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Iwakura Aria Review - A Beautiful Gothic Sapphic Romance
Iwakura Aria coming west in 2025 for Switch, PC - Gematsu
PQube will release MAGES.-developed visual novel Iwakura Aria for Switch and PC via Steam in the west in 2025, the publisher announced.
Iwakura Aria first launched for Switch on June 27 in Japan.
Here is an overview of the game, via PQube:
About
Iwakura Aria is a brand-new original visual novel from MAGES. The Iwakura mansion holds a dark secret. Ichiko the new young maid joins looking for nothing but safety and security, but she would soon find herself entangled with the beautiful daughter of the Iwakura household. Unravel the secrets of the Iwakura mansion in this gripping suspense visual novel.
Key Features
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.
Unlock Secrets – Use the map to explore different rooms of the mansion to piece together key information needed to uncover characters’ hidden secrets.
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 – The story comes to life through painterly illustrations and cut-out frames which piece together multiple images into one scene, by illustrator Hyakunen and graphic designer Fumi Nakada.
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.
Watch a new trailer below. View a set of screenshots at the gallery.
Announce Trailer
Since I can't post on r/VisualNovels because I don't have enough interaction with the community to be allowed, I'll post my Visual Novel tier list here!
I won't be counting VNs I've seen others play, though Death Mark would be S tier
S: The House in Fata Morgana, THiFM:RfI, Seventh Lair, The Hungry Lamb, Reverse 1999
A: The Letter, Umineko, Pale Cachexia, Paranormasight SMoH/TMC, Higurashi Onikakushi-hen, Cage of Roses, Hotel Dusk: Room 215, Z.A.T.O
B: The Silver Case, It gets so lonely here, Kamaitachi no Yoru, Iwakura Aria
C: Sound of Drop -fall into poison-, Return to Shironagasu Island, Happy Saint Sheol
D: Kara no Shoujo, Werewolf -Heart of the Forest-
I'll be updating this list as I play more. I won't be reading any more of Higurashi since I've already consumed it in manga and anime form.
Also um no I'm not biased with THiFM:RfI and Seventh Lair, it's totally not because I love THiFM so much that I live and breathe for it. 🤨
Iwakura Aria - A Gothic Yuri Suspense Gem
Here’s a recommendation for a visual novel from someone who doesn’t play a lot of visual novels. Out of the blue one day, PCube Asia offered me a review code for Iwakura Aria, a suspense/horror visual novel, which I accepted for three main reasons: It’s a short game (<15 hours) The art style is very un-anime-like, like The House in Fata Morgana It’s a sapphic romance, and very unambiguously…
I finished Iwakura Aria!
It's a story about an artistic maid falling in love with the beautiful daughter of her employer, who is in a very messed up situation.
For some reason I expected the mystery aspect to be stronger than the yuri, but it was reversed instead!
I liked how strong the final ending's themes are about there always being new possibilities open.
Just a warning though that the central yuri relationship has several aspects to them that can make people uncomfortable.
Especially the implications of the side stories lol
It's getting negative Steam reviews because of it
In all, I had a good 15 hours with this game!
Ichiko's and Aria's back and forths were very interesting, the art was breathtaking and the situation sure was fucked up👍
(CG spoiler below)
Iwakura Aria releases today digitally for the Switch and Steam.
Iwakura Aria launches August 14 in the west - Gematsu
Visual novel Iwakura Aria will launch for Switch and PC via Steam on August 14 in the west, publisher PQube and developer MAGES. announced.
Iwakura Aria first launched for Switch on June 27, 2024 in Japan.
Here is an overview of the game, via PQube:
About
Iwakura Aria is a brand-new original visual novel from MAGES. The Iwakura mansion holds a dark secret. Ichiko the new young maid joins looking for nothing but safety and security, but she would soon find herself entangled with the beautiful daughter of the Iwakura household. Unravel the secrets of the Iwakura mansion in this gripping suspense visual novel.
Key Features
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.
Unlock Secrets – Use the map to explore different rooms of the mansion to piece together key information needed to uncover characters’ hidden secrets.
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 – The story comes to life through painterly illustrations and cut-out frames which piece together multiple images into one scene, by illustrator Hyakunen and graphic designer Fumi Nakada.
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.
Watch a new trailer below.
Release Date Trailer