Elisa: The Innkeeper - Prequel

Despite what movies might have you thinking, life wasn’t very glamorous for most people back in the medieval era. There were very few rich individuals that could afford to live a carefree life, although even they had to watch out for other inconveniences. However, most of the population was struggling to live from agriculture or various other jobs that allowed them to earn a living.

Elisa: The Innkeeper - Prequel is an interactive visual novel that presents the story of a young innkeeper who’s being courted by multiple pretenders, due to the fact that she is incredibly beautiful. However, the game does not provide you with a clear protagonist, since you are more of an outside force that makes the decisions on behalf of everyone involved in the story.

Hence, there are multiple characters that drive the plot, including Elisa herself, a highborn prince and a rich merchant. The choices you make affect the story as a whole, not just one character’s fate, which means that you can replay the adventure multiple times and see how everything changes as you pick a different route at certain junctions in the plot.

There are some role-playing elements at work as well, such as the fact that the characters can acquire items along the way and use them when the situation requires it. Granted, this side of the game is pretty rudimentary, but at least it feels like you’ve got more freedom than in your average visual novel. It’s possible to steer the plot in the desired direction if you happen to pick a favorite character.

Lastly, the artwork is mighty important in a game that features so little interaction, which is why it’s such a relief that everything is exceptional in this regard. In fact, the graphics are impressive, especially when it comes to character design and the detailed backgrounds that change fairly often. On top of it all, the soundtrack goes very well with the general mood of the game, which is always satisfying.

All things considered, Elisa: The Innkeeper - Prequel is definitely worth your time if you enjoy visual novels, especially since it presents you with a new approach to the classic formula. This is but a prequel, and you can support the developers by participating in their Kickstarter campaign.