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.
Mac OS
PC
Windows
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Reviews
- The art and animation are stunning, with a unique style that enhances the storytelling experience.
- The characters are well-developed and their relationships feel genuine, with choices that significantly impact the narrative.
- The game offers a rich and immersive experience, blending emotional depth with humor and complex themes.
- The plot can feel disjointed and lacks clarity, making it difficult to fully understand the story and its motivations.
- Players are required to complete multiple playthroughs to reach satisfying conclusions, which may frustrate some.
- The pacing can be slow, leading to moments where the narrative feels tedious or lacking in urgency.
- story70 mentions
- 26 % positive mentions
- 70 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The game's story is a mixed bag, featuring a tightly structured narrative that encourages multiple playthroughs to uncover deeper character insights and themes of revolution and power. While some players appreciate the emotional depth and artistry in the storytelling, others find the plot disjointed and lacking clarity, with certain narrative elements feeling underdeveloped or confusing. Overall, the game is praised for its character-driven approach and beautiful presentation, but criticisms arise regarding the coherence and pacing of the main storyline.
“The story manages to be realistic about revolution and power in a way that I was hopeful for but not expecting. The world-building is solid and unique, and the romances manage to be both sweet and visceral.”
“This game bleeds love and care and passion from every pore, and that's genuinely the most important thing for any story.”
“An excellent visual novel with incredibly well-written dialogue, an attractive and beautiful story in which every choice you make matters, motivating you to replay the game until you get the ending you are happy with.”
“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.”
“But it feels like the story is mostly on rails and it doesn't seem fun to spend more time going back and seeing how it can change with different choices.”
- music18 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its beauty and unobtrusiveness, contributing significantly to the overall atmosphere and storytelling. Reviewers highlight the exceptional artistry and intentional music cues that enhance the visual novel experience, making it feel fresh and immersive. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout element that complements the game's visuals and narrative effectively.
“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 beautiful and I'm already so excited by all the choices.”
“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, and the story made me cry at multiple points.”
- graphics18 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their stunning art style and meticulous attention to detail, creating a visually captivating experience. Reviewers highlight the beautiful animations, well-designed user interface, and the seamless integration of visuals with storytelling, which collectively enhance the overall atmosphere and engagement of the game. The artistry in character design and sprite work, along with thoughtful music cues, contributes to a unique and immersive visual novel experience.
“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 (and it is so, so good), the naturalistic, speech-like timing of text, intentional music cues, and so on - it all adds 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.”
- atmosphere8 mentions
- 13 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is richly crafted, combining old-fashioned etching visuals with expressive character designs that evoke a puppet show feel. The music and writing enhance this immersive experience, creating a vibrant and engaging environment that players find captivating and "juicy." Overall, the combination of artistic elements contributes to a unique and memorable atmosphere.
“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.”
“Many of them look like they are old-fashioned etchings with limited washes of colour 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.”
- emotional8 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game delivers a powerful emotional experience, blending beautiful art and evocative writing that ranges from lighthearted humor to profound emotional moments. Players report being deeply moved, with the narrative capable of eliciting tears and offering a rollercoaster of feelings through impactful choices. Overall, it is praised as a standout narrative visual novel that masterfully intertwines joy and heartbreak.
“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.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players consistently highlight the exceptional replayability of the game, noting that even after extensive playtime, there remains a wealth of content and exploration opportunities. Many feel compelled to return for more, indicating a strong incentive to replay.
“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.”
- grinding2 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 more enjoyable and recommendable despite the typical grind associated with the genre.
- character development2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Character development is praised for its immersive quality, featuring well-crafted dialogue and character design that feels natural and authentic, enhancing the overall experience without feeling forced.
“Immersive, very well done dialogue and character design, and not trying too hard because it's so good it doesn't have to.”
- gameplay2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The gameplay is highly praised for its exceptional implementation of choice-based mechanics, making it a standout example within the visual novel genre. Players find it engaging and memorable, contributing to its status as a favorite among many.
“Genuinely one of my favorite games of all time now, let alone a phenomenal example of visual novels as a medium and choice-based design as mechanics.”
