The Apothecary Diaries: Investigate as Jinshi and a Cat

Maomao, the apothecary, isn’t the only one hunting for evidence. The Apothecary Diaries: The False Imperial Brother, the first console game based on the anime, launches March 18, 2027, on Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, and PC (Steam). During investigations, you can also switch to Jinshi, who oversees the rear palace, or to Maomao’s pet cat, officially listed as “Maomao (Cat),” to collect evidence.

Jinshi uses his position to draw out testimony Maomao can’t get. The cat slips into places people can’t enter, carries evidence from the rooftops, and overhears secrets. Text is in English, with Japanese voice acting. It’s a single-player mystery adventure.

The story is set in the rear palace, where the emperor’s consorts live. Maomao, newly working there, is asked by Jinshi to look into the “Five Mysteries” and gets drawn into the “Five Curses” spreading through the surrounding town. A masked man claims to be the “imperial brother.” The game tells a new story supervised by original author Hyuganatsu.

During an investigation, you explore locations for evidence, question witnesses, and sort clues in a notebook. Clues you uncover during an interview become leverage when you negotiate with someone who may be the culprit. Your choices affect how much that person trusts you, and a run of wrong answers brings the investigation to a standstill.

In the deduction scenes, you review the clues you’ve gathered and present your reasoning. When someone pushes back, you open Maomao’s notebook or combine pieces of information to counter them with supporting evidence.

With Jinshi’s rank drawing out testimony and the cat reaching evidence at the scene, you may get to choose where to start pulling the same case apart.

Witnesses can also ask you to make medicine. You gather herbs and ingredients and mix them, and the quality and type of ingredients change both the difficulty of the mixing minigame and the medicine’s effect. There’s also an auto-mix option.

You can also spend time with characters to learn more about them, and meeting each chapter’s conditions unlocks an illustration. New characters join the cast, including the traveling actor Guanyu.

Koei Tecmo Games is publishing, with GUST part of the development team. The Digital Deluxe Edition includes add-on packs such as formal outfits for Maomao and Jinshi. Digital pre-orders include a bonus. Both physical and digital copies come with the early purchase bonus, the “Apothecary’s Starter Kit.” Physical owners must download it from the store by March 31, 2027; digital buyers must purchase by the same date. The Nintendo Switch 2 physical version is a Game-Key Card.

Language: English
Players: Single-player
Age rating: ESRB RPM
As of October 22, 2026