Hearing from yona, developer of "Darekare," about the journey since launch and feelings upon winning "Sense of Wonder Night 2025" [TGS2025]
Note: the original Japanese article can be found at:
https://www.4gamer.net/games/864/G086409/20250928051/
Editorial Department: Junpoco | 2025/09/28 12:30 (UTC)
“Darekare” is an interactive novel that lets players experience the “distortion” of human perception through the viewpoints of its characters. Developed by TearyHand Studio, a game design project led by designer yona, and published by Kodansha Game Lab, it was released on July 24, 2025, for PC and Nintendo Switch.
yona, a second-generation member of Kodansha’s indie game support project “Kodansha Game Creators Lab,” previously earned strong acclaim for her puzzle adventure title “In His Time,” released in October 2023. Now, “Darekare” has also received immediate praise since its release and recently won three top awards at the indie game developer contest “Sense of Wonder Night 2025,” held during Tokyo Game Show 2025: the Audience Award Grand Prix, Best Arts Award, and Best Presentation Award.
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Indie Developer Contest “Sense of Wonder Night 2025”: “Darekare” Wins Top Prize, Achieving a Triple Crown [TGS2025]
On September 27, 2025 (today), the Computer Entertainment Supplier Association announced that “Darekare,” developed by TearyHand Studio, had won the top prize at this year’s indie developer pitch contest, “Sense of Wonder Night 2025.”
[September 27, 2025, 3:57 PM]
- Keywords:
- PC: Darekare
- PC
- Adventure
- Simulation
- Tearyhand studio
- Players: 1
- Kodansha
- MAC: Darekare
- MAC
- Nintendo Switch: Darekare
- Nintendo Switch
- News
- Editorial: yawaragi
- TGS 2025
- Tokyo Game Show
The game was playable at the Kodansha Game Lab booth during TGS 2025, held September 25–28 at Makuhari Messe in Chiba Prefecture, as well as within the official SELECTED INDIE 80 exhibition area. We spoke with yona, who was present at the SELECTED INDIE 80 booth, about her experiences since the game’s release, its TGS showcase, and her feelings upon winning.
4Gamer:
How was this year’s Tokyo Game Show?
yona:
It was my first time having a booth at TGS. Previously, I’d mostly been part of Kodansha’s booth and relied on their support. Actually setting it up myself was overwhelming—there were so many people that I couldn’t figure out what to do (laughs). Of course, I’m very grateful for all the attention we received.
4Gamer:
This year’s SELECTED INDIE 80 featured a corner layout with pathways; “Darekare” was positioned right at the entrance.
yona:
Exactly. The booth is next to the main walkway, so foot traffic was extremely high. But because of that, we were seen by many more people—definitely great exposure (laughs).
4Gamer:
How have the reactions been since release?
yona:
In the first two weeks after launch, it was absolutely overwhelming—so many people shared about it on social media. I was genuinely shocked by how far it went. After that, I received a wide range of feedback, including critical comments, which at times made me feel quite down. But I tried to accept and process all those words with gratitude.
4Gamer:
How do you feel about winning three awards in this year’s “Sense of Wonder Night 2025”?
yona:
I’m truly overwhelmed with gratitude. While the original concept was my own, I couldn’t have reached this point without countless pieces of advice and the unwavering support from my family—so deeply appreciated. As a Christian, I also wanted to express thanks to God. It felt especially meaningful that people who had said “I liked it” when playing earlier were now being recognized through these awards.
4Gamer:
What are your plans for the future and any upcoming projects?
yona:
I’ve got several ideas in mind, but… I’m currently going through a tough time (laughs). Still, I want to keep working hard on creating new games that people can enjoy.
4Gamer:
As a player who’s experienced your games firsthand, I definitely look forward to the next one. When we hear about its release, it’ll feel like you’ve finally come out of that difficult period.
yona:
Thank you (laughs). I hope to deliver something truly worthwhile.
Though short—only three chapters and approximately an hour in length—the story’s exploration of “distortion” in human perception leaves a strong impression and lingers with players. While I can’t give away spoilers, whether you’re someone who just learned about it for the first time or someone who’s been curious but hasn’t tried it yet—this is your chance to experience it.