Firstly, I seldom play demos and trials, but after how Fortune Arterial impressed me, I went to try this and just finished the prelude CD last night, which prompted me to make an introductory thread (
Note: this is by no means a review). Though I have some mixed feelings, especially about some of the heroines, overall, I think the plot looks promising to me and I've already made a preorder for the extra stuff.
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Main scenario writer and artist are the same as FA: Sakakibara Taku (榊原 拓) and Bekkankou (べっかんこう) respectively. Only translations of characters’ names are official, the rest are my own versions.
The World
Long long ago, the God of this world created angels to serve him. Humans borrowed the power of the angels and greatly prospered. It was all well when people were offering prayers of gratitude to God, but when that was forgotten, God became mad and appeared to have expelled the angels. As a result, the world was engulfed by a flood of chaos. While many humans perished, the pious Saint (Holy Maiden) pleaded with God for forgiveness. God forgave the Saint and her believers and floated their city, saving their lives. That city is Novus Aether, which the characters live in.
Novus Aether and the Grand Forte (vndb translated this as Grand Fall, but I decided to keep the kana romanizations)
The city of Novus Aether is divided into 3 areas (formerly 2): Upper Stratum, Lower Stratum, The Prison. The Upper Stratum appears to be the place where the royalty and nobles reside, and the Lower Stratum the commoners. By the way, the city is ruled by the loli heroine, Queen
Licia de novus Yurii (
http://august-soft.com/eustia/character_04.html). 10 years ago, a corner of the city collapsed and caved in, killing many. This event is known as the Grand Forte (Great Cave-In). This part of the city was supposedly abandoned by the government and left to fend for themselves, and a group, a mafia actually, known as the
Fushoku Kingusari (Undevouring Golden Chain), took over the place and kind of rule it, giving it some sort of order while at the same time turning it into some sort of a mafia town. This caved-in place is dubbed the
Prison. It is however thanks to the Fushoku Kingusari that the people in the Prison could survive, especially during the lean years after the Grand Forte.
Caim Astrea (Protagonist) (
http://august-soft.com/eustia/character_06.html): Lost everything during the Grand Forte. In his childhood, first employed as a servant by Fushoku Kingusari to work in their brothel
Lilym. Later worked as an assassin and favored by the former Head of Fushoku Kingusari. Skilled in knives, and has killed many. Currently, he has quit his assassin career, but still help his friend,
Siegfried Grado, the current Head, in a variety of jobs except for killing.
Eustia Astrea (Heroine) (
http://august-soft.com/eustia/character_01.html): Orphan, and since young, worked as a slave. Have a very harsh life. Sold to Lilym at the start of the story. She contracted the ‘
Wing Disease’ and couldn’t work there anymore. Good in housework, cooking. Airhead type. Pitiful type. Apparently the title character. The reason why Tia (that’s what she calls herself) has the same family name as Caim:
Eris Floralia (Heroine) (
http://august-soft.com/eustia/character_02.html): Originally working as a prostitute in Lilym at a young age. But her bonds were cleared by Caim and she was freed. It was not mentioned yet whether her bonds were cleared before she actually started working or after, but I presume it’s the former based on the flow of the story. Later became a doctor. Only female doctor in the Prison and served the prostitutes for free. She only takes what’s needed for her living expenses. She wanted to become Caim’s woman but was rejected, so now she can only help him out with household chores, even though she’s not very good at them. She’s a little tsun, very curt. Busty type.
Saint Irene (Heroine) (
http://august-soft.com/eustia/character_03.html): The 29th Saint (Holy Maiden). The Saints supposedly inherit a power from the first Saint that helps to keep the city afloat through their prayers. She’s blind.
Licia de novus Yurii (Heroine) (
http://august-soft.com/eustia/character_04.html): First female ruler, queen of Novus Aether. The prelude play only has her talking to one of her nobles in the last few scenes as a weak attempt to introduce her.
Anyhow, she’s a loli type. While I don’t like her in her royal garb with a cape, she looks cute in a dress here (
http://august-soft.com/eustia/world_09.html).
Fione Silvaria (Heroine) (
http://august-soft.com/eustia/character_05.html): Captain of the Wing Hunters stationed in the Prison. Their job is to find people with wings (contracted Wing disease) and isolate them, since the Wing Disease is believed to be contagious. Though others call them Wing Hunters, they call themselves “Disease Control Division”. Fione is the trusting, polite, and righteous type. She is skilled with the sword,
After reaching the point where
, the OP starts, then we have some more scenes before the prelude play ends. Though this may not yet be the end of the prologue, since only Tia and Eris are properly introduced. Fione is introduced to a certain degree as well. But Irene and Licia are hardly introduced at all. The main hook is that
The webtrial is available for download for play. It has the exact same play content as the prelude CD, just that the prelude CD comes with other supplementary material.
Some screen shots which may be NSFW: