After much anticipation, indie studio Two and a Half just dropped their 18+ fantasy boys love visual novel, The Divine Speaker! I have been following this project for awhile now and I am impressed by this imaginative experience! Follow orphan, Raen as he embarks on a magical adventure after being expelled from his home. Along the way he will will uncover truths that change the way he sees the world and himself. Mysteries, magic, fantasy and more await you in this grand tale of fate, and how each person defies it.
Game Details
- Fantasy | Boys Love | Adventure
- Price: $29.99
- ESRB: M (18+) (explicit, uncensored adult content)
- Where to Play: itch.io | Steam
Story
A newly born child’s first destination isn’t their mother’s arms, but the embrace of another.
The Divine Speaker, the person tasked with determining a child’s destiny from the day they are born till the day they die.
This destiny is determined by the lottery. The Speaker’s hand, guided by the forces above, always chooses the correct fate for the correct child. This Judgement guides them on the path to eventually becoming the person they were always destined to be.
In the Kingdom of Aurelia Cavella, your destiny is decided for you, from the day you’re born till the day you’ll die.
However, this is by no means based on luck. The Beings Above that protect the land guide the Speaker into finding the correct fate for the correct child.
Aurelia Cavella is the only civilization on the planet, and that is how its always been, as far as the residents are concerned. Outside, an endless forest that is both dangerous and uninhabitable.
Raen grew up in an orphanage after being abandoned by his parents for his poor Judgement. However, he enjoyed his upbringing and learnt a lot of practical skills, and loves children. He finds them easier to understand than adults. He lives his life cooking, cleaning and raising the other kids.
However, when Raen is expelled from his home on a death sentence, he must begin to come to terms with the fact that there might be something else out there after all, and that Aurelia Cavella isn’t all that it seems.
Just like Pandora’s Box, once his eyes are opened to the truth, he can never close them again.
Official Synopsis
Characters
The Protagonist
The Love Interests
The Supporting Cast
Beating the odds to change your fate
In the sheltered village of Aurelia Cavella at birth, everyone is assigned a Judgement by the Divine Speaker, that steers the course of their lives (a la The Giver). At his birth, Raen received a poor judgement and was promptly abandoned by his parents, spending the next 18 years of his life growing up in a local orphanage. Despite this, he has lived a rather peaceful and happy life that is until he is wrongfully accused of a crime and expelled from his home and banished to the untamed wilds surrounding Aurelia Cavella—a fate worst than death. After wandering in the forest he learns that all is not as it seems in Aurelia Cavella. His entire worldview is turned on its head forcing him to question the teachings of his home and the much revered Divine Speaker.
There is rich history and lore that the writers gradually build up and explore, we are learning about this world alongside Raen without feeling too dense—the evolving codex feature is a blessing, since entries update as the story progresses. This is a world I want to know more about and that is a testament to the care and thought put into crafting The Divine Speaker. Which is made more real with the visuals, the art in this game is stunning. Rich lush landscapes, vibrant cityscapes, and the stylized UI; it all comes together to bring to life this gorgeous fantasy world!
Of course, what’s a visual novel without an equally dynamic cast of characters? Thankfully The Divine Speaker has us covered. There are three pursuable characters: snarky assassin for hire, Leos; soft forest boy, Fawn protecc him; and eccentric noble, Cyne. So, I love all these boys for different reasons, but Fawn has my heart, baby boy deserves nothing but hugs and soft snuggles and anyone that comes for him better watch their back, because I know I’m not alone in the Fawn Defense Alliance. Leo, is an absolute butt and I love his snarky ass. At any given moment I don’t know if I wanna punch him or kiss him—the sass battles between him and Raen give me so much joy! Cyne is just out here living his best life and I am here for it, but getting to know the real him will require cutting through some of his BS. AND DON’T GET ME STARTED ON THE GORGEOUS SUPPORTING CAST! So many attractive characters that are just my type—yes I am talking about Nox.
Finally, there is leading man, Raen. It’s easy for protagonists to be overshadowed by their much more “exciting” supporting cast, I am happy to say that The Divine Speaker‘s Raen definitely holds his own. He has the usual “protagonist” hallmarks; he’s kind tolerant, and a bit naïve (especially early on), of course, as the story progresses he comes into his own. But even before that, Raen does actively engage with the LIs, whether that’s clapping back at Leos or taking on more initiative with Fawn.
But the part that you all really care about are the sexy bits~ Yes, The Divine Speaker is an 18+ BL game, so the characters do get into some hanky panky, so there are a handful of explicit scenes between Raen and the LIs. The smut is of the UNCENSORED variety so lots of free range willies to ogle at. But, if that is not your thing, there is a nifty filter that turns those pristine schlongs into pixel peens~ The filter doesn’t skip the sex scenes so if you are planning on streaming the game, pay attention so you can manually skip those without antagonizing the Twitch overlords.
The Verdict – Is The Divine Speaker Worth Playing?
Throw your money at The Divine Speaker! Two and a Half Studio’s The Divine Speaker has the basic setup of your run of the mill fantasy adventure—a normal person finds themselves suddenly pulled from their everyday life and thrust headfirst into a fate/destiny they never asked for—we know the drill. But, with all the futuristic, cyberpunk, and isekai boys love games I’ve played recently, The Divine Speaker stands out for going all in with the fantasy adventure with its own unique worldbuilding and history. Gorgeous visuals, a dynamic cast, and a lot of great features makes this a must buy for anyone looking for a great story to lose themselves in!
Find Two and a Half Studios
Two and a Half Studios is a small indie development studio based out of Australia with a love for immersive and story-rich visual novels.
- Official Website: www.twoandahalfstudios.com
- Twitter: @TwoHalfStudios
- Patreon: www.patreon.com/twoandahalfstudios
- Facebook: facebook.com/divinespeakergame
- itch.io Page: twoandahalfstudios.itch.io
I bought it this morning with intentions of playing it today, but after discovering the voice acting for Leos’ and Fawn’s routes hasn’t been included yet, I’ve decided I want to wait. Slightly disappointed, but I’d rather them take their time than rush it!
Yeah I was sad about that too since the voice acting in the extended demo was so good, but like you said I’d rather they wait than rush it.