Resequence: The Orchard is one of the latest horror visual novels announced for PC via Steam. The game is developed by CLEAR RAVE and is planned for release in 2026. The initial announcement article came from Gematsu, which summarized important information from the official Steam page. The genre is occult-horror adventure with a heavy focus on story and multiple character perspectives. It looks to be a psychological drama with supernatural elements that slowly disrupt everyday life.
Story premise and main theme
Resequence: The Orchard places the story on the main character named Kisuke Saito. He is portrayed as still struggling to move on with his life after his wife was declared missing. His mental state weakens and despair becomes part of his daily life. At the encouragement of a colleague named Aislinn and a high school student named Kaneko Honda, Kisuke finally accepts a job as a counselor at a school.
The position as a counselor became a doorway to strange occurrences. Every student who came to the counseling room had experiences that were difficult to explain. Unnatural phenomena begin to appear in their stories, from anxiety that has no clear source to events that touch the realm of the occult. Kisuke not only hears the students' complaints, but is slowly dragged into a series of events related to the students' past and the disappearance of his wife.
Implicit themes include grief, loss, and trying to understand trauma through human interaction. The seemingly normal school setting serves as a contrast to the horror elements that gradually erode the sense of security. The title The Orchard hints at a specific location or symbol that is at the center of the mystery, although the full details have not been revealed.
Visual novel structure and main features
Resequence: The Orchard comes as a visual novel that focuses entirely on the story. Progress is made with mouse clicks and dialog choices, with no emphasis on complex systems or action elements. The player follows the plot built through text and conversations, then chooses the answer that is deemed appropriate in a given situation. Each choice has the potential to take the story in a different direction.
The developer mentions that there are more than five characters with standing portraits, which shows that social interaction is an important aspect. The relationships between Kisuke, the students, and other supporting characters open up space for multiple points of view. The game is also described as a multi-perspective occult-horror adventure, so it is likely that some events will be seen through the eyes of more than one character, whether through flashbacks, confessions, or verbal stories in the counseling room.
The choices that players make are sure to have an effect on the development of the story. The official description mentions the existence of different stories based on dialog selection. This leads to the possibility of multiple routes, a variety of endings, and consequences for the fate of the students and the truth of Kisuke's wife's disappearance. Such an approach is quite common in visual novels, but it becomes relevant because of the player's role as a counselor who responds to psychological problems and supernatural phenomena at the same time.
Production, language and release context
The visuals in the game were done by illustrator fracoco, while the story was written by Re,AER. Both are explicitly mentioned in the description, indicating that the identity of the creators is part of the appeal. The unsettling drawing style and occult theme are expected to support each other to build a tense atmosphere without having to rely on physical action or excessive visual effects.
Resequence: The Orchard will be released for PC via Steam, with support for English, Japanese, and Simplified Chinese. Other language options are said to be possible, although there is no definitive list yet. Having multi-language support in the first place opens up access for players from different regions interested in psychological horror visual novels. It also makes it easier for players who want to follow the original script or compare translations between languages.
The game was announced in the context of the INDIE Live Expo event on November 29, 2025, which is often the stage for various indie projects. This positioning places Resequence: The Orchard in the realm of independent games with a strong focus on narrative and atmosphere. Details regarding the game's duration, number of endings, level of visual violence, and other elements beyond the basic description have not been elaborated upon and will likely be revealed closer to the release schedule.
Potential appeal to horror and visual novel fans
Resequence: The Orchard has the potential to appeal to players who enjoy slow, haunting horror, with its emphasis on inner conflict and gradual mystery. The role of a school counselor provides an unusual perspective, as players are asked to hear, respond to, and assess the students' stories that are a mix of personal problems and occult disturbances.
The fact that the central mystery concerns the disappearance of the main character's wife adds emotional charge to the narrative. Each student's story doesn't seem to stand alone, but rather becomes a puzzle piece that leads to something “haunting” behind the records and track records of everyday life. For visual novel fans who are used to a mix of drama, psychology, and supernatural horror, this game is worth keeping an eye on as the 2026 release year approaches.
