Hello, everyone! It’s been a five long years since milk+ visual was first established. In that same year, the first ever milk+ visual visual novel, soundless – A MODERN SALEM IN REMOTE AREA –, was released on September 29th, 2017. So many things have happened in the real world since then, and Soundless continues to reach countless amounts of people. At the time of writing, it has been downloaded over 2,000 times on itch!

In celebration of Soundless‘s 5th anniversary this September, I would like to announce the definitive edition, soundless – A MODERN SALEM IN REMOTE AREA – final verse, that will (hopefully) be releasing on the day of. Additionally, the long-promised artbook, first proposed for Soundless‘s 1st anniversary, will also be completed and released this year.

What is “Final Verse”?

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Final Verse (FV for short) is intended to be the definitive edition of Soundless. Unless the matter is extremely pressing, the content of Soundless will not be touched again. This version is quite expansive, and includes the following additions:

• Includes a new post-game epilogue, adiaphoron, meant to replace the now-scrapped 1st anniversary novel Lonely Ruby Aria.
• Adds in an opening cutscene.
• Updates Soundless to the latest version of Ren’Py and Python.
• Upscales the resolution to 1280×960 (with the option to bring it back down to 800×600 or even good old 640×480, of course!)
• Adds in better accessibility features, including improved image descriptions, audio cues, screenshake deactivation, photosensitive mode and font options.
• Includes a violent images toggle, which allows you to censor graphically violent displayables and the image descriptions thereof. (Please note that this does not remove violent scenes entirely; continue to use discretion when choosing whether or not to play Soundless)
• Fixes up the after-info screen and changes a particular bit of the bonus content.
• Corrects typos (again augh), terminology (“acolyte” over “neophyte” and “apostle”, correct terms for parts of a church, colloquialisms that wouldn’t be known, etc.), and other various tweaks to the text (cultural corrections et al). These tweaks do not make major modifications to story content, so those who have previously read Version 2.0 of Soundless are free to skip rereading the main story.
• Adds a translation with ruby text for what’s actually being said to Doon Po Sa Amin, so players who do not know Tagalog immediately know its meaning.
• Improves audio engineering.
• …And other little detail changes.

As was also once originally promised with the 1st anniversary celebration, this edition is planned to have an Android port that will come at a later time.

An art update that also lets you toggle between new and old art is being considered. However, this part of Final Verse will have to be produced and shipped as a patch in early 2023 due to scheduling constraints.

Please note that Final Verse raises the OS version requirements due to engine updates. FV will be playable on Windows 7+, Mac OS X 10.10+, Linux x86_64/Arm, and for the Android edition, Android 5.0+. The currently available Version 2.0 will be archived on our website for both posterity and for those who require the current Russian fanpatch.

Artbook

An artbook was originally proposed back in 2018 for the 1st anniversary, and was planned to be sold. As an apology for the delay and a thanks for continued support, it will instead be free. The artbook contains the following content (subject to change):

• Character profiles
• Game artwork, used and unused
• Concept and promotional art

The artbook will be released in tagged .PDF format. If the plan for the updated art patch is gone through with, it will later be updated with the new assets. (Such is the magic of a digital-only release.)

Thank you all for your support over the past five years. I never could have anticipated Soundless‘s reception, and I am still in disbelief that it has become so beloved. I hope that these anniversary gifts suffice as thanks.

May you find your song,

papaya