The Apothecary Diaries: The False Imperial Brother announced for PS5, Switch 2, and PC

In cooperation with TOHO Games, the studio revealed that players will step into the shoes of Apothecary Maomao once again. This new mystery-solving adventure challenges users to craft herbal medicine and utilize cunning deduction to uncover the truths behind the "Five Mysteries" and "Five Curses." These two chains of strange phenomena and conspiracies are causing chaos throughout the rear palace, the pleasure district, and the streets of the capital.

The story begins shortly after Maomao begins work as a maidservant in the rear palace. Rumors of unexplained happenings spread like wildfire amongst the court, including a faceless eunuch, a storehouse that wails every night, and garments turning deep red without warning. When Master Jinshi entrusts her with investigating these mysteries, Maomao uses her medicinal knowledge and keen observation to gather evidence.

On a visit home, Maomao befriends traveling actor Guanyu, who gradually begins to pull the apothecary into the very real drama of his life. Time passes, and while the Shi clan's rebellion is swiftly quelled, similar mysteries begin popping up throughout the castle town, earning the moniker the "Five Curses." Maomao stumbles upon a masked man calling himself the "imperial younger brother," a vigilante righting wrongs that Jinshi insists is not him.

Key features include an untold story unearthed at last, featuring five mysteries perplexing the rear palace and five curses plaguing the surrounding town. Gameplay involves exploring, collecting evidence, crafting medicine, organizing information, and making deductions. Players conduct witness interviews, organize clues in their notebook, and choose which information to present to involved parties to earn trust.

Users can gather ingredients and compound medicine by exploring surroundings to discover medicinal herbs. Ingredient quality and variety influence the difficulty of each addictive crafting minigame and the effectiveness of the final product. An automated feature allows hasty healers to craft high-quality herbal remedies quickly and with ease. Watch the announcement trailer below.