Greetings, Mezha readers! We bring to your attention a list of upcoming visual novels from Ukrainian developers, which are scheduled to be released this year. This is Hazy Mind, Heralds of the Avirentes, Argumentum ad Culpam. Novels are very different in atmosphere and content. They can pleasantly surprise connoisseurs of the genre.
A little about the genre. What are visual novels?
Visual novels, although not very popular, are a fairly old genre that started its history in the 70s. For a long time, it was a purely Japanese phenomenon that did not go beyond the land of the Rising Sun. In addition, for a long time, such games were available exclusively to owners of expensive PCs, which did not help the popularization of the genre.
Over time, the novels captured the Western market as well. Today, Ukrainians are increasingly interested in them. There have already been two jams of visual novels in Ukrainian, organized by the Ternox developer. 56 works were created for the first jam, and for the second, held in February of this year — 72. In addition, there are several works that have already been released on Steam or are planned to be released this year. This article will tell about three such novels.
To briefly describe the genre of visual novels, these are books with graphic and musical accompaniment, where the player spends most of his time reading the text. A significant part of the novels has choices and variability. Since the genre is very flexible and constantly evolving, short stories are not limited to this. Each representative of the genre can have its own elements that distinguish them from others: interactive background items, mini-games, and even an entire combat system.
So, let’s move on to the review of future novels from Ukrainian developers included in this selection.
Argumentum ad culpam
Argumentum ad culpam is a gothic visual novel in which you become a sorcerer who has made a contract with Duke Luthedore. Duke has long since overcome the limits of human existence and become something greater. People like him are called transcendents. Three more such creatures have captured the Duke’s existence and seek to turn his existence into an absurdity in order to destroy the Duke and gain his power.
You will have to take part in four battles of arguments, where each side interprets certain events from Luthedor’s life in their own way, seeking to rewrite them. The sorcerer can protect the integrity of his master or find a new guarantor of his powers and support him in a three-way battle of the transcendent. It’s up to you.
Every creature in this game, including the wizard, can meet its demise. The game has nine different endings.
Participant novel of Ukrainian Visual Novel Jam #2, where it entered the Top-20 best novels.
Heralds of the Avirentes – Ch. 1 Wings of Change
Heralds of the Avirentes — a fantasy visual novel with elements of a role-playing game, where the reader enters the world of Nanraas, inhabited by dragon-like creatures — om’verai. A young girl Azaries lives an ordinary life in the small town of High Circles, makes plans for the future, and is not against making new friends. One mysterious event in her childhood fundamentally changes her life. During one of the walks, the girl meets a mysterious stranger, Akhellis, who learns about the girl’s unusual abilities with the help of a strange crystal.
Help Azaries explore the mysteries of her family, and the color of her eyes, and learn more about the natural phenomenon of Avirentes. They say that when it happens, amazing (and dangerous) things happen in the world. Maybe the fate of all Nanraas depends on your search!
The game offers an extensive storyline, many characters to explore, a jRPG-style turn-based combat system, many storylines, etc. There are many choices in the novel, most of which have an impact on the plot and can fundamentally change the destinies of the heroes. A dozen endings are planned, and also the “New Game+” mode, romantic lines, many local character stories, etc. Approximately 70% of the game will be available in early access.
Novel-participant of IndieCup 2022 Ukraine.
Pay attention! Full Ukrainian voice acting is planned for the game!
Hazy Mind
Hazy Mind is a psychological horror where you wake up unable to remember anything. Your main goal is to find out who you are and why you can’t remember anything. But not everything will be so easy. You will be met by a strange girl who supposedly can help you. It’s up to you to trust her or not.
The game offers you an interactive quest experience, voice acting, mini-games, multiple endings, atmospheric music, and a story that will be creepy and hard to put down.
Pay attention! Full Ukrainian voice acting is planned for the game!
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