It’s so much fun when one of Otomate’s otome games ends up with a strong cast and cohesive common route. It really ties everything together and makes the individual Love stories in it stand out even more. Radiant Tale, the latest Switch otome picked up by Aksys, is one of those games. By beginning with such a strong central premise with character growth, it makes the parts that branch out even more endearing.

Tifalia is a young woman who works in Escholtia’s capital Artheir pub alongside the owner Spirea who raised her after her parents’ death and a fluffy fey named Radie. The thing is the prince of the royal family’s heart and age were frozen following a Fiend attack. People throughout the kingdom have been sharing the nector of Chloris, which blooms when folks are happy, in the hopes that can be contributed to remedy. However, a special group known as CIRCUS organized by the kingdom is working on a new plan to save the prince. They’ll perform a… well.. circus at five major cities around the country and bring joy, causing Flora to bloom. These Flora will hopefully heal the prince’s heart. After CIRCUS’ leader Jinnia and the members Ion, Paschalia, Vilio, and Zafora stay at Spirea’s tavern and meet Tifalia, she’s recruited as their PR manager and Radie joins as their mascot.
[caption id="attachment_974347" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Aksys[/caption]
If it seems pretty coincidental that there are about the same number of cities as there are love interests, well, you’d be right to think something’s up! Radiant Tale is a Switch otome game that basically feels like an anime in its common route. When you’re in Liber and there’s the failed practice show before Tifalia and Radie join, it’s basically the introduction to everyone. As they go to each city, they grow closer as a group and you learn more about each person’s background.

For example, Zafora is a sharp-tongued information broker who also performs as a clown during the shows. When you get to the second stop on the tour, you learn more about his backstory and get involved with the issue that town is facing, solving it. The formula works very well, so much so that it’s probably one of the better common routes in the recent Idea Factory Otomate titles I’ve played. Everyone’s personality plays well off of each other, and the fact that we’re seeing platonic relationships between these “professional” entertainers as they travel really helps make them more lovable.
[caption id="attachment_974348" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Aksys[/caption]
It also helps that, in general, the cast of Radiant Tale is pretty great. All of the love interests are pretty well written, though I do feel like Radie, Ion, and Vilio are my favorites. There are dramatic, lighthearted, serious, and sometimes even traumatic moments woven into each character’s backstory. People are well-rounded and aren’t perfect, which makes them easy to love. Not to mention even supporting cast members like Spirea, Jinnia, and Liyan are great. Not to mention the character designs are fantastic and really suit the world.

In general, it’s a really pretty game. A lot of care went in to ensuring the cities look distinct and unique and characters fit in with the period and atmosphere. The character designs are fun, the clothing is great, and it just all “pops.” Their outfits when performing at CIRCUS especially are fantastic.
[caption id="attachment_974349" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Aksys[/caption]
The downside is, the UI is a bit weird. The way the text box is for ordinary dialogue, the sentences don’t completely fill the spaces and it almost feels like the first one is too close to the decorative elements. However, that’s easier to deal with than the text for the CGs. With that, we get a gradated box and font that fades in such a way that it can be difficult to read due to the colors and designs of the artwork underneath. You can still manage, but for accessibility purposes something a little more solid would have been appreciated. Still, it’s a very minor thing, and the rest of the game looks so gorgeous that it’s difficult to quibble about it.

For people who love otome games, especially on the Switch, I can't help but feel Radiant Tale could be a must-play. It's a lot of fun, and it's really entertaining to see the cast of characters interact with the heroine and one another. Seeing their adventures and backgrounds, it's almost like you can't help but root for them and their love stories with Tifalia.

Radiant Tale will come to the Nintendo Switch on July 27, 2023.

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