I’m back again with another Otome review! This time, I’ve conjured up a Radiant Tale Fanfare review for you, which covers the sequel to the previous game. In this entry, we travel a few months or so into the future (or possibly a year) after the events of the first game. I avoid most spoilers in this review, but to learn more about the game, you can find it on the Nintendo Store website!
Radiant Tale Fanfare Review
Now, I will admit, I didn’t play the first game. This caused a few issues for me during both the If Story and After Story modes, as there are a lot of callbacks to the previous entry, especially with the lore and relationships. I’ll go into more detail regarding the story modes later on!
However, despite not having any knowledge of the first title, I still had a great time. The Glossary was a big help in this too! I’m sure it’s there to remind players of the first game of certain terms and jargon, but it works for a new player too.
The After Story Mode
This is definitely the mode that works best for those who played Radiant Tale. Even so, I enjoyed the romantic stories that this mode includes. It follows the Good Ending of the romance routes for all available characters. As a fan of Otome games, I love the thought of the sequel giving fans a little bit extra to see how the story rounds off!
For the most part, a lot of it includes post-wedding storylines, which are extremely cute, and I’m sure they were even better for those who went through the first game! However, my personal favourite was Zafora, as he was still playing hard to get despite admitting his feelings previously.
The storyline follows the main character navigating her relationship with him, which I found rewarding as a new player. Though I didn’t have any context of the past events that these characters had gone through together, I could get the gist of it thanks to the dialogue.
The If Story Mode
This is the best mode for new players, in my opinion. It follows on from the Common Ending, which you reach if you don’t achieve a romantic relationship with any of the initial characters. While you still need prior knowledge of the first game, it still has all of the fluffy elements of building a romantic relationship with a character of your choice.
I really like how you can explore the different romance options via the map to test the waters. If you interact with a character enough times, you’re locked into their route, so keep this in mind. For this mode, I went with Liyan. His story throughout this mode tugged on my heartstrings, so I’m glad I went with him for my first If Story playthrough.
The previous title was mentioned quite a lot, so it’s certainly still a sequel, but you get the serotonin of seeing the romance bloom from the start. At this point, the main character is already friends with the romance options, so there aren’t any ‘first meetings’ involved.
The Art and Voice Acting
I absolutely adore the art in this game. The character models are gorgeous, the art pieces during romantic scenes are beautiful and cosy, and the UI has a charm to it. With the first game focusing on the Circus group they were all a part of, the UI in Radiant Tale Fanfare is inspired by the theatre. Each screen throughout the menu looks like a poster for a circus act, which fits in perfectly with the game.
The art itself is expressive, showcasing the delicate emotions of a character to set the scene. The environmental paintings are stunning, stirring up a warm fuzzy feeling in me with the soft glow of lamps and the snug Cheers tavern. It perfectly captures a fantasy world and allows you to immerse yourself oh-so-easily.
Onto the voice acting! I know that voice acting in games can be a make or break for some people, so I can pleasantly say that the VAs in Radiant Tale Fanfare have done an excellent job of matching the personalities of each character. Voice acting matters a lot in Otome games!
Do You Need To Play The Previous Game?
Yes and no. I still had a wonderful time without playing the first Radiant Tale, but there were a lot of references that I had no context for. I didn’t experience the struggles of the characters and the initial set-up of the overarching plot and relationships between the characters.
However, I think the best way to experience Radiant Tale Fanfare is to play the previous title first. This is especially the case with the After Story mode, as it continues after the events of Radiant Tale.
While the scenes with the married couples were sweet, I didn’t have the satisfaction of seeing the characters I’ve been on a journey with getting a good ending. From what I can gather from the callbacks and the useful Glossary, a lot occurred in the first game, with tons of adventure and high stakes!
The good
- Romance turned up to the max!
- The perfect kind of sequel, following on from the Good Endings of the previous game.
- Beautiful art, excellent voice acting, and gorgeous environments.
The bad
- You should play the first game for the full experience.