Radiant Tale: Radiant PEAK or trash?
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This post was written months ago, I'm just posting it again here. I still hold the same views expressed in this post so feel free to leave a comment.
I feel like I could make a Fate/stay night reference here.
This doesnβt seem to be a popular localized game, both in the English speaking world and in JP, but itβs not exactly hated on either, so I didn't call it "overrated" in the title just in case. Feel free to correct me though.
This game not only shares an artist-and-character-designer with Variable Barricade, but also shares a scenario writer. The art of VB was great. Everything else? Not so much, starting from just the common routeβ the way the MC was handled was awful for me, a complaint that can be summed up in a few paragraphs undeserving of a post dedicated to it, itβs just that unforgivable to me. Moreover, Radiant tale also shares a scenario writer with Code:Realize, a game I have mixed feelings on for only being good for Lupinβs route, and CafΓ© Enchante, a game that isβ¦ another story entirely. So what will this game offer?
Spoilers for the entire game.
Zafora
Seeing as I play the guys Iβm most interested in first, Iβm going to be clear and obvious with my bias here. I picked him first because he seemed like a mix of Ulrik from Steam Prison and Hanzo from Nightshade, with Ulrikβs information broker occupation and younger looks, and Hanzoβs βallergic to friendship and trustβ schtick. Basically, I want to see this guy humbled.
What was surprising was the second time you can choose to meet him. Obviously Zafora is openly annoyed with Tifalia and realistically a MC like that wouldnβt keep insisting to be with Zafora despite him, so I was prepared to consider this point earning scene out of character and merely a scene for the reader to be more used to him/ to earn a point to get onto his route under the Doylist line of thinking. However, I was pleasantly surprised. Sure Tifalia gets the idea to see him for a reason like being suspicious, but she ends up not being able to find him, resulting in her running an βerrandβ for someone resulting in her bumping into Zafora and him revealing that sheβs been smuggling drugs, which felt like a more natural progression and a feeling that continues to the rest of the route.
The city of Cultura is Zaforaβs βstopβ of the common route so getting there, while typical development in βheβs actually connected to the townβ was very organic. So even in the common route the changes he goes through are already believable.
After that in the third city he is more kind and friendly. So I was pretty much on his route since when I meet up again with him in that city, I get a CG. Tifalia is charmed by him holding her close in the water, how heart thumping. So Tifaliaβs romantic feelings are believable, but there was a time where I thought Zafora wasnβt quite developing them. Sure there was the barrette gift and the early reveal that it was a very intentional gift on Zaforaβs part, but after that there werenβt really many signs of interest on his part while Tifalia was just infatuated with him. Itβs not a dynamic I really enjoy. More of their relationship developing happens when plot and Balto being evil kicks in, which was enough for my purposes.
Then finally weβre at the end and Zafora finally confesses to Tifalia, a scene that is eyebrow raising because Tifalia thinks heβs drunk forβ¦ no reason. Well there IS a reason, but itβs because she allegedly canβt believe he would say sweet things? It makes no sense because she knew him since the common route and witnessed how he slowly changed. She was teased by others about his change, such as when she was told of Zafora grabbing Alastβs collar to know where she was. Really out of nowhere and put a damper on the confession scene.
Now weβre past the credits. Lmao Tifalia literally tells him that he ghosted her in the localization. Apparently heβs been away on business and blah blah blah he supposedly couldnβt even write anything to her. He gives the vague reason of not contacting her because βhe didnβt know what to sayβ (???) Β and I lmaoβd at Tifalia accusing Zafora of wanting her to be his mommybangmaid.Β Zafora ended up implying he didnβt let her live with him earlier because he βwouldnβt be able to control himselfβ lolllll. MCβs arenβt pure maidens (in the sense they have no sexual desires), so fuck off, Zafora. Unfortunately as much as I want to call this βbad writingβ this is something that would happen. Or maybe it IS bad writing that this was wrapped up so easily. The choice is thine own.
Objective score: 6.2/10
Enjoyment score: 5.9/10
Ion
There are cute interactions before the route properly starts, but when we actually get onto there, Tifalia has pretty much already caught feelings. On Ionβs side however, while he has bonded with Tifalia the most thereβs no signs of romantic feelings. Radie even jokes about it after saying heβs in a love triangle with Ion and Tifalia where Tifalia has unrequited love for Ion.
So they spend a little more time together. After the show, theyβre walking and Tifalia tells him to never leave without letting her know. Then Ion bends down and kisses her hand, saying heβll go wherever she goes... I couldnβt really believe he would do and say all of that so suddenly, especially because he doesnβt have a knight/servant background where he has to be respectful. This route isnβt on the best start.
So the plot happens and Barto fucking dies after all that happened in Zaforaβs route and Luna is a mind controlled killer. This is all relieving for reasons that are βso wonβt Zafora be busy with Cultura like in the previous routeβ that I was preoccupied with before (so what about cultura on other routes where this presumably doesn't happen, whatever, enough about Zafora).
Something that was at least a little compelling was how Tifalia knew that Avi was the only one who could fully understand Ion and his past. However she then resolved to drag him out of that world, because he expressed that he wanted to live an ordinary life. Usually the strongest bonds in romances form when the couple actually do share a lot of the same experiences, but I like how this game tackles coming from completely different lives and Tifalia is really "ordinary."
Zafora, Jinnia, and Tifalia head to Ferus to meet up with the rest of the gang who arenβt answering their calls. There they see Paschalia fighting Zion. He gets his ass whooped and Ion is about to kill him but resists at the last moment. I love how brainwashed Ion can resist for motives other than The Power of (Romantic) Love, itβs also for friendship (though to be fair he has the stronger bond with Tifalia). Unlike last route, I thought that Colivusβs admiration of the LI made more sense because he actually spent time with him and was touched by the things he said early on. In Zaforaβs route he wanted to star with Zafora for no reason.
Avi had rather strange motivations of wanting the underground arena to continue despite everything he and his friends suffered in there, which was really hard to believe. But oh well. He still saw Ion as his friend in his own twisted way.
Luna is great too. From the reveal that she was used to assassinate Balto to apologizing to Tifalia for telling her that she didnβt understand her and finally working at the capital cafΓ© awaiting her sentence. The conclusion to her character being βIβll turn this symbol of courage into the truthβ was good and it was surprising that such a simple story with straightforward characters managed to be so satisfying.
Despite all this good stuff, in the end I couldnβt quite buy the romantic feelings on Ionβs side. The only evidence that supports his romantic feelings are being embarrassed after kissing Tifaliaβs hand in the form of threatening to beat up Jinnia if he tells anyone what he saw lol. Even so his scenes were still heart racing, and the after credits scene didnβt end out of character like Zaforaβs did. And all his βyou deserve betterβ put a damper on any chemistry especially because the narrative didnβt portray his alleged romantic feelings in any way.
Artwise the CGβs were great, but Ionβs side profile looked weird at times and I felt like he was in the same hunched over pose a lot. His sprites are great.
Iβm a little uncomfortable with his circus outfit because of course the tan guy has to have the revealing BDSM leather strappy outfit, this is the 3rdΒ otome game Iβve played where the tan guy either wears the most revealing clothes, or has the only shirtless sprite in the game (even if tempest and Olympia SoirΓ©e respectively). I'm not well versed in the subject, but I'm getting the message that it's okay for men to be provocative to women if they're dark skinned. Clothing also sends the message that only dark skinned men can be animalistic/brash, only pale people can be elegant and sophisticated.
Objective score: 7/10
Enjoyment score: 6.4/10
Paschalia
You know how I said earlier that I play the guys Iβm most interested in first? Paschalia didnβt fit the bill because he seemed generic elegant softboi with a boring voice actor (I canβt tell him apart from Ion sometimes) but over time he grew on me and I wanted to see how he would be like if he were romanced.
In the βcommonβ route the relationship that developed between them was so sweet. As always Tifalia falls first and itβs believable and all, but again, she gets friendzoned when the route properly starts.
He has a degenerative disease. So he dies in the other routes, what the hell. ANGST.
There's a break from all that angst, and Tifalia gets the opportunity to go to Paschaliaβs house uwu. While waiting for her room to be prepared cause theyβre not sleeping in the same room, Tifalia confesses to Paschalia and heβs like βthanks.β RIP Tifalia holy shit this is the most friendzoned youβve been so far. So she leaves the house crying to Radie. Kind of rude to Paschalia parents ngl (also it just bothers me how unimportant they all, especially given Paschalia's general disposition. I'd have wanted a talk with his parents to give some depth and memorability to the route).
Finally the first non MC POV of two LIβs being friends happens, and Vilio shows heβs concerned for Paschalia. This is especially heartwarming because before that Vilio said that he was his first friend and they had a lot in common and they spent much time together (I was wondering why something like this didnβt happen in other routes with other LIβs but the idea that they all saw each other as nakama and didnβt pry into each other beyond what is revealed in the common route was natural, also for a setting like this where MC can form romantic relationships with each of the members, this allows the romances with MC to be more interesting beyond βweβre together yay.β).
Ok so Iβm going on another one of my rants. The gang goes to get the Lacrima earrings and upon touching it Leve the great water spirit appears. She says sheβll cure Paschalia and allow him to live without synchronization as a normal human if he can clear a trial to show her βtrue love.β First of all, it still bothers me that Oriens the City of Love (Ai, a general term for love) and the strongest vows are for romances, and only at the end Leve specified βkoiβ (romantic love) once for her trial. Whatever, Iβll just use the Olympia Soiree copium explanation and chalk this up to supernatural beings making the rules regarding which love is better. But wait! When all the members of CIRCUS and the entire city send them a Flora courtesy of Paschaliaβs best friend Vilio, and thatβs the thing that gives Paschalia courage and helps him and Tifalia find each other, the route really peaks. βCaring for another is love (ai)β says Leve. Yay finally. However, Iβm not very satisfied with the idea that their fate rests on the arbitrary worldview of a supernatural entity. But thatβs the charm of this game, romanticizing these sorts of things. Everything that happens here is consistent with the vibe.
Art wise, the CGβs were great except for the kiss CG where Paschaliaβs eyes are hidden, really disappointing. Paschaliaβs sprites are wonderful too and really convey his graceful yet airheaded vibe, especially with his weird smile.
Objective score: 8.3/10
Enjoyment score: 7.4/10
Radie
Heβs the oldest, has known Tifalia forever, is obviously in love with her, is a furball but also a handsome looker with playboy aesthetic. But the most important part is the βchildhood friendβ part, more specifically, her guardian and self proclaimed parental figure. As always, with childhood-whatever LI, the question always arises why the protagonist doesnβt get with him over the other LIβs, a topic that is handled excellently from the start because Radie had always been in animal form and you canβt be attracted to an animal. The first time he showed his true form to Tifalia was later in the common route.
From the so-called βcommon routeβ scenes Tifalia and Radie do develop good romantic chemistry as usual, as expected of this game. Radie teasing Tifalia is gold. Then in the 5thΒ chapter when the gang goes back to Liber, Tifalia, Radie, and Spirea talk again. Spirea tells Radie to spill the beans, and he does. He reveals that he actually knew her parents and witnessed their deaths as he tried to save them when they came home on the brink of death and Tifalia was there too. And from then on she was like a doll, so Radie changed his name from Ralida and kept in his Fey form even after he recovered enough power to transform for fear of reminding her of those painful memories. Naturally Tifalia doesnβt care about any of this, except for the part where Ralida is like βso thatβs why Iβve been trying to be your parent substitute and own it up to your parentsβ and Tifalia has the nth Β βrunning away and crying because the LI friendzoned meβ scene because 1. sheβs obviously attracted to him and wants him to look at her as a woman uwu, and 2. She wants him to be with her because he likes her as a person not out of duty. Which is a compelling conflict.
So Tifalia is all angsty due to all of this, and bumps into Liyan. He notices that sheβs down and consoles her and makes her realize that sheβs in love with Ralida by caressing her cheek as if for a kiss. Ralida barges in at this time and gets her away. As they talk Ralida mentions how she needs to find a worthy man and if sheβs interested in the CIRCUS members. Aaand then. Holy shit. This game is legit Friendzone Simulator. Tifalia straight up confesses as usual, complete with a CG of her hugging him, asking him to try seeing her as a woman and not a family or child, and Ralida bluntly draws the line and rejects her. Now here my enjoyment was lessened because of how little Tifalia knows of Ralida while being in love. Iβm not saying itβs bad writing, romantic love doesnβt require that deep of a bond or understanding. Itβs just that on top of being rejected, thereβs still some oooh, mystery going on with him that he makes painfully obvious. Like with remembering his βparental figureβ while training Colivus, like Christ. None of this are things I particularly like seeing or find appealing but itβs still interesting to read about, at least. However from a writing standpoint I felt led on. Ralida was flirty in the common route, even on other routes, and then he chickens out when the girl he has a close bond with develops feelings? Will this get addressed? (It doesnβt)
Later on things are finally revealed about him. He wasnβt somehow Celius the Great Earth Spirit like I guessed, but a homunculus created by him who can turn into a Fey to avoid suspicion of being immortal. Heβs also part Core Item so he has to fulfill his national duty and produce Flora seeds, bye. So Tifalia and him sleep next to each other with him in Fey form. He continues monologuing his βI canβt give you a normal lifeβ spiel and does that while he leaves in the night. At this point I really forgot if he had any chemistry with her, because thereβs just no angst in his POVβs beyond that, even Paschalia had that and mentioned how his heart stopped at her confession in his route. The route is just dragging on at this point.
Then he leaves and becomes 99% the wand. And his body is an old husk with no emotion. Another stupid thing from Ralida again thinking removing himself from her life will make her happy even though he stated over and over that heβs family and no shit she wonβt be happy without her family. Whether this is addressed or not, Iβll find out.
Honestly, Emotionless Husk Ralida is more interesting as an LI. Maybe if we have an LI like that who we teach about the kokoro and he falls in love, would make a better story. But of course we need to bring the real Ralida back, the guy who led us on and dragged out this route.
Oh right I keep forgetting that Tifaliaβs parents are alive and they allegedly reunited. That was glossed over so badly because Tifalia is instead obsessed with Ralida uwu, oh well at least it got a CG of her hugging them.
Ok so the thing I complained about earlier was addressed. Turns out that Ralida was obsessed with blood bonds which is why he kept bringing up family nonstop. And now that Tifalia reunited with her parents he can fuck off. The little shit didnβt consider that, maybe heβs breedable, and can create family that way uwu. Will this ever be addressed? Or did Celius not give him any of that sweet male gamete??? Light jabs aside, it still makes no sense. So this girl will be happier with her parents, therefore you kill yourself? Even platonically, the reasoning is stupid and out of character. What about the whole thing about Celsiusβs mission? And the other thing I preferred to happen, happened too. It turns out that kuudere Ralida is the new LI, because he gets CGβs lol, and gradually falls in love as he ponders the philosophies of emotions and kokoroβs.
As always I have my complaints about media professing romantic love to be the ultimate form of love, and this is what Celius implies when the conclusion to his research is kuudere Ralida realizing his romantic love for Tifalia and that he wants to be with her. But maybe you can argue it wasnβt, because when Celius tells Ralida what the basis of all emotion is, he says βloveβ (Ai) and his description of it isnβt exclusive to romantic love. Also, the circus actβs story involves the main character wanting to be with the child she grew to love as family (although this is what happened with Tifalia and Ralida lol, at least Tifalia grew up). Letβs say this is just my copium and Iβm wrong. Even so, is this the opinion of Celius or the writers? Makes sense what Iβm trying to get at?
Moving on, Ralida comes back with his full personality because something something the wand was pointing to him (???) and Kuudere Ralida turns back into Boring Ralida. So does that mean the Core Item Earth wand can continue to manufacture Flora or something? This point is never addressed. I even tried to replay some scenes after Vilioβs route but I still have no idea what the idea with the wand was. Why did he activate again if he gave his personality to the wand? It felt like two separate people developed and then converged into one because plot.
And the after credits scene is a Zafora 2.0. Ralida apparently hasnβt told Tifalia he loves her yet, and Tifalia is pissed the fuck off. Then he finally reveals the reason: heβs a man too, and has to keep his desires in for Tifaliaβs sake uwu. Lame lame LAME. Ion and Paschalia could immediately throw themselves at Tifalia, why couldnβt YOU??? Unfortunately, just like with Zaforaβs route, I canβt get on my high horse and say βsilly writers, thatβs bad writing and out of character.β No, this is something that would happen. Itβs just eye rolling and absolutely not to my taste. Or, again, maybe it IS bad writing. Why couldnβt he tell her he loves her when she was crying on his chest? Surely heβs not horny all the damn time right? Christ. Way to pad the route out, they clearly had no ideas for the after credits scene.
Overall, this route was really dragged on and wasted my time, which is a shame because there was actually a lot it could have expanded on without me feeling that way, like you knowβ¦ Tifaliaβs parents and their reunion.
In the end I couldnβt really buy the romantic feelings on Ralidaβs part. Sure they developed during the Common Route scenes, but after he rejects her thereβs just none of that angst on his part if he really wanted to be with her romantically but couldnβt because heβd hurt her (or get hurt). For example, there was the CG and scene where he kisses her forehead before leaving in the night. There was no sign of physical attraction form his own damn PoV, but as Kuudere Ralida he claims that βthat kiss could not have been familial affectionβ nah boi this isnβt it. And by the way I donβt care if heβs her adoptive family and is way older than her and sheβs sixteen etc. And IΒ likeΒ those tropes, so it looks even worse on this route. Oof.
Also this route just had the worst pacing so far, especially regarding Tifaliaβs parents. Oh well at least this means her parents are alive in the other routes and Tifalia and her LI can meet them. Hopefully this happens in the fandisc.
Artwise the CGβs are great as always. I donβt really have specific complaints. I like Ralidaβs sprites.
I'm sure he'd age well, Tifalia. But yeah not all men look good in beards.
Objective score: 6/10
Enjoyment score: 4/10
Vilio
After Ralidaβs route, all panels are unlocked after the βFinβ ending card. This time the unlocked LI panels have voice lines with each LI saying something along the lines of βyou gave me courageβ and then Vilio at the end says βtime to raise the curtains.β Huh? Are they talking about Vilio or me? Iβd be a little pissed if theyβre talking solely about Vilio because why is he so important? Why did he meddle so much in the previous routes?
However in the Vilio common route, it seems that Vilio apparently investigates everyoneβs issues in the common behind the scenes which warms their hearts. Now I get why the mini LIβs were touched by him. Also, Paschalia can be saved!
The parents wake up in this route, of course. Ralida was able to save her parents without doing the whole emotionless husk business, somehow, why didnβt he do that in his own route? No seriously I am so confused. They paid lipservice to how Ralida might have to sacrifice himself to complete the wand later but that never happens. Someone please explain.
After a lot of other things happen, wow Tifalia finally gets possessed by a fiend. In this state sheβs able to tell Vilio her true feelings, that she doesnβt care about the world if he dies etc etc. and this is a unique development that I appreciate, but damn. Really, I donβt believe that she has such a strong connection with him to warrant those feelings. What exactly makes them that special to each other besides an alleged romance? At least Vilio has more reason to feel this way, because the most important bond to all dragons is a romantic one, and Tifalia is the one who became close to him through circumstance.
And then he kisses herβ¦ sure. I donβt believe it. While I did say earlier that I believe his attachment to her that doesnβt mean I believe his romantic feelings. Sure, to dragons, their mate is the most important person to them, but given his personality they should have been shown more. The only instance was when he blushed when Tifalia touched his hand early in the common route, then the same issue as Ralidaβs route happened and the friendzone simulator began and I forgot any trace of chemistry there was. So disappointing. I was already dreading the shounen protagonist character to not be a good romance, and it turned out just as I feared. Compare and contrast with Noritsune from Birushana who plays on the same tropes and actually has physical attraction to MC.
Tifalia, now a Dragon Bride, can live forever and see spirits etc. And she gets time to talk to Ralida, the guy who she was supposed to care for (and not destroy the world over) but nothing much came out of that because sheβs on Vilios route lol. I thought this would be opportune time for Ralida to reassure her and say that heβll be with her since he wonβt age and die of old was as well, but no. Man these routes have no room for platonic relationship development do they? Do they threaten romance that much?
In order to save Vilio from his eating disorder, Tifalia then enters a dungeon with Colivus to find this crystal which was apparently made after the previous Archdragon Ragulus was sealed and finished purifying all the fiends. But it has immense powerβ¦ why wasnβt it used before? This point was never addressed.
So after completing trials and elaborating more on about the themes of friendship and regret, how Ragulus didnβt have to eat all the fiends and how humans had grown greedy and the industrial revolution and its consequences were a disaster for the human race and spawns more fiends (things that could be compelling but given the convoluted plot I donβt care that much), Ragulus finally allows us to use the crystal. That returns everyoneβs negative emotions to them, which makes no damn sense. I thought it was like in Jujutsu Kaisen where Fiends were spawned from negative emotions and fears, so why do they have to be returned? Huh?
Then they have a wedding but itβs worse than Paschaliaβs because of everything lol. The end. I finished the game.
Artwise, the CGβs and sprites were great. My only complaint is Colivus. His clothes were able to magically supersize but they couldnβt change his stupid haircut? His bowl hair only looked cute as a kid, not an adult.
Objective score: 4.9/10
Enjoyment score: 4.5/10
Tifalia/Common route/ other thoughts
No route for Jinnia ;-; I thought he was an LI
Finally for once in an Otomate game the NVL style text display does not say Monologue when you check the text history/backlog.
This game has a similar route structure to Jack Jeanne. Long βcommonβ route but a lot of LI exclusive scenes in between to build a believable relationship and romance between LI and MC. Thatβs why the romances felt natural, but especially from MCβs side in Radiant Tale because sheβs less bland due to actually having thoughts. This makes for a verrrry slow burn unlike in JJ where most of the LIβs are in love with MC by the time their route starts. Moreover the route structure is better than Code Realize due to the LI exclusive scene that make it so youβre basically on their route already, making the romances and attachment the MC has for a certain LI believable.
I love how sure, thereβs the typical countdown-to-the-poster-boy-route after each completed route typical of these Otomate writers. However, instead of revealing a piece of a picture of the poster boy like in CafΓ© Enchante, Collar x Malice, and Code Realize, the pictures you unlock are cute Adventure Time style chibi versions of the LI whose route you just completed, and not a piece of Vilioβs picture, whoβs already on there. So many improvements that arenβt even in the writing sector.
Nobuhiko Okamatoβs kuudere voice is so sexy. Imagine if he voiced Hanzo from Nightshade, kuudere Ralida uses the same pronouns and speech patterns.
It was fun to copium my own way of looking at relationships into aligning with this game.
Yuuichirou Umehara grew on me as Paschalia. I love how gentle his voice is.
VERDICT
So after all of this how do I rate Friendzone Simulatorβ I mean, Radiant Tale?
Uhhh. In general, not exactly outstanding, even if Paschaliaβs route is the highest scored Iβd say this is a 6.5/10 game. Which is good enough for me.
Iβd say this game is underrated, especially compared to the more popular games and their wack plots andΒ interestingΒ character executions. Moreover, this game was able to keep a consistent vibe to it despite everything that happens which is very hard to do. It's Radiant PEAK enough for me to want to buy the fandisk.
Thanks for reading and feel free to duel with me in the comments with today's sword, the keyboard, for anything you would like to object to, no matter how old this post gets.
