Fort Valen

Superb! Not only is the art fantastic, but there's a great script, plot twists a plenty, music, great characters and a lot of humour. Have to admit to laughing out loud in some places, and having all the feels during some of the scenes. The way the page highlights who is talking is a unique way of seeing who is talking without it being intrusive. The range of emotions on the characters faces are brilliant as well. I made it through to the final ending first time I played, but I will be going back and having another go as I know there's places I didn't get to visit and things I didn't get to do. Plus.... I want to know what the different endings are. Thanks Daisy and Talia, looking forward to seeing what happens with the characters next.

the art and production on this are amazing! the story is so cool, it made me laugh and then also cry. i really love it <333

Excellent story even if I failed my first run through :) . Great artwork and writing throughout with excellent character development . Really enjoyed it, a lot of heart has obviously gone into making this game and it shows .

I finished it this morning, and I gotta say, for what it is, this visual novel game is great. The art is gorgeous, I love the music, and the characters are fantastic. Not only that, the plot is really well done, too. Sometimes in life, there are no heroes or villains, and this demonstrates that brilliantly.

Fort Valen is a compact, story-driven indie adventure that places its emphasis squarely on character, choice, and atmosphere rather than traditional RPG systems or mechanical complexity. Developed by Tallewellyn Comics in collaboration with Daisy Draws and published by Tallewellyn Comics, the game presents itself as an intimate murder mystery set within a desert fortress, blending visual novel structure with light role-playing elements. Its relatively short runtime is intentional, allowing the narrative to remain focused and emotionally resonant without padding or unnecessary detours. The story follows Vishara Vakricustos, a young woman who has spent most of her life confined within the walls of Fort Valen. Due to past injuries and the intense protectiveness of her mother, Matron Zoe, Vishara has grown up largely isolated from the wider world, observing life rather than participating in it. This fragile equilibrium is shattered when members of the fort’s guard are found murdered, and Vishara is forced to step beyond her usual boundaries. What begins as an attempt to help quickly becomes a personal journey of self-assertion, as she seeks not only the truth behind the killings but also proof that she is capable of standing on her own. Gameplay is structured primarily around reading, dialogue choices, and narrative exploration. There is no traditional combat or puzzle-solving; instead, progression comes from conversations, investigations, and the player’s decisions about how Vishara interacts with others. Choices influence relationships, determine which clues are uncovered, and can steer the story toward different outcomes, including several bad endings alongside a more complete canonical conclusion. This structure places responsibility squarely on the player to think carefully about how they engage with the story, as even small decisions can carry emotional or narrative consequences. One of the game’s strongest elements is its writing and characterization. Despite its modest scope, Fort Valen succeeds in giving its cast clear personalities, motivations, and emotional weight. Vishara’s internal conflict—caught between fear, loyalty, and a growing desire for independence—grounds the story and gives players a strong emotional anchor. Supporting characters feel purposeful rather than ornamental, and interactions often explore themes of trust, duty, and societal expectation. The murder mystery itself is less about shocking twists and more about how the unfolding events force characters to confront their own assumptions and limitations. Visually, the game adopts a stylized 2D art direction rooted in its comic origins. Character portraits are expressive without being overly detailed, conveying emotion through posture and facial expression rather than elaborate animation. Backgrounds evoke the harsh, enclosed atmosphere of a desert fortress, reinforcing the sense of confinement that defines Vishara’s early life. The presentation is understated, but cohesive, ensuring that visuals support the narrative rather than compete with it. Music and sound design further enhance the mood, providing gentle tension during investigative moments and quieter tones during introspective scenes. The game’s pacing reflects its narrative priorities. A full playthrough typically spans only a few hours, but this brevity works in its favor, keeping the story focused and preventing repetition. Replay value comes from exploring alternate choices and endings rather than extended mechanical mastery. Players interested in seeing how different approaches affect relationships or outcomes will find incentive to revisit the story, while those satisfied with a single, complete narrative arc can walk away feeling that the experience was whole and intentional. Like many small indie projects, Fort Valen has some technical rough edges. Interface quirks and occasional stability issues have been noted by players, and the limited scope means that those seeking deep systems or long-term progression may find the experience too slight. However, these limitations are closely tied to the game’s strengths: its refusal to overextend allows it to deliver a focused, emotionally coherent story without unnecessary distractions. Ultimately, Fort Valen is best understood as a narrative experience first and foremost. It offers a thoughtful, character-centered mystery that explores themes of growth, autonomy, and the weight of expectation within a fantasy setting. For players who value writing, meaningful choices, and intimate storytelling over mechanics and spectacle, it delivers a memorable journey that feels carefully crafted despite its modest scale. Rating: 7/10

有趣的游戏！打出了正常结局和一个坏结局... 正常结局也很悲伤 很期待vishy的新冒险：）

Absolutely amazing game!! Played it start to finish and loved it all the way through, story was intriguing and well written, characters were an absolute delight to witness, art was 100/10. If you like murder mysteries, fantasy or Visual novels, pick this game up, it's a great price for the quality you'll get out of it!

Disclosure: I received a free copy of Fort Valen from the developer via my curator page for review. Fort Valen is a short but well-crafted visual novel created by two university students, set in the titular fantasy desert city, that casts you as eighteen-year-old Vishara Vakricustos- the daughter of its iron-fisted ruler, Zoe. Eleven years prior to the events of the game, a young Vishara lost her right arm to a mysterious assailant. In response, her mother instituted a forced exodus of all non-human inhabitants of her city- an event that would have been an outright violent purge were it not for her more even-handed husband, Vishara's father Haloban, who gave the nonhumans a chance to flee- those who refused were less fortunate. The game covers the span of a few days in Vishara's sheltered existence in the fort, studying, conversing with her limited acquaintances and combat training with her mother, ostensibly so that she may one day rule the city. You have some choices of where to go and when, including to sneak out of the fort to go see Vishara's friends in town. As the description says, there is only one true ending but it's pretty difficult to screw up getting to it. The game can be finished in under an hour, so I replayed it a few times to visit different locations and take different dialogue options. Games like Fort Valen are generally not my first choice of game, but I have nothing against them on general principle, especially when they focus on telling a story over complex puzzles or other distractions. Fort Valen does nothing to wear out its welcome- it has nice artwork and music, humor, drama, and very believable characters. I find myself wanting to know more about this world and what is next for Vishara. I appreciate the developer choosing to share their work with me, and any visual novel fans or folks wanting to support small creatives should give the game a look.

I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of this game, and that is no exaggeration. If you're looking for an engaging murder mystery with lovable characters you'll get attached to in no time at all, excellent character development over the course of the game and excellent music/art, look no further. I am not one to replay games typically, but I had a lot of fun replaying this to try out the different story-lines and dig further into the different characters. It was a bit of an emotional roller-coaster to be honest - I was laughing out loud at many points (the meme references were much appreciated!!! xD), crying at others (if you know you know) and was thoroughly invested all the way through. I booted up the game with the intention of spending maybe 30 minutes on it before doing something else, but that 30 minutes turned into several hours and i ended up fully completing my first play-through in one go. I also like the way you've programmed the save files - I like being able to save whenever so I can go back and take another path if I want. Overall, I love the detail and thought put into the game, from the foreshadowing and art to the characters and their journeys. If you guys release anything further, I can say without a doubt that I will be dropping everything to play it. In terms of constructive criticism, I have no feedback over than maybe getting someone to check over spelling (although only the occasional error)? But that's the extent of my nitpicking because other than that, I was thoroughly impressed with what you guys have produced and loved every minute. :)