Release dates (Nintendo Switch, Steam)
Japanese: January 30th, 2020
English: January 31st, 2025
"I will awaken the magic within you, and you will free us from the Rêve...
Set in a wondrously evocative re-imagining of France, a beautifully crafted otome visual novel following Emma, orphaned at a young age, as she fights to uncover her forgotten memories. A witch who lost her powers when young and now living a quiet life, Emma is led by the memento her father left her and finds herself swept away with the arrival of a travelling amusement park in town.
Filled with magic and dreams but holding a dark secret, Emma feels an immediate connection to the wondrous La Foire du Rêve. She discovers that hidden underneath the lustrous fairy-like charm of the park, its employees are trapped, bound to the amusement park and only the magic within Emma can free them. But it has been years since Emma has been able to access her magic, and she must dig deep within herself, navigating painful repressed memories, in order to recover it.
Working at the Rêve as she unravels the tangled threads of her forgotten past, Emma forges bonds with the employees of the amusement park. A cast of wonderful characters; the dazzling director Hugo, the stoic accountant Serge, the Tsundere Performer Crier, the kind-hearted rabbit Lyon, the Reclusive Mechanic Luciole, and Emma’s special childhood friend, Arnaud. Each character with their own crosses to bear, stories of tragedy and longing woven together with desperation, Emma builds deepening bonds of friendship, and maybe more, as she works to unlock her magic and their freedom."
This is a commercial visual novel! You can buy the physical version from Amazon.com here, or you can buy the digital version from Steam here, or from the Nintendo store here.
The burnout was real this year so while I didn’t complete/get to play everything that I would have liked to, I think I still managed to finish a decent amount of games.
Norn 9 Var Commons (Fave routes: Kakeru, Akito, Sakuya)
The Red Bell's Lament (Fave guy: Rhodes Heartfield)
Taisho x Alice (Fave guys/routes: Cinderella, Kaguya, Alice)
Fuyuzono Sacrifice (Fave routes: Hiver, Elias)
Over Requiemz (Fave routes: Dorothy, Claude)
Gensou Manege (Fave routes: Luciole, Lyon)
Radiant Tale (Fave guys: Paschalia, Radie)
In progress list
Ken ga Kimi (Just starting Enishi’s route, Kei, Suzukake and Tsuzumaru to go)
Utakata no Uchronia -trail- (Yori, Tobari, Yashiro and Another story still to play)
Favourite games played in 2025: 9 R.I.P. Sequel, Over Requiemz
The 9 R.I.P. Sequel was a worthy followup to one of my favourite otome games, expanding on the different route endings from the first game and further developing the characters for a satisfying conclusion.
Over Requiemz also featured a strong cast with memorable storylines, as someone that loves dark fantasy otome, this one was right up my alley for sure.
2025 Best Boys: Toka (9 R.I.P. Sequel), Dorothy (Over Requiemz)
Apparently if there was something that was a trend for me in 2025 it was pink-haired guys that are completely devoted to/obsessed with MC, who also happen to have a strong connection to her back story….
Other 2025 Best Boys: Seiya, Hibiki, Sena, Yukimaro (9 R.I.P. Sequel), Claude Grain (Over Requiemz), Rhodes Heartfield (The Red Bell’s Lament), Saneaki Kuroba, Sakyo Sagihara (Ken ga Kimi), Sakuya (Norn 9 Var Commons), Tsuwabuki, Hiiragi, Tsuyukusa and Awayuki (Utakata no Uchronia -trail-)
2025 Fave MC: Yuhiru (Over Requiemz)
A fun personality (especially with some of the more...interesting response choices lol), I feel like a lot of people will be able to relate to her reasons for adventuring in Oz.
Other 2025 fave MC’s: Misa (9 R.I.P. Sequel), Koharu, Nanami and Mikoto (Norn 9: Var Commons), Hinagiku (Utakata no Uchronia -trail-)
Favourite Good End: Toka Godly Route, both 粋 and 深 endings.
While the 粋 ending was the more wholesome grand finale-esque ending, 深 took a slightly darker turn. I think both endings did a good job of showcasing different sides to Toka’s personality and his romance with Misa.
Other favourite good ends: Dorothy Fact Route Ending I, Claude Fact Route Ending O (Over Requiemz) Saneaki 幸魂 ending, Sakyo 和魂 ending (Ken ga Kimi)
Favourite Bad End: Sakyo Sagihara 荒魂 ending (Ken ga Kimi).
This one was a wild ride with a devastatingly beautiful and tragic final CG for the after story.
Other favourite bad ends: Rhodes Sad End (The Red Bell’s Lament), Claude Dark Route Ending M, Kaize Dark Route Ending N (Over Requiemz).
Easily one of my favourite aspects of the 9 R.I.P. Sequel was the addition of the side characters (including ones not mentioned here), lots of kooky/likable personalities that added to the story and world-building of the game
Other fave side characters: Eileen, Flynn, Oleander (The Red Bell’s Lament)
Biggest Trashman Character/Routes: Ron (Norn 9 Var Commons), All characters on their Dark Routes (Over Requiemz)
Fave OST: Norn 9: Var Commons
Favourite Art: Usuba Kagero/Miko (Radiant Tale)
Favourite VA Performance: Shun Horie (Dorothy - Over Requiemz)
Other favourite VA Performances: Kouhei Amasaki (Toka Kuon, 9 R.I.P. Sequel), Shinnosuke Tachibana (Seiya - 9 R.I.P. Sequel, Hiver - Fuyuzono Sacrifice), Kengo Kawanishi (Rhodes Heartfield - The Red Bell’s Lament), Yoshitsugu Matsuoka (Alice - Taisho x Alice, Tsuyukusa - Utakata no Uchronia -trail-), Toshiyuki Toyonaga (Hiiragi - Utakata no Uchronia -trail-), Souichiro Hoshi (Sakyo - Ken ga Kimi)
2026 Want to play list (New Releases): Crazy Cha!n, UN:LOGICAL, Matsurika no Kei FD, Sins of Kaleido, Hakuouki Ibun: Berezinskii no Majo, Sullyland Nursery Rhyme
2026 Want to play list (Back log): Juuzaengi, Yuukyuu no Tierblade, Reine de fleurs, Wand of Fortune, Norn 9: Last Era, Radiant Tale Fanfare and Taisho x Alice Heads & Tails
PQube will release MAGES.-developed otome visual novel Genso Manege, also known as Rever d’un Manege, for Switch and PC via Steam in the west, the publisher announced. A release date was not announced.
Genso Manege first launched for Switch on January 30, 2020 in Japan under MAGES.’ LOVE & ART brand, followed by iOS on October 9, 2020.
Here is an overview of the game, via PQube:
About
I will awaken the magic within you, and you will free us from the Reve…
Set in a wondrously evocative re-imagining of France, a beautifully crafted otome visual novel following Emma, orphaned at a young age, as she fights to uncover her forgotten memories. A witch who lost her powers when young and now living a quiet life, Emma is led by the memento her father left her and finds herself swept away with the arrival of a travelling amusement park in town.
Filled with magic and dreams but holding a dark secret, Emma feels an immediate connection to the wondrous La Foire du Reve. She discovers that hidden underneath the lustrous fairy-like charm of the park, its employees are trapped, bound to the amusement park and only the magic within Emma can free them. But it has been years since Emma has been able to access her magic, and she must dig deep within herself, navigating painful repressed memories, in order to recover it.
Working at the Reve as she unravels the tangled threads of her forgotten past, Emma forges bonds with the employees of the amusement park. A cast of wonderful characters; the dazzling director Hugo, the stoic accountant Serge, the Tsundere Performer Crier, the kind-hearted rabbit Lyon, the Reclusive Mechanic Luciole, and Emma’s special childhood friend, Arnaud. Each character with their own crosses to bear, stories of tragedy and longing woven together with desperation, Emma builds deepening bonds of friendship, and maybe more, as she works to unlock her magic and their freedom.
With its gorgeously subdued artwork, radiating warmth and romance, Genso Manege is a dream-like otome fantasy with an outstanding visual power that conjures an unforgettably bittersweet tale.
Key Features
Breathtaking Romance – Six different male leads to sweep you off your feet, follow their character routes and uncover their secrets.
A Thriving Town – Near the French border, this culturally rich location sets the scene for an unforgettably magical tale.
Dazzling Pastel World – Expertly crafted characters and artwork paint a dreamy picture of romance and magic, making this a visual novel in every sense.
Magical Mini Games – Utilize the Eveil System, an enjoyable game mechanic, woven into the story to help you recover Emma’s magical abilities.
Voiced Characters – Unique characters brought to life by stunning voice acting allow you to experience first-hand the different personalities trapped in the Reve.
An Unforgettable Tale – Sweet and touching yet tinged with sadness, Genso Manege weaves a tale which is as happy as it is bittersweet.
Watch the announcement trailer below. View the first English screenshots at the gallery.
