Radiant Tale is another excellent otome release from Aksys Games, and while it isn’t as good as Jack Jeanne (few in the genre come close), it is worth your time with how uplifting it feels with its memorable characters and story. Not only is it gorgeous, but this aesthetic absolutely shines on the OLED screen in handheld mode.
When my biggest criticism of a game is “the font isn’t quite right,” I know I’ve played something pretty special. Radiant Tales doesn’t subvert the otome genre. It is not meant to challenge the audience to think deeply about things. It is, simply, a well-written and well-meaning romance story about a troupe of performers and a highly magical adventure they embark on together. It’s like the non-steamy end of Harlequin novels, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Everyone benefits from a little romantic fantasy at times.
I must say, this game not only helps me unwind from work but also provides a healing and entertaining experience. If you believe this game is exclusively meant for children and lacks depth, I would argue the opposite. It caters to mature adults who face work-related stress, and this reminds me that its preaching elements are quite similar to those found in contemporary Disney movies that are crafted for adult audiences. The CG are beautiful.
Radiant Tale - A feel good VN where magic and love saves the day~
This is a feel good and fluffy otome game in which the power of friendship, love and magic saves the day. If you play this game with those expectations in mind you will have a brilliant time.
I want to mention in spite of me stating the above, this game can be enjoyed by an older audience as well because the topics it deals with are deep in nature and often a critique on dysfunctional societies. Therefore it will have pockets of story that are quite dark however, when reaching the end, the story will often conclude in a happy and satisfying manner.
The localisation is very good, no bugs, no technical issues, the translation is overall good (excluding the slang terms you come across here and there in one character's speech manner to make him seem more current to a young audience).
The common route is 5 chapters long and the individual routes are 4, apart from the last and only locked character which had a special common route and 5 individual chapters.
The story-to-romance ratio, in my opinion is about 70/30, with one/two kissing CGs per character. However, I found every character likeable and the story very engaging.
The game provides a meter to showcase when making a 'correct' choice, you can also skip the content to the next selection if you have already finished the common route once. It really is well designed to make the game easy to navigate.
The art is top notch for a otome VN, can't see how it could be improved. It is very colourful but it fits the theme of the story very well.
The amound of CG art you unlock is more than your regular otome game. One full page of images per LI, 2 full pages of 'common images' and a 'MINI' art page filled with cute and fun situations that occur during the story.
The voice acting is faultless, you really get immersed in the dialogue, nothing pulls you out. Likewise, the music is very fitting for every setting.
To conclude, if you like otome VNs and you enjoy a more light hearted story, then this game is a must. It became one of my favourites in its category.
Radiant Tale presents an admirable and enjoyable fantasy romance narrative. It might not be original, but the game does what it sets out to do, both successfully and entertainingly. Radiant Tale is another top-quality otome title on the Nintendo Switch, sure to put a smile on the faces of genre enthusiasts. Without further ado, let’s get on with the show!
Radiant Tale was an absolute treat to play. The fantasy elements that it introduced were properly utilized, and besides a few translation issues, it had a well-paced narrative that didn’t drag itself out and properly ties the knot on its main plot points. While the romance does take a bit of a backseat, all of its characters are unique and well-written, so if you were looking for a good otome game for this Summer, then why not watch as CIRCUS perform their number for you?
For people who love otome games, especially on the Switch, I can’t help but feel Radiant Tale could be a must-play. It’s a lot of fun, and it’s really entertaining to see the cast of characters interact with the heroine and one another. Seeing their adventures and backgrounds, it’s almost like you can’t help but root for them and their love stories with Tifalia.
Radiant Tale was ok! It wasn’t bad but it also didn’t really blow me out of the water. It had an extremely linear plot that was pretty predictable in most routes and the romances all felt okay as well. Nothing in particular stood out. Despite that, I teared up once or twice while playing.
SummaryTifalia longs for an eventful life and gets her wish when an unusual group calling themselves CIRCUS wander into her inn and press her into service as a producer.
A crazy dragon that loves to tickle, a spikey clown that doesn't make you laugh, a water creature who doesn't want to use water magic, an acrobat who doesn't know how to ente...