Windows Lunatic Dawn: Passage of The Book (English Patched) Windows

[CSmith327]

Game Description:​

Lunatic Dawn: Passage of The Book (ルナティックドーン 前途への道標) is an RPG video game published by Artdink and developed by Artdink released on 1997 for Microsoft Windows.

Official Description:

Nonlinear RPG

Your adventure takes place on a vast continent inspired by medieval Europe, Japan, and China. This world is governed by the four forces of Order, Chaos, Good, and Evil. Your actions will affect the balance of these forces and the future of this world.

Choose your own adventure

You are a free adventurer. Go to an inn and select your quest. From simple tasks like shopping and delivery to extermination and escort, and even smuggling. Depending on how you choose to live, you could become a great hero or a great villain, saving the world from darkness or helping to destroy it.

Translation Credits:​

Released by: MeshGearFox
Language: English
Status: Mostly Complete (missing the maps that the addendum patch translated)
Patch Version: 1-28-2018 Beta
Date: 28 Jan 2018

Source and details: https://romhack.ing/database/content/entry/kNNv5JQBNs8FWu0CunlA/

Addendum Patch Credits:

Released by: egooper
Language: English
Status: Fully Translated (translates the maps and fixes several localization issues and typos)
Patch Version: v1_May2026
Date: 9 May 2026

Source and details: https://romhack.ing/database/content/entry/KICwnZiwQJOx1YPfmi4OQA/

This is the second entry in a series of western computer style RPGs by Artdink Corporation. It has been fully translated and is widely considered by fans to be the best entry point to the series.

It's a complex open world sandbox RPG with a considerable level of depth for something from that time. While the world in the first game in the series was randomly generated, the world in this game is not and instead is nicely crafted and well polished.

Impressively, the world of the game is fully simulated: clearing monsters around a city will cause it to grow, nations will attack each other causing some cities to flourish or become ghost towns, special events like tournaments are held, rare item stores appear, and bounties will be placed on certain NPCs.

You can even marry other adventures/companions and settle down in a house and have a family in a town of your choosing. However, your alignment based on good/evil and order/chaos shifting due to your actions (i.e. murder or stealing) can cause your companions to leave you.

Moreover, the game continues even if your main hero dies, so you can start anew and hear that the widow of your previous hero killed one of the dungeon bosses.

A common complaint about this game (and games of a similar design) is that the UI of the game uses windows and looks more like a series of apps and tools instead of a game. IMO I think this style of interface is a unique design and is a computer-positive approach. It also looks nice when you get all your windows setup and arranged how you like.

Despite the positive stuff I just said beware that this game is not very casual player friendly at all and is pretty difficult. There also seems to be a permadeath feature in place when you reach game over and you'll have to create a new main hero.

There is a help index that probably helps explain how to play and get started, but it's only in Japanese. Since it can be confusing at what to do, it might be a good idea to find and consult a playthrough of this someone has made on YouTube.

To play the game simply run LD95_e.exe then you can create a new world and your characters to start.

Note: the map in screenshot 3 is translated in this. That screenshot is of one without the addendum patch.

Download Links​

• Lunatic Dawn: Passage of The Book (English Patched) Windows

 

[Azuris]

Looks very interesting, also a very nice box art!

 

[caiuumtoro]

I found mine IN THIS LINK HERE

Leads to a google drive and a github release in the comments!

Thank you Alma, but that didnt worked either,

Ill wait, usually people release fixes for this sort of thing after some time

 

[CSmith327]

I had to apply the patch from the source link provided in the post. Otherwise, launching the executable ending in '_e' just launches in JP. Not complaining just letting anyone with a similar problem know.

Something probably happened when you were extracting it that messed up the patched files in it. So far you're the only person who has had this issue. Everybody else I've talked with about it on here and on Discord haven't had any issues of it not being translated. Just the _e .exe being there shows that it's been patched as the base game doesn't come with that. So the files in the post are patched with both the main and addendum patch. Seems like just an isolated incident

 

[superFreak420]

I had to apply the patch from the source link provided in the post. Otherwise, launching the executable ending in '_e' just launches in JP. Not complaining just letting anyone with a similar problem know.

 

[NecroBanana]

What a weirdly detailed game for its time. The UI also reminds me a lot of some game I downloaded on a whim back in the day. I don't remember a THING of it other than it had a lot of windows and was originally a Japanese game that got translated and I downloaded off ThePirateBay. I guess Japan had a lot of games that look like this in the old days. I also wonder if ever someone will make a non-Linear RPG like this, Zill'Ort or Weltorv Estleia. It seems to be a genre kinda stuck in Japan cause nobody seems to want to do a "live your life as an adventurer, eventually the main villain will show up, lol" type of RPG

Post automatically merged: May 28, 2026

You know, this kind of concept of a classically designed, but incredibly open and modular RPG would work very well with a modern coat of paint, I think.

"Open World" is such a tiresome buzzword in the industry these days, and I tend to eye-roll whenever it is mentioned, but this here? seems genuinely open in actually interesting ways.

I think the problem with modern open world games is that usually it means "checklist" rather than true "go anywhere" type exploration. This is why a game like Elden Ring despite having what can feel like too much content at times was still praised for its open world because you don't have to do the content, you can just do whatever else you want. You can even explore 90% of the map before beating a single boss if you know where to go.

This game and others like it (Zill'Ort, Weltorv Estleia etc) act in a similar fashion.

 

[AlmaElma123]

This one?

Downloads do Pacote Redistribuível do Visual C++ com suporte mais recentes

Este artigo fornece links de download para os pacotes redistribuíveis mais recentes do Visual C++.

learn.microsoft.com

I found mine IN THIS LINK HERE

Leads to a google drive and a github release in the comments!

 

[caiuumtoro]

Gave it a test on my Windows 11 and it works just fine. You may wanna try the Direct X/Visual C++ thing. I think you can even find a mega pack of all of them ever made so you cover all grounds.

This one?

Downloads do Pacote Redistribuível do Visual C++ com suporte mais recentes

Este artigo fornece links de download para os pacotes redistribuíveis mais recentes do Visual C++.

learn.microsoft.com

 

[LordeKrull13]

I just wanted to know: Are there other games where the player gets to become a hero or a villain? I mean, for PC?

 

[angelicshine]

I adore this game. I'm so happy there's an improved patch! Artdink is the best!
A very computer-ass computer game, lol. here is the guidebook... in japanese, that is.

 

[sun0wl]

A fussy windows-based, esoteric RPG made by ArtDink that can run on the old Compaq Presario 2256 that I bought on a nostalgia-fueled whim? I don't think I've ever clicked on anything so fast in my life. Bless the fan translators and uploader. Thank you!!

 

[Mazewindow]

That was the first thing I did. I am just assuming my NAS is blocking it now due to me rushing through the login prompt and canceling out.

Post automatically merged: May 24, 2026

Just finished trying this. had around 8 entries. deleted them all, nothing changed :(

Extracting to another folder won't work; it must remain in its original folder.

Had the same error, this solved it for me!

 

[CSmith327]

The patch was originally intended for the Steam Legend Pack version, released worldwide by Degica.

Technically you're wrong. This patch is for the separate Steam listing of this exact game that was released that same year in 2015. The Legends pack has Lunatic Dawn (1993), Lunatic Dawn II (1994), and Lunatic Dawn III (1998) but not this game. The ones of 1 and 2 in the pack are PC-98 versions. Either way it doesn't matter. The fact this game was rereleased 11 years ago on Steam isn't enough to deter me from sharing it on the Repo. A lot of people (myself included) feel like $16 USD is too high of a price for this game. So if this helps a lot more people get to experience it in full English then my mission has been accomplished

 

[HQ Dispatcher NANCY]

The patch was originally intended for the Steam Legend Pack version, released worldwide by Degica.

 

[Marcel0]

All of this game say: "game for PC users" in his interface.
Great.

 

[CSmith327]

@CSmith327 Thank you for posting this. I loved it so much that upon finding out it's on Steam, I bought it and patched it, just so I play it on Steam and could support the developers, who ported it themselves.

I'm glad to hear you enjoyed it so much. Seeing comments like yours makes the effort I took to find and share this worth it. Tbh I'm hesitant to play the game myself. It's an intimidating looking game and I've not really played any computer RPGs like this one before. The gameplay loop and how the world works in it also seems to take up a lot of time to manage. I'm sure it's worth it tho since it looks like a very deep and engaging game. I just don't play games as much as I used to, whenever I'm not hanging around the repo I'm usually reading fanfiction.

Post automatically merged: May 24, 2026

That was the first thing I did. I am just assuming my NAS is blocking it now due to me rushing through the login prompt and canceling out.

I searched and Google AI Overview said this about what to do to revert it back so that the login prompt will appear again. I dunno if it'll actually do anything tho. I've never really used network drives like that for anything.

 

[IamtheWalrus]

@CSmith327 Thank you for posting this. I loved it so much that upon finding out it's on Steam, I bought it and patched it, just so I play it on Steam and could support the developers, who ported it themselves.

 

[5thWolf]

I had the same error message. I didn't read the instructions on how to start the game and ran LD95.exe instead of LD95_e.exe, so I deleted the entire game folder and extracted it again, ran LD95_e.exe, and the game ran without any issues.

That was the first thing I did. I am just assuming my NAS is blocking it now due to me rushing through the login prompt and canceling out.

Post automatically merged: May 24, 2026

I would try looking in the registry and find the entry relating to when you cancelled it. Then delete that entry and try it again to see if it prompts and don't cancel it.

Just finished trying this. had around 8 entries. deleted them all, nothing changed :(

 

[Dunne]

I am getting this error when I try to run the game. Anyone by chance know a solution?
View attachment 188615

Post automatically merged: May 23, 2026

Ok, I run all my older windows games and EMUs on a mapped network drive. All my games run just fine. This one prompted the network drive credential log in and I hit cancel to make sure I was running the right exe. Then when I ran it again the credentials pop-up didn't show and I got the error. Running it from my desktop it runs perfectly fine. So I am assuming I should have just entered in the network credential log in. So is there anyway to get windows to ask again the for the map drive credentials again for this exe? It seems like Windows remembers I canceled for this exe and doesn't prompt it again.

I had the same error message. I didn't read the instructions on how to start the game and ran LD95.exe instead of LD95_e.exe, so I deleted the entire game folder and extracted it again, ran LD95_e.exe, and the game ran without any issues.

 

[5thWolf]

I think Book of Futures is the 1995 Windows version of the first game. It originally came out in 93 for the NEC PC-98 series of Japanese computers. Both the Windows and PC-98 versions of that are translated. So there's 3 that have full translations; those 2 and this one. I dunno about the later games in the series. They might have partial patches but none of the others are full translations yet.

Post automatically merged: May 23, 2026

Try using the find feature in RegEdit and search for ld95_e.exe or for the exe of the other one and delete anything related to it. You can also try using Revo Uninstaller Pro to seek out any system changes and related files for the game by right clicking on the folder that has the game in it and choosing to uninstall it through Revo (even tho it's not technically an installed program you can use that feature to remove traces left by apps in folders like that) then it'll scan for changes and offer to delete them for you. Revo Uninstaller Pro is paid software but you can find it from somewhere like cracksurl. It's an essential app that I think any PC user should have since when you normally tell programs to uninstall they still leave behind traces in the registry and cache files. Those files just slow down your PC over time from causing registry errors, not to mentioned some of the left over cache files can be sketchy. So Revo will truly remove all traces of an app from your PC. It's also a good way to fully reinstall an app by removing everything first and trying again so it'll be a clean install. My buddy Rage Burner even uses it, when I mentioned it to him he said he had already been using it. Maybe this game might not even work on the network drive thing, but that would be a way to unto the change you made when you cancelled that for that .exe

Thanks a million! I will definitely try! Will let you know once I get a chance at it!

 

[AlmaElma123]

Always wanted to play this one (but i dont know if i will be able to play it. I play my games on a pc hooked on the living room tv, while a sit on the couch

for this one ill be sitting a little bit closer using an keyboard+trackpad, but it isnt always confortable)


EDIT: oh no, im getting the "a lot of strange characters in a window" error when i try to start the game. I didnt change any kind of registry, is there an easy fix?

There is a fair bit of dependencies that need to be installed in order for this game to run. Mostly like DirectX and Visual C++ or something. I'll have to look back at the redistributable folder that came with the game. Also try not to run any kinda app locale changing apps like Locale Emulator or anything like that as that can mess with it in the addendum applied patch.

Post automatically merged: May 24, 2026

Actually it seems like the only requirement for this game is the DirectX install from June 2010. I'd say it's safe to say most people already have that, but if not you can find a version of DirectX that includes that one from Microsoft if you just google for a directx installer. Does the game not work with Windows 11? I only have 10. @AlmaElma123 When you get the chance can you see if this will run on your Win 11 PC?

Gave it a test on my Windows 11 and it works just fine. You may wanna try the Direct X/Visual C++ thing. I think you can even find a mega pack of all of them ever made so you cover all grounds.

 

[CSmith327]

Always wanted to play this one (but i dont know if i will be able to play it. I play my games on a pc hooked on the living room tv, while a sit on the couch

for this one ill be sitting a little bit closer using an keyboard+trackpad, but it isnt always confortable)


EDIT: oh no, im getting the "a lot of strange characters in a window" error when i try to start the game. I didnt change any kind of registry, is there an easy fix?

There is a fair bit of dependencies that need to be installed in order for this game to run. Mostly like DirectX and Visual C++ or something. I'll have to look back at the redistributable folder that came with the game. Also try not to run any kinda app locale changing apps like Locale Emulator or anything like that as that can mess with it in the addendum applied patch.

Post automatically merged: May 24, 2026

Actually it seems like the only requirement for this game is the DirectX install from June 2010. I'd say it's safe to say most people already have that, but if not you can find a version of DirectX that includes that one from Microsoft if you just google for a directx installer. Does the game not work with Windows 11? I only have 10. @AlmaElma123 When you get the chance can you see if this will run on your Win 11 PC?

 

[caiuumtoro]

Always wanted to play this one (but i dont know if i will be able to play it. I play my games on a pc hooked on the living room tv, while a sit on the couch

for this one ill be sitting a little bit closer using an keyboard+trackpad, but it isnt always confortable)


EDIT: oh no, im getting the "a lot of strange characters in a window" error when i try to start the game. I didnt change any kind of registry, is there an easy fix?

 

[CSmith327]

Book of Futures and Passage of the Book are two different games, right? And those are the only entries with English translations?

I think Book of Futures is the 1995 Windows version of the first game. It originally came out in 93 for the NEC PC-98 series of Japanese computers. Both the Windows and PC-98 versions of that are translated. So there's 3 that have full translations; those 2 and this one. I dunno about the later games in the series. They might have partial patches but none of the others are full translations yet.

Post automatically merged: May 23, 2026

Do you by chance know how to pinpoint that in the registry?

Post automatically merged: May 23, 2026

Would Love to get my hands on Book of Futures if it's translated!
Seems like the translation is available.
https://www.romhacking.net/translations/2585/

Try using the find feature in RegEdit and search for ld95_e.exe or for the exe of the other one and delete anything related to it. You can also try using Revo Uninstaller Pro to seek out any system changes and related files for the game by right clicking on the folder that has the game in it and choosing to uninstall it through Revo (even tho it's not technically an installed program you can use that feature to remove traces left by apps in folders like that) then it'll scan for changes and offer to delete them for you. Revo Uninstaller Pro is paid software but you can find it from somewhere like cracksurl. It's an essential app that I think any PC user should have since when you normally tell programs to uninstall they still leave behind traces in the registry and cache files. Those files just slow down your PC over time from causing registry errors, not to mentioned some of the left over cache files can be sketchy. So Revo will truly remove all traces of an app from your PC. It's also a good way to fully reinstall an app by removing everything first and trying again so it'll be a clean install. My buddy Rage Burner even uses it, when I mentioned it to him he said he had already been using it. Maybe this game might not even work on the network drive thing, but that would be a way to unto the change you made when you cancelled that for that .exe

 

[5thWolf]

I would try looking in the registry and find the entry relating to when you cancelled it. Then delete that entry and try it again to see if it prompts and don't cancel it.

Do you by chance know how to pinpoint that in the registry?

Post automatically merged: May 23, 2026

Book of Futures and Passage of the Book are two different games, right? And those are the only entries with English translations?

Would Love to get my hands on Book of Futures if it's translated!
Seems like the translation is available.
https://www.romhacking.net/translations/2585/

 

[Porybius]

Book of Futures and Passage of the Book are two different games, right? And those are the only entries with English translations?