Amarantus
- June 26, 2023
- ub4q
- 7h median play time
Get on Steam"Amarantus" is a single-player Fantasy Role Playing game with a splendid story, offering around 7 hours of playtime. As Arik, you embark on a journey to overthrow the tyrant ruling the country, with a group of friends who may become closer or drift apart based on your choices. Romance is possible, but messiness and awkward moments are also guaranteed, adding depth and realism to your relationships.
Reviews
- The art and animation are stunning, with beautifully detailed character expressions and a captivating visual style that enhances the storytelling.
- The characters are well-developed and their relationships feel genuine, with choices that significantly impact the narrative and character dynamics.
- The writing is engaging and layered, exploring complex themes and emotions, making the game a rewarding experience that encourages multiple playthroughs.
- The plot can feel disjointed and lacks clarity, with some players finding the premise and story progression confusing or unsatisfying.
- The game requires at least two playthroughs to fully understand the story and reach a satisfying conclusion, which may frustrate some players.
- Some players have noted that the pacing can be slow, making it difficult to stay engaged in the early parts of the game.
- story35 mentions
- 26 % positive mentions
- 66 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The game's story is a mixed bag, with some players praising its tightly structured narrative and emotional depth, while others criticize its disjointed elements and lack of clarity. The character-driven plot and unique world-building are highlighted, alongside the game's ability to evoke strong feelings and encourage multiple playthroughs to uncover deeper themes. However, some reviewers found the main storyline lacking in coherence and criticized the pacing and translation issues, leading to a somewhat uneven experience.
“Crucially, the design fits the storytelling: since the game demands at least two playthroughs, the narrative is tightly structured over just a few impactful scenes, and there's an option to fast-forward through any text the game knows you've already read.”
“The story is an interesting tale to unravel with some solid themes.”
“This game bleeds love and care and passion from every pore, and that's genuinely the most important thing for any story.”
“The story goes, well, nowhere really.”
“Even so, I don't really understand the story, and I don't feel like it makes a tremendous amount of sense.”
“It's like when certain narratives and certain conversations come out of nowhere, and the story acts as if you were told about them when you weren't... and then there are just pieces of the story that seem disjointed and messy.”
- music9 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its beauty and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere, contributing significantly to the storytelling and emotional impact. Reviewers highlight the exceptional soundtrack as unobtrusive yet powerful, complementing the game's stunning visuals and character development, creating a unique and immersive experience. Overall, the artistry and intentionality behind the music are seen as integral to the game's success.
“Excellent soundtrack!!!”
“All that said, the art and the soundtrack for this game are phenomenal.”
“So much love and artistry put into the music, visuals, and storytelling.”
“The music is unobtrusive.”
“The writing, the music, the atmosphere, the characters, the visuals, the subtle and not-so-subtle character acting, everything is just so juicy.”
“This game kicks so much ass; the music and art are gorgeous.”
- graphics9 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 44 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their stunning art style and beautifully crafted animations, which enhance the overall storytelling experience. Reviewers highlight the attention to detail in the visuals, user interface, and character design, contributing to a unique and immersive visual novel experience. The combination of aesthetics, music, and character dynamics creates a captivating atmosphere that resonates with players.
“I was initially interested in it because of the art style, which is genuinely gorgeous, and then I found out about the potential for disaster relationships and I couldn't throw my money at it fast enough!”
“The aesthetics of the interface, the artistry of the sprite work and their placement and animation, the naturalistic, speech-like timing of text, and intentional music cues all add up to a unique and fresh visual novel experience.”
“The aesthetics of the interface, the artistry of the sprite work and their placement and animation (and it is so, so good), the naturalistic, speech-like timing of text, intentional music cues, so on, so on - it all adds up to a unique and fresh visual novel experience.”
“The writing, the music, the atmosphere, the characters, the visuals, the subtle and not-so-subtle character acting, everything is just so juicy.”
“Beautifully crafted; the flow of the story, the visuals, the pacing, and the way the characters feel.”
- atmosphere4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is richly crafted, combining old-fashioned visual styles reminiscent of etchings and puppet shows with expressive character portraits and dynamic music. Reviewers appreciate how these elements work together to create an immersive and engaging experience, enhancing the overall storytelling.
“Many of them look like they are old-fashioned etchings with limited washes of color 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.”
“Now that I finished a playthrough, I just want to add that I love how each character has dozens of different portrait variations that are used to almost create a puppet show-like atmosphere with how expressively they are used!”
“The writing, the music, the atmosphere, the characters, the visuals, the subtle and not-so-subtle character acting, everything is just so juicy.”
- emotional4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game delivers a powerful emotional experience, blending beautiful art and music with a narrative that ranges from lighthearted to deeply impactful, often eliciting strong reactions such as tears. Players can expect a rollercoaster of emotions, with choices that significantly affect the story's outcome, making each playthrough uniquely poignant.
“The art is lovely and evocative; the writing demonstrates an impressive range from goofy Australianisms to unexpected emotional gut punches.”
“If you're looking for emotional impact that could either cure all your mental illnesses or create new ones, depending on the choices you make... play this.”
“Everything is going to hell and everyone is dying and living and loving, and it is one hell of an emotional ride.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players highlight the exceptional replayability of the game, noting that even after extensive playtime, there remains a wealth of content and exploration opportunities, making it highly engaging for repeated sessions.
“Replayability is off the charts; I've spent 12 hours in here at the time of writing this review and I still have so much left to explore.”
“Every playthrough feels unique, thanks to the diverse choices and outcomes available.”
“The game offers multiple paths and endings, making me want to dive back in and experience everything it has to offer.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be less tedious compared to other visual novels and interactive fiction, making it a more enjoyable experience overall.
- character development1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Character development is praised for its immersive and well-crafted dialogue, alongside strong character design, creating a natural and engaging experience without feeling forced.
“The immersive dialogue and character design are exceptionally well done, creating a rich experience that feels authentic without trying too hard.”
“The character development is deep and engaging, allowing players to form meaningful connections with each character.”
“Each character evolves throughout the game, making their journeys feel personal and impactful.”
- gameplay1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The gameplay is highly praised for its exceptional integration of choice-based mechanics within the visual novel format, making it a standout experience that resonates deeply with players.
“Genuinely one of my favorite games of all time, and a phenomenal example of visual novels as a medium and choice-based design as mechanics.”
