Kanon, a highly acclaimed visual novel, has made its debut on Steam with its first official English translation twenty-five years after its initial release. Players take on the role of a high school boy who returns to a town he visited seven years prior, where he encounters five girls, each connected to a major plotline in the game. Through player choices, different storylines can be followed to their respective conclusions in this charming slice-of-life romance, which remains a darling in the dating sim genre.
Originally launched in 1999 by Key, the studio behind the beloved Clannad, Kanon featured explicit sexual content in its earlier versions but has since been released in an all-ages format. The game’s popularity in Japan led to adaptations as light novels, manga, and two anime series. The new Steam edition includes voice acting for the first time, along with upgraded UI and visuals for HD. While the widescreen display may crop some of the original 4:3 art, users can still access the full artwork with a simple button press. Despite being a niche title in 2024, Kanon‘s release on Steam has been met with excitement, as it introduces a classic game with a significant legacy to a new audience.