Slow Damage (2021) - MobyGames (2025)

Slow Damage is an adult visual novel in the BL (boy's love) genre set in an alternate timeline where the extravagance of the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2020 devastated the Japanese economy, enabling a yakuza organization known as the Takasato-gumi to purchase the part of the country where the games were held. Under its new owners, Tokyo Waterfront City was converted into a sprawling casino resort named Shinkoumi, which became a special administrative region under the Takasato-gumi's exclusive control. With no restrictions on who could enter the city, Shinkoumi became rife with criminal syndicates and opportunists, making it a dangerous place to live.

The player controls Towa, a resident of Shinkoumi in the year 20XX. He is a hedonistic artist who lives only for the pursuit of carnal pleasure, aiming to draw out people's deepest desires to add them to his art. Towa has the ability to see the auras, or "Smokes", of others, which allows him to manipulate them and expose their secrets - but as he soon discovers, some secrets are better left hidden.

Like most visual novels, the core gameplay consists of interacting with characters as the protagonist and periodically making a decision that may cause the story to branch off into a different direction. The player may use a map during "Exploration" segments to freely travel to different parts of the city. Talking to characters can unlock clues known as "Inspiration" which can be used in confrontations with other characters. When interrogating a character, the player must use the character's aura as well as any clues unlocked to determine which response is correct, for failing an interrogation can result in dire consequences.

MobyPlus

Upgrade to MobyPlus to view research rankings and price history! (when applicable)