Natsu-Mon: 20th Century Summer Kid is the newest entry in the long-running Boku no Natsuyasumi series. Known to be a relaxing experience, these titles have focused on seemingly simple tasks and nailing the feeling of being a child on holiday. They are usually hand drawn, slow paced, and feature fun but simple narratives. However, this new game seeks to update many of the long-standing stylistic choices. Will it be the ice cream players are seeking on this hot summer day?
How does a narrative in a slower game like this play out? Well, usually it progresses bit by bit as the game clock moves, characters reveal things, areas change, and more. This is still true for Natsu-Mon; however, there have been some tweaks. The game is still introduced by a very “anime” opening scene showing the main character and their family travelling to their holiday; this shows off the new visual style and characterises the family a little before the game even really begins.
This collage of the Japanese countryside is beautiful with fantastic colours and a distinctive Japanese-ness to its design. Once the characters arrive, they speak to some circus staff, and quickly the player will realise the whole family is part of the circus – even the main character, who is learning the ropes for his future in the family business. The entire narrative revolves around the circus and the eventual running of the complete show. Each day, events happen that expand this narrative and add new characters to the mix.
This is a slow game, and it’s paced deliberately to have players take their time and have fun doing some of the chiller activities people enjoy in Japan. Take some time to hunt bugs, go fishing, or even partake in Radio Taiso (Japan’s beloved morning stretches). It’s actually a pretty satisfying story, and it’s well paced for taking place across the family’s time in the area. It has surprisingly in-depth characters who all seem to pick a trope or cliché and stick to it.
Gameplay is similar to the other Natsuyasumi games Cubed3 has covered. The goal is to enjoy the holiday by taking part in activities, making friends, and interacting with other characters. These all give the boy things to write in his picture diary, which is filled out over the course of the game. Surprisingly the chill nature and pacing make Natsu-Mon: 20th Century Summer Kid a joy to experience.
Each activity controls pretty smoothly and has that air of Animal Crossing bug collecting or fishing; a great way to lower blood pressure. Movement is also well programmed; it is neither too slow nor too fast, with a decent speed match for the walking and running animations. Unravelling stories over the course of the week is pretty good too. Each character or group has something going on, which lends a life to the environment and a sense of place.
Visually, the move to 3D is far from bad. It can look a bit simple at times, but the colour palette is bold and summery, and there is a decent amount of detail showing the care given to the placement of objects in the world. Some areas, like the main house, also still sport pre-rendered hand-drawn art; these areas tend to look the best as they can easily communicate their purpose and function clearly at a glance. There are some small performance hiccups in the 3D spaces, though, so be wary of that.
Characters are pretty cute and varied, with a sort of cartoony aesthetic that is reasonably unique. Some characters sport looks based on their jobs, and others are just nicely designed to give 20th Century Summer Kid a cohesive feeling. This art style is continued into the boy’s diary, but done with a more crayon style aesthetic, which suits it even better, but obviously that wouldn’t work as the whole game’s look.
The other standout is the day-night cycle; the lighting on display here is just amazing in terms of colouration. It lends a hazy, nostalgic feel to the whole world. Something about the sunset transitional time is particularly evocative with its deep oranges. This is then further supported by sound design. It’s not all as even as the visuals, but the music is excellent and tends to fit the scenario well.
There are even some people who sing and play music, which adds a lively atmosphere to the town. There is a nice variety of summery animal sounds too; you will catch cicadas chirping and birds whistling all over the place. Even the voice work is well executed, with the boy being inquisitive and outspoken, and with other main characters doing a decent job as well. Some characters are unvoiced instead of having Zelda-style greeting sounds.
