Everyone grab your phones and get ready to play one of the most amazing graphic novel games The Arcana! The company that designed this game, Nix Hydra, is a female founded company. The Arcana is a game full of love, mystery, and emotions.
In this game you are an apprentice of magic in the land of Vesuvia, and your master has disappeared again. The countess assigns you the job of solve the mystery of the count’s murder, which a plague doctor has been accused of, and the mysterious plague which was ‘cured’, but slowly creeping back into Vesuvia.
This beautiful visual novel is unlike other ones I’ve played, because there’s no boundaries to who you can ‘love.’ It doesn’t set your character as a lovely damsel who can’t help herself, now suddenly surrounded by beautiful men, but is rather open to all sorts of players no matter who they are. It allows you to choose your own preferred pronouns and has a selection of both male and female routes to play. Everyone has their own personality, and their designs are amazing as well. If you make the wrong choices though, things may take a turn for the worst.
In this game you are an apprentice of magic in the land of Vesuvia, and your master has disappeared again. The countess assigns you the job of solve the mystery of the count’s murder, which a plague doctor has been accused of, and the mysterious plague which was ‘cured’, but slowly creeping back into Vesuvia.
This beautiful visual novel is unlike other ones I’ve played, because there’s no boundaries to who you can ‘love.’ It doesn’t set your character as a lovely damsel who can’t help herself, now suddenly surrounded by beautiful men, but is rather open to all sorts of players no matter who they are. It allows you to choose your own preferred pronouns and has a selection of both male and female routes to play. Everyone has their own personality, and their designs are amazing as well. If you make the wrong choices though, things may take a turn for the worst.
It currently features six characters, but, there are only three routes available. Even so, Nix Hydra is expected to release new routes later on this year. Currently, the only options are as follows:
Julian, the Plague Doctor
He’s very frustrating, seeing as he’s always trying to turn himself in for the Count’s murder. His character is very charismatic and full of energy, but will turn into the most depressing person in a snap. The only real medical practice he performs is which leeches which, and I quote, “don’t even do anything half of the time.” He is often followed by a raven, Malak
Nadia, the Countess
A woman who isn’t afraid to stand her ground. There are those early moments in which she longs to bring justice to her deceased husband. Other times, though, she can be very affectionate towards the apprentice. Her trusted owl Chandra is as mystical as her owner.
Asra, The Magician
He’s a master magician who is more calm than the other characters. He’s also very in touch with the Arcana’s, who are magical being, between realms. Although he often disappeared during a time period before the game, he comes back to spend more time with his appren
Julian, the Plague Doctor
He’s very frustrating, seeing as he’s always trying to turn himself in for the Count’s murder. His character is very charismatic and full of energy, but will turn into the most depressing person in a snap. The only real medical practice he performs is which leeches which, and I quote, “don’t even do anything half of the time.” He is often followed by a raven, Malak
Nadia, the Countess
A woman who isn’t afraid to stand her ground. There are those early moments in which she longs to bring justice to her deceased husband. Other times, though, she can be very affectionate towards the apprentice. Her trusted owl Chandra is as mystical as her owner.
Asra, The Magician
He’s a master magician who is more calm than the other characters. He’s also very in touch with the Arcana’s, who are magical being, between realms. Although he often disappeared during a time period before the game, he comes back to spend more time with his appren
Some future character additions to the game we can look forward to are:
Portia, a Palace Servant
I look forward to her a lot, because we don't learn much about her as a person. She does however, have the most beautiful little cat, Pepi. I look forward to her route the most, seeing as she and her brother Julian have a deeper history than we see in Julian’s route.
Muriel, Scourge of the South
A tip is to not let his design make you wary, because although everyone makes him appear as a monster who can only inflict pain, he's actually a soft person. While he doesn’t have a full route, there is a single chapter. Not to mention his wolf companion, Illana, who is adorable! What I hope to see in this route is more of his background, because we don’t see much of him in the available routes considering he’s always distancing himself from society.
Lucio, the Count
He almost makes me want to forgive him for all of the terrible things he does, almost. From what I’ve learned, his story probably goes deeper than what we know, and I’m not exactly sure how it’ll go. Y’know, because he’s kind of dead. He can be very full of himself, corrupted, and that’s about it. He also has two dogs, Mercedes and Melchoir. Without giving any spoilers, let’s just say he has a lot to explain in his route.
Play The Arcana in your free time, just understand that you can’t finish it in a day. However, the periods in waiting time between chapters make the story much more interesting.
Portia, a Palace Servant
I look forward to her a lot, because we don't learn much about her as a person. She does however, have the most beautiful little cat, Pepi. I look forward to her route the most, seeing as she and her brother Julian have a deeper history than we see in Julian’s route.
Muriel, Scourge of the South
A tip is to not let his design make you wary, because although everyone makes him appear as a monster who can only inflict pain, he's actually a soft person. While he doesn’t have a full route, there is a single chapter. Not to mention his wolf companion, Illana, who is adorable! What I hope to see in this route is more of his background, because we don’t see much of him in the available routes considering he’s always distancing himself from society.
Lucio, the Count
He almost makes me want to forgive him for all of the terrible things he does, almost. From what I’ve learned, his story probably goes deeper than what we know, and I’m not exactly sure how it’ll go. Y’know, because he’s kind of dead. He can be very full of himself, corrupted, and that’s about it. He also has two dogs, Mercedes and Melchoir. Without giving any spoilers, let’s just say he has a lot to explain in his route.
Play The Arcana in your free time, just understand that you can’t finish it in a day. However, the periods in waiting time between chapters make the story much more interesting.