Ah, okay. Thank you!
So it has no greater significance than that. I was assuming it was in reference to some character or events in the game I'd missed.
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I've been making very slow progress on Requiem for Innocence and I've gotta say I'm just not that into it.
Is there something later on that makes this worth it, or would I be better off just moving on to Reincarnation?
I've reached the point where Jacopo has killed Barnier and taken over as the lord. I wouldn't really say it's bad, but I haven't seen anything yet that justifies retelling this story that was already adequately told in the main game. The twist involving Ceren was also... pretty mediocre, honestly.
Is there something later on that makes this worth it, or would I be better off just moving on to Reincarnation?
The rest of it isn't that much longer, but you can likely assume how the rest will play out.
But there is more to Requiem in general, there's an additional short story that is something different worth seeing, and a small thing after that. So worst case I'd text skip to unlock that.
I just wrapped the credits on Reincarnation and overall loved the game. Gonna take some time to get my overall thoughts together, but that left a hell of an impression on me overall.
Just wanted to pop in and say that if anyone is wondering if there's a Switch version coming (like I did when I heard of this re-release and seriously struggled not to spend way too much money getting a collector's edition for PS4 or Vita even though I'd prefer Switch) this blog [https://exxiel.wordpress.com/2019/0...d-physically-and-digitally-on-ps4-and-psvita/ (for some reason I can't make hyperlinks or even bold text right now, sorry)] helped me decide to wait, since it pointed out that Limited Run Games low key confirmed a Switch version was in development during a livestream they did to promote the game on the 28th of May.
The person who runs the blog has consistently been an underdog superfan of Fata Morgana and reviewed the spin offs/addons/"fan discs" that this version encompassed into a complete set back when they were Japan exclusive, so they seemed like a good source, but I decided to find out for myself if LRG really confirmed a Switch version (since they didn't include a time stamp). I finally found it after a while, and if anyone is interested in hearing the confirmation for themselves, you should go find the Fata Morgana livestream on LimitedRunGames' Twitch channel and skip to the 31:39 mark.
Just wanted to share this piece of information, since basically no one except the writer of that blog has ever talked about it online as far as I can tell, and since this game is such a hidden gem I thought I should help any fellow admirers of this game who held off on this release because they either don't own either of the systems or didn't want to buy it on them. In my case, I really think Switch is the best platform for visual novels since being able to play portably or on a TV really helps increase the options, as although the Vita might be a nice platform, the screen is kind of small to read so much text on honestly.
The person who runs the blog has consistently been an underdog superfan of Fata Morgana and reviewed the spin offs/addons/"fan discs" that this version encompassed into a complete set back when they were Japan exclusive, so they seemed like a good source, but I decided to find out for myself if LRG really confirmed a Switch version (since they didn't include a time stamp). I finally found it after a while, and if anyone is interested in hearing the confirmation for themselves, you should go find the Fata Morgana livestream on LimitedRunGames' Twitch channel and skip to the 31:39 mark.
Just wanted to share this piece of information, since basically no one except the writer of that blog has ever talked about it online as far as I can tell, and since this game is such a hidden gem I thought I should help any fellow admirers of this game who held off on this release because they either don't own either of the systems or didn't want to buy it on them. In my case, I really think Switch is the best platform for visual novels since being able to play portably or on a TV really helps increase the options, as although the Vita might be a nice platform, the screen is kind of small to read so much text on honestly.
Yea I thought Reincarnation did a really great job wrapping up the series.
You definitely want to unlock the bonus scene in Requiem though; and ideally also read the short story that goes along with it, before playing Reincarnation.
Finally finished this. Steam clock said 25 hours when I finished the story.
I wish I liked this more than I did. The initial premise and the apparent mysteries surrounding it are intriguing, and I like the structure of multiple vignettes during multiple time periods building to a final conclusion where they interweave, at least in theory, but each "vignette" is so lengthy and the final conclusion is so long in coming and with so many detours that it becomes beyond exhausting. The "final" arc, which is really the entire latter half of the game if not more, basically ditches that structure, and the earlier chapters become pretty pointless in retrospect.
By the end, the mysteries that seemed to have been set up in the early game mostly evaporate, turn out not to have been mysteries at all or end up simultaneously convoluted and weirdly pointless. And man does the "final" arc drag, by the time it was time to
I was 20ish hours in and it was already mostly clear how things would play out. But just to get to that point I had to get through a small novel's worth of backstory through multiple arcs.
Again, it was exhausting, and the leadup to the conclusion felt perfunctory as a result.
I also think making the nature of the protagonist completely mysterious at first ended up being a mistake.
Oh, and the ending is cliche. Meh.
On the whole, I'm disappointed. No individual part of the story was all that satisfying and the sum of those parts has a lot of issues. I think the writers of this game have a lot of good fundamental instincts, but give in to basic, and honestly lazy tropes too often, and put the appearance of mystery and having "shocking" moments above the overall quality of storytelling, to its detriment. This story really didn't need to be as long as it was either. It seems like there's some kind of obligation to make visual novels take 20+ hours to complete, and it leads to really dreadful pacing. But there are still some appealing elements and characters, as well as some just plain old evocative writing.
For more positive things, the (gigantic) soundtrack is eclectic and has a lot of good stuff. Its production values are mixed, some of the compositions feel a little simplistic and the vocal performances occasionally struggle a bit, but it overcomes all of that, the best tracks are brilliant and it truly nails some of the styles it goes for. Sadly the extremely long runtime and the fact that some tracks are used much more than others (if I ever have to listen to Cicio again I swear) means that the soundtrack overall loses some impact. I wonder why most of the vocal tracks are in Portuguese?
Also, the character art is outstanding. It, the gothic mystery premise and the soundtrack were what attracted me to this game, and yeah, I like it a lot. The Maid's new sprites are just great. Multiple characters have just one body pose, which is evidence of a shoestring budget I suppose, but the facial expressions are mostly dead on. Really lovely. Unfortunate to see objectification of the female characters creep in as much as it did, though it's nothing compared to other visual novels. It feels almost like a concession here, though I wonder who they thought they were appealing to.
I know about the prequel (sad to hear it isn't great, I'll put it on my wishlist and wait for a good price though), but do we know what's next, if anything, from Novectacle? As much as I had frustrations with this game, I'm interested in what they'll do next. Something smaller, that really concentrates the best of them could be very special.
Edit: Oh shit, I forgot to thank OniBaka for the giveaway! Thank you! I know most of my impressions of the game aren't positive, but that doesn't mean I'm any less grateful. I think I gave pretty detailed impressions here, so I hope that's at least something of a repayment :P
I wish I liked this more than I did. The initial premise and the apparent mysteries surrounding it are intriguing, and I like the structure of multiple vignettes during multiple time periods building to a final conclusion where they interweave, at least in theory, but each "vignette" is so lengthy and the final conclusion is so long in coming and with so many detours that it becomes beyond exhausting. The "final" arc, which is really the entire latter half of the game if not more, basically ditches that structure, and the earlier chapters become pretty pointless in retrospect.
What do we actually gain by seeing the characters in these contexts so completely divorced from their later, "true" ones? Yeah, the broad strokes of their characters and individual arcs remain similar, but there's no stronger throughline beyond that. It's like the writers had the idea of individual chapters taking place across different time periods, and separately the whole major arc of the game, and couldn't let go of the former. The White-Haired Girl serving no purpose except to tie the early vignettes together and provide a weird, misjudged "mystery" about Michel's identity is strong proof of this, I think.
change some hearts
Some of it told effectively twice! Chapter 4 was another example of desire for a specific structure/effect overcoming saner writing practices, and we get parts of Morgana's story multiple times from different perspectives too.
I also think making the nature of the protagonist completely mysterious at first ended up being a mistake.
I was expecting some kind of meta-twist at first, which is probably what they intended, using "You" to refer to the protagonist and all, but that leads to nothing and keeping Michel mysterious for so long means his backstory needs to wait until late in the game when things should really be ramping up for the conclusion. His story (his childhood until his arrival at the mansion) is also mostly disconnected from everything else, making it feel awkward.
I feel like I have to mention the treatment of Michel's gender struggles and transition. It doesn't feel malicious, but if people are going to recommend this game they should probably tread lightly because... yeah, it's problematic. Had no idea something like that was in the game going in and got pretty well blindsided. Again, it didn't feel malicious to me, but it could totally be a dealbreaker for some.
I feel like I have to mention the treatment of Michel's gender struggles and transition. It doesn't feel malicious, but if people are going to recommend this game they should probably tread lightly because... yeah, it's problematic. Had no idea something like that was in the game going in and got pretty well blindsided. Again, it didn't feel malicious to me, but it could totally be a dealbreaker for some.
We've been traveling through different time periods so of course we come to the present for the denouement. How very anime :P
I don't actually have strong feelings about this, it's just kinda cheesy, but extra fuck you points for having Mell and Nellie be reincarnated as unrelated people so they could get together. Groooooooooss.
I don't actually have strong feelings about this, it's just kinda cheesy, but extra fuck you points for having Mell and Nellie be reincarnated as unrelated people so they could get together. Groooooooooss.
Morgana herself is definitely my favorite character, even if they step back from making her the truly dark personality she appears to be, which makes her feel inconsistent. She leaned a bit close to the tsundere cliche at times, but her cold demeanor in life in light of her circumstances and her choice to end the curse not because her hatred had truly cessated, but because she was simply tired and had been given a good enough reason to do so felt genuine.
For more positive things, the (gigantic) soundtrack is eclectic and has a lot of good stuff. Its production values are mixed, some of the compositions feel a little simplistic and the vocal performances occasionally struggle a bit, but it overcomes all of that, the best tracks are brilliant and it truly nails some of the styles it goes for. Sadly the extremely long runtime and the fact that some tracks are used much more than others (if I ever have to listen to Cicio again I swear) means that the soundtrack overall loses some impact. I wonder why most of the vocal tracks are in Portuguese?
Also, the character art is outstanding. It, the gothic mystery premise and the soundtrack were what attracted me to this game, and yeah, I like it a lot. The Maid's new sprites are just great. Multiple characters have just one body pose, which is evidence of a shoestring budget I suppose, but the facial expressions are mostly dead on. Really lovely. Unfortunate to see objectification of the female characters creep in as much as it did, though it's nothing compared to other visual novels. It feels almost like a concession here, though I wonder who they thought they were appealing to.
I know about the prequel (sad to hear it isn't great, I'll put it on my wishlist and wait for a good price though), but do we know what's next, if anything, from Novectacle? As much as I had frustrations with this game, I'm interested in what they'll do next. Something smaller, that really concentrates the best of them could be very special.
Edit: Oh shit, I forgot to thank OniBaka for the giveaway! Thank you! I know most of my impressions of the game aren't positive, but that doesn't mean I'm any less grateful. I think I gave pretty detailed impressions here, so I hope that's at least something of a repayment :P
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There's a lot of very valid criticism here, and I don't really have the time to respond to all of it. But here's some sporadic thoughts about why I personally like the game where didn't as much.
The big thematic thing of Fata for me is revenge and forgiveness. It's true: the first three doors don't really do much in terms of the textual plot to advance the story beyond introducing the characters in a setting considered less spoilery. There's some light foreshadowing scattered throughout? Like the story of the girl trapped in the tower in door 1. But it's never really the focus. Really the big thing that I'd say makes the doors interesting by the end is that these events are happening because Morgana the "witch" wants these characters to suffer, yet the white haired girl exists and loves these characters within the events of the doors. It's been a while since I've read it (waiting for my ps4 CE to ship for a reread), but I appreciate the nuance to how Morgana truly feels about these characters.
As for Michel's gender...I dunno, I don't think it was that bad. I thought it was good, actually. The biggest problem for me is that Michel initially wants to transition to do dudely things, like HANGING OUT WITH HIS BROS and GOING HUNTING or whatever. This specific element has a lack of nuance to it, but since how people figure out their gender differs from person to person I didn't mind it too much. At the very least, there's enough nuance elsewhere to make up for it. Michel thinking he's gay, but actually no wrong queer minority, for example. Or the subtext of the white haired girl mystery, that if you just believe that Michel is fundamentally a man, then he should never be up for consideration as a possible answer. As for other problems, uhhh. I'd have liked the term intersex to come up in original game? It is brought up in later material, but if you're not paying attention you might think that Michel solved his gender problems with magic or something. Which *would* have been very problematic.
All that said though, Michel ultimately gets a happy ending and is treated like a dude by the narrative, regardless of the assholes in his life. That's the big positive for me. What you called cliche, I call refreshing given how depressing Fata can be sometimes, and how easy it would have been to #BuryTheGenderQueerPeople. Personally I cried, but that's just me.
As for the prequel, personally I really liked it, but if you were fed up with repeating information in the main narrative, then you probably won't like this either. It's an expansion on the Jacapo and Morgana stuff mentioned in... Was it door 6? If you want to learn more about those two characters, or want more thematic exploration of Fata's themes, the prequel is for you, but if you're not interested in that the prequel isn't going to turn the narrative on its head or anything. Similarly, there's some side stories that come with the prequel that are cool and interesting, but even the best side stories are just that. Side stories.
More queer characters though! That's cool.
As for Michel's gender...I dunno, I don't think it was that bad. I thought it was good, actually. The biggest problem for me is that Michel initially wants to transition to do dudely things, like HANGING OUT WITH HIS BROS and GOING HUNTING or whatever. This specific element has a lack of nuance to it, but since how people figure out their gender differs from person to person I didn't mind it too much. At the very least, there's enough nuance elsewhere to make up for it. Michel thinking he's gay, but actually no wrong queer minority, for example. Or the subtext of the white haired girl mystery, that if you just believe that Michel is fundamentally a man, then he should never be up for consideration as a possible answer. As for other problems, uhhh. I'd have liked the term intersex to come up in original game? It is brought up in later material, but if you're not paying attention you might think that Michel solved his gender problems with magic or something. Which *would* have been very problematic.
All that said though, Michel ultimately gets a happy ending and is treated like a dude by the narrative, regardless of the assholes in his life. That's the big positive for me. What you called cliche, I call refreshing given how depressing Fata can be sometimes, and how easy it would have been to #BuryTheGenderQueerPeople. Personally I cried, but that's just me.
As for the prequel, personally I really liked it, but if you were fed up with repeating information in the main narrative, then you probably won't like this either. It's an expansion on the Jacapo and Morgana stuff mentioned in... Was it door 6? If you want to learn more about those two characters, or want more thematic exploration of Fata's themes, the prequel is for you, but if you're not interested in that the prequel isn't going to turn the narrative on its head or anything. Similarly, there's some side stories that come with the prequel that are cool and interesting, but even the best side stories are just that. Side stories.
More queer characters though! That's cool.
Hey everyone, is this game commute friendly? I need a new portable game for my commute soon.
"Commute friendly" meaning am I going to be running in to nudity or disturbing imagery or anything else that would make me uncomfortable playing it in a crowded subway car.
"Commute friendly" meaning am I going to be running in to nudity or disturbing imagery or anything else that would make me uncomfortable playing it in a crowded subway car.
This game is best played by yourself in the dark. There are definitely at least a few disturbing images (gore at least) that are further reason the game is not really commuter friendly IMO.
Woodbeam I'm sad you didn't like it but thanks a ton for posting your thoughts!
I thought the screenshots of the game on steam are pretty much as gory as it gets, which is not very. Before playing the game myself, I specifically asked people about the disturbing imagery and was told there isn't much and I agree. It's mostly text descriptions.
Sweet thanks. I just have a lot easier time finding time for visual novel type games on my commute than at home!
I'm not sure that the White-Haired Girl is supposed to represent even part of "how Morgana truly feels about these characters." She's a separate entity, and she feels like it, because not even an "ideal" version of Morgana would treat them the way the White-Haired Girl did. The closest a relationship between one of the "villains" and the White-Haired Girl comes to mirroring Morgana's relationship with them is Mell, but even that's pretty distant. The all encompassing forgiveness the White-Haired Girl exhibits isn't even a part of Morgana, the White-Haired Girl makes this explicit in her final scene. It's a characteristic Morgana felt forced to take on and then rejected, which resulted in the White-Haired Girl having that as a genuine trait I guess. It's a weird element, and confusingly written imo, since the White-Haired Girl is supposedly a part of Morgana and returns to her in the end, but exhibits characteristics that Morgana didn't have to begin with. This weakens, rather than strengthens the theme of forgiveness as a counterpoint to revenge in my view.
I totally see where you're coming from here. In retrospect, calling it "problematic" was probably a bit harsh, and I ignored the affirmative representation aspect, which was callous of me. As a straight cis person, my perspective on this is limited, so I apologize. I didn't mean to invalidate anyone's experience. "if you're not paying attention you might think that Michel solved his gender problems with magic or something" was mainly what I was referring to when I called it problematic, because as far as I can tell that's a pretty fair description of what happens, at least in terms of his physical transition. I hadn't thought of the mystery of the White-Haired Girl's identity being a direct affirmation of Michel's gender identity, that's really interesting, though I think it's muddied a bit by the White-Haired Girl's confusing fundamental nature sadly.
No problem!
In terms of being "safe for public," it should probably be mentioned that there are two female characters later in the game that have revealing outfits, one with a ludicrously low cut top and the other with a bodice that's open basically from the navel up. The former character also has one scene of nudity that feels kind of exploitative.
Regarding the second spoiler
Michel is intersex. He was born with ambiguous genitalia and went through male puberty unaided by external factors, which is something that can and does happen in real life.
I'm at the final door but i'm feeling really burnt out on the game not sure if i can continue I feel like its gone on way too long. There is also the side stories to go through how important are they? Can someone just spoil the ending for me and answer a few questions.
Do Michel and Giselle get reincarnated to live happy? What happens to Morgana? Any other things I should know?
I suppose my complaint could be mostly down to the choices of character art. After his six month growth spurt, he appears basically identical to his later 27-year-old self. This is a very dramatic difference from his prior appearance. If the written description of this change is accurate to the experiences of actual intersex people I have no quarrel with it.
So I finished this game today and I am feeling a bit mixed on it.
On the whole I would say it is a good experience but one with a few REALLY bad aspects. It's unfortunate because I was rather enjoying the game overall up until that last point.
On the whole I think it has some very good storytelling beats and does some great things like validating Michel as a transman. On the whole I would actually say I liked it but I have two notable problems, one kind of medium sized and one that ended up souring the game for me.
The first is the structure of the game. I like the vignette idea quite a bit but I feel like the game had kind of run out of steam by the time I was done with it. It's a very emotionally exhausting game, and I guess part of it is my fault for devoting so much time to it so quickly (I guess that says a lot about how compelling it is), but it felt like it could have been edited and been like idk, 20% shorter at minimum? It is something that bothered me but ultimately it's forgivable.
What I have more issue with is Jacopo. Now, by himself, I think there is a decent argument to be made that he maybe gets a little bit too much sympathy from the game given how awful a person he is, but at least you can say that he's a complex character and even if his domestic abuse is treated a bit too leniently, the game at least acknowledges it's wrong. What bothers me is that for whatever reason, Haneda felt the need to make his feelings for Morgana romantic even though she's 12 and there's a 10 year difference between them, and the game doesn't seem to realize how awful and incredibly creepy this sounds. This seems to be part of a larger pattern since there's a 7 year age difference between Michel and Giselle, which did make me a little uncomfortable when it was pointed out, but at least you can make the argument that they are both adults. Not the case here. If Jacopo was like 16 or something when they met then it might be more forgivable since they'd both effectively be kids, but as it stands it's just really gross and puzzling to me, because the game seems to have a decent amount of emotional intelligence otherwise and it in no was necessary for the story. If they were just close friends or he saw her as a daughter or sister like figure it would have made no difference.
The first is the structure of the game. I like the vignette idea quite a bit but I feel like the game had kind of run out of steam by the time I was done with it. It's a very emotionally exhausting game, and I guess part of it is my fault for devoting so much time to it so quickly (I guess that says a lot about how compelling it is), but it felt like it could have been edited and been like idk, 20% shorter at minimum? It is something that bothered me but ultimately it's forgivable.
What I have more issue with is Jacopo. Now, by himself, I think there is a decent argument to be made that he maybe gets a little bit too much sympathy from the game given how awful a person he is, but at least you can say that he's a complex character and even if his domestic abuse is treated a bit too leniently, the game at least acknowledges it's wrong. What bothers me is that for whatever reason, Haneda felt the need to make his feelings for Morgana romantic even though she's 12 and there's a 10 year difference between them, and the game doesn't seem to realize how awful and incredibly creepy this sounds. This seems to be part of a larger pattern since there's a 7 year age difference between Michel and Giselle, which did make me a little uncomfortable when it was pointed out, but at least you can make the argument that they are both adults. Not the case here. If Jacopo was like 16 or something when they met then it might be more forgivable since they'd both effectively be kids, but as it stands it's just really gross and puzzling to me, because the game seems to have a decent amount of emotional intelligence otherwise and it in no was necessary for the story. If they were just close friends or he saw her as a daughter or sister like figure it would have made no difference.
On the whole I would say it is a good experience but one with a few REALLY bad aspects. It's unfortunate because I was rather enjoying the game overall up until that last point.
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In regards to that last point, Requiem expands on that detail a bit.
The first thing that Jacapo thinks when he realises that he has feelings for Morgana is "I must wait until she's older". Is it weird, yes totally, but in Requiem you generally get the feeling that Jacapo agrees and doesn't want to saddle Morgana with that sort of thing. There's a subplot where Maria is like "yo Morgana's self esteem is down the toilet, obviously don't do anything else but maybe telling her would help with that", but otherwise nothing really happens beyond the feeling developing. It's handled about as well as such a plot point could be handled.
... Although if you disagree, that's totally fair.
... Although if you disagree, that's totally fair.
Yeah.
Although
Fragment, a short story about Jacopo and Morgana you unlock at the end of Requiem, complicates things even further. As for Requiem itself, it doesn't really bring up the fact that Jacopo is a fucking pedo, but besides that it gives Jacopo some incredible characterization, to the point he becomes one of the best written villains I've ever seen. I thought Jacopo *was* 16 when he and Morgana met while I read it and for months afterwards, so the entire pedophilia angle of their relationship was lost on me at first. Now that I know I can't make of how it's an absolute narrative non-sequitur.
If Jacopo wasn't a goddamned pedophile the complicated nature of their relationship could've made for some really interesting writing IMHO. To an extent it still is...
SPOILERS FOR FRAGMENT!!
If Jacopo wasn't a goddamned pedophile the complicated nature of their relationship could've made for some really interesting writing IMHO. To an extent it still is...
SPOILERS FOR FRAGMENT!!
It's an afterlife-y sort of place that resembles Jacopo's homeland, and Jacopo pledges to "Win Morgana's heart" in the next life. Morgana's response, to sum it up, is "I don't want to see you ever again but if we meet again, you'd better make me happy." A lot of her dialogue is self contradictory in terms of whether she wants to see Jacopo ever again, as she seems to want to have the (not necessarily romantic) relationship they could've had if Jacopo hadn't done... everything he did, while struggling with knowing the fact that he's, or at least was, a fucking monster who tortured her. This might weird you the fuck out and that's be very understandable. Then again, reincarnation giving people a literal chance to do everything over again, which is what they're talking there, probably changes the dynamics of their 'future' relationship significantly.
OP
OP
Limited edition stuff? Still hasn't shipped. Regular editions? Should've shipped a while ago.
I'm in the final chapter now. This is definitely the best part of the game as everything is coming together and there's a purpose to everything that's happening. It's too bad the journey to get here was such a slog.
Got the Vita LE today.
It's been so long since I've used my Vita that I had to re-enter the date & time. It's almost somber booting it up to start this; it's likely the last thing I'll play on the system, at least for the foreseeable future. It's like a funeral, lol. Can't think of a better game to send off the system with, though.
It's been so long since I've used my Vita that I had to re-enter the date & time. It's almost somber booting it up to start this; it's likely the last thing I'll play on the system, at least for the foreseeable future. It's like a funeral, lol. Can't think of a better game to send off the system with, though.
I've had to listen to three years of people raving about this game but I finally am allowing myself to start it tonight.
For those who got the LRG limited edition, was anyone else missing the poster? How do I go about contacting support?
Mine came with a poster. It seems like you can contact them here? https://limitedrungames.freshdesk.com/support/tickets/new
Finished it yesterday (with the 8th? Ending).
I loved it, but I think there were some things that could make it much better. I think it should (and could) have been shorter, there are some points where it felt like the characters were repeating themselves way too much.
Now what should I do next? What exactly is the back door and requiem?
I loved it, but I think there were some things that could make it much better. I think it should (and could) have been shorter, there are some points where it felt like the characters were repeating themselves way too much.
I definitely had a hard time with the third door. Jacopo is such a piece (in both lives) of shit that it kinda put me off.
Now what should I do next? What exactly is the back door and requiem?
Requiem shows the events described in the Final Door, but from a different, contemporaneous perspective. It's a very good prequel which, despite the seemingly redundant premise, sheds a lot of light on the cast while having some different situations than before. I recommend doing the main Backdoor segment for Fata Morgana before diving into Requiem.
I was pleasantly surprised with Reincarnation. I think the ending of Fata is pretty much perfect, and I was afraid it was going to feel forced and full of fanservice (After all, we already had one epilogue), basically a case of "author can't stop writing about a story already finished" but instead it is a very good continuation.
I was pleasantly surprised with Mell and Nellie in particular, I thought it was going to be LOL ANIMU INCEST, but instead they actually bother to address it in a mature way.
Yukimasa - Pauline are fucking insane, but uh, t-they works, I guess?
Morgana and Jacopo was pretty tough to take, I understand Novectacle loves writing them, but their ending feels a bit rushed? Their memories come back and Morgana is immediately taken away. Also the whole situation - though the novel bothers addressing the age difference and I understand Jacopo is in love with her because of her soul (which are an actual thing in FM's universe) and he's not technically attracted to teenagers, the whole situation rubbed me off. At least she's 18 in the last scene, I guess?
Michel and Giselle are still the cutest thing ever, though I wish they didn't downplay Giselle's past as the maid so much... and yay, she remembered to mention Hayden!!!
George and Didier are still MIA. Kinda weird?
Yukimasa - Pauline are fucking insane, but uh, t-they works, I guess?
Morgana and Jacopo was pretty tough to take, I understand Novectacle loves writing them, but their ending feels a bit rushed? Their memories come back and Morgana is immediately taken away. Also the whole situation - though the novel bothers addressing the age difference and I understand Jacopo is in love with her because of her soul (which are an actual thing in FM's universe) and he's not technically attracted to teenagers, the whole situation rubbed me off. At least she's 18 in the last scene, I guess?
Michel and Giselle are still the cutest thing ever, though I wish they didn't downplay Giselle's past as the maid so much... and yay, she remembered to mention Hayden!!!
George and Didier are still MIA. Kinda weird?
Hi hi, I got this game as a gift from a friend yesterday and after hearing about it for years from friends I finally started playing it.
I'll say I've been loving this game so far. I'm a sucker for mystery tales, and stories that span generations and you see things evolving for the better or worse so this was right up my alley.
It was funny to notice that even though I rarely play VNs, I had this muscle memory in me and instantly knew the mouse commands like right-clicking to hide the UI, or scrolling the mouse wheel to read previous text.
Early on I wished that the text would go a little faster since I guess I don't have that patience to read the game at its own pace (I know I can increase the speed), but I learned to appreciate the different cadences used by different characters to express themselves - like someone who's in pain will slowly speak words and stuff like that - so I'm enjoying the pacing.
In the past, to friends, I would say how I this game's art style was very unappealing to me, mainly how wide the eyes are on people's faces. But by giving the game a shot, I quickly got used to the drawings and now barely notice that what I thought was strange.
On the plot itself (I played up to the start of the four chapter so spoilers follow),
I have been forcing myself to stop playing this game, because I have other things to do and am reading 2 other books right now, but damn if this is the one I'd rather be reading all day xD
I'll say I've been loving this game so far. I'm a sucker for mystery tales, and stories that span generations and you see things evolving for the better or worse so this was right up my alley.
It was funny to notice that even though I rarely play VNs, I had this muscle memory in me and instantly knew the mouse commands like right-clicking to hide the UI, or scrolling the mouse wheel to read previous text.
Early on I wished that the text would go a little faster since I guess I don't have that patience to read the game at its own pace (I know I can increase the speed), but I learned to appreciate the different cadences used by different characters to express themselves - like someone who's in pain will slowly speak words and stuff like that - so I'm enjoying the pacing.
In the past, to friends, I would say how I this game's art style was very unappealing to me, mainly how wide the eyes are on people's faces. But by giving the game a shot, I quickly got used to the drawings and now barely notice that what I thought was strange.
On the plot itself (I played up to the start of the four chapter so spoilers follow),
I think the first chapter was a good setup for which stories were about to come and what kind of mood should you expect from the game. Mell's 180º turn that made him suddenly have the courage to speak about his feelings while also treating his sister like shit made me dislike him because I thought he was genuinely a good person; this game is good at writing conflicted characters. Nellie's yandere stuff is eh, good for shock value but I don't like that type of character.
But it was great to get to know the mansion itself as a character, and the freaky stuff it could do like changing the color of the rose. Also having a baseline for its original state was important to see how things changed over the years.
The second chapter was my favorite so far, seeing something completely inhuman (at the time I thought it was a real monster because it seemed possible lol) take ownership of the place and use it as its killing grounds. Was surprised to see the white-haired girl here again and here's when I noticed that 1. she's in the main menu so she has to be important, and 2. by virtue of appearing in multiple eras she might be me, the Master, since her and the Maid are the only 2 supernatural beings throughout time. But I also wonder if she's just a descendant of the first white-haired girl and the game is trying to deceive me.
I never expected the beast to be the Merchant, I assumed he was one of the many people killed by the beast itself. When the second beast entered the mansion and was murdered, because Yukimasa said he was taller than it, I thought it was Javi trying to get his revenge. But then everything connected and it was his betrothed and that fucked me uppppppppppp, and then the game got unexpectedly political, with the beasts being what they are because of how different they look compared to the natives... and it was so tragic.
And you learn that even if the Merchant would cast aside his monstrousness, he himself was a monster as a human having enjoyed torturing others and acting innocently in front of Pauline. It was a very pitiful chapter and put me in The Mood.
I saw a memory of not-Alucard after leaving the second door, reinforcing my theory that this is not a singular white-haired person appearing throughout time, but a cursed bloodline that somehow retains past memories.
Someone who knows more about history than me may know the war that was being referred to in the last 2 chapters, but for some reason I thought the mansion was located in Europe, which made the third chapter made no sense since it was based in North America.
This chapter was damn brilliant by showing how despicable Jacopo could be and how badly could he treat his wife, making the player hate him, and then flipping the table and showing who was the *real* dipshit in that scenario. That illustration of Maria sitting on the throne was amazing. I told a friend that I thought Jacopo sucked a lot, and he responded by saying he wasn't the worst and I thought "how could that be possible?!", and then she started monologuing about her master plan. Too bad she kept gloating about it instead of killing him on the spot; weak as Jacopo may be, he was still a mafioso and would obv. try to kill her.
I also couldn't not notice how some concepts keep appearing in different contexts: the tale of the girl that would write letters in her locked room, the roses, the paintings, the stained-glass window. Makes me think this is a cursed loop where events are fated to happen similarly.
And now I'm in the fourth room. There was a bit of overheard dialogue at the very beginning, those written in italics and unnamed, that I wanted to re-read so I looked at the backlog and I saw a block of red text over there waiting for me. Seconds after I also saw how some phrases in the backlog had words ommitted from them even though they were visible in the actual game. I don't know what the hell is going on and I'm scared, help!
It also looked like the mansion was built by Mell's grandpa in the ~1500s so I don't know what to expect in the ~1000s, will the mansion be there?
But it was great to get to know the mansion itself as a character, and the freaky stuff it could do like changing the color of the rose. Also having a baseline for its original state was important to see how things changed over the years.
The second chapter was my favorite so far, seeing something completely inhuman (at the time I thought it was a real monster because it seemed possible lol) take ownership of the place and use it as its killing grounds. Was surprised to see the white-haired girl here again and here's when I noticed that 1. she's in the main menu so she has to be important, and 2. by virtue of appearing in multiple eras she might be me, the Master, since her and the Maid are the only 2 supernatural beings throughout time. But I also wonder if she's just a descendant of the first white-haired girl and the game is trying to deceive me.
I never expected the beast to be the Merchant, I assumed he was one of the many people killed by the beast itself. When the second beast entered the mansion and was murdered, because Yukimasa said he was taller than it, I thought it was Javi trying to get his revenge. But then everything connected and it was his betrothed and that fucked me uppppppppppp, and then the game got unexpectedly political, with the beasts being what they are because of how different they look compared to the natives... and it was so tragic.
And you learn that even if the Merchant would cast aside his monstrousness, he himself was a monster as a human having enjoyed torturing others and acting innocently in front of Pauline. It was a very pitiful chapter and put me in The Mood.
I saw a memory of not-Alucard after leaving the second door, reinforcing my theory that this is not a singular white-haired person appearing throughout time, but a cursed bloodline that somehow retains past memories.
Someone who knows more about history than me may know the war that was being referred to in the last 2 chapters, but for some reason I thought the mansion was located in Europe, which made the third chapter made no sense since it was based in North America.
This chapter was damn brilliant by showing how despicable Jacopo could be and how badly could he treat his wife, making the player hate him, and then flipping the table and showing who was the *real* dipshit in that scenario. That illustration of Maria sitting on the throne was amazing. I told a friend that I thought Jacopo sucked a lot, and he responded by saying he wasn't the worst and I thought "how could that be possible?!", and then she started monologuing about her master plan. Too bad she kept gloating about it instead of killing him on the spot; weak as Jacopo may be, he was still a mafioso and would obv. try to kill her.
I also couldn't not notice how some concepts keep appearing in different contexts: the tale of the girl that would write letters in her locked room, the roses, the paintings, the stained-glass window. Makes me think this is a cursed loop where events are fated to happen similarly.
And now I'm in the fourth room. There was a bit of overheard dialogue at the very beginning, those written in italics and unnamed, that I wanted to re-read so I looked at the backlog and I saw a block of red text over there waiting for me. Seconds after I also saw how some phrases in the backlog had words ommitted from them even though they were visible in the actual game. I don't know what the hell is going on and I'm scared, help!
It also looked like the mansion was built by Mell's grandpa in the ~1500s so I don't know what to expect in the ~1000s, will the mansion be there?
I have been forcing myself to stop playing this game, because I have other things to do and am reading 2 other books right now, but damn if this is the one I'd rather be reading all day xD
I just got the collector finally! So i have a question about this version of the game!
Which short stories are new? I only plan to play reincarnation since it's the only one i didn't experience yet, but i'm pretty sure there's some short stories that weren't there before!
Anyone got a list of them?
Which short stories are new? I only plan to play reincarnation since it's the only one i didn't experience yet, but i'm pretty sure there's some short stories that weren't there before!
Anyone got a list of them?
Check the shipment confirmation email, depending on the letter your code starts with, you need to track it from different websites.
I know it worked for mine, but I don't remember which website it was.
Thanks, will do.
Edit: Found it, seems it entered Canada on thre10th so here's hoping I get it soon. Appreciate the help!
I finished this like a month ago, but I didn't have the energy to post mi impressions/opinion on the game, so I'm gonna make it quick.
I LOVED the base game. The art is gorgeous, the music is good for the most part (with a special mention of third door's music), the story and the characters are gripping and I really liked how many mysteries and twists it has.
It got me hooked since the first door. I liked how each door has its own separate story (up until the 5th door, I believe???) that are (apparently) unrelated at all.
I do feel like it could have been a bit shorter, sometimes it feels like they overexplain stuff that is pretty obvious, but that isn't mich of a problem to me.
As I already said
About Requiem, I hated it. The main grip I had with the main story was how sometimes it went on long overexplanations, and I feel like Requiem is that times 10. It should have been so much shorter
I think the only good stuff I got from requiem was the short bit of
As for Reincarnation, I think it's good, but the thing loses a lot of charm with that change of artstyle.
. I don't think there was anything worth mentioning anout the music of Reincarnation. It isn't good or bad, it's just there.
I LOVED the base game. The art is gorgeous, the music is good for the most part (with a special mention of third door's music), the story and the characters are gripping and I really liked how many mysteries and twists it has.
It got me hooked since the first door. I liked how each door has its own separate story (up until the 5th door, I believe???) that are (apparently) unrelated at all.
I do feel like it could have been a bit shorter, sometimes it feels like they overexplain stuff that is pretty obvious, but that isn't mich of a problem to me.
As I already said
I hated the way they went with Totopo and Morgana's relationship. Lile, What in the actual hell?!?!?!
About Requiem, I hated it. The main grip I had with the main story was how sometimes it went on long overexplanations, and I feel like Requiem is that times 10. It should have been so much shorter
and, well, we get to see more of our favorite pedo
I think the only good stuff I got from requiem was the short bit of
Michel and Giselle
As for Reincarnation, I think it's good, but the thing loses a lot of charm with that change of artstyle.
I enjoyed Michel, Giselle, Mell, Nellie and Maria's part. Thought Yukimasa and Pauline's part was meh (and what the fuck, there's something wrong with Pauline) and... Well, I got to see Pedopo 2.0. I skipped a good chunk of this part.
OP
OP
If anyone missed Limited Run Game's physical print, there are limited amount of copies available on Novectacle's Patreon.
oh, shit. I got the standard Vita through LRG, but the soundtrack is just so good. I would love to have that CE.
OP
OP
Thanks to Dunnymeister, if anyone needed a confirmation, Novectacle is porting the game for the Nintendo Switch: