Fans of MAGES. have not seen a new IP from the developer in nearly three years, but that will change in August with the launch of eye-catching visual novel Iwakura Aria. The game launched for Nintendo Switch about a year ago in Japan, making its Western PC release is the first time it is available on that platform. Its dark, painterly style draws players into Japan during the 1960s, where a young orphan is plucked from the streets to work as a maid in a beautiful suburban mansion.
Soon after Ichikio Kitagawa begins working as a maid at the Iwakura household, she develops a deep relationship with Aria, the frail and hostile daughter of the household. The longer Ichikio spends at the house, the more she unravels the truths of the seemingly idyllic mansion; this sets off a series of dark events that will seal her fate — and Aria’s — for better or worse.
Iwakura Aria’s key features, from PQube, include:
- Heart Pounding Revelations – Play as Ichiko, housekeeper to the Iwakura mansion, and uncover the chilling machinations at play as you grow closer to Aria and her dark fate
- Change the Future – With nine different endings to unlock, the choices you make affect the outcome of the future and the life the protagonist is living 33 years after the events of the main game
- Mansion Exploration – Use the map to explore different rooms of the mansion to piece together key information needed to uncover characters’ hidden secrets and the greater secrets at play
- Ichiko’s Sketchbook – Carefully detailed drawings of what captivates her interest, these drawings can also reveal hidden clues to the twisted heart of the Iwakura mansion
- Renaissance Dream – Illustrations in a painterly style, and cut-out frames which piece together multiple images into one scene, by illustrator Hyakunen and graphic designer Nakada Fumi, bring the story to life
- Gripping Connections – The bonds between the women of the mansion pull together the story, from friendship to love, these strong emotions underpin the suspense which builds with each chapter
Developed by MAGES. and published by PQube in the West, Iwakura Aria will be released for PC via Steam (digital) and Nintendo Switch (digital, physical) on August 14.
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