Love And Self Worth With A Sprinkle Of Magic
I’ll admit, I had never heard of this game before. Developed by Aksys Games, Tales From Toyotoki is a visual interactive novel that captured my emotions and intrigue from the get go. This isn’t your traditonal video game, as you essentially watch and read a novel and occasionally make choices. Set on the fictional Toyotoki island, you play as Hikaru Nishime, a high school student who has been sent away from Tokyo to live with his grandfather on the island(an island set in the Okinawa province). When he arrives on the island, he finds out his grandfather has fled, and therefore he is homeless and alone. With the island locals extremely weary of outsiders, Hikaru is left to fend for himself, and on the first night, sleeping in a field, he meets the intriguing and mysterious Lilun. Whilst they are initially hostile, they begin to warm to each other and decide to break into Hiraku’s grandfather’s house for shelter. It’s from here the story is set in motion as Lilun reveals herself to be a witch, not from Japan or its surrounding islands. And so the mystery begins.
The way in which I would describe the story of Tales From Toyotoki would be a story about romance and finding yourself, whilst being wrapped in a fantasy themed mystery, and I loved it. At the heart of the story are Hiraku and Lilun whose slow burn romance plays out painstakingly at times but is satisfying by the time the credits roll. These two characters’ conversations are wonderful, thought provoking and emotional at times. I loved learning more about them and loved watching them fall in love over the course of the journey. Once the prologue has finished and the intrigue and mystery has been established, the game takes a surprising turn.
On finishing the prologue, the game introduces side characters who become the main focus for a while, as chapters are split into stories about them. Hiraku and Lilun are still present, but they take a backseat as characters such as Kiriko and Akari are fleshed out with their own struggles. The common themes of the game are loneliness, friendship, self-worth and sacrifice. Each character in the game is unique and has memorable moments as you try to help Lilun and uncover her secrets and the island’s mystery. The story is best experienced with as little knowledge as possible, as the mystery and intrigue drew me to continue watching this novel play out. As the story draws to its conclusion, there are twists and turns, and plot points established by supporting characters are wrapped up, leading to a thoughtful and satisfying ending. But by far my favourite parts of the game were the conversations with the characters as they navigate early adulthood. Hiraku and Lilun’s conversations become so deep and emotional that it’s hard to not get invested in their love story.
The Importance Of Expectations
With this game being a visual novel, it is important to understand the mechanics and expectations of gameplay. I use the word ‘game’ in the loosest of terms, as you are essentially watching a story play out. There are no real gameplay elements available in Tales From Toyotoki bar a few choices you can make which do not create any massive changes in the overall experience. This is certainly not for everyone and if I’m honest, I did not expect myself to enjoy just watching as I love interactive narratives. However, the characters kept me interested and intrigued. It’s a story that is best experienced simply loading up the game and putting your controller down whilst watching the events of the story play out. I have not played many visual novels before but I would definitely try another thanks to this game and maybe more players like myself will be drawn to this style of entertainment.
As mentioned, there is not much for the player to actually interact with, as the main controls simply allow a skip button if you wish to speed through dialogue or an auto button simply puts the story on auto pilot and you are essentially watching a movie. Menus are very basic in this game and there are not many other options on offer for you, except the log. The log allows you to scroll through all lines of dialogue from all characters which is a great way for you to refresh yourself with events of the story if you are not playing the game in one sitting. Lengthwise, this story can be experienced in around four to six hours so it’s not going to outstay its welcome. Overall, gameplay is non existent so it’s vital you know what you sign yourself up for. But the visuals and presentation made me long for more.
Presentation Precision
Graphically speaking, Tales From Toyotoki looks absolutely gorgeous. All scenes in the game looked as if they had been taken straight out of a comic book or animated show – it looks that good! All environments are static and mainly just backgrounds but they are so detailed and stunning sometimes I would not forward the conversation so I could marvel at the view. It has what I can only describe as a washed out pastel look to it, and it’s truly beautiful. Images of the island look wonderful and realistic throughout, whilst tense and dark moments look creepy and chilling. The characters also look incredible, particularly Lilun with the level of detail in her outfits being something to behold. Aksys have made stunning character art really feel alive in this game, which is some feat considering the characters are not animated or have any real movements. This game is a great showcase for visual novels in that it contains some breath-taking art.
Along with a wonderful art design, the soundtrack and audio design in this game are top notch. The soundtrack blew me away with how serene and calming it was during the day time; I could sit and listen to the music when exploring the island all day long. Just as impressive was the way in which the soundtrack ramped up during the nights where the story became eerie and mysterious; the music really helped set the tone in those climatic moments. Similarly, audio design is wonderful, with great sound effects on simple items like the doors creaking open or windows smashing. The voice acting is also great, with the cast pouring so much emotion into their lines. This really helps the story feel weighty and meaningful. This is a true masterclass with its visual and sound design.
Verdict
Tales From Toyotoki: Arrival Of The Witch is a feat in visual art design and a compelling story of love, friendship and social hardships mixed in with fantasy mystery. With this being a visual novel, gameplay here is non-existent so it’s important to set your expectations right, but if you are looking for a gripping and intriguing story, this is the game for you. While I wish the game could have been just a little bit longer, the audio design and soundtrack help propel this into a truly memorable experience. See you on Toyotoki!
