Autumn's Journey

The power of choice is what makes a video game more engaging than a linear experience in which you have no say in the outcome of the story. Whether it’s through dialog or the actions you choose to carry, going one way or the other makes you get closer to the characters. On the other hand, the choices need to really affect the story, otherwise the disappointment is even greater in the end.

Autumn's Journey is a visual novel game that tells the story of a world called Ishtera, where two different races live in harmony with each other. Thus, the heavenkind and the dragonkind share the realm and coexist together, although not everything is perfect. The game allows you to make some critical choices as you go along, which affect the ending you get after the adventure reaches its climax.

You play the role of Auralee, a knight who meets a strange man while patrolling a farming town. As it turns out, Kerr is actually an Earth Dragon, and he is on a quest to regain his powerful dragon form. Naturally, one thing leads to another and you are suddenly helping Kerr on his journey. You do not get to do very much in this regard, other than speak and decide whether to say one thing or the other during key moments.

Given the fact that it comprises most of the gameplay, the dialog needs to be very well written to maintain your attention. While this is certainly not a Dostoyevsky novel, the writing is good enough to get your imagination going. Some of the lines are rather exaggerated and childish, but given the anime style of the game, it’s to be expected.

Speaking of which, the artwork is designed to look like Japanese manga as well, which is mostly obvious when it comes to the characters. Even so, the artists are quite skilled, and the quality of the drawings is top notch as well. A smooth soundtrack plays in the background at all times, but it’s not very memorable. Some of the lines are also voice acted, and it’s a nice touch for the overall atmosphere.

In the end, Autumn's Journey can be a bit slow and not very interactive, but it’s to be expected if you are familiar with the genre. The story gets interesting after the introduction, so it’s a lot like enjoying a short book, only easier on the eyes.