Romance of Raskya

Romance of Raskya is a short VN that takes place in a war setting in which two lovers are trying to become reunited with one another while a large battle is looming to take place at any moment, likely resulting in either one's untimely demise. My first play through took about 2.7 hours to complete, although it definitely was a little shorter than that from leaving the game idle when I had to get up and do a few things around the house. I would estimate skipping through already read dialogue would allow you to see all 11 of the games endings in less than 10 hours, maybe closer to 6 or 7 to keep it safe. The story is interesting, the setting is decently well built up and I liked most of the dialogue between the characters. None of the characters were uninteresting to me, and I enjoyed making decisions on how the two lovers should go about navigating the delicate battle situation that they are in to try and minimize the danger that they are putting themselves in so that they can be reunited. What I did not like about the game was how sexually charged the dialogue was throughout the entire game. The story constantly (and I mean nearly every paragraph) has to remind you how horny ev…

Romance of Raskya is a unique and well-written exploration of a beautiful love in very stark and disturbing times. This game does not pull its punches; while the visuals aren't very graphic for the most part, the savagery and brutality of the Roman times and Roman warfare is portrayed earnestly, in a way that will endear and horrify you in equal measure. It is not a game for the faint-hearted, but nor does it feel like it inserts shocking scenes gratuitously. In a move I personally applaud, it does not attempt to whitewash this period of history, nor the main character - who, while certainly a lot better than his peers, still holds attitudes that would be considered barbaric or repugnant today. This is not a game which moralises - it's about love in a stark and cruel world, and all the more compelling for it. It also does not fall into the usual romantic visual novel format of "one route per character"; instead, many routes lead down the road to tragedy... but they are portrayed in a very dramatic and satisfying (if harrowing) fashion. Many people will play this for the erotic aspect, but the narrative is not an excuse, and "bad ends" are not a simple poor selection. Many conseq…

Nice visual novel that takes place during a siege between two hostile sides. Disclaimer: Because most adult visual novels, or visual novels in general, use the same engine, I won't go into detail about the technical aspects. All you need to know is that you can save the game at any moment and that you can skip every piece of text right from the start. Having said that, the engine is heavily customized to such extent that you won’t notice any similarities with titles made with the same engine. The main characters are two lovers who find themselves on opposing sides during wartime. One is a member of the army that is laying siege to the city, while the other is trapped inside a castle. You frequently switch between them. Fortunately, the romance is only a small part of the entire plot. It's an interesting experience reading about wars, betrayals, and other nasty aspects of war. Choices are included, and they are important. There are eleven possible outcomes, the most of which don’t end happily. What I like about the choices is that they take you to a new part of the story rather than just being a couple of extra sentences heading to the same outcome. Another thing to note is …

I very much enjoyed it.

A great short visual novel that brims with heart and soul. From the gorgeous art to the engaging story, Romance of Raskya is well worth the price and excites me to see what else this team will create in the future. Give it a shot if you enjoy drama and romance with a grounded pseudo-historical setting.

Very cute little VN with nice art. If you're into Roman-esq settings, this is worth a look for the price