Can you switch language at any time?

[Danter0r]

Can I switch the language (english to japanese and back) while playing or only from the main menu?

[Mantis]

I'm pretty sure you can do it at any point. Save the game, change the language in the settings, then open the save file. Maybe somebody else can confirm this? (Otherwise I'll make a note to check next time I play.)

[Danter0r]

I'm asking if I can do it while playing, not having to save and load. Some games have the function to do it at any time.
I'm mainly asking because the screenshots make it seem like the multilanguage is a major feature.

[Mantis]

Oh. I don't think so. I mean, it'd have to load double the assets into memory so there'd be no reason for it anyway. Steam has a lot of Asian players so that's probably why you're seeing a lot of Japanese screenshots.

[Danter0r]

It's mainly a vn and there are a number of them that do do that, so that's why I'm curious. Makes learning languages more comfortable.

[Mantis]

Yeah, but it's a lot more than a VN. I mean, sure, on the whole it's linear gameplay, but there's a lot going on with lots of variables, an inventory, exploration, etc. And then with all the assets including ones that are specific to a certain language (e.g. shout sounds, sign graphics) it becomes inefficient to pre-load them all to allow for easy switching.

Saving the game, exiting to the menu, switching the language and loading the game would probably take twenty seconds tops.

[Danter0r]

20 seconds is a hell of a lot of time wasted when looking for a translated line. The screenshots had an options menu next to the text, so I was hoping that had a language option, but I guess not.

[Mantis]

I'll look into it next time I play. (I'm not currently in an episode as I just finished the first game, so I'd have to go through all of the intro and I'd rather do it when I have the time.) If nobody else has answered your question by then I'll let you know, and maybe you'll actually be in luck.

[Danter0r]

Thank you!

[Tassu]

Having just tried, different language settings have different save files apparently, as my Japanese was blank. It did still have all the cases I have unlocked so far stay unlocked, but I could not go to my English saves.
Bit of a shame that you can't change it mid-playthrough too, since it could help you to learn another language, especially once the Language DLC comes out in the summer.

[Danter0r]

Good to know. Guess I'm not getting it(I do have the 3ds version).

[MizManFryinP🍳]

AFAIK you can't.
You are assuming its translated 1:1 but it isn't so there would be lines that are completely removed from the English version and vice versa.

[Danter0r]

Huh? I'm not assuming anything. I don't need exact line by line translations to make use of an english version. And the translated lines do fit pretty well, since they have to reflect what's happening.
It's already been cleared up by Tassu, anyway.