Square Enix returns to Honjo for another supernatural mystery, this time centred on a long‑buried legend that resurfaces under unsettling circumstances. Paranormasight: The Mermaid’s Curse follows a new cast drawn into a chain of incidents that appear unrelated at first glance, yet share the same quiet, uncanny rhythm that defined the original Paranormasight, The Seven Mysteries of Honjo. Set across familiar districts and newly introduced pockets of the city, the story unfolds through branching perspectives, each offering fragments of a larger truth. As players investigate strange events, revisit key moments through interactive flashbacks, and piece together the connections between characters, the shape of the Mermaid’s tale gradually emerges. Not through exposition, but through the consequences of every choice made along the way. It is a grounded, slow‑burn mystery that leans into folklore, human motives, and the uneasy space where the two overlap.
The core structure remains rooted in branching narrative design. Each chapter presents a series of decisions that can open new paths, close others, or lead abruptly to failure. Some dead ends arrive so quietly that players may not realise what triggered them, creating moments of confusion that feel intentional rather than punitive. When this happens, a mysterious figure intervenes, pulling the player back to a previous point and encouraging a different approach. This interplay between experimentation and deduction is central to the experience, encouraging players to treat each branch as a piece of a larger puzzle rather than a simple right‑or‑wrong path. It is a structure that rewards curiosity and patience, and it gives the story a sense of elasticity; one that stretches and contracts depending on how deeply the player engages with each thread.
Despite being a sequel, it is surprisingly easy to settle into without having played the original. The game introduces its concepts and characters with enough clarity that newcomers never feel out of their depth, and the shifting perspectives help build a broader understanding of the cast. Playing through scenes as different characters offers a clearer sense of their motives and personalities, and the way certain snippets only appear depending on the chosen conversation threads keeps each route feeling fresh. The overarching presence of the Curse of the Raging Waves adds a steady undercurrent of tension, especially as the story hints at the long‑standing belief that sacrifices are required to keep the curse at bay and prevent further bloodshed. The narrative frequently circles back to Taishima, the island where the curse is said to have originated, grounding the legend in a tangible sense of place. Although it shares the same supernatural framework as the original Paranormasight, this is not a direct continuation of that story. It follows the same pattern as games like Hotel Dusk and Last Window, or AI: The Somnium Files and Zero Escape, where the connection is more thematic than narrative. The tone, structure, and investigative rhythm carry over, but the story itself stands comfortably on its own.
Investigation segments form the backbone of progression, drawing clear inspiration from Ace Attorney’s methodical area‑based exploration. Players can pan around environments, click on objects, and uncover small details that enrich the world or provide subtle clues. A small but clever touch is the hand mirror, which lets players check behind them during certain scenes. It is a simple mechanic, yet it adds a welcome layer of tension and spatial awareness, reinforcing the idea that danger or insight might not always be in front of you. It can be a little temperamental at times, occasionally requiring a few attempts to get the angle just right, but it remains a neat addition that helps scenes feel more reactive and tactile than a static visual‑novel backdrop. Hidden stickers are scattered throughout scenes, also, rewarding curiosity and giving completionists an extra layer to chase. The inclusion of a ‘Think’ option — reminiscent of the Famicom Detective Club remakes — adds another layer of depth, allowing players to reflect on gathered information and occasionally unlocking new conversational topics or investigative leads.
There are also moments where the game asks you to type in an answer to fill a blank, relying on your memory of earlier scenes or conversations. It is a small touch, yet it reinforces the need to pay attention and makes the investigation feel more active than simply selecting from a list of options. The game occasionally goes a step further by asking players to draw their own conclusions rather than selecting from pre-set choices. You may be expected to identify who you believe the assassin is, name specific locations, determine a character’s real identity, or work out who survived the events on Taishima. These deductions rely on careful observation and a solid grasp of earlier scenes, and they give the investigation a more participatory feel. It is a subtle but effective way of keeping the player engaged in the finer details of the story.
The one notable stumble comes right at the beginning. The early diving sequence demands repeated attempts to gather items and gradually strengthen the diving ability, and progress simply is not possible until this loop is completed. It is mechanically sound but undeniably tiring, especially when the rest of the game offers far more variety and nuance. Being forced to replay the same scenario several times before the story properly opens up is not the most inviting start, and some may find the pacing here at odds with the otherwise thoughtful, investigative rhythm that follows. Once past this hurdle, however, the game settles into a far more confident stride, and the repetition gives way to a richer, more varied flow of scenes and choices.
Profiles and key information update dynamically as the story unfolds, creating a living reference that grows alongside the investigation. Character entries expand with new insights, timelines fill with relevant events, and collected notes help clarify relationships and motivations. Flashbacks and optional story extras play a crucial role here, offering interactive sequences that fill in narrative blanks and provide context for events that would otherwise remain opaque. These moments are handled with care, blending seamlessly into the flow of the story and reinforcing the graphic‑novel feel that permeates the experience. The extensive Files section is a genuine asset. Rather than feeling like a lore dump, it provides cultural context, historical background, and supernatural detail that enrich the main narrative. Each entry adds texture to the world, and diving into these notes helps the broader mystery feel grounded and coherent. For those who enjoy understanding the roots of Honjo’s legends, the Files become an essential part of the experience rather than optional reading.
The art direction deserves special mention. The Mermaid’s Curse adopts a sketch‑book aesthetic with heavy black outlines, giving characters and environments a hand‑drawn immediacy that feels both modern and nostalgic. It evokes the expressive, rough‑edged style of CiNG’s Hotel Dusk and Last Window, while also echoing the bold, inked presentation seen in Arc System Works’ visual novels. The result is a world that feels illustrated rather than rendered, with each scene carrying the texture of a page pulled from a graphic novel. The Switch 2’s improved resolution and colour depth enhance this effect, giving the artwork a crispness that strengthens its emotional impact. Subtle animations, such as a flicker of light, a shift in posture, or a ripple of water, definitely stand out clearly, adding a quiet sense of life to scenes that might otherwise feel static.
The soundtrack also plays a crucial role in shaping the mood. There are clear echoes of CiNG’s work here — the gentle melancholy of Hotel Dusk, the soft mystery of Another Code — woven into a soundscape that feels both modern and nostalgic. Rather than overwhelming the experience, the music sits just beneath the surface, a restrained presence that reinforces the story’s tension without distracting from it. Sparse melodic motifs and low, lingering tones underscore moments of unease, while silence is used deliberately to heighten anticipation. It is a score that understands the value of subtlety, and it complements the game’s slow‑burn pacing beautifully.
As the first entry in the series to launch on Switch 2, The Mermaid’s Curse benefits from the hardware’s improved performance. Scene transitions are smooth, text rendering is crisp, and supernatural visual effects feel more fluid and immediate. Touchscreen support remains intact for handheld play, while traditional controls are responsive and intuitive. The overall experience is seamless, allowing the story’s pacing to remain uninterrupted and the tension to build naturally. The improved hardware also helps the game’s more atmospheric moments land with greater impact, whether it is a sudden shift in lighting or a quiet, unsettling reveal.
Paranormasight: The Mermaid’s Curse unfolds at a measured pace, and its structure naturally expands for players who enjoy digging into every branch, replaying scenarios after dead ends, exploring interactive flashbacks, and scouring environments for hidden stickers or additional insights. With the diving minigame, branching routes, and extensive Files section all encouraging deeper engagement, a relaxed, thorough playthrough can comfortably approach the twenty‑hour mark. It is a mystery that rewards patience, curiosity, and a willingness to examine every corner of Honjo’s folklore. Those who take their time will find a story that grows richer the deeper they dig, and one that lingers long after the final thread is resolved.
