Kagatsu is a mountain village that behaves like a farming sim until the sun goes down. You get a plot, a house and neighbours who are warm in the daytime and very clear about three rules: don't talk to strangers, don't leave the village, don't go out at night. Village in the Shade is the hand-painted life sim Nippon Ichi Software built around that contradiction, and it is out now on Steam at $49.99.
Everything here is written against Patch 1.30, the free update that landed on 27 October 2026 with English, French and Spanish text, the Seeder tool, a ten-item bathroom set and the birthday event.
Before you plant anything
- Pick your mode first. Shade mode has night attacks and a story with teeth; Sunshine mode is the same farm without the horror, and it changes two later unlock paths.
- Language is per save and cannot be changed afterwards — set it in Steam before you start.
- Talk to everyone on day one. Requests are the cheapest early money, and they feed affection.
- Do not test the night rule. The game will show you, and it costs you a day.
- Read the tool upgrade line early. Range upgrades turn farming from a full day into an hour.
The two modes, side by side
| Village in the Shade | Village in the Sunshine | |
|---|---|---|
| Night attacks | Yes, triggered by rule breaks | No |
| Story pressure | Full scenario | Relaxed route |
| Hokora request | Tobari asks you to restore it | Follows Nago moving in |
| Birthday gate | Year 2 + one day after the main scenario | Year 2 + one day after Nago arrives |
| Achievements | All 52 are tied to this mode | Mode-specific ones do not tick |
Straight answers
Is it horror? A farming sim with a horror schedule: days are crops, nights punish a broken rule.
Is English supported? Yes, since Patch 1.30 on 27 October 2026, with French and Spanish.
How much is it? $49.99, plus a $9.99 artbook and a $9.99 soundtrack.
Does it run on Steam Deck? Valve lists it as Verified.
Where to go next
First two hours: the beginner guide covers Spring of Year 1 day by day; controls fixes language and saves first.
First bad night: read the village rules before you break one.
When you want numbers: all 52 achievements, Patch 1.30 and the update history, and every unlock with its gate.
