When I first saw Shujinkou Manga Reader on the PS Store, I assumed it may be some new type of game presented in a Japanese comic book style.
But curiously, it turns out this is literally a one-shot manga, available for you to read on your television screen.
The app, inspired by the JRPG of the same name, is free to download. According to the blurb, this “manga project was developed to introduce Shujinkou’s world, characters, and story-driven RPG experience in a more approachable, story-first format”.
Looking at the PS Store reviews (2.96), I’m going to assume not everyone understood what they were getting into here.
The app will apparently expand, with “more manga stories and chapters planned throughout the year”. I wonder if the dev will charge for those, or if it’ll add them for free.
Honestly, I suppose this isn’t the worst way to promote a game, especially as the app doesn’t cost anything.
But I’ve never felt visual novels or comic books are a particularly great fit for consoles; they work better on handhelds or tablets, where you can snuggle up with them in the palm of your hand.
Still, if you fancy reading a free manga, you can download the app here. And the main Shujinkou game, which first released in 2025, is currently discounted on the PS Store as well.
