[h1]An intriguing story of three lives intersecting and converging to confront the astral plane. :o[/h1]
[h2]Introduction[/h2]
[i]paravalence ~with my angel[/i] is a kinetic visual novel developed and published by Effigy Softworks Ltd. It narrates three stories: Antoine (a tomboy who feels isolated until she finds a friend who seemingly understands her), Thomas (a young cabinetmaker whose grandfather has recently passed away and is dealing with a supernatural entity that only he can see), and Cecilie (a daycare worker who has clairvoyant powers). All three main characters have the ability to see beings in the astral plane, which may make them behave in usual ways. Despite their problems, love may be the way to resolve them...
As for the gameplay, the story is linear, so no choices are present. Upon starting the game, you only have access to Antoine's story. After completing it, you can access Thomas' story and after completing that, you can access Cecile's story. There's a brief epilogue after finishing all the stories, and throughout this visual novel, several CGs are shown although no CG gallery is present. A varied soundtrack is present, too, but at the time of this review, no Steam achievements or trading cards are available, and the game won't count towards a user's global total until it's out of "profile features limited".
[h2]Review[/h2]
I remember that this visual novel caught my particular interest way back when it was first released, as it felt very different from a lot of ones that I usually read. Thanks to the developer, I got a review copy even though it's only now that I'm getting around to it (really should have done it sooner :o).
[h3]Story and Writing[/h3]
Upon being introduced to Antoine and her daily life, it's obvious that the writer is setting the tone for a depressing story. As Antoine dresses more like a guy, she gets called a lesbian (even though she has no known romantic preferences) by idiotic guys at her high school and her adopted parents want her to behave more like a girl. (Well, I'd have some choice words about that, but that's a debate for another time. lol) It's obvious why Antoine decides to escape that life (at least, temporarily) and that's when she finds Evangeline. Despite that Evangeline has a very unusual lifestyle, she gives Antoine the love that she's needed. However, things don't go well, and that's pretty much the case for Thomas' story, too. It's only Cecile's story that's an exception since her story involves Antoine and Thomas at some point and she helps to put their issues to bed.
I enjoyed the tone of the stories and getting to know all the main characters. They have quite deep personalities, and that's even the case for Cecile, despite that she initially comes off as a bit more positive compared to the others. Cecile is my favorite MC since I like her personality and her story the most.
Also, I should note that this visual novel touches on very disturbing themes, which may turn off some readers. Even though it's mentioned on the store page description, I'll put the following in spoiler text. [spoiler]Topics, such as suggestions of incest, animal and human deaths/mutilations, alcohol, and such, are brought up, mostly in text. For me, the animal deaths disturbed me the most since it upsets me a lot when animals are needlessly killed for rituals and whatnot. T_T[/spoiler]
The writing is very well paced. Most of the stories carry a darker vibe, especially with Antoine's and Thomas' stories, which is understandable. Cecile's story does resolve the most vital problems although it leaves a few minor mysteries unresolved. I enjoyed when there were the occasionally brief French (English translation included) quotes splashed on the screen. This feature added a unique touch. I didn't notice any typos or grammatical errors.
[h3]Art and Music[/h3]
The art has a lovely black-and-white aesthetic look, with brief splashes of color. The sprites are drawn well and in great detail, and they contrast well with the backgrounds, which appear to be still photographs. Especially, I liked the CGs. I just wish that a CG gallery was present, so all unlocked CGs would be available for viewing.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3737215014
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3737215335
As for the music, there's a varied soundtrack, which gives off that scary, eerie vibe. It's perfect for a story that centers around death and the occult a lot. The music pairs well with the writing of the story. No voice acting is present, but it's not necessary to enjoy this visual novel.
[h2]Conclusion[/h2]
Would I recommend [i]paravalence ~with my angel[/i]? If you're looking for a visual novel that delves into dark topics and you're not afraid to confront them or you want a story that's way out of the norm, then I think that this is worth taking a look. Granted, the story may make you think deeply about certain topics, so it's not a light read and I wouldn't recommend it for everyone, especially for those who'd rather have more of a light-hearted story. Still, I enjoyed it and I like thinking deeply about topics that may make you question humanity. A CG gallery and/or Steam achievements would have been nice, but they aren't a deal breaker, just nice bonuses. For the asking price, it might be a bit pricey, but you can wait for a sale, and it's definitely worth considering.
Finally, I'd like to thank Effigy Softworks Ltd. for the review copy. [i]paravalence ~with my angel[/i] has a great story that'll stay with me for a long time. ^^
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