Alaris

3/5。故事很无聊，几乎是有点又臭又长了。主角写得很模糊很呆板，除了圣母好心肠之外就没有别的性格特点。主线无趣，恋爱线写得也无功无过，谈不上很细腻或者情感丰沛。我只打了一条线，有一些立绘和cg貌似是还没完成，经常会有一些弹窗说以后再在这里进行补充，所以如果想玩的话建议还是等再后期一点再入手。 有的设定其实也没讲很清楚，比如说druk明明是人类但为什么会长角，比如fae的世界到底是个什么情况。经常会出现很谜语人的话，但也没有对此解释（也有可能是因为我没打其他线）。价格还是比较适合的，毕竟ea版都有五条完全不同的线了。 纯欧美设定的游戏不知道为什么背景图总用日本街景。立绘比例崩得很厉害，作者有钱请配音其实不如先把立绘重绘一下，而且很儿童风格的立绘配上成男声音的va有点奇怪啊啊啊。cg比立绘精度要高很多。

I have followed Alaris for years now! It was definitely worth the wait. The story is compelling, the art is gorgeous, and the relationships with the love interests feel real. Something I especially appreciate is that each route focuses on a different aspect of the world building and lore.

An engaging game who's strengths lie in weaving threads and character building. I am writing this as it's in Early Access and we are missing lore and paths, so I will update this once everything comes out or write a new review, whatever is allowed. I will list some deficits I see, but will gladly fix anything that is further tweaked in production. Onward! [b]Story:[/b] As I said, the strengths for this game lie for one in how they set up the history of the MC and how you explore and interact with the mysteries of who you are. Each romanceable character (route) has specific insight into your heritage, story, and issues the current world is going through. You are left guessing in one route but get another clue in another route, and so on. It's very replayable and seems to encourage going through again. I do wish some routes focused more on the two main issues (our heritage and the Energy Crisis) but I assume this is an artistic choice and suspect the Fae routes will help fill in the blanks. I have not come across any choices that lock me out of an ending, aside from very very very slow quick time events necessary to fail and get the 'bad end' of your route. The world is intriguing but doesn't seem to have coherent culture. I would love to see it explored more and explained! [b]In summary:[/b] Love the storytelling aspect, wish for a more cohesive world, would love to see a more tidy ending on some routes. Tragic ends are A+, particularly recommend Druk's as it evokes a rather sad fairytale type end. [b]Art:[/b] Lovely. The backgrounds are a delight to look at, soft and comforting and detailed. I want to live in MC's room and walk around the library and flower fields. I love what we see of the fae courts and want to see more! Character design is interesting, particularly of the fae, and you can pick out personality for the most part by looking at them. I do hesitate to say this, but I have to be honest, the main sprites for the LI's are lacking a little. Some are rougher than others, and I fully believe the artist probably did these early on and has gotten better because most of the CG's are lovely but the main sprites for some are...not great. Druk suffers the most from this, but I find Fenir also to look slightly off, along with Kimura and the anatomy for Kayn, and Kuna'a's neck. I don't think Etza looks bad at all, Aisa is so-so. Mom looks okay. I hate to say this but I feel like this is what drags Alaris back the most. These sprites don't match the detail in which the Fae like [spoiler] in the dawn court and Tar, I think, in the forest [/spoiler] have, and it can be super jarring and takes me out of the story when they share screen with a differently rendered sprite. Paricularly because we look at them the most. I don't want to dunk on Alaris, I think it's one of my preferred VN's already, I enjoy it greatly, and the dev has done amazing work. I just want to see Alaris shine. [b]In summary:[/b] Backgrounds are perfection, in love with all the designs, the main cast looks very shaky. [b]Romance:[/b] Intriguing that it is actually plot relevant! Each route has it's own issues and foray and way to get closer to your LI of choice. I tested this and you can romance anyone with any personality trait, they will just make different comments and some like certain things better [spoiler] Kuna'a and Kayn seem to like a flirty protag, for one. [/spoiler]. All LI's have a distinct personality and past and way of reacting to you, making them engaging to explore. If you're looking for super lovey, hands-on romance, this isn't it, it feels appropriately like getting to know someone you're coming to really like. (Even Kayn is pretty chill. We'll see how Kuna'a behaves). [b]In Summary:[/b] Very sweet LI's with their own personality and perspectives on plot. No critcisms. [b]MC customization:[/b] Not overly dramatic. Pronouns/gender/a quick quiz to determine some traits. The traits don't make a huge impact on story, and I sort of wish some choices would lock out other LI's or make some tasks harder. I feel it could make some difference. Essentially you will come to your choice of route and (assuming you're playing a central route because that's what released) you are nearly guaranteed any of them to be into you if you've been halfway interested in them. Or even if not. [b]In summary:[/b] Lacking, but also that isn't the focus of the game. Just keep expectations decent. [b]Gameplay:[/b] Easy to understand and navigate. VERY appreciative of a decent skip system. Never had any issue with saves. Actively tried to cause problems on purpose and all I could manage to do was get two songs to play at once by scrolling back and forth. Impressed by lack of bugs in EA. I do find navigating the communicator a little clumsy (Mouse and computer) as sometimes I have to click a couple times to get a message to generate and sometimes it just pops up. The quick time events are a little too slow, I appreciate it not being too fast but I wish it wasn't so long. [b]In summary:[/b] Easy, non-bugged gameplay, some preferences. Overall, I really enjoy this game. I follow along various socials to keep an eye on it and hope it releases to great success. You can see the time put in and the care. The characters and interesting world building are definitely strengths, and if you like a VN with replayability this is your thing.

As I'm writing this I've finished 3/4 good endings. (I am not a bad endings person and will avoid them at all costs, it is what it is). I absolutely love this game! The story is really well written, the characters are all complex and every route gives you a very different experience. The voice acting is also solid and made the game a lot more immersive. Now, do the sprites in the game look like the banner are, NO, if this is a deal breaker for you just wait for the final release. This is still obviously the early access, if you want more updates the Crescence Studio Patreon page is where you want to go. The studio is very much still working on this release (fingers crossed it happens this year!!). Something that took me a bit to get used to are the personality attributes in this game. I actually really loved how these affect the play through. I created a new MC and played the entire game through for each of the three routes I finished just to see how it all works or impacts how the story goes. As you play you'll get a feel for what types of responses each LI prefers, it wasn't always what I expected which was honestly refreshing. I also found that the LIs responses to things like physical touch seem to be more positive later on once their affection points are higher. Luckily even if you're unsure of what you're doing you can always change ANY choice you make immediately, like scroll your mouse wheel and it'll go back to the option. So if you're super paranoid, you can literally make a choice, check the LIs affection, then go back and try again. I really liked this because it took away a lot of stress for me and also let me play around and see all the fun interactions and reactions from each LI. Due to the nature of how this game plays I don't think a true guide is feasible or would honestly make sense. Though I will say, I've completed Druk --> Kayn --> Fenir so far, in that order. About to do a run to play out Etza's route. I HIGHLY recommend play Druk AND Kayn before Fenir. Just for the sake of how the story progresses. I think I would've been a bit disappointed in their routes if I had done Fenir's first, BUT that's obviously my opinion. Below are some notes I took during my playthroughs, just my general impressions, but yea this game is absolutely worth playing and even if the art is a deal breaker now then wait for the final release, I'll definitely replay the whole thing! Below aren't really spoilers, just my general thoughts on each of the LIs I've gotten the endings for, but still, read at your own risk. [spoiler] [b] Druk (Best Boy Body Guard) [/b] - Be independent and not too flirty at first. This is a bit tricky cause once you're on his route and he's legit interested in you then flirting can give you more affection %. Don't take anyone's ♥♥♥♥ and when possible be direct and fight. - Picked cause I love horns, he's sweet but i was a bit bored at first. - For dates he likes less crowded places. - We help with their trauma. - Ending highest stats were Bravery followed by Charisma. - Story: One Fae group perspective with speculation about MC past - Fave Date: River Picnic [b] Kayn (Hopeless Romantic Secret Sweetie) [/b] - Sass him and call him out on his nonsense. And oddly enough, mind your business xD. - Initially I went on the first date with him to get his affection up since in the beginning there didn't seem to be many choices that increased it. - The first time you go to the library explore to meet up with Kayn. - Similar to Druk, avoided physical intimacy early on, this gave more affection points - We help with their trauma. - Ending highest stats were Kindness followed by Charisma - Fave Date: Flower Field - Story: Other Fae group perspective and some potential MC info, more than in Druk route. [b] Fenir (Angel Baby Shy Tsundere) [/b] - Be curious but respectful and honest. He isn't a big fan of being embarrassed or too much physical affection but later on once he really likes you he warms up a bit to it. - Stay with him at the library. - By far the most general lore and definitely worth waiting to do. - OMG trauma for everyone... so much trauma T____T is good and plot plots, but it hurts. - Ending highest stats were Wisdom followed by Bravery. - Fave Date: Either Cafe or Flower Field [/spoiler]

A charming, heartwarming VN with a fascinating fantasy mystery for your MC to solve. It's always great to be somebody who moves the plot forward instead of just along for the ride while the love interests do all the cool stuff! p.s. Etza my beloved. <3

I don’t often write reviews, but when a game is this good, I have to. First off, the art in this game, both the characters and the backgrounds, is absolutely gorgeous. I really love how much individuality/personality shine through in every character. The changing expressions and visuals during conversations keep things fresh and engaging, plus the extra focus on art during important moments adds a lot of weight. But the story, man, the story is fantastic. It weaves romance into the plot beautifully without letting it overshadow everything else. I’ve got to applaud the developers for making each route feel truly unique. It would have been so easy to just copy and paste the same structure, but they didn’t. Each route brings new locations, new information, and different perspectives. You can play multiple routes to piece together the bigger picture, but even if you only play one, it still gives you a satisfying conclusion. I also love how distinct each love interest feels. They’re all so different, yet they click together so naturally. Their individual struggles, with self doubt, overprotection, fear etc, feels realistic and are handled with care and respect. It really makes you wish you could help everyone. Another thing I want to highlight, which actually drew me into the game in the first place, is the amazing community. There’s no judgment over favorites, everyone’s respectful, and people are always happy to help if you have questions. Being able to gush about the story with others who are just as passionate is such a heartwarming experience. Thank you Crescence Studio, you’ve created a phenomenal game that I’d highly recommend to anyone who loves romance visual novels.

the character sprites are kind of an eyesore :/ i was hoping they'd be more like the banner they're also pretty expressionless, they always look like they're vaguely smiling at me lmaooo (btw achievements are definitely broken. played through the entirety of fenir's route and didn't earn ANY achievements).

alaris is just so wonderfully made, with characters being so welly portrayed, and the storyline being distinct and interesting all the way. Each route gives you a different experience with different lore drops that it feels like you’re on a never ending treasure hunt, and I think that is so cool! I overall has always been a fan of customisable characteristics for players, and the ability to change endings and have different consequences based on your own choices in visual novel games, and Alaris provides that. Not only do you feel like you’re genuinely building a connection with the specific character you chose, you also build a connection with the characters around you that it feels like you’re building a friend group. And most importantly, you get to connect with the character you’re playing as you learn more and more about yourself. I also love the concept of different POVs here and there, as it makes the story flow really well, and you get to understand different thought processes and analyse the different behaviours and thought process of each characters. However, I would like to say that, I do wish that the ending was slightly more longer and you get to understand the story more. But overall, this game is incredible!!

não tenho o hábito de escrever análises aqui na steam, mas quis compartilhar porque esse jogo merece ser descoberto por mais pessoas. comprei alaris recentemente, finalizei minha primeira rota, a do druk, e preciso dizer: a experiência foi maravilhosa! minha relação com o estúdio começou há pouco tempo, quando joguei intertwine e fiquei completamente encantada. a sensibilidade da narrativa, a trilha sonora marcante e o cuidado com os detalhes me fizeram procurar outros trabalhos da desenvolvedora. foi então que encontrei a demo de alaris. quando soube que a versão em acesso antecipado seria lançada em breve, decidi esperar. agora, jogando a versão completa, posso afirmar sem dúvidas: a espera valeu cada segundo. a primeira coisa que chama atenção é a arte. cada personagem, cada cenário e até os mínimos detalhes foram feitos com um cuidado impressionante, resultando em um visual de tirar o fôlego. a trilha sonora não apenas acompanha a jornada, mas a enriquece, trazendo emoção e atmosfera em cada cena. a dublagem também merece destaque, dá vida e profundidade aos personagens de uma forma que me surpreendeu muito (e me deixou boba). a narrativa é outro ponto forte. a imersão é imediata: o universo criado é mágico, envolvente e cheio de nuances que vão surgindo a cada escolha. gostei especialmente da mecânica que molda a personalidade do protagonista de acordo com as decisões do jogador, além da forma como podemos escolher os encontros com os interesses românticos. isso deixa a experiência ainda mais personalizada. o tempo de rota também me pareceu bem equilibrado, mantendo o interesse sem se tornar cansativo (releve meu tempo de jogo, costumo deixar aberto). e claro, não dá para deixar de falar dos personagens. cada um tem seu próprio carisma (ainda com respeito à diversidade de gênero), o que os torna não só cativantes, mas também instigantes. essa variedade desperta a vontade de explorar todas as rotas, conhecer cada detalhe de suas histórias e ver como tudo se conecta. no fim das contas, alaris é um jogo encantador, que une arte, música, narrativa e mecânicas de um jeito harmonioso e apaixonante. fiquei muito feliz por ter jogado e com certeza vou acompanhar de perto tanto as futuras atualizações quanto os próximos projetos da crescence studio. se intertwine já tinha me conquistado, alaris só confirmou que esse estúdio tem um talento incrível!

this game is so cute !! i just finished my first route, Etza, and i can tell how much love was put into this game! the music, backgrounds, CGs, and multiple voiced lines were lovely. while some sprites may look a little outdated (personal opinion) or some haven't been uploaded yet since this is only EA, i can assure you that the high quality of literally everything will "make up for it." i also love that we get to see how everyone interacts (even if they're not SUPER fleshed out) in the route, beyond just your romantic interest. it was fun to see everyone's banter! it's worth sticking around for. TRUST. the story itself is pretty intriguing, and i can't wait to learn more about the world and our main character specifically! as for the interface, at the beginning waiting for all the text to load (or clicking too soon) would cause me to miss some text. you know how in most games/VNs you can double click to show the entire text box without waiting? at the beginning at least, though i don't know if it was resolved or i simply got used to it, the text would just whiz by without me getting to read it. luckily, there's a log button. i DO wish there were a codex we could reference (rather than needing to wait for a highlighted word with the definition to come up), and i also wish we could access our texts/messages throughout the story. sometimes i didn't get to read everyone's texts because i would accidentally respond to the story-progressing texts too soon. i also found it confusing to navigate the text interface at first (here's how: you need to click on names to open their messages, click the screen to progress it, and sometimes choose a response), i think a more obvious "next" button / arrow or something that let us know to click the names to switch between texts/group chats would have been useful. i think the "q" function was cool ! :) overall, i can say that a lot of love was put into this game! i can't give a full review as i've only played 1 route and i'm reviewing while it's still in early access, but i'd say this is a relatively relaxing game. DO BE AWARE OF THE CONTENT WARNINGS!! it's not super dark, but it can have parallels to uncomfortable real life situations that you may have experienced. i found that they handled it pretty well in Etza's route where they calm you down after you were stalked/almost kidnapped and attacked. the MC doesn't magically heal or forget about the experience either. their trauma comes up multiple times as they come to ask others for help, develop a sense of unease and aversion to walking around at night, and even act slightly more hostile to the assailant when they come back. it's not really a spoiler, but don't worry-- everything is handled with taste, and it's not meaninglessly put there for the sake of plot / damsel in distress moments. i hope this encourages you to get into the game! it's genuinely beautiful and i'm excited to play more. <3