The End of an Actress
- February 21, 2020
- ebi-hime
Get on SteamIn "The End of an Actress," play as Liliane, a young actress resembling Marie Antoinette, who becomes queen in a fantasy world akin to 18th-century France. Seeking to restore Artoire's prosperity, Liliane faces challenges and opportunities that will determine her fate and that of the kingdom. As unrest grows, Liliane's story unfolds in a tragic romance, where tough choices and unexpected events will decide her people's future.
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Reviews
- Beautifully written story with engaging characters and well-crafted dialogue.
- The art and CGs are visually appealing, enhancing the overall experience.
- Multiple endings provide depth to the narrative, allowing for varied player choices and outcomes.
- Inconsistent character designs and some awkward CGs detract from the visual experience.
- The pacing suffers from repetitive thoughts and scenes that could have been more concise.
- The story can feel predictable and lacks depth in character chemistry, particularly between the main characters.
- story44 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 66 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The story centers on the complex relationship between Marius, an embittered revolutionary, and Liliane, a beautiful yet flawed queen reminiscent of Marie Antoinette. Players navigate through five branching paths that explore themes of love, duty, and moral ambiguity, leading to various tragic or bittersweet endings. While the narrative is praised for its depth and character development, some reviewers noted inconsistencies in the visual presentation and the overall tone of the story.
“For anyone else, the biggest draw is probably the story’s novelty: beautiful young queen Liliane partied while the people starved; Marius, who once admired her from afar, is now an embittered revolutionary and the deposed queen’s chief jailor.”
“As the story progresses, the barriers of trust very slowly start to fall and, as letters bearing bad news of her loved ones appear, Liliane's sadness, upset, and remorse become visible as her 'mask of nobility' cracks, revealing the emotional side to her.”
“This is a very well-written game that made me love both characters; it's definitely not a happy story, and all endings range from tragic to bittersweet, but it still tells a wonderful tale.”
“Inconsistent CG and story.”
“This is not the kind of story with a happy ending.”
“The story does not ask for forgiveness of Liliane, but a smidge of sympathy, given how unfair things were for her as well.”
- music14 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The music in the game is characterized by a strong use of strings and harpsichord, effectively reflecting the historical period of the story, which some players appreciate while others find unappealing. The original soundtrack features eight pieces, including a vocal theme, and is praised for its quality, contributing positively to the overall experience. Additionally, players can unlock a menu area showcasing the music and art after completing all endings, enhancing the game's artistic presentation.
“The music, heavy on strings and harpsichord, is quite good.”
“The visual novel is developed in Ren'Py with exceptional attention to graphics and CG art, including moments of nudity, while the OST is glorious in its concerto sounds that feature 8 pieces, including 1 vocal theme for the title 'End of an Actress'.”
“I really loved the music, story, artwork, and graphics.”
“I also did not like the music, but this is not the game's fault.”
“The music is stylized to the era the story takes place in, and I just happen to dislike the music of this period.”
“The music is stylized to the era the story takes place in, and I just happen to dislike the music of this period.”
- graphics8 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 13 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The graphics in the visual novel are highly praised for their beautiful and salacious art style, showcasing exceptional attention to detail in the character designs and CG art. While some reviewers noted the presence of nudity, they generally found the visuals aesthetically pleasing and complementary to the overall experience.
“The visual novel is developed in Ren'Py with exceptional attention to graphics and CG art, including moments of nudity, while the OST is glorious in its concerto sounds that feature 8 pieces, including 1 vocal theme for the title 'End of an Actress'.”
“I really loved the music, story, artwork, and graphics.”
“The CGs are otherwise aesthetically pleasing.”
“The character graphics are otherwise aesthetically pleasing if you can ignore the awkward design choices.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by the protagonist Liliane's antiheroine persona, reminiscent of Carmen, who boldly mocks the threats posed by men, drawing a parallel to the historical figure Marie Antoinette. This blend of dark humor and defiance adds a unique charm to her narrative.
“Liliane’s life story maps closely to that of Marie Antoinette, but in personality, she’s an antiheroine à la Carmen, laughing in the face of men who want to kill her.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviewers emphasize the importance of maintaining the game's overall atmosphere, suggesting that it plays a crucial role in the overall experience.
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted through the gradual unveiling of Lilianne's vulnerabilities as she confronts the painful news about her loved ones, leading to a poignant display of sadness, remorse, and the breakdown of her noble facade. This deepening emotional journey effectively engages players, allowing them to connect with her struggles.
“As the story progresses, the barriers of trust very slowly start to fall, and as letters bearing bad news of her loved ones appear, Lilianne's sadness, upset, and remorse become visible as her 'mask of nobility' cracks, revealing the emotional side to her.”
