[h1]Every decision has consequences, for which you pay the price... :o[/h1]
[h2]Introduction[/h2]
[i]Luce Spenta[/i] is a horror, psychological visual novel developed and published by MrFaabry. You take on the role of an unnamed character (whose default name is Desconocido if you choose to leave it blank), and you're greeted by Morta, who's your guide through a creepy, dark forest. Morta takes you to five graves, and she tells you to listen to the stories of the deceased in them. Afterwards, you have to decide whether to forgive them, reproach them, or punish them (either by killing or obliviating them). There are a couple of detours during this part of the journey, and after judging all five souls, Morta then takes you somewhere to judge you. What do your choices say, and do you truly have control? :o
As for the gameplay, it consists mainly of choices, and depending on what choices you make and such, you can end up getting one of more than 25 endings. While it's possible to leave unscathed on some routes, it's possible to get punished severely on others. There are plenty of CGs and a few animations as well as a varied soundtrack although no voice acting. Of course, there are lots of Steam achievements, but they won't count towards a user's global total until the game is out of "profile features limited".
[h2]Review[/h2]
When I was offered a review copy via curator connect, I was curious to check out what the game was about, especially since I enjoy visual novels and occasionally, like a good horror story (albeit in small doses lol). Let's explore the game and its aspects, and see what the final verdict is. XD
I like how the story gives off that dark, gothic vibe. Immediately, you know that it's not going to be a happy one. It's interesting to have Morta as your guide, and I took a liking to her, especially during the times that she'd break the fourth wall. (Believe me - there's quite a bit of wall breaking in this game.) With the deceased stories, I enjoyed reading them and getting to know them and how they ended up dead. What I really liked is that after learning of their stories, deciding their fate isn't an easy choice. They made questionable moral decisions when they were alive, but as the judge, you can decide whether there were circumstances in which they can be forgiven or they should be condemned. With the culmination of all those choices, Morta then later decides what kind of person you are and thus, your judgment. I like how this is revealed later on, especially on a first playthrough that will take you by surprise. I do wish that we'd gotten a bit of backstory into the main character, like who they are, but perhaps that's not really relevant.
As for the gameplay, this is where I had issues at times. Even though I like when visual novels have a lot of choices and a lot of endings, it works if they're somewhat doable and not to the point of being overwhelming or annoying. While I was able to obtain quite a lot of different endings blindly, I did have trouble with a few remaining ones. It would frustrate me at times when I'd get certain same endings over and over again. This wouldn't have been so bad if I hadn't continually gotten that one ending in which I had to wait a few minutes before I could play the game again. (Yes, there are a few endings like that.) At one point, I almost just wanted to quit the game because I was that exhausted. However, I will say this which turned things around. The developer was very helpful and patient in providing help, so I was able to get those elusive endings. Also, the game is continually getting updated, so hopefully, for those who play it in the future, it won't be quite as troublesome, especially if you're aiming to get all achievements. Of course, I did get all achievements, and I wanted to do so in order to put out an accurate, thorough review. ^^
With the art, it gives off that dark, gothic vibe, which I feel is perfect for this game. I like the style that is present, and the CGs are especially well done. Although a little bit of AI was used with the art, it's very minor and the art was mostly done by hand. I only wish that there had been a CG gallery in which I can view the CGs that I unlocked, but I can understand why that might not be doable. There are a lot of CGs if you're looking to get all those endings. :o
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3639661251
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3639661430
In regards to the music, I enjoyed listening to the tracks. Like the art, the music gives off that dark, gothic vibe. They're all instrumental in nature, and I like listening to instrumental tracks. They vary from the slower, more somber mood to the faster, more dramatic vibe.
[h2]Conclusion[/h2]
Would I recommend [i]Luce Spenta[/i]? If you're a visual novel fan who likes dark, horror stories and/or you don't mind investing time to get all those endings and achievements (assuming that you're a completionist), then I think it's worth giving a try. I will caution that you might need a lot of patience if you want to 100% complete the game, and it's probably a good idea to take breaks. The game has a complicated system for getting all the endings, and I think that having something simpler in the future would be better. Still, it is doable, and I like the theme of the game in which choices have consequences and no one can escape from them in an ideal world. XD
Finally, I'd like to give a thank you to MrFaabry for the review copy. The game definitely challenged me at times, so I totally appreciate all the help. ^^
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