Maomao is
ready to take her deductions and fascination with poisons to a whole new level.
During a special broadcast, developer Koei Tecmo surprised the
community by officially announcing The Apothecary Diaries: The False
Imperial Brother, a mystery and investigation video game based on the
acclaimed franchise. The title is scheduled to be released in early 2027 on
Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5 and PC, accompanied by a
first video trailer.
The plot of the video game will place us in the middle of a chaos caused by a series of strange phenomena and conspiracies that threaten the inner palace, the pleasure district and the streets of the capital itself. To prevent the imperial court from falling apart, the young apothecary must use all her intellect, cunning, and extensive knowledge in medicine to solve the riddles and uncover the truth behind the mysterious False Imperial Brother.
In terms of
gameplay, players will take direct control of Maomao to explore the different
scenarios, collect clues, and investigate the scene. In addition, one of the
main mechanics will include the preparation and mixing of remedies and
medicinal compounds, fundamental elements to advance in the investigations and uncover
those responsible for the crimes.
Born as a
series of light novels written by Hyuganatsu and illustrated
by Touko Shino, the work began its digital publication in October
2011 before being published in physical form by Shufunotomo from August 2014.
Its enormous popularity gave way to the manga adaptation illustrated by Nekokurage in
Square Enix's Monthly Big Gangan magazine since May 2017.
The project
made the definitive leap to anime with a first season released in October 2023,
followed by a second season in January 2025. The franchise will maintain an
unstoppable pace on screens, as the third season will debut with its first part
in October 2026 and continue with its second part in April 2027. In addition,
theaters will receive an animated film titled The Apothecary Diaries:
The Deceased Empress' Treasure on December 11 with a completely
unpublished story written by the author herself.
