Maroc - 3RD-STRIKE.COM - A La Une - 02/Oct 00:01

Marisa of Liartop Mountain – Review

The RPG genre has been a consistent choice for decades, and today there are plenty of options for all styles and age groups. When you think about tabletop RPGs, you may go straight to the classic Dungeons & Dragons (D&D), where you are expected to customize characters and interact with the world created around you. Something we are seeing more of is the incorporation of these detailed features into a simplified, or first-time player-friendly, version for different types of media. With Marisa of Liartop Mountain, Alliance Arts has provided a release based on Touhou’s project and an inclusion of these D&D features. With weighted dice, a Japanese animated style, and a variety of impactful choices, the game offers a delightful and lightweight experience. Story You begin with a set of four sisters, Remilia, Flandre, Sakuya, and Patchouli. After being introduced to their varied personalities, they begin discussing ways to cure their boredom. It becomes clear that each sister has very opposing thoughts and reactions. Eventually, they come to the solution of playing a game together. The sisters pick an immersive book, and as we explore the chapters, each sister reappears to create input and discuss their differing opinions on the available choices. The goal of their game is to take our protagonist, Reimu, and explore the layered map in hopes of finding Marisa. This character is framed as Reimu’s best friend, who is lost within the confines of the book. As you progress, you begin to realize there are different versions of Marisa. These versions serve as the antagonist in the storyline, aiming to prevent the goal of finding the real version of Marisa. You must piece together clues to understand what has happened and how the villainous ghosts of Reimu’s dear friend came to be. Even though the game has a simple story, with consistent input from the sisters and a backstory you are expected to investigate, it is easy to become invested. Each of the characters and the effects of their thoughts on how to find Marisa create unique experiences every time you play. Graphics The art style varies throughout the game, originally starting like a visual novel, especially during dialogue. Shifting into a 3D tabletop style that resembles a well-detailed game board. Especially as you explore the map with your character, who resembles a small, detailed game piece. In a few of the cutaway scenes, the graphics are paper-like. This was built on the book theme and cuteness, but bore resemblance to the Professor Layton puzzle series. Throughout the game, each sister pops up to add input on decisions, and a small portrait of the speaking character can be seen, sporting a variety of enthusiastic expressions fitting for each personality. This inclusion added depth to the characters and is simply an adorable addition for character interaction. Using your Reimu piece to explore each layer of the chapter maps resembles taking your game piece around a board. There is a variety of color tones used to indicate important clues or backstory cutscenes. The tone of the game is created with these quirky and cute visuals that all age groups could enjoy. Sound Sound plays a significant role throughout, creating atmosphere within the gameplay. As each chapter passes, there is a genre shift, although using similar instruments to create a connection – the harpsichord. This added an elegant, almost ethereal, feeling to the game. Although it is noticeable that the chapter music is a singular song that repeats, it wasn’t something that felt annoying. This could be due to the addition of sound effects when coming across a variety of items and situations. The sound of book pages being flipped is used as a signal as we go through sections of dialogue, levels, and a variety of key moments for story progression. There was also the inclusion of boss music and certain cutscenes during fights that would include a variety of music and sound changes to imply a positive or negative outcome. There was also the use of a Japanese narrator during dialogue. You can read along in your chosen language, but the voice choice is purposeful to ensure the upbeat and emotive tone remains throughout. From the music to the general sounds within the game, it followed the book’s theme well and helped to create a dynamic world. Gameplay This game has set itself up as a tabletop role-playing game, containing plenty of dialogue, signalled by various cutscenes with differing art or colour shifts. Indicating whether information is an important clue, a new mechanic, or an additional character setup. As expected, the writing is consistent in its immersive and detailed accounts of characters, memories, and world-building. After the initial introductions of the four sisters, you are led to a book, representing the story archive and log of each adventure. This layout gives you the option to replay sections. The book theme is carried throughout; although the game has an auto-save system, there are also larger save points signified as large books. The gameplay felt instinctual, but they do include a tutorial and inform the player of newly introduced mechanics. At the beginning, there are repetitive dialogue sections from books throughout the map, as they give you positive and negative buffs needed to progress. As you progress through the chapter levels, this becomes less noticeable. As mentioned, the four sisters are pivotal in your decision-making. As you approach level upgrades and boss choices, your chosen character gains insight and provides personalised bonuses. These are expressed through advantageous dice sets and a variety of character improvements, making the progression through the game feel addictive and easy to replay. This is especially true for those who aim to complete all achievements. These dice sets are also particularly important to how you play the game. You must be mindful of the remaining dice sets you have and pick the most advantageous time to use them, as they do not last forever. There is a total of five levels within the game, each representing a different theme. The first chapter is the prologue and set in a library – a fitting introduction. As you progress, you are introduced to different mechanics: Secret clues, special dice sets, and time-limited choices. Much like a book, each chapter has a story arc. This defines the gameplay; you can get really invested in the characters and naturally become more inquisitive as you play. After each completed chapter, the four sisters have a tea party. Here, you receive a new die from one of the sisters, depending on the choices you have made. Although this is a choice-based game, the story could still be viewed as linear with a defined beginning and end. The choices still affect the gameplay, but it is up to the player to figure out how they get there. The frequent process of moving through maps, meeting new friends and foes in each level, and figuring out the different expectations found in each area – and how you will respond to them – creates a unique feeling in each chapter. Conclusion Overall, this game was entertaining and quirky. You have a developing story that follows an investigative approach and professionally written characters, supported by the themed music and art style. The gameplay felt smooth and instinctive. Although there was repetition, this can be related to adjusting to the game’s routes, expectations, and learning how to process the clues. Luckily, this is the kind of game you can repeat, with branching choices, and each playthrough will result in different upgrades, dice sets, and a consistent, refreshed feeling.