Spice and Wolf: The Wind that Spans the Sea

Spice and Wolf: The Wind that Spans the Sea (狼と香辛料 海を渡る風) is a dating and business simulation game released in Japan on September 17, 2009, for Nintendo DS.

The game takes on and improves many elements from its predecessor, My Year With Holo, without being a direct sequel.

Production
The game was developed by ASCII Media Works in collaboration with the Spice & Wolf Production Committee.

Story
Players step into the shoes of series’ protagonist Kraft Lawrence on his adventures with Holo. While travelling north to find information about Holo’s hometown, the two are confronted by a massive channel of water which they cannot cross without passing through strict identity checks, impossible for the wolf-eared Holo to complete. Searching for alternative passage, they meet game-original character Luka (ルカ, Ruka), daughter of a ferryman who is currently missing.

Gameplay
Like the first game, gameplay consists of travelling through various locations, trading goods, and acquiring information to uncover the conspiracy behind the Church preventing access to the north. There are various new and improved mechanics, such as the inclusion of contracts with strict deadlines for deliveries and a grid-based inventory system.

Also new is the inclusion of a third character to travel with, allowing players the opportunity to decide between deepening their relationship with Holo or another heroine of their choice. Possible companions include Nora, a shepherd; Eve, a merchant whose skills are said to outclass Lawrence’s; or new character Luka.

Additional Content
Released at the same time as the regular game, the limited edition features three additional bonuses. The first is a soft cover for a DS with art of Holo drawn by Emu, who was responsible for all the chibi character artwork seen in both games. The second is a CD complete with 24 soundtracks from the game, and the last is a reproduction of the massively popular life-sized preorder bonus poster from the first game, this time featuring images of Holo and Luka on either side.