Fading Hearts (Steam)
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Fading Hearts is primarily a visual novel, although it can have some RPG aspects to it depending on how you play the story. The story is about a high schooler named Ryou and what initially starts as a sort of love triangle. He has two close friends, Rina and Claire, and Rina is well known to have feelings for him. Sadly, he doesn't feel the same way. He does have feelings for Claire though, but she's already with someone and keeps pushing him towards Rina. Things take a turn for the worst when he learns that Claire's boyfriend may be abusing her.


If that wasn't enough, he starts zoning out and having dreams about a knight from a past life who used magic. Shortly afterwards, Ryou discovers he actually can use magic! He also goes in to the forest where shadow monsters dwell and meets a mysterious magical girl named Mystica. But who is she really and what's really going on?


Those two sections serve as the two main story points in the game, and you can choose to focus on both or on either one. The first one plays out in typical visual novel style, while the second incorporates some RPG gameplay. If you choose that route, you can read manga, which can be purchased at the Cosplay Cafe or via Internet shopping, and some issues will teach Ryou new magical spells. You can then wander in to the woods and fight shadow monsters and gain experience and level up. You might even learn more about Mystica.


Whether you choose to explore the fantasy section or not, there are a few other aspects to the game. The first is a dating sim aspect. During your free time, you'll have a few options. You can call people to make plans for the next day, you can work, you can read manga, you can go hang out at the Cosplay Cafe or the Bubble Tea restaurant, you can rest, or a few other things. If you choose to work, you'll receive points towards certain aspects of different companies, which will give you more money come payday. You'll get paid whether you work or not, but this will increase your earnings.


There are a few stats to keep track of. PS is personal strength and it affects what options you have in your social interactions. This can be refilled by spending time talking to different people and hanging out with them. Your max PS will sometimes be increased when you get a vision, which happens during certain scenes or sometimes while exploring the forest. Your PS is lowered by avoiding social contact, like staying cooped up in your house too much, for example. You also have stress which is raised by doing a few things like working too much and can be restored by resting or relaxing. If you pursue the RPG gameplay, you also have HP and such to keep track of as well!


The game has dates that go by, and everyday you'll be able to do some stuff, like socialize or read or work. School days will give you the afternoons and evenings and weekends will give you three sections of the day instead of just two. There's a good bit of time to do what you need to do and pursue several different aspects of the game.

Although this is a visual novel, it's very choice heavy with scenes thrown in here and there. You'll be making a lot of decisions instead of just reading. There are multiple endings, some good and some bad, although I've heard it can be hard to get them all because the game has a random factor that affects things like when your magic becomes available to you.


Characters:
In no particular order
4GG0mQD.pngRyou: Our protagonist, a high school boy who starts having visions and develops magical powers. He is the object or Rina's affection, and has feelings for his friend Claire.
BR39nK4.pngClaire: Ryou's friend since forever who he has feelings for. She's very outgoing and likes to tease him. She has an older boyfriend from another town who is rumored to be abusive towards her.
39GNFh7.pngRina, Ryou's childhood friend, she's incredibly smart and very sweet, never speaking badly about anyone. She's had a long time crush on Ryou and lately she seems to have something strange going on.
nJK8eLe.pngSophie: An investigative journalist who first warns Ryou that something may be amiss with his friends. She's nosy and blunt but is a generally good source of information.
4Gm15Ao.pngAlex: An otaku who plays a lot of video games and frequents the Cosplay Cafe, he also drags Ryou in to that stuff, although Ryou is never quite as enthusiastic. Has a mysterious past.
n19GWUV.pngTracy: A waitress at the Cosplay Caf who plays up the 'Maid' trope. She's very kind and likes seeing Alex and Ryou around.
6hKNToe.pngMystica: A mysterious magical girl who protects the city from shadow monsters and warns Ryou to stay away since she can't do it properly if she's stuck watching him too!
4GG0mQD.pngMeta-Ryou: Ryou from the future who gives you clues and hints sometimes, although he stays pretty vague.

Overall it was pretty solid. The characters were interesting, it poked fun at itself, and I liked the protagonist. I also liked that you could take the game in different directions. On the downside, it could get repetitive and sometimes there would be long stretches with very little in the way or scenes or story advancement. I've played it twice now and both times were fun, but not the most exciting.

Verdict:
IT WAS OKAY