ARISEN - Chronicles of Var'Nagal

Absolutely loved this, but it probably wont be finished so I don't recommend wasting money on another unfinished early access game.

ARISEN honestly felt like one of those games that could’ve been something really special. It’s a narrative-driven card game set in a dark fantasy world, where you use emotions as cards to shape the story, and that concept alone immediately hooked me. The writing was genuinely interesting, and the character designs were fantastic. The world had personality, atmosphere, and a tone that made me want to keep going just to see where it all would lead. The card system was also surprisingly fun. Using emotions to shape your choices and reactions made it all feel more personal and thematic, and it fit the narrative focus really well. I spent several hours fully invested, engrossed into the story and getting attached to the characters and the world. Unfortunately that’s where things fell apart. About 9 hours in, I ran into a bug that completely broke my save file and made it impossible to continue. And since the game is abandoned and no longer being worked on, there is no fix, no workaround, nothing. That was pretty heartbreaking, especially because I wanted to see where the story would have lead me. Because of that, I can’t really recommend buying ARISEN outright. It’s not worth full pr…

This story had promise, but will likely never come to fruition sadly. I would not recommend spending the money on a game that will never be completed.

I love dating sims, but I very rarely play them because ones aimed at women tend to be insipid and think we only want gallantry and to be wooed by twinks and bishounen. That's another reason I rarely play them, as my character interests are more varied. I picked up Arisen on a whim and am enchanted. I couldn't stop playing until I was finished. I'm devastated that this may never be finished, but what there is is so, so, so good. Not only is there incredibly interesting world building, that world is not always a pretty place, and the writer(s) had absolutely no qualms putting in details that, in the real world, would be sickening. But since this is fiction, and censorship of any thing in fiction is a horrible denial of everything good, they wrote what they felt this fictional world needed, and I firmly applaud them for this. Please never give in to the people claiming that what you write means you condone it, or like it in reality. They are anti-intellectuals who are incredibly immature. Secondly, thank you for giving varied, good, hetero female options. My only wish is that Waard was bisexual, because ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥, I intensely adore him. If this game ever moves forward, please cons…

ARISEN, developed and published by Maratus in collaboration with Homecoming Studio, is a narrative-driven dark fantasy experience that blends interactive storytelling with card-based decision mechanics. Presented in early access as ARISEN: Chronicles of Var’Nagal, the game centers less on traditional combat systems and more on emotional consequence, character relationships, and branching narrative paths. From the outset, it establishes a somber tone, placing players in a grim world shaped by slavery, war, and political tension. Rather than positioning the player as a conventional hero, ARISEN frames its protagonist as a captive—someone navigating survival, loyalty, and identity within a morally complex setting. The core gameplay revolves around a symbolic card system that represents emotional responses, intentions, and actions. Instead of directly choosing dialogue lines in a standard role-playing format, players select from tarot-like cards that embody traits such as empathy, aggression, deception, or restraint. These choices ripple outward, shaping character reactions, altering story branches, and unlocking or closing off potential narrative routes. The system is less about reso…

Im impressed by this game. Its harder than it appears to find a route.