Edit (11/26): The Kickstarter for this game was successful at meeting its funding goal. The final funding amount was $42,039 with 1,721 backers! The game now has a tentative release date of 2017!
I saw this Kickstarter campaign a week or two ago, but I was too busy to actually sit down and do a write up for it… So, it’s 6AM and I just happened to have a bit of time before work to bang this post out for you guys!! Well, enough about me, this time I’m covering the upcoming fantasy romance mobile visual novel from Nix Hydra Games, The Arcana!!
Story
The Arcana is an fantasy/romance visual novel based on the Tarot!
You, the player, are an apprentice magician with a gift for fortune-telling. Left in possession of an unusually enchanted Tarot deck, you must navigate intrigue, murder, magic… and perhaps a few saucy encounters.
Characters
- Protagonist (Name Changeable) is the apprentice of a local fortune teller, Asra. One day, Asra sets out for another one of his journeys, entrusting his prized Tarot deck to the protagonist…
- Nadia is a widowed Countess and a stunning beauty. The Countess has prophetic dreams, however, after seeing a particularly troubling dream she seeks out the aid of the protagonist…
- Julian is a former doctor a fugitive out for revenge. He comes to the shop in search of the protagonist’s master, Asra.
- Asra is a mysterious travelling fortune teller and the protagonist’s master. Before setting out on another journey he leaves the protagonist with a set of Tarot cards.
Features
Currently the game is set for a mobile (Android/IOS) release, in the mobile version each route will be added periodically (bi-weekly) for roughly $2.oo each. However, if funded the developers will also release a PC version of the game ($$$) that will have the all routes unlocked without additional purchases. However, the PC version will have the same route release schedule as the mobile version!
- Three character routes (w/ the potential for additional future routes)
- A diverse cast of characters each with their own branching stories that add to the overall narrative of the game.
- Protagonist Customization; decide the gender of the protagonist
- There are various unique endings
- There are a mix of timed and untimed responses, for a more immersive game play experience.
- Original artwork
- beautiful illustrations/CGs
Upon it’s release the game will be available for Android and IOS, but everyone who supports at any of the Kickstarter tiers will have access to the PC version of the game!! The tentative release date is set for 2017! Currently the game has $8,702 of it’s $30,000 campaign goal with 275 Backers! The campaign will run until November 20th, 2016!
There are download links for the Android and IOS app, right there on the Kickstarter page, as of right now only the prologue is available, so if you are still on the fence about the game or just want to see what the game has to offer give it a try.
So PLEASE check out the Kickstarter campaign, HERE, and lend your support. There are still 13 days left and they are currently at $8,702 and every little bit helps! I can’t wait for the finished project when it is released early next year. The various price tiers come with some nice goodies so definitely check them out!
If you can’t help out monetarily, SHARE this post or the Kickstarter page on social media and spread the word! As always THANK YOU for reading!!!
Oh no, if MM intrigued me and Liar! broke me, then this will damage me! LOL And don’t get me even started when it comes to headcanons! I’ve already created some, here they are (I haven’t played the demo yet, sadly):
*This MC was born in a family of wizards who was murdered when they were 6. Their dad and siblings were murdered while fighting as their mother did while teleporting the MC to an unknown place. After al this, a sad MC had to become a beggar on the streets and work in several shops in bakeries since she has nothing. Soon, at the age of 16, an odd woman offers her a “new” life at the price of becoming “a girl of the night”(Ya know what I mean). Two years, after a performance at the place shes working at and a conflict with her boss, Asra finds her and she goes with him, beginning their life as Asra’s apprentice, thus becoming the prodigy she’s.
*The MC is, in my opinion, 26 years old.
*Julian’s biological mother died at his birth and a decade after (I guess…?) his father remarries a younger woman and he soon get a little sister, Aida. Once he runs away and gets injured(again, haven’t seen the demo. Just pure fan-made ideas.) his parents are taken away and Julian has to choose before saving his sister but die and leaving everything. He leaves Aida, but feels remorseful and that’s why he’s out for revenge.
…So…eh…what do you think? Is anything out of here real at all or it’s just plain unrealistic? (I’m an aspiring writer, so any idea is worth it, good or bad.:D)
LOL I was in love with MM, but my need for sleep won out! Liar…Liar caught me by surprise!!
Oh my gosh, I love your headcanons!! The demo is really short, so it kind of leaves you with a ton of questions, so for all I know, you could be right about everything!!
Yup, every idea is worth it, and I can’t wait to see if some of your headcanons are right in the end!! 😀
I know right! I was thinking about downloading MM too, but after hearing all these things about sleep, now I’m like “The finals are coming! The finals are coming! So your speech contest! Are you nuts woman?!”. And Liar made me realize quite a few thing from my past too, so kudos to Voltage for making me question my bad decisions all over again!
Oooh, THANK YOU! And right there I was thinking they were the worst…XD And really, it was short? If you don’t mind, can you tell me what happens?(Trust me, if it wasn’t for my thirst for spoilers, I would try the game myself, but damn it!) Also, out of these three characters, who would you choose in an order? Mine would be Nadia -(cause I’m bi af)- and Julian (he’s a brunette, a doctor and really good looking AKA I finally like Sotaru). Not so interested in Asra this much since based on my headcanons, he’s the one that saves the MC and offers her a much, much better (as well as becoming her master in terms of magic) and the MC is truly thankful, but all she feels towards Asra is platonic/family love.
Anyways, thank you a lot and here are other headcanons about TA(The Arcana). What do you think about them?:
*Regarding witches and wizards:
They’re often seen as “The Devil’s Children” by the society, so they don’t live this much of an easy life if they don’t hide their powers. Some become slaves and other forms of “entertainment”, others are imprisoned and others even killed.
Usually, wizards tend to marry other wizards, resulting in pureblood(sorry, I read too much HP when I was ten) kids.(Like the MC and her siblings.
However, when they marry a human, there can be: pureblood kids(they get all their powers from their magical parent); halfblood kids(besides being able to do some spells, they’re not capable of other things, but the magic is still a part of them) and finally, no-blood kids(no magic at all, but it’s still running through their veins)
*Regarding the MC:
before losing her family, she was joyous kid who loved playing with her siblings and learning about magic. She also knew how to read and write from quite a young age. After the murder, she’s far more fearful, but still quite happy and innocent, if not naive. After being rescued by Asra, she realizes the world offered her a second chance, but she becomes really cold towards any person, except for Asra. She’s also a street-smart snark who ain’t afraid of anyone and cares a lot about the things she loves. Regarding her past and (mostly) all the emotional and physical injuries she got as a prostitute/performer, she’s really secretive and fast to deny all the things that happened to her. Major trust issues, I’m telling ya.
*Regarding the love interests:
Julian’s route would be about accepting your past and that a new day is coming.(Along with the fact, that both MC and Julian find out a lot things about wizards and their lives since both Julian’s biological and step mothers are witches along with his sister Aida.) At the end of this, the MC is far more sweet, letting happiness enter her core at last. Also, the route without sexual-undertones.
Nadia (AKA ‘Mrs Fanservice’ lol) would be about dreams and how can they become real within a second. Also, at the end of this route, the MC ain’t so dependent on Asra anymore, Nadia learns that trusting others is an important thing in pursuing a relationship with said persons and at last, wizards are given a second chance by the royal court, finally living a better life.
And as for Asra’s route, I guess the MC learns to be content with all she has and not want to bite more than she can chew. Asra also learns that admitting the truth is better than telling lies and that love matters more than some tarot cards who may not be speaking the truth at the moment. Bsically, think about the song “A whole new world” from Aladdin and imagine the MC and Asra singing this.
…Anyway, how does the MC from The Arcana look like?
Also, thank you an awful lot! I really appreciate your opinions and it makes me happy that I’m much better at writing than three years ago! So…how are the endings in Itaru’s “Lovers Route”? What about the epilogue? Have you bought any routes? Have Event Stories appeared too, what about the second season? (Guess I spoke too much XD)
LOL games always have a way of interfering with gaming!
As for the validity of the headcanons, the demo/prologue was really really short, literally just enough time for intros and that was it. So you pretty much have free reign! We don’t get a look at the protag in the demo, but the Kickstarter said that we could pick the protag’s gender so I guess they are a stand in for the player.
LOL I left the endings off this time in an attempt to be vague… But, I can assure you they were both worth it! Nah, I didn’t get any of the other Lovers Routes yet, but I’ll probably get them soon!! Nah no event stories yet either 🙁
OK, so I played the demo and here are some things I’ve found:
When you pick either one of Asra’s first options, he says the MC doubs herself and her power, which kinda applies to my idea.
And when you pick the answers “You’ve come to the wrong place!”, then “M-Magician?” in Nadia’s dialogue, she(Nadia, I mean) reveals she loathes wizards/magicians, which applies to my idea regarding the wizards and witches. Or, after picking *(attempt escape)* Julian asks the MC if she knows what his position is/was and what hers is, which may suggest wizards don’t live the best lives ever. This is so surprising!
What do you think? Also, after picking the answers *(attempt negotiation)* and “I’ll never talk!” in Julian’s dialogue, he seems to recognize Asra’s shop and admits that it’s just like in “the good days”. So I won’t be surprised if Asra and Julian had a past together. (Like Asra being the one who helped Julian become a doctor and also Aida’s teacher who decides to leave the siblings on their own during the attack.)
So, what do you think, chica?
Lol I think you might be psychic 😄 cus your predictions and headcanons are spot on!!
Oh man it would be so cool if Julian and Asia had a past!! Imagine if they were lovers!
Aww, thankies! I’m really thankful for that!(Congrats for the livestream gurl, I’d love to see it but in my country it’s 4-5 o’clock in the tomorrow morning.XD)
Asra and Julian…as lovers…wouldn’t sound too bad. And based on what they said on the Kickstratler: “Characters you’re not currently romancing may also fall for each other in various combinations~”; then we can expect everything~…oh no, you temptress! What are you doing to my yaoi senses?!
So, in an order, who do you think is the hottest/most good looking out of the love interests we have for now and who would you romance?
Love ya!
PS. My hotness order would be:
1.Nadia
2/3. Julian(he’s the guy version of me, God)/Asra
And the order of romance is:
1.FAUST(snakies~~~~)
2.Julian
3.Nadia
4.Asra
Aww it’s all good lol, I’ve never done a livestream before so we’ll just have to see how this one goes!!
LOL I am The Temptress!! mwahahahahaaa oh man I’m curious to see how all of these pairings turn out in the game!!
Hmmm let’s see for hotness: Julian, Nadia, and then Asra.
As for Romance, I’d just reverse Nadia and Asra 😛
Also, whatever happens, this game won’t be free at all, huh? *sigh*Lucky me…
Anyway, whatever happens, this game is still gonna one of my faves.
Nope lol it’s a commercial release, I think they’re gonna do a route by route release schedule
Maybe the following chapters after the demo(y’know the ones before the routes) will be free…or else I’m dead. Seriously, after getting my scholarship this month(which meant 400 bucks), I spent half of it on some clothes and I gave the other half to my mom so we could eat something next week. If that means rich, then hell!…Sorry for ranting, but I never really confess to anyone about this and it’s just so frustrating sometimes, I hope you forgive me.
But I still find the game’s charas hot so the game is on my good side lol.
No, I feel you! I’ve been there, hell, I’m still there! I have a new post series that you might like, it’ll be up in about 5 hours or so!
May have what you’re looking for! 😉
Yet, I still am sorry for complaining and being such a burden. It’s a pain, but it’ll heal. I know it will.
Anyway, shall I guess what will you be writing? Oooooh~, I almost know!
But I suppose it’s better to wait, shall I?~
Lol you’ll see 😉
Ah everyone has stuff they’re going through sometimes you just have to vent. But, I definitely know what it’s like to have to choose between food and games
Also, I played the preview of the first three routes and baby, this game will be the death of me! Instead of my usual fangirl ramblings, I’ll talk about each charas, dropping a few idead as well.
1.The story:
Complex. Hella complex. When the QaA said it’s complex, I didn’t believe it and man do I regret it now? Yes, I truly do. Since I’m talking about each chara separately, I won’t ramble, but anyway, it’s fucking great.
2.Asra:
In order to play each route’s preview, you must play the demo so Asra was the first one I played. So you kow that Nadia invites the MC to her palace in order to help her in the demo, right? So there’s a ball and somehow Asra appears uninvited and the MC realizes this and finds him in the palace’s garden. They share a talk about their clothes and then Asra attempts to take the MC on an adventure and he gets -most probably- to kiss the MC. Or, in another case, the MC pushes him the garden’s fountain, but he disappears and MC sighs and returns to the party.
Headcanon: Combining the QaA and the preview, I can tell that Asra knew the MC in their past, before eventually rescuing(in my first headcanon) the MC from the brothel she works at. So, we can choose whether we want the MC to be sweet and “Ah, master!~” or bitchy and playful, but still sweet(acting around Asra like she did as a kid).
Opinions: Asra made me smile and I can’t see how he’s nb. Sure, his face has some feminine features, but that bod~
2. Nadia
Nadia’s the next I played. So during MC’s stay at her palace, they have to meet and before this we meet Portia, one of Nadia’s dearest maids(who’s also Julian’s adorbs lil sis^//W//^~). Then, we met Nadia who’s just having a bath and she just appears naked in front of us (she was covered, but still!0////0). Nadia seems to be amused with MC’s curious/weird antics and they talk about a murderer, a masquerade that will take place in 8 days and how the MC must save this whole shit due to hers and Nadia’s agreements.
Headcanon: I already said all my ideas about Nadia and the bitchy/fearful MC so the only new thing’s Portia. I can see her becoming Nadia’s maid after the attack (in my headcanon) that separated her from Julian, their dad (and formerly Aida). During the time she became a maid, Nadia was still getting accustomed to her royal title so having such a simple person like Portia around her kept Nadia in touch with reality (and also sane).
Opinions: I’ve never seen a character so sexy and complex in my whole life, I want this game to be released faster!
3.Julian
Julian’s the last I played and girl, did I enjoy it??? Hell yeah, baby! So apparently the MC met some of the late Count’s beloved pets(vampire eels, mainly) and Julian saves her, but the MC’s abdomen gets terribly injured so Julian has to heal her. Realizing nothing works, he removes one of his gloves, puts his ungloved hand of MC’s abdomen(after removing her torn garments) and performs a spell on her that injures his instead. Now it’s his abdomen that bleeds like crazy, but it doesn’t hurt him since it’s just a curse Asra put on him due to Asra’s “fear of commitment”, which may mean they’ve been together at some point.
Headcanon: Besides Asra and Julian’s former relationship, it felt really nice to see Julian helping the MC because of her close friendship with Portia (it’s sweet for him to care about his lil sis just enough to help her rather…enchanting friend, to say the least~) and getting all flustered when the MC thanks him and telling it’s great to see her alright again.
Opinion: My core it’s usually made of ice but this melted me. The entire game melted me, tho.
4. Portia+MC
Portia is a rather cute addition to tha cast and it’s to see both Julian and Nadia showing some human qualities once in a while. Portia’s adorable and her slightly bossy/motherly demeanor is what I needed. But based on the latest QaA that calls Portia “tender/spicy”, I’m not so sure how true is this shit.
The MC is, as always, a character whose persona you can craft using her resposes and stuff, but it’s rather nice to have her bitchy and sweet at the sametime, at least she has some potential.
Final opinion:
The previews and latest QaA are great, the characters are delightful and the MC is so precious! So the QaA take place every Friday between 6-7 pm pst and you can ask questions as long as they’re not “NDA-breaking or weirdly personal”(the Tumblr says this, not moi).
Due to the previews and the QaAs, these are my latest headcanons/predictions:
*In my headcanon, I’d love to see the MC and Muriel being friends before the attack that killed MC’s parents and all of Muriel’s folks, due to MC’s older brothers. After the attack, the MC(who was teleported by her mom) and Muriel(who ran away, escaping the massacre) met eachother and Asra(who got there with his older bro and sis after the murder of their parents) in the same city and became fast friends. While the MC lived for a while with a barber’s family(and learned maths and now to read/write until that family moved in fears for being persecuted for taking in a witch) and worked at several bakeries/shops, the two rowdy boys stole food in order to live and tried their best to help Asra’s siblings find someone who’ll hire them. Due to Asra’s bro’s knowledge in medicine(somehow, somewhatXD), Julian’s dad hired the siblings to teach Julian(12-13 yrs old) the secrets of healing, separating 10 yrs old Asra from 12 yrs old Muriel and 10 yrs old MC. Then, Asra and Julian became an item and broke up; Muriel and the MC got separated by fate once more; MC became a prostitute and Asra rescued her a few years after due to seeing one of her performances(I wouldn’t be surprised if Lucio saw her too); Nadia got married to the count; Julian and Portia got separated too, the latter becoming Nadia’s maid and yada yada, her we are!
…So what do you think? Is my review alright? Are my headcanons/predictions normal? Why do I write so fucking much?!XD
YES! OMG I need to go back and replay the demo!! There is so much that I missed!!
Your review and headcanons are great! have you ever thought of starting up a blog yourself on WP?