Amarantus

Absolute top quality VN. The art is gorgeous, the animation is incredibly effective, and the writing is the perfect balance of realistic and poetic. Replayability is off the charts; I've spent 12 hours in here at time of writing this review and I still have so much left to explore. The story manages to be realistic about revolution and power in a way that I was hopeful for but not expecting, the world building is solid and unique, and the romances manage to be both sweet and visceral. Also there's polyamory, so extra points for that. And on a selfish note, it's so nice to read Australian style dialogue in a game in a way that's not self-conscious or comical. Don't know when the world all agreed fantasy characters only speak like Brits or Yanks but it sucks and so this was just. So nice. Felt like home.

The protagonist on this visual novel is a young man who is brought up by dissident parents who tend to be more talk than action, though their past is hinted at. He is forced to flee from government soldiers, after his parents are taken into custody, and his home burned down. Tired of people saying things need to change and nobody actually doing anything about it, he decides to go to the capital city and confront the dictator who rules the country, and sets off with a few like-minded friends who come along for the ride. The story is the people he meets on the journey, the choices he makes, and the outcome of his meeting with the tyrant, assuming he makes it to the capital without being captured as soldiers search for him. There are basically two games, and to unlock the second game, you need to complete the first, though if you make it right to the very end there are further discoveries to be made. There are plenty of choices to be made, so there is opportunity to replay the game. The save system allows you to go back to a particular choice to see what happens if you made a different decision. The illustrations are lovely! Many of them look like they are old-fashioned etchings with limited washes of colour to add to the atmosphere they create, and the characters in the story themselves look like old-fashioned cut-outs from a child's theatre, though in this case the eyes move and the faces show expressions to match what is going on. There is a "History" folder so you can reread anything you miss, and I found this essential as the speed of the text is not consistent. The music is unobtrusive. My four hours so far is for the first run-through, so I will get plenty of mileage out of this game. Yours will probably be different. I enjoyed the tale. I found the protagonist and his friends to be likeable, neither perfect nor imperfect, and thoroughly annoying at times, which makes them all the more attractive and realistic than the characters usually found in interactive fiction. The plot is centred on the characters and their journey and their thoughts and feelings as they travel, so don't expect any battles or one on one physical fighting. The emphasis is on being your own person and trying to do what you think is right, and weighing up the cost, without being judgemental. While this is sad, its not depressing, and I still have the second part of the game to work through before seeing what the outcomes could have been if I made different choices along the way.

Una idea potente malgastada con personajes y giros cliché.

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Amarantus is a fantastically immersive visual novel with captivating characters and immense replay value. It is fun to uncover more mysteries, character motivations and dialogue options on every playthrough (I've done four of them so far and it was worth it every time). The music and the fun little character animations give this game its own flair. I don't want to spoil anything here, but if you are looking for an excellent narrative about friendship and rebellion, with plenty of options for you to shape your destiny and that of your team, Amarantus is for you.

I don't play a ton of visual novels all the way through once - let alone twice - but this one got its hooks in me. Terrific characterization (Reanne in particular), consequential choices, and a well-realized world with its own history and nuances of language (be sure to read the glossary). Subsequent playthroughs reveal more about the characters and the truth of the story told. Definitely worth your time.