Your summer vacation begins now
Boku no Natsuyasumi 2: Umi no Bouken-hen is a summer adventure video game developed by Millennium Kitchen and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 2. The game follows a young boy, Boku, as he spends the month of August 1975 at his aunt and uncle's bed and breakfast while his parents prepare for the birth of their second child. You'll explore gorgeous environments, collect bugs, catch fish, and get to know the locals. It's very, very relaxing.
The goal is to play one in-game day on each day of August, syncing up the gameplay to the real-world calendar. I suggest that you journal or blog about your experiences over time. I've created a dedicated page documenting my own playthrough, which you can find by clicking here.
Participation
This is a one-month commitment. Participants download, install, and play Boku no Natsuyasumi 2 over the course of August 2026, starting on the 1st and ending on the 31st. You can expect each day to require about thirty minutes of your time. At the end of the month, we may gather online to discuss our experiences.1
Requirements
In order to play Boku no Natsuyasumi 2, you'll need the following:
- PCSX2, the premier PlayStation 2 emulator. You'll also need a PS2 BIOS file.
- A patched copy of Boku no Natsuyasumi 2 using Hilltop's English translation. Reach out to me on Discord if you need help figuring this out.2
Note: If you intend to bump up the game resolution within PCSX2, be sure to click the Hilltop link above and follow their instructions lest you encounter a handful of graphical issues.
Game Systems / Tips
There are a few things you should absolutely know before playing the game.
- Time only passes when you transition between scenes/enter another room, so feel free to explore each room thoroughly. If you want to explore more scenes each day, you can change the game speed in the settings.
- Saving happens at the end of each day when you write in your diary. You'll miss your morning calisthenics if you're out too late!
- Try to interact with anything that looks interesting. There's a ton of flavor text, including hidden paths that require pressing the interact button.
- Have fun. There's no wrong way to play the game.