[b]Played Character Route Order: Vaylor ◈ Jean ◈ Andreas ◈ Wild Wolf[/b]
[i][b]Unmoor[/b][/i] is an Otome developed and published by [b]MariLuzaria[/b]. We play as [b]Louisa[/b], a red-haired beauty that was absent from home for several years to study at [i]Maritime Academy[/i] in order to fulfill her dream of following in her father's footsteps as the captain of [i]The Diossa[/i]. Upon her return, however, she realizes that it is going to turn out to be more difficult than she'd previously assumed. Quickly, Louisa decides to do something about it, and thus not only [i]The Diossa[/i] but also the story takes its course.
Three more or less charming gentlemen are available to choose from, plus another extra romance option near the end. How about falling in love with the witty yet charming sailor [b]Vaylor Fray[/b], who seems to hide something despite his seemingly carefree persona? We can also go for [b]Jean Marten[/b] the handsome Casanova that still struggles with his past, even if you might not suspect that at first glance. Our third love interest is the somewhat grumpy and strict appearing [b]Andreas Viardo[/b] who tells us kind of roughly that a woman is not supposed to be aboard ships except as a passenger. We will discover that he has a reason to hold on to that presumption while playing his route. And last but not least, we can decide to join the pirates to try our luck there if we are willing to give our heart to the pirate's captain [b]Wild Wolf[/b], whose name is just as wild as his accent.
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Every route has an interesting storyline and I liked every romance option. The routes are equally good, thus I can't really say that I have a favorite love interest, but if I had to choose one, I'd probably go with Vaylor. [i][b]Unmoor[/b][/i] does not feature many side characters and while they might not be that unique, I still liked them a lot. I enjoyed reading whatever they had to say.
The only character that annoyed me was the main character Louisa. I really like to see more emancipated and assertive women as these are far too rare in Otome anyway, and especially as an emancipated woman myself, I can easier identify myself with this kind of female protagonist instead of submissive and helpless ones like in most other Otome games. Alas, Louisa doesn't seem to me like an authentic and strong-willed character the whole time, rather like she's playing a role that was forced onto her. She was given a special magical ability by birth, which gives her the possibility to control and calm the sea and that is, by the way, the only reason that really qualifies her to become a captain, except for the fact that Louisa studied at an academy. Louisa is self-confident and proves more than once that she is able to save and protect her crew in case something happens while sailing or even herself from lusty pirates, but that's merely because of her affinity for magic and not because of her own knowledge, strength, or capability. Her behavior and relentless persistence of being suitable for this position seemed ridiculous, delusional, and silly to me.
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What would happen if her abilities were to vanish someday? Would she still have what it takes to be a captain then? Her confidence and capability, which only grew based on her magical ability, would disappear along with it. That is not what I perceive as an emancipated and strong woman. That doesn't mean that I disliked Louisa, not at all, but I refuse to recognize her as an independent and assertive woman, let alone as a competent captain.
Nevertheless, the pirate setting is exhilarating and there are many witty dialogues. The romantic feelings between Louisa and the love interests developed a bit too fast-paced for my taste, but it was still captivating to see how they fall in love with each other. The story repeats itself especially towards the end a bit too much, though. I've hoped for more variety as the routes and the individual character endings are already very short. [i]Unmoor[/i] takes about five hours for a completion rate of 100%, which is quite reasonable for its low price.
The story is beautifully written and the translation is superb, thanks to the effort of a proofreader. There is no need to worry about a poor translation or bad writing in general. I can feel that the developer put much thought into their game, even if the narrative won't blow you completely away. [b][i]Unmoor[/i][/b] is very charming, unique and fascinating in its own way.
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The characters, backgrounds, and CGs are absolutely gorgeous. The visual presentation is definitely the highlight of this Visual Novel in my opinion. Although the effects aren't numerous, they have been optimally set. I enjoyed the different locations while listening to the in-game sound. And while the soundtrack might not be that extraordinary itself and the sound effects are pretty much what you would expect of a sailor-themed Visual Novel, I found it very appealing and atmospheric as the ocean's sound has a very relaxing, yet overall immersive effect.
[i][b]Unmoor[/b][/i] is despite some minor details, a lovely Otome title with a charming character cast, stunning visuals, and a well-written story that will certainly entertain and tie you up for a few hours.
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