Dies Irae: Amantes Amentes

About

In Dies Irae: Amantes Amentes, players experience a visual novel adventure set in 1980's Japan. The game follows the story of a group of students who become embroiled in a supernatural battle for humanity's survival. With multiple endings and a blend of historical and mythological elements, Dies Irae: Amantes Amentes offers a unique and immersive gaming experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

87%

Audience ScoreBased on 404 reviews

story61 positive mentions

atmosphere3 negative mentions

Incredible writing with compelling dialogue that feels like actual literature.
Well-developed characters with rich backstories, making them memorable and engaging.
High production values with excellent voice acting and a fantastic soundtrack.

The pacing can be slow, especially in the prologue, which may deter some players.
Some routes feel convoluted and overly long, leading to potential fatigue.
The story can be confusing at times, requiring careful attention to fully understand the plot.

story
183 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
61%
6%
The story of "Dies irae" is a complex and often convoluted narrative that blends rich lore, intricate character backstories, and intense action, though it can be overwhelming and confusing at times due to its heavy use of esoteric terminology and verbose prose. While many players appreciate the depth and emotional resonance of the characters and themes, some criticize the pacing and predictability of the plot, suggesting that it occasionally prioritizes style over coherence. Overall, the game is praised for its high production quality, engaging soundtrack, and the ability to evoke strong emotional responses, making it a memorable experience for those willing to invest the time to navigate its intricacies.
- “The story is rich, engaging with numerous biblical references.”
- “The art, soundtrack, story, characters, and overly ornate prose all combine together to create an experience that engraves the very essence of chuuni into your soul.”
- “The core of this story is its characters; I was attracted to almost every character, the writer made me love, hate, and sympathize with them.”
- “The story is very confusing at times with the incessant chuuni babbling and esoteric terms made up by the novel, but I wound up enjoying it very much by accepting the absurdity for what it is.”
- “Worldbuilding that constantly contradicts itself, dialogue that's filler and/or pretentious, story that values 'kickass' fight scenes over a coherent narrative, annoying high school anime clichés.”
- “The biggest problem with the story is how the author made things up as he went along, without going back and making sure earlier parts were consistent with later ones.”
music
69 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
51%
45%
4%
The music in "dies irae" is widely praised for its exceptional quality, with many reviewers highlighting the impressive soundtrack and voice acting that enhance the overall experience. Tracks like "einsatz" and "sanctus" are particularly noted for their impact, contributing to the game's grandiose atmosphere and emotional depth. However, some users mention moments of repetitiveness in the soundtrack, suggesting that while the music is generally outstanding, it could benefit from more variety.
- “The voice acting and musical direction of Dies irae is insane; the voice actors went above and beyond, especially the voice actors for characters like Wilhelm and Schreiber.”
- “The music is exceptional; it weaves itself into the narrative perfectly.”
- “The soundtrack is a banger; go get it.”
- “As for the music, I must say that at times it felt repetitive and boring in the same order. Unfortunately, they did not make different OSTs that would cover the entire visual novel in general.”
- “When I first played this game, I got a headache from the consistent yelling and random sound effects, not to mention its subpar soundtrack.”
- “The soundtracks kinda annoying.”
graphics
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
50%
14%
The graphics of the game are generally praised for their high production quality and beautiful artwork, contributing positively to the overall experience. However, some users note that the visuals may not meet the standards of top-tier visual novels, and there are criticisms regarding the limited variety in images during fight scenes. Overall, while the aesthetics and music enhance the storytelling, the heavy text can sometimes overshadow the visuals.
- “The artwork is great, the OST is amazing, everything is fully voiced and the voice actors are legendary.”
- “Excellent graphics and music for this quite long visual novel that has also been adapted into an anime.”
- “Objectively speaking; crazy high production quality in terms of animation (art style), OST, and sheer content/research done for the writing/story/characters.”
- “If you are used to newer visual novels and their narrative layout, well a caveat here, there is a lot of text to read, and it sometimes covers the entire screen, resulting in the visuals being impeded by a whole load of text.”
- “Dies irae is what you buy when you crave for a third-rate chuuni anime series uncomfortably distended across 40+ hours of crap graphics substituted for the typically mediocre direction of an actual anime.”
- “The story and the graphic is outstanding.”
gameplay
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
50%
25%
The gameplay aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with some praising its narrative depth and storytelling, likening it to high-quality fiction, while others criticize it for lacking traditional gameplay elements, primarily consisting of text and minimal player interaction. Many recommend alternative titles for those seeking more engaging gameplay experiences, as this game may not appeal to players who prefer action-oriented mechanics or dislike visual novels. Overall, the gameplay is described as heavily text-based with limited interactivity, making it a niche experience.
- “Detailed gameplay”
- “But based on gameplay and other aspects and criteria, this game is intriguing.”
- “Personally, I could play the rest of the game to give a solid opinion about how they treat that, but the edginess presented in the first 30 minutes allows me to fairly conclude I am not the target audience of this game, so I won't bother, even because it apparently features quite long gameplay.”
- “If you want a game with more gameplay than a visual novel but still love a well-written story, play Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy IX, Cave Story, Mega Man Zero, or Valkyria Chronicles instead.”
- “On the other hand, I can’t recommend this game to people who don’t enjoy visual novels due to the large amounts of text, or for those who are looking for a free action game, as it contains zero action-based gameplay and all action is contained in the text.”
- “Dies irae contains no gameplay at all except for a few choices here and there, which is something to consider.”
emotional
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is a mixed bag, with some players feeling overwhelmed by its heavy themes and lack of catharsis, while others appreciate its profound storytelling and impactful character arcs. The narrative explores deep connections amidst conflict, particularly in its portrayal of love and loss during historical turmoil, leading to moments of genuine emotional resonance. However, the execution can feel inconsistent, with some players noting a lack of satisfying emotional payoff despite the engaging soundtrack and action-packed sequences.
- “It is a beautiful and immensely emotionally moving story, and I appreciate the theme of reveling in every ephemeral moment, for you only have a fleeting life.”
- “The ending scene might be one of the most fulfilling emotional payoffs I've seen in the medium (I'm not joking).”
- “Honestly, I didn't expect that a story that talks about the Nazis and the wars that happened in Germany (Berlin) would hit me emotionally, but to be honest, 'Dies Irae' speaks more than a story about the Nazis. It speaks about a love and promise between two people that could never arise during the conflict that developed in those years.”
character development
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
20%
20%
Character development in the game is noted to be minimal, with most characters remaining static throughout the story, though players are encouraged to piece together their backstories. While the character designs and visuals are praised as some of the best in visual novels, the lack of significant growth or change in the characters may leave some players wanting more depth. Overall, the focus seems to be more on aesthetics and atmosphere rather than character evolution.
- “The atmosphere of the novel, the character designs, and the soundtracks create the perfect feeling at the right moments, enhancing the overall experience.”
- “He creates appealing character designs that are not only cool but also grounded in reality.”
- “The character design and the CGs are gorgeous, contributing significantly to the game's immersive experience.”
- “Almost no actual character development; pretty much everyone is at the same place where they started (though you have to work backwards and figure out how they ended up this way, so I'm not sure how much of a negative this actually is).”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in this visual novel is highlighted as a standout feature, with characters like Shirou providing enjoyable and funny moments that enhance the overall experience. The presence of a compelling and humorous secondary couple is noted as a refreshing rarity in the genre, contributing to the game's appeal. However, some users felt that the humor diminished after certain plot developments, such as a character's memory wipe.
- “This was a pretty fantastic visual novel in its own right. This may be an action genre, but the characters and the story are just as great and became one of my favorites. I honestly found the cast to be the compelling part of the visual novel because they are quite enjoyable, featuring funny characters like Shirou.”
- “Being a cool, constant secondary couple is a big rarity in visual novels (and anime too), so seeing them be important and cool/funny is a nice treat.”
- “I actually really liked her in the common route; the humor was like a better version of Sumika from Muv-Luv.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
100%
The atmosphere of the game is characterized by a deliciously sinister and dark tone, enhanced by well-crafted character designs and fitting soundtracks that elevate the emotional experience. The intense fight scenes and the presence of overpowered antagonists contribute to a compelling and immersive environment that complements the overarching narrative.
- “The atmosphere of the novel, the character designs, and the soundtracks create the perfect feeling at the right moments, enhancing the intensity of the fights and the presence of powerful antagonists.”
- “The atmosphere of the novel, the character designs, and the soundtracks create the perfect feeling at the right moments, but the overpowered Nazi gods detract from the experience.”
- “Deliciously sinister and dark atmosphere.”
- “It has some nice elements that we enjoy in our visual novels, but they don't ruin the dark atmosphere surrounding the overall plot.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
100%
Reviews indicate that grinding in "Dies irae" is a demanding process that requires significant investment to fully appreciate its depth, with some players finding it either impressive or tedious. The lengthy text can be overwhelming, but players have the option to skip sections if they find it too burdensome.
- “Grinding in this game is incredibly rewarding and keeps you engaged.”
- “The grind is satisfying and offers a real sense of progression.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Dies irae is a crescendo that can't, or rather shouldn't, be halted, ever, not until the reader has enough understanding of its core content to properly decide if it was impressive or tedious, charming and elegant or uselessly over-bombastic.”
- “As for the heavy and lengthy text, you can always skip lines if you find it tedious.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users note that while the game is lengthy, it lacks the same level of replayability found in other visual novels, such as Steins;Gate, which are considered superb in this regard.
- “This is the longest visual novel I've played. I've played other games more, but they were essentially replayable (or just superb, as in the case of Steins;Gate).”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviewers generally praise the game's optimization, highlighting a smooth and enjoyable performance that allows players to fully immerse themselves without technical distractions.
- “Sit back, relax, and enjoy the performance.”