Investigations into Honjo's seven mysteries combine conversations, clues and perspective shifts with tactical decisions about curses. PARANORMASIGHT: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo costs $9.79 at CDKeys; its appeal is the unsettling solo narrative, not shared play. For a purchase centered on a story with interwoven characters, the investigative structure is the main draw.At $19.99 from CDKeys, you get a single-player story built around investigations and shifting viewpoints.
Set a target to receive an email when an eligible offer in your selected region is at or below that amount.
Price History
Past 36 months · Updated daily
Historical Low~ $7.992025-09Current Low Across Stores~ $9.79CDKeysvs. Historical Low+23%
Prices cover Steam and 39 authorized stores; only legitimate offers are counted. The chart shows weekly market-wide lows and Steam's official price across the past 36 months.
01About PARANORMASIGHT: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo
A night-time investigation into the Seven Mysteries of Honjo draws several characters, their motives and deadly curses into a horror-adventure visual novel. Conversations, clues and shifting viewpoints shape a story where choosing when to use a curse can matter.Steam players: 95% positive from 6,244 reviews.
$7.992025-09-18 · HHumble StoreBase game · same records as the chart above; USD history, not a regional Steam low.
Language support
Language
Interface
Subtitles
Audio
Simplified Chinese
Yes
Yes
—
Traditional Chinese
Yes
Yes
—
English
Yes
Yes
—
Show 1 more languages
Language
Interface
Subtitles
Audio
Japanese
Yes
Yes
—
Steam PC edition data · 2026-10-23
02Before you buy
Play mode
The Steam PC listing identifies the game as single-player; its story follows several characters and viewpoints.
Language
Interface and subtitles are available in English, Japanese, Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese. Full audio is not listed for these languages.
03Frequently asked questions
What is the story about?
The story takes place in Tokyo's Sumida Ward and centers on the Seven Mysteries of Honjo and a Rite of Resurrection.
What do you do in the game?
Investigations use conversations, clues and multiple viewpoints. Choosing when to deploy curses is part of the strategic play.
How are the locations presented?
The environments use photographed 360-degree scenes from Sumida.
Popular Steam reviews
Native-language selection · 10 reviews
Selected helpful reviews in this language show both recommendations and criticisms. This selection does not represent the overall positive rating; opinions reflect the version reviewed.
RecommendedSteam player
"#$%!&^* hell, it all makes sense now!"
I had this thought that finished shaping itself just as I was finishing the game, a marvel at a curious phenomenon: How did PARANORMASIGHT manage to amass such an overwhelmingly positive reception? What trickery, witchcraft did it use to tickle the spirit taste and satiate both: non-VN players, considering the lack of gameplay depth, and traditional VN fans, given the shortage of storytelling depth. That is the real mystery of Honjo! It must be doing something right; I mean, I haven't had this much fun with a VN in a while.
It's almost as if perceived weaknesses work in its favour, attracting all kinds of players to it with what are essentially gimmicks. By doing them really well. There's a lot of dearth here... if you look at it from a particular viewpoint. Coming to this game expecting involved investigation and deduction, or an adventure/VN hybrid with puzzles and minigames (Danganronpa, Ace Attorney, Zero Escape etc.), you'll find it lacking. If you're hoping for a multilayered mystery with rich thematic undertow and characters with believable emotional dimensions, you'll be disappointed. What you will find is still very compelling nonetheless.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3065673807
Under all the frills and ruffles of would-be adventure game dressing, PARANORMASIGHT is essentially a highly interactive panoramic visual novel. One where you drag the screen around a fixed point, engage with hotspots, and click on buttons, like *think* or *curse*, hopefully in that order. But mostly, you're navigating dialogue trees until you exhaust all options like in an adventure game. (Actual choices are rare and directly lead to bad endings.) All of this is put together in a rousing, stimulating way, smoothly knitted into the plot, making the narration itself interactable, so it feels like there's more proactive gameplay than it is. It's an illusion of control. In reality, you're led by the hand - be it by the in-game map, or the meta-map aka the flowchart; or by the curse button, which will cast itself even if you don't press it, or won't, even if you do. (It's sentient like that.) Although you're piecing together information from multiple sides, converging to one point, the whole game is rather linear in its non-linearity - another loophole.
But it's all so dynamic and exciting. Unlike the inertness of a typical VN with sprites against static backgrounds, evoking actors in an intimate tableau vivant of sorts; here, it's a phantasmally deepened space of a TV box. Everything comes alive in a spirited flash of cinematic tracking shots, dramatic close-ups, zoomings, interesting angles that play with visual depth. Sometimes swallowing characters while panning over the vast skies of scenic Honjo, reducing them to accidental bystanders. Other times, this 360° slow rotation from a constricting spot creates a rather creepy effect in its limitation. Coming back from slowly combing the area, the tension and horror build as you anticipate something to jump at you... Like someone's face suddenly coming into your focus, gawking at you... ahh!!
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3056915522
Alas, only the prologue is this eerie and spooky. (Ok, and the high school chapter - why are they so creepy at night?) Afterwards, it settles into a procedural rhythm of an investigative mystery. From the very start, I felt there was something TV-show-like about this world; and yes, it may seem like I'm saying something obvious seeing how the mysterious host, The Storyteller, literally transports me through a vintage colour TV set into the game universe. Hell, the small screen aesthetic permeates everything, its curve extends even to the menu - from the grainy look and the colours washed-up to the hauntingly nostalgic monochromatic tint, to the clickety-clack noises and schlager-like music, to the swift zooming on exaggerated grimaces all with the "a-ha, gotcha" jingle. But this quality extends way beyond appearance, into the storytelling itself. The way I was thrown into the middle of a scene, with little context, I never shook the feeling that these characters are, well, characters. Actors, who seem to be going along with all that freaky paranormal stuff a little too easily, ready to curse others with the most flimsy motivations (some exceptions), like it's a game. Well, with all those rules and conditions, it is, but one I can only watch them play. Becoming a curse bearer is accepted rather casually, blindly, as if following a script.
And despite having several POV characters, I never got an impression that I'm playing as any one of them, but more like with them, in-between, as a gamer/observer. As if they're my puppets who I even tell when to think, with the button; their strong black outlines almost making them into cardboard cutouts. I can read about their backstories in Files, on the side, same as those legends of Japanese curse folklore, same as all the tourist spots in Sumida, Tokyo. With the already established meta framework tying into the use of Story Chart in interesting, smart ways, I was intrigued by these layers of reality, hoping for some absorbing thematic throughline. Because only a transcending mystery would be able to compensate for the undeniable sense that this story is rather gamey, but without substantial gameplay to carry it and not sufficiently novelesque to fill that hole.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3139769226
But in place of such mystery, I got a puzzle instead. Not a puzzle game, but a puzzle story. And what a thrilling puzzle it is, one that grips you hard, occasionally quizzing you, making sure you're paying attention, seducing you with witty tricks, letting you feel smart. What comes next, how it all ties together? You forgive it a bit too twisting of twists and too many neat coincidences; chalk it up to the 'small screen-small world' syndrome. Plot, plot, plot... everything fits, even things that seemed off at first. Every line is purposeful, almost utilitarian. Yet, cardboard cutouts or not, the characters are fun, their dialogue engaging, despite information density, occasionally straying into wild tangents... that also prove to have a concrete purpose. Getting to the solution of the puzzle is paramount. Its pacing doesn't let some 'filler' stop it, like, uh, breathing between the lines, or asking questions like: "What's it all really about? What's it saying that it isn't saying?"
Great plot, poor story and thematic depth. The central question of "how far would you go to bring someone back from the dead" isn't really explored deeper in a satisfying way. It makes for a catchy tagline though, can even fit on a tourist brochure with other trivia. My biggest gripe is how the meta framework doesn't amount to anything more substantial than yet another gimmick that doesn't say anything interesting beyond the clever a-ha moment.
That said, I can't deny I had great time with this game although, in the end, it's just a clever puzzle story, nothing more, nothing less. And that's... ok? Is what I'd like to say, but I can't shake the feeling there should be more to it. This will especially appeal to those averse to anything that isn't directly plot related aka 'filler'; those who consider reading a passive activity and need to make it more stimulating; and those who need their mysteries to have neat solutions.
Mystery of Honjo solved! It took me a while to figure out what was bothering me; now I can put it to rest. It already started fading by the time I wrote this review. I'll remember how much fun I had if not the story itself, but hey, that means I can experience it again as if it's the first time. Although I'm not sure if replayability in this (meta)context is a blessing or a curse.
You can curse me at Drugoja In The DreamingShow moreShow less
28 hours at review111 people found this helpful
Not recommendedSteam player
Extremely overrated. The major things I disliked about the game:
1) The story ends up being pretty short and ends rather abruptly. I thought there was going to be a whole second half of the game until about 3/4 of the way through when I realized the story was reaching some kind of conclusion, and then all of a sudden it's over.
2) The game undermines itself. It starts out as a visual novel/puzzler where you kill other people using curses, but in order to do that you have to meet certain conditions. So you try to meet those conditions and avoid getting killed by avoiding the conditions of other "curse bearers." This set up was HUGELY compelling and was the reason I continued reading. The curses only work at night though, so when the story transitioned into the day time I continued reading thinking it was doing set-up for the big clash in the coming evening. It never happened (this is what I meant by realizing the story was coming to an end even though I thought there was a second half). I read a whole story to get to the "good part" that never existed.
3) Because of 2, the story ends up being more standard than the game's presentation would like you to believe. It tries to make you think it's some meta game but those elements aren't very substantial. The timeline jumping the game implements ends up being more annoying than anything else, especially since the game is so short it feels like there's just not a whole lot of meat on the bone. Finally, the big mysteries in the game were just not all that interesting to me. Completely unmemorable. I seem to be in the minority here as people think it's this masterpiece of intricate complexity and life-altering revelations, but I just don't see it. Then again, I don't think people read actual books anymore so maybe their standards are low.
In the end, I'm not mad, just disappointed. A lot of potential unfulfilled.Show moreShow less
8.8 hours at review53 people found this helpful
RecommendedSteam player
I like this game but please BE AWARE. This game is not advertised well. This is not a bloodthirsty horror game. This is a detective story. You do not have free will in this game. It is just a telling of a story. I liked it a lot but you can be disappointed if you expect the game to be a bloodthirsty battle royal like Mirai Nikki/Squid Game or anything like that.Show moreShow less
12.7 hours at review73 people found this helpful
Not recommendedSteam player
this would be better as a mixed. it's somewhere around a 6 / 10. i'm leaving this as a no for people that have experienced a handful of mystery or thriller VNs before. a lot of games achieve a far more engaging story and better characters. but as an introduction to VNs it could be an enjoyable experience.
- spoilers below -
i enjoyed the setting and background information that went into the game. it's clearly had a lot of attention and love put into it. reading through the historical entries, the curses & the locations was the best part. however i felt no real attachment to any of the characters. when characters died, were betrayed by one another, or uncovered critical information, it didn't have much impact for me. i couldn't really care what happened to them. i wasn't really invested in their motivations and goals. characters that i did think were interesting didn't get much airtime - i would have preferred to follow other characters through the story rather than the ones the game leads you through.
i don't really see much of a benefit to the time chart considering the majority of the game is linear. i think what's mildly frustrating is that the introduction to the game gave me more of an impression it would be more dynamic than it is. forks in the road are usually one or two scenes and don't explore much.
the unique appeal for me was in the beginning - using the curses and interacting with other curse bearers. the excitement drifted away when most routes placed emphasis on never using them. it felt like a sidelined mechanic. by the end of the game i was kinda mashing to complete it.
it feels like a game filled with good ideas and interesting story elements, just executed in a way that felt plain and boring to me. maybe other people will have more entertainment? i would have just liked to seen this done differently i suppose.Show moreShow less
10.1 hours at review50 people found this helpful
RecommendedSteam player
Some real old man yaoi potential hereShow moreShow less
13.2 hours at review70 people found this helpful
Not recommendedSteam player
It had a very strong opening, but lost its momentum pretty early. While it was never outright bad, nothing beyond the first two hours was ever enough to compensate for what the game had lost earlier.
The story starts off strong. We meet our protagonist who, knowing almost nothing about the situation he's in, has to navigate around the deadly game he's been forced into. As he tries to understand whats happening, he's also motivated by a desire to win giving a strong driving force for the narrative. Its a great way of starting off, introducing us to all the key information and mechanics while giving an interesting motivation to care about them.
And then we move on and lose all of that. Once we start seeing events through the eyes of other characters, we run into an immediate problem. While the mysteries are still present, the motivations are not. Two of the three protagonists don't actually want to win, dramatically reducing the tension. And the 3rd that does want to win can't actually kill anybody and wants to win through diplomatic means instead. While the character motivations make sense, they're extremely detrimental to giving the mysteries some weight behind them. Where understanding the mysteries was once a means to an end, its now the entire motivation. And the mystery just isn't interesting enough to carry the game all on its own.
I just don't see a strong reason to recommend this to anyone. The horror elements are fairly tame and inconsistent, the mystery is neither interesting to figure out nor satisfying after its been solved, and the characters, while generally good, really aren't a good fit for the rest of the game. There really isn't anything Paranormasight ever excels at, leaving it without a demographic that I can safely recommend it to.Show moreShow less
14.4 hours at review18 people found this helpful
RecommendedSteam player
there is a milf with bags under her eyes. what more c ould you ask forShow moreShow less
2.7 hours at review59 people found this helpful
Not recommendedSteam player
Reviewing (mostly) every game (or DLC) in my library, part 116:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆☆☆☆ (6/10)
PARANORMASIGHT: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo is one of the most clever visual novels I’ve ever played—but also one of the most emotionally detached. It's a game about curses, death, time loops, and the supernatural. It starts out gripping, with a perfect premise: a “curse game” set in 1980s Japan, where a group of seemingly unrelated people come into possession of deadly supernatural powers. To bring someone back from the dead, you must kill using your curse, but only under specific conditions. The twist? Everyone else has a curse too.
In the beginning, this works incredibly well. You’re navigating shifting POVs, trying to stay alive while uncovering just enough truth to act first. The logic puzzles are sharp. The UI is slick. The pacing is snappy. And the meta elements (like using the chapter select as a timeline manipulation tool, or dying and being told not to open a certain file) feel fresh and surprising without being gimmicky.
But then ... the curse game just ends. Not narratively—just structurally. The tension never escalates, and most characters quietly opt out of the life-or-death premise they were introduced with. The big supernatural showdown you're waiting for? It never happens. Instead, the game pivots into a more traditional supernatural mystery, and not a particularly layered or emotional one. It becomes about solving a mystery, not surviving one. And that subtle shift takes a huge toll.
PARANORMASIGHT is a fascinating but frustrating experience. It’s so close to being something special: the visuals are arresting, the premise is excellent, and the puzzle structure is tight. But the emotional core just isn’t there. The characters flatten out, the tension leaks away, and the game loses the nerve to follow through on its own rules. It’s still worth playing, especially if you like your mysteries neat, your mechanics clever, and your VNs low on fluff. But you may walk away thinking: "there should have been more." And the worst part is, the first half proves the game was capable of it.
🔮 Pros:
A compelling death game structure ... at first. The “curse bearers” concept is an excellent twist on both murder mystery and horror tropes. The fact that each curse can only activate under specific, hidden conditions gives each encounter tension and texture. You’re not just dodging attacks; you’re puzzling out how to avoid being eligible for murder. That moment where you realize you’ve met the condition and someone is about to use their curse on you? Genuinely chilling.
Gorgeous visual presentation. The grainy photo backgrounds, VHS filter, and soft lighting effects give Honjo a unique aesthetic. It’s retro without being kitschy and grounded enough to make the supernatural elements pop. The 1980s Tokyo setting adds texture, and the UI is clean and easy to navigate.
Snappy structure. Chapters are short and digestible. There’s almost no filler. You’re always uncovering new info or progressing a plotline. It’s tightly edited and knows how to keep momentum up—at least in the first half.
Solid localization. The writing is clean, natural, and localized with care. Jokes land. Emotional beats are readable, if not always moving. Character voice is preserved, even if some of those voices are a bit flat.
🤐 Cons:
The game drops its best mechanic. The “curse game” setup—the entire reason this VN works so well in the first place—is quietly abandoned after the first night. You’re led to believe it’s building toward a second clash of curse bearers, and instead it becomes a more conventional mystery story. This is jarring, unsatisfying, and disappointing because it feels like half a game was cut.
No one wants to win. This is the biggest narrative misstep. Once you switch to other protagonists, the stakes collapse. One doesn’t want to use their curse. Another explicitly wants to end the game peacefully. This completely undermines the tension of a game supposedly about survival. It’s hard to care about solving mysteries when none of the characters are really at risk anymore.
Mysteries without motivation. Once the death game tension evaporates, all that's left is the mystery plot—and it’s just not strong enough to carry the second half. You're no longer unraveling a web of desperate people with hidden motives. You're reading a story where everyone becomes oddly cooperative and patient, and every obstacle feels like a step-by-step logic problem. Interesting? Sure. But compelling? Not really.
Emotionally cold. The game is cerebral, not personal. The plot is smart, but the characters aren’t memorable, and their relationships lack depth. There’s little warmth, little heartbreak, and little catharsis. It’s hard to feel like anything is at stake when everyone is either calm, helpful, or removed.
Meta tricks feel hollow. Yes, the 4th-wall-breaking is fun. But by the end, it lacks thematic weight. There's no reason for the meta-ness beyond “we thought it was cool.” The meta layer isn’t tied to the narrative’s meaning or character arcs. It’s clever, but superficial.
Abrupt pacing drop. The second half slows dramatically. There’s a noticeable shift from “oh my god, what happens next?” to “okay… which chapter do I need to unlock the true ending?” There’s no momentum. No race to the finish. It just peters out.
If you enjoyed this review, please check out my curator page to find more: Verdict: Play or Pass. Also, please leave a like and visit IndieGems and our YouTube channel for more reviews like this one.Show moreShow less
10.5 hours at review15 people found this helpful
RecommendedSteam player
Right away you can tell this is a game made with love for Visual Novels and Horror. From the same devs as Trials of Mana and the Visual Artist of The World Ends with You, this game has a polish unseen like others in the Visual Novel genre.
I can't give away plot spoilers, as this is very much like Doki Doki Literature Club in that you have to -- GO INTO THE GAME AS BLIND AS POSSIBLE --.
With that, happy ressurrecting!
P.S. The game works like a dream on Steam Deck!Show moreShow less
1.3 hours at review58 people found this helpful
Not recommendedSteam player
Play the first two hours, then refund it. What you imagine the game will be like based on the amazing prologue is almost certainly several times more interesting than the game actually is.
Horrendously disappointing, boring, pointless cop mystery. The excellent vibes of the presentation aren't enough to rescue such an underwhelming experience.Show moreShow less
11.1 hours at review15 people found this helpful
Source: original Steam user reviews. Helpful votes are an archived snapshot, not live data. Last collected: 08/15/2026.
