First Impressions: Made Marion Demo

Made Marion is an upcoming fantasy indie otome game and the debut title of indie studio, Velvet Cupcake. The game is inspired by the stories of Robin Hood, but rather than the following the exploits of the legendary hero, his leading lady Marion takes center stage in this twist on the English folktale. Set in the land of Avalon, a land filled with magic and adventure, Made Marion offers a wholly original story. 

I have been following this project for awhile now and with the launch of the Kickstarter campaign, this seemed like the perfect time to check out the demo! The campaign has already in full swing and is set to end on March 18th. But, if you’re still on the fence about the game check out my thoughts below (and then totally download the demo)! 

Story

Lady Marion of Glastonbury is going to have to figure that out, and fast. Removed from her position of power and thrust into an unwanted arranged marriage, she finds herself careening through Sherwood Forest toward the troubled town of Nottingham.

Released from the confines of her previous life, who will Marion become?  A freedom fighter? A knight-at-arms? A reluctant spy?  Will she help create peace in Nottingham or hasten the coming confrontation between the strict Sheriff and the rebel Robin Hood?

And will a woman who resisted marriage end up finding love where she least expects it? Find out when you’re… Made Marion.

Characters

Made Marion gives you the chance to choose between two distinct paths: Sherwood and Nottingham. Each path comes with it’s own unique set of love interests, some of whom are based on characters from the Robin Hood mythos.  

Sherwood Love Interests 

• Robin of Locksley: A deposed noble who is leading a rebellion against the autocratic Lord Geoffrey of Nottingham. A strong and capable leader with a tendency to hide his true feelings behind a wall of jocularity.
• John: Robin’s second-in-command, a gentle giant of a man battling inner demons from his tragic past.
• Will the Scarlet Blade: John’s half-brother, a daredevil swordsman with several large chips on his shoulder.
• Layton Tuck: A ruggedly handsome and morally deficient druid whose powerful magic supports the rebellion. He will be available as a love interest in Made Marion DLC. 

Nottingham Love Interests 

• Lord Geoffrey: Known locally by the derogatory nickname of “The Sheriff,” this stern lord is determined to rule by law, even if the law entails some very onerous taxes. Can Marion uncover the reasons behind his harsh policies?
• Meissa: A mysterious, mischievous sage from an enemy land. Kind and compassionate, they harbor a dangerous secret.
• Alanna Dale: A merry bard in Geoffrey’s court. Easy to fall in love with but difficult to truly know, she guards herself with layers of lies.
• Gui la Londe: A gorgeous, graceful chevalier who is a confidant of Lord Geoffrey’s despite their very different worldviews. He would like to recruit Marion for an important mission on behalf of the Crown.

The Heroine – Marion 

Our main character, a courageous young noblewoman who is serious about her responsibilities but suffers from a lack of diplomatic skills and a tendency to speak before she thinks when she gets wound up. 

Overall Thoughts

While Made Marion borrows elements from the Robin Hood folktales, it isn’t bound by them, instead using them as the foundation for it’s own unique story. Choose between two possible paths: The Sherwood path, where Marion chooses to honor her arranged marriage and sets our heroine on a collision course with Robin and his band of outlaws or The Nottingham path, where she chooses to fight her fate and forge her own future. Each path offers its own unique adventure and love interests to pursue and the demo gives you a chance to explore both! The world of the game has it’s own unique lore—political intrigue, diverse cultures, and magic all come together to create an immersive world where anything is possible. 

I am a sucker for good world building, and Made Marion is brimming with story telling opportunities. The country of Avalon is a land with a rich history, borrowing elements from the Celtic culture and fae folklore, while also throwing in some original story elements, that really bring the world and the characters to life. Avalon is experiencing a period or social and political upheaval and depending on which choices you make Marion can end up on either side of an ongoing conflict—Will you side with the people or the nobility? The choice is ultimately yours. The demo just scratches the surface on what this story has to offer… and I NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NEXT! 

Of the two paths you can pursue, I am much more interested in the Nottingham path; there’s just so much more intrigue and magic in that route and I am in love with Meissa! But, then again, the Sherwood path has John and he is the most beautiful ebony man I have ever seen in a game… PERIOD! 

I have my biases, but in truth, Made Marion has an impressive line up of love interests and most players are bound to find one (or more) who appeal to them. You all already know how much I love diversity in games and Made Marion does not disappoint, and I especially love that there are LGBTQ+ romance options—Alanna is the game’s sole female LI and Meissa identifies as non-binary. In addition to their appearances, some of the LIs come from different in-game cultures, like the Nibirians and the Sunjati, each with their own unique features and mannerisms; all of which serve to give the world of the game more depth. 

I know it’s early but can I say I love Marion?! While she is absolutely gorgeous, she is anything but a damsel in distress—strong, smart, and feisty heroines are my absolute weakness and Marion is a bona fide BADASS! Unlike most noblewomen, Marion is trained in the art of sword play and diplomacy, which served her well as she oversaw her father’s estate while he was away at war. But, despite her gifts, she is still a woman and subject to an arranged marriage to Lord Geoffery. While her feelings about the match vary depending on which path you choose she doesn’t just get swept along by the plot. She has a stake in her own fate and players have full control over her personality without having to worry about winding up on one of the “bad” outcomes. So you can snark it up with the LIs to your hearts content—there was an option to bite Robin’s hand to escape and trust me I took it and the results were HILARIOUS! Marion is a much more mature heroine, so she is VERY comfortable flirting with the LIs—while the demo keeps things PG, the final release promises to have some adult situations and dialogue. And given how attractive all the LIs are, I say BRING IT ON!! But, if that’s not your thing there will be an option to turn off the mature content in the full game. 

Made Marion is a gorgeous game! The UI has a design that has a heavy Celtic inspiration and it is absolutely stunning! The character designs are just as fantastic departing from the usual anime-esque style of most otome games—it kind of reminds me a bit of the style used in Cinders. This is seriously one of the most aesthetically appealing demos I’ve played in a long time. 

Overall, this is a fantastic demo and while not all of the assets are in this version of the game, it’s still more than enough for me to be HOOKED on this concept. Unfortunately, there were no CGs in the demo, but if they’re half as good as the rest of the game, I know they’ll be top notch! So if you haven’t already, I highly recommend giving the Made Marion demo a play if you have the chance–especially if you’re a fan of fantasy adventure games and strong confident heroines!

Like I mentioned at the start, the Kickstarter for Made Marion is in full swing until March 18, 2021, and I highly recommend THROWING your money at them because this demo is top notch!! 

If you’d like to check out Made Marion for yourself you can get the demo over on itch.io: Play the Demo also, be sure to follow Velvet Cupcake on twitter to get the most up to date info on the game and its development! 

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