The Arcana (2016)

I fucking love this game. The atmosphere and setting in this game is gorgeous, one of the most beautiful and engaging and - would it be weird to say delicious? - I've ever immersed myself in. I love the characters, both the major love interests and the surrounding background NPCs, protagonist and antagonist and somewhere in-between. Every route is magical and interesting and full of twists and turns, the world-building is fascinating, the tarot card implementation is incredibly interesting.

I created a character for each route and they're still some of my absolute favourite original characters I've ever come up with to this day. I go back through and replay this at least once every couple of years. Some route-specific thoughts:

Nadia: The first one I ever did, and I've played through both the Upright and Reversed endings. Her route was lovely, very romantic and well-paced, and I loved getting to know her sisters too (I really clicked with Nazali - I have their name as my username in some places!). The Upright ending left me with such a happy and light feeling, and the Reversed was deliciously twisted.

Asra: The second one I completed, and probably my least favourite. Asra never quite connected with me the way the other five did, and I have a lot of nitpicks about his character and the way he acts in certain routes, but a lot of people love this one so don't let me put you off it. Asra has the most history with the main character and it definitely shows through their deeper relationship from the beginning. His Upright ending was sweet and appropriately magical, and his Reversed ending was startlngly sinister (but oddly in-character; if I weren't so wimpy when it comes to less than happy endings, it might be my favourite version of his route).

Julian: My favourite of the original three routes. I cannot describe how much I love Julian's character, his backstory with the main character, the reveals that unfold in his route. His Upright is wonderful - I love some piratical found family - and God his Reversed is depressing. I could only bear to play through it once.

Lucio: My favourite after Julian, though I've only done his Reversed ending so far. I was absolutely delighted when he received a route, and it was my favourite thing while it was ongoing - it really clicked with my little autistic brain and I was incredibly excited every time a new update was released, I'd drop everything just to play through the chapter. His Reversed ending was everything I wanted - I'd written an entire fic that essentially hit every plot point beat-for-beat before it ever released and I was very proud of myself - and it's probably my favourite ending I've ever gotten in a visual novel.

I'll update this when I've played Lucio's Upright end and refreshed myself on Portia and Muriel's routes next replay.