Tokyo Game Show, PAX West, Steam Next Fest and The MIX Showcase. Plan of Attack assisted a strategic Gamescom presence (setting up over 25 hands-on previews and interviews) to solidify media anticipation in the lead-up to launch.

By launch in February 2025, we had executed a multilingual PR rollout in six languages to ensure maximum visibility, resulting in strong responses across all regions, with particularly high engagement in Portuguese- and Spanish-speaking markets.

What We Did

• 19 press releases issued across all major beats

• 500+ targeted media contacts curated from our visual novel, horror and narrative game verticals

• 400+ curated content creators engaged for coverage and streaming

• Multilingual support (EN, ES, PT-BR, FR, IT, DE) at launch

• Gamescom 2024: 25+ in person press meetings with major outlets including N1-UP, ScreenRant, The Gamer, Adventure Game Hotspot and IGN
  Organic + Sponsored Influencer campaigns, review key management, and accolades trailer support for post-launch amplification
  
  

Results

The UMDC campaign generated over 767 global coverage pieces, including 137 reviews and 630 news hits. Media response was enthusiastic, particularly regarding the game’s eerie narrative, pixel art and distinctive tone.

Regional traction was strongest in the US, Spain, Brazil and Italy, bolstered by tailored press activations and local-language releases. Influential publications such as TheGamer, CBR, IGN, GameSpot, PC Gamer and Crunchyroll drove high visibility and reinforced the game’s credibility within the indie horror genre.

At launch, the game surpassed 100,000 units sold in just 10 days, and ongoing conversation was sustained through a well-received accolades trailer released in April 2025.

Critical Response Highlights

• “A front-runner for best horror game of the year.” – Comic Book Resources (9/10)
  

• “An atmospheric and mysterious game... for fans of Japanese urban legends.” – Siliconera (9/10)
  

• “A haunting narrative adventure full of angst and retro style.” – TheGamer (4/5)
  

• “Urban Myth Dissolution Center delivers on all fronts and is one of if not the most satisfying mystery stories out there.” – Shacknews (9/10)
  

• “Urban Myth Dissolution Center kept me glued to the screen.” – N1-UP (8/10)

Takeaways

UMDC proved that a dialogue-driven, text-heavy game can thrive globally when paired with carefully timed announcements, smart creator activations and high-impact localizations. The slow-burn horror and cultural specificity of the game made it a niche title, but one we were able to elevate into mainstream awareness.

The campaign validated our hypothesis: with the right strategy, a pixel-art horror visual novel could become a critical indie success in an oversaturated release landscape.