Amarantus

Arik's been told two things all his life: a tyrant is ruling the country, and somebody needs to do something.

Now forced to flee his house after a midnight attack, his parents captured and his house torched—maybe somebody means you.

It's time to gather a party, head to the capital, and take the Lord down. Along the journey, this crew of old friends and new strangers will grow closer—or further apart—as your choices guide Arik to win friends, make enemies, play matchmaker, and break hearts.

Romance is not guaranteed: messiness is.

Road trips, revolution & relationships are at the heart of Amarantus's visual novel experience, and it makes for one of the most painfully empathetic gaming experiences I've played in years, as I broiled in the angst of watching a hero yearn for a better future, for a smooth journey, and for a warm body to hold onto at night. - 9/10 video games are good

With its eye for detail, impeccable direction of design and music, and fantastic narrative, Amarantus is definitely up there for one of the year’s best releases. - 9/10 Noisy Pixel

densely textured, deeply intimate, wickedly clever; my highest recommendation especially if u have ever been a huge fuckup with great expectations & mixed emotions - Ben Schroder

Especially when you're traveling with friends:

• Announce your brilliant plan...then glimpse a party member silently rolling their eyes in the corner of the screen
• Learn to correctly pronounce someone's name, permanently updating the UI
• Nickname your lover after the stupid thing they said that one time
• Have a poorly judged hookup really early on and then spend the rest of the playthrough awkwardly trying not to address it
• Experience the thrill of almost, but not quite, holding hands with somebody you love
• Make one bad decision and then try to redeem yourself while everyone makes snide comments
• Tell three characters in one day that they're the love of your life, then navigate the fallout
• And a lot more of that sort of thing

Features

• A defined and illustrated player character with his own personality, affected by and responsive to your choices
• Four unique party members to befriend, betray, woo or wingman
• The potential for romantic, platonic, sexual, antagonistic, and polyamorous relationships with different party members
• No premature bad endings: every choice affects your playthrough, without ending it
• A single playthrough takes 3-4 hours, multiple playthroughs required to uncover the truth
• Unlockable graphic inserts by award-winning comic artist Hien Pham
• Dynamic and immersive sound design underscored by original post-rock soundtrack