I just wanted to ask, do you guys still have a discord? I wanted to see more people's discussion for this game. I just finished all 4 routes and I really enjoyed them! The story is entralling and I can't wait to read the new story+
This game is incredible. The story is amazing. The writing is top notch. It’ll stick with me for a long time. It’s one of those games you can’t get out of your head. The characters feel so real. They’re messy and crazy and loveable. Best game I’ve played possibly ever. It’s just amazing. A true work of art. Hats off to those involved in making this game.
The best visual novel i ever played + one of the best games i've played...honestly its a master piece. deep story, atmospheric, addictive, interesting characters, long game. Thanks to the developers. Please make an rpg version !!
One of the best visual novels I have ever played, thank you so much.
I just have one issue and I wonder what others think and the developers. I recently played an another VN called When The Night Comes and it contained possible polyamorous relationships, but in each route you could choose to be either with one of the characters or both at the same time. I REALLY wish it was the case with Julians romance. I am not against polyamoory, I am just not into it and would not partake. And I know, especially from Liams route that they have a very close bond (and maybe incest can be overlooked as they are not human), but I still very much enjoy Julian as a personality, and being almost forcibly thrust into a polyamorous relationship with them feels very unpleasant to me. Especially in the vampire ending where I wanted maybe one on one love and care scene between Julian and Erika, but instead got a threesome. Also in no way Erika has ever even talked or thought about Charlotte in that matter, actually from the dialogue i presumed that she was almost repulsed by her so yeah, it just bugs me. But otherwise thank you, it was an amazing experience.
Thank you so much I am currently doing julians route and I might avoid it now which kinda sucks as his was the one I was looking forward to the most but I wouldnt want a poly relationship somewhat forced on my mc so thank you for the heads up
Just passing by after rating the game to say that I forgot to mention what I think is a bug during Maddy's route, while playing on Nintendo Switch. At one point - at least it always happened only when reaching that exact moment in the story - the saving and autosaving gets stuck in that precise moment. I can't save new files or load older ones. Hope you'll fix it someway in the future.
I got this on Switch before realizing it was on itch (damn it... I prefer itch, oh well.) Anyway, I played through all the routes, including New Game + (and wrote a fanfic on it), but I'm missing two of Liam's pictures. The top right two.
Just finished this absolutely brilliant gem of a game and I have to say it is the best I have recently played. Everything about it is just so damn good.
I'm not gonna give a review cuz I'd only repeat what others have already said but there are still some things I can add.
Writing: I don't mean the script or so but the actual way dialogues are written. It takes a talent to paint a picture or an entire scene with just words. But the game does it exquisitely. I'll go with a for me prominent example: the sexscriptions. I've read a lot of VN and stories with lewd content but most fail at something crucial. Vividness. Most VN rely on graphic pictures to convey the scene. But this game doesn't need something like that at all. It perfectly describes and captures those intimate moments without visual support. I could really visualize what happened just on the words written. Marvelous, simply marvelous. They have just the right amount of vividness to not leave much the imagination without being overly graphic, balancing perfectly on a fine line.
Additionally I also like how the routes are (at least imo) split in two: August and Julian's routes seem to put a bit more focus on Desire, rather than love in the true sense. Meanwhile Liam and Maddy seem a lot more focused on the emotional parts. Of course that might be just my imagination but if I'm correct, then that's great. If not, it's still great haha.
There is just one teensy tiny point of critique I have to mention. In August's epilogue, when Erica joins him on the table, that seemed slightly off. It's obvious that she changed along the route and became more like August. But jumping on a table seems still a very Not-Erika thing to do. Not sure if it was intended but thought to point it put nonetheless
And lastly (this is less critique and more personal wish) I'd have LOVED to see a scene with Julian and Erika like in the title. The way they hold each other while he tenderly approaches her neck, could've been such an erotic scene to build in. It seems so sensual. Keeps the imagination wild with ideas of what might happen afterwards ;)
This was a lot more than intended to write but it goes to show how much this game has impressed me. Good job and I'll keep my eyes peeled for future works *thumbs up*
P. S. While I'm at it, I read you don't have a sequel planned, but will there be more works around that universe? I mean there are so many mysteries and visions that could be further explored. What actually WAS that shadow on the road? What happens outside the towers? Why did we find the bible on the 17th floor? And who was the cloaked man in Erika's dream? I have so many questions that need ANSWERS to. I feel like August losing his mind when he can't figure out what is wrong with the world, haha. Please tell me, you plan to explore more around Bataille? Or are all of those things left to personal interpretation? Or did I simply miss the exact answers in the game?
Man this'll bother me for a while *sigh*
Anyway still thank for bringing this into the world
P. P. S. I didn't expect the perma decision to actually be permant permanent. Do I start a completely new game to pick differently?
Really excited for the new content - I installed the latest update and finished each of the 4 individual routes, but I'm not seeing New Game Plus unlock. Maybe I'm missing something?
Yes, I followed Ceaseless Duality's guide on Steam to unlock all of the good endings and CGs. I also tried restarting the game a few times - not sure what the issue could be.
I'm having exactly the same issue, and I just finished the PS4 version an hour ago. I have good endings for all four routes - all show checkmarks - and I just can't get New Game Plus to show up. Nothing has changed on the Extras menu, and "New Game" just starts a regular new game.
The only thing I'm missing are a few CGs, but from everything I've read you don't need to unlock them all for NG+.
Edit: I can confirm that doing Julian's route last was the issue, and that replaying another route unlocked NG+. Thanks for reaching out on Reddit for the help!
After every playthrough, there are scenes after the credits. Make sure you watch these all the way through until you get a message about a new path unlocking.
I think there may be a minor bug happening if you already completed all the routes before the new update, OR if you play Julian's path last. If my theory is correct, replay Maddy's, Liam's, or August's post-credits ending sequences until you get the New Story + Unlockmessage. Let me know if that fixes it. I'll also work on a patch to make this update smoother for those who experienced this.
Thank you!!! I watched all of the epilogues, but I played Julian's route last so that must have been the issue. I loaded my save from Liam's epilogue and now New Game + is available from the Main Menu.
This should now be fixed in the update with the suffix "-v203." When you go to the Extras menu, you should see the Final Path option. Thanks for bringing it to my attention!
So excited about the release on new consoles! Quick question: if I buy the game on the Nintendo eShop, would it be possible to also receive a steam key?
This VN was amazing. I was hooked straight from the prologue, and really could not put it down from start to finish. I can't resist a good horror/mystery story, but August Flynn was really something special and was what stood out for me. Definitely one of my top favorite English VN characters. I have to say, I appreciated the way the devs never watered down or sugar coated his character, right up until the very end. All of the characters had their complexities, and I loved how the story never compromised that.
I really would be here all day if I talked about everything I loved about this game... I could talk about how amazing this game was for really days on end! This one will definitely stick with me for a long time!
First off - phew! Storytelling! I have read hundreds of visual novels for over a decade now, read so many books and stories and watched so many films, and in my experience, it has been extremely rare to find a game (or film plot) that not only tells an interesting story that keeps you gripped the entireeee time, but also paces that story so, so well. There wasn't a single moment I didn't feel invested in this story; I spent an entire weekend playing because I simply could not stop.
As much as I like to have all the answers, I love the way that the routes ended. I love how unique they were to each character, how much thought your team put into each route and ending and how perfect they were to suit the character and theme of each route. I'm not sure if the quote was on the start of August's route or the start of the game since I played his route first, but I remember it said something about life being an enigma and something about it being worse when we try to assign meaning to it or puzzle it out? I couldn't find it again but that just really stuck with me as I played and finished this game; I definitely took this approach to it. I didn't have all the answers and to me, that was one of the whole points of the game. I feel that not having all the answers, and how we deal with lack of knowledge, how our beliefs change, how we treat each other, etc, is what this game was all about. I really appreciated how true and consistent you guys stayed to the themes you wanted to convey. Your storytelling went beyond the words but in how you ended the routes, how you paced and plotted them, how you hinted at certain things, the small details of the game that readers unconsciously pick up on...Really you invested so much thought into every single element and each one felt like it really supported the message you were sending. Again just a huge huge nod to a gripping story and pacing, I honestly cannot remember any game I've played in years that paced as well.
Characters - Oh lord, I'm someone obsessed on the topic of characters so I just have to keep this as broad as possible or I'll make this review way longer than it already is. Basically I LOVED them all, even the ones I hated haha. By that I mean that they all had such depth that even though I disliked the close-minded personalities of some, I can appreciate their place in the story. Amazing character development and dimension. None of them seemed to do anything just for the sake of doing it or just to move the plot along. They had really believable motivations and stayed true to that on each route. I've recently discovered that I find myself drawn to reading fictions about mentally disturbed / 'dark' characters, especially in romances (Why am I like this?!). I find these characters interesting -- so without a doubt I really loved Augusts's character a lot. I loved how dimensional Erika was as well. She is far from some insert protagonist -- I found myself getting so frustrated with her sometimes and I really loved that because she was her own person. Honestly, I learned a lot from her point of view. I would disagree with her way of acting and then realized that she was right to act the way she did and so it balanced my own personality out. I won't ramble on any more about the others, but I really enjoyed them all and only wish that there was more information revealed about them all!
Art - AHH!!!! I have played you guy's games since I have been a teen and gotta say, whoever is in charge of the art has grown so much! Anytime I see your characters, I know when I'm playing a Woodsy Studio game because I have always loved the style a lot. The style seems to have changed between now and the last game I've played of yours and I absolutely love it (Quantum Conscience - holy hell that game released in 2014?! No wonder!) I love the comic edge it takes in this game, and appreciate the talent you've invested so much into. Really love how you put so much detail in what these characters look like (for example, August's shirt being half tucked, half out?! Little details like that are so damn genius to me!) The style of art and character detail tells you so much about these characters even without the help of the dialogue and other elements of the game. If a character can speak in appearance alone without actually having to speak , you're doing something amazing as an artist. Simply love your work!
I speak for the 3D art too, really love how the world was designed and how the 3D art tied in so well for this game!
Music - So perfect! I'm hardly adept enough at music to analyze or praise it as much as I'd like to, but just WOW. The music and ambiance in this game were AMAZING! Even finishing the entire game, the music left me feeling unsettled and tense and entire time. It really helped keep me on edge and never got annoying. In fact, I had to do some chores and house errands and the music accidentally was left to still play. I was too busy to turn it off but I didn't even care to. It's so mood-setting and atmospheric; let's just say washing my dishes has never been so creepy lmao! It really gets to you emotionally and fits the theme of the game perfectly. It reminded me a lot of Quantum's music.
Voice actors - Gonna be blunt here, most English voice acting I've heard in VNs is pretty bad IMO lol. I have cringed and been embarrassed a lot. Not this game!!! It's a job well done on casting for these characters. The voice actors are top notch and fit the characters perfectly. I think I've heard August's voice actor as of late in VNs and oh lawddd I don't understand why I'm attracted to sound waves but that man's voice is pure seduction. So fitting for a manipulative character like August. I really loved Julian's and Liam's too, I'm attracted to all the sound waves that their actors produce LOL.
I don't want to ramble any more! I feel bad having typed all this in this hour long review, but I just wanted to give credit where credit is due because I have been playing you guy's games since I was a kid and have always loved them! You guys have grown so much and I'm so blessed that I get to experience the great stories and hard work you all put in. You guys definitely break the limits of typical English visual novels and make top notch work that goes beyond the standards and is incredibly unique. Love the synthesis of 2D and 3D art in this engine for this game, I didn't expect the 3D gameplay and enjoyed it a lot. I am so excited to see what you guys make in the future! Thank you for yet another beautiful and provoking story.
omg you noticed the art too ?? I totally agree!! I was like phew! I've been playing their games too? so I think I relate 100% to this, it makes me so happy ?
Thanks for your review, i'm so excited to play now
Ahhh yes agree! They do so well and have grown so much as a company! So nice to meet people who are into visual novels! Considering the time I've put into them I can say they're a pretty big part of my life and I never have anyone to talk to about them for things I notice like this! If you ever want someone to talk to about specific VNs, feel free to message anytime!
Lol I wanted to ask you the same thing but I was shy ! Well I don't think there's any private messaging system,so is there any way I can join you ? Maybe discord/twitter or something else ?
Haha I'm the same way, I'm shy with strangers too even on the internet LOL. My discord is krazyki #9424, but someone else had an issue finding it for some reason? So if you can't find me, maybe we can try making one of those "join group" links instead.
I love the art and VA from what I heard so far but it lags a lot for me even though I have everything on low. I'm playing it on steam, is there a way I can get the itcho download if I prove I got it on steam? I'm so desperate to play it (without all the crash/lags) and I just wanted to check if Itcho will run more smoothly for me
Crimson Spires is an amazing game! The world building is stunning and detailed. I'm captivated by each and every one of these characters, even Charlotte as they're all written with so much depth. Erika has to be my favorite since her personality and intelligence really stood out to me in the realm of otome game MCs. I especially enjoyed reading her banter and dynamic with August. My favorite line is where she says "Don't insult both of us by pretending you had some reason to be skulking behind me and then act like I'll believe you." xD
The voice acting and music are very immersive, and while I was playing it really felt as if I was part of this world and discovering more alongside it with Erika, who was just as confused as I. I don't think I've ever played a game that's captured so much of my interest before or made me think so much!
The endings are a little unclear (I've only play August's and Liam's) which was frustrating for a while (but in a good way!) They made me wonder "what did I just read???" It felt as if there was a big revelation to be found but I simply couldn't understand it, or maybe I didn't understood the characters/world well enough to know what the endings meant about the world around them. Honestly I think the game left me with more questions and I wish someone had a long detailed analysis of the characters and/or story so I could get some answers haha xD
In the end, I realize I actually really enjoy the openendedness since it leaves a lot to for you to interpret and encourages readers to play the other routes to see different sides to the characters/story. Which I definitely will be doing in when I have time! c:
I absolutely adore this game and Julian and August are my favourites, any chance of their being a sequel in the future? The only thing i didn't like about the game is the 3D explorable areas, I am not a fan of First person games. Thanks so much for making such an incredible visual novel.
I really have to ask: am I the only one bothered by the stupid film grains??? It's making me very sick, OTZ, wonder if it's possible to have a patch to remove it or something?
I bought it just now for Steam! I loved Serafina's games, and I've been waiting for this one so I'm super excited. Only problem is that my laptop heats up a LOT while playing (even with low quality) and it's a gaming MSI laptop, so it shouldn't do that... I mean, playing games like Witcher 3 heats it up a lot less, so idk whyyyy
I absolutely adored this game. Very well written. I've had no life but this for the past few days.
Got all the good endings. Still confused about some things, so I was just wondering if there's an intended sequel? Should I be playing through the bad endings as well?
It was really hard not to choose August every time, haha.
Edit: Reading up, apparently I got the black bug screen bug at the end of some of my playthroughs. Does that affect anything?
Thanks Raziara! You are seeing the intended content and clues. If the game is very successful we do have some additional content in mind, but I don't think it would give you what you're looking for.
We are not sure why the "black screen bug" sometimes occurs, but I believe you are only missing a link back to the main menu, nothing more.
This is a first game I ever commented on. It is such a delight!. The story is so interesting, and compelling. I love Erika very much, she is a perfect lense with which we can observe the mystery unraveling. And I love how natural it feels. There is so much going on within the narrative, yet is is so plausible because the writing is super good. (I hope this all makes sense, English is not my first language, sorry!)
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I just wanted to ask, do you guys still have a discord? I wanted to see more people's discussion for this game. I just finished all 4 routes and I really enjoyed them! The story is entralling and I can't wait to read the new story+
This game is incredible. The story is amazing. The writing is top notch. It’ll stick with me for a long time. It’s one of those games you can’t get out of your head. The characters feel so real. They’re messy and crazy and loveable. Best game I’ve played possibly ever. It’s just amazing. A true work of art. Hats off to those involved in making this game.
I made the mistake of buying without realising I have a Mac, is there any way I can get a refund or somehow manage to play it on my Mac? xxx
The best visual novel i ever played + one of the best games i've played...honestly its a master piece. deep story, atmospheric, addictive, interesting characters, long game. Thanks to the developers. Please make an rpg version !!
POSSIBLE SPOILER LATER ON!
One of the best visual novels I have ever played, thank you so much.
I just have one issue and I wonder what others think and the developers. I recently played an another VN called When The Night Comes and it contained possible polyamorous relationships, but in each route you could choose to be either with one of the characters or both at the same time. I REALLY wish it was the case with Julians romance. I am not against polyamoory, I am just not into it and would not partake. And I know, especially from Liams route that they have a very close bond (and maybe incest can be overlooked as they are not human), but I still very much enjoy Julian as a personality, and being almost forcibly thrust into a polyamorous relationship with them feels very unpleasant to me. Especially in the vampire ending where I wanted maybe one on one love and care scene between Julian and Erika, but instead got a threesome. Also in no way Erika has ever even talked or thought about Charlotte in that matter, actually from the dialogue i presumed that she was almost repulsed by her so yeah, it just bugs me. But otherwise thank you, it was an amazing experience.
Thank you so much I am currently doing julians route and I might avoid it now which kinda sucks as his was the one I was looking forward to the most but I wouldnt want a poly relationship somewhat forced on my mc so thank you for the heads up
Just passing by after rating the game to say that I forgot to mention what I think is a bug during Maddy's route, while playing on Nintendo Switch. At one point - at least it always happened only when reaching that exact moment in the story - the saving and autosaving gets stuck in that precise moment. I can't save new files or load older ones. Hope you'll fix it someway in the future.
I got this on Switch before realizing it was on itch (damn it... I prefer itch, oh well.) Anyway, I played through all the routes, including New Game + (and wrote a fanfic on it), but I'm missing two of Liam's pictures. The top right two.
In case anyone's interested, it's Erika/August (cause August is my favorite): https://archiveofourown.org/works/36399289
:) I enjoyed it
I read in a guide somewhere that there are actually bad endings in this game? And if yes, how do I trigger them? Simply giving the wrong answers?
just do things the character you are romancing dislikes.
Just finished this absolutely brilliant gem of a game and I have to say it is the best I have recently played. Everything about it is just so damn good.
I'm not gonna give a review cuz I'd only repeat what others have already said but there are still some things I can add.
Writing: I don't mean the script or so but the actual way dialogues are written. It takes a talent to paint a picture or an entire scene with just words. But the game does it exquisitely. I'll go with a for me prominent example: the sexscriptions. I've read a lot of VN and stories with lewd content but most fail at something crucial. Vividness. Most VN rely on graphic pictures to convey the scene. But this game doesn't need something like that at all. It perfectly describes and captures those intimate moments without visual support. I could really visualize what happened just on the words written. Marvelous, simply marvelous. They have just the right amount of vividness to not leave much the imagination without being overly graphic, balancing perfectly on a fine line.
Additionally I also like how the routes are (at least imo) split in two: August and Julian's routes seem to put a bit more focus on Desire, rather than love in the true sense. Meanwhile Liam and Maddy seem a lot more focused on the emotional parts. Of course that might be just my imagination but if I'm correct, then that's great. If not, it's still great haha.
There is just one teensy tiny point of critique I have to mention. In August's epilogue, when Erica joins him on the table, that seemed slightly off. It's obvious that she changed along the route and became more like August. But jumping on a table seems still a very Not-Erika thing to do. Not sure if it was intended but thought to point it put nonetheless
And lastly (this is less critique and more personal wish) I'd have LOVED to see a scene with Julian and Erika like in the title. The way they hold each other while he tenderly approaches her neck, could've been such an erotic scene to build in. It seems so sensual. Keeps the imagination wild with ideas of what might happen afterwards ;)
This was a lot more than intended to write but it goes to show how much this game has impressed me. Good job and I'll keep my eyes peeled for future works *thumbs up*
P. S. While I'm at it, I read you don't have a sequel planned, but will there be more works around that universe? I mean there are so many mysteries and visions that could be further explored. What actually WAS that shadow on the road? What happens outside the towers? Why did we find the bible on the 17th floor? And who was the cloaked man in Erika's dream? I have so many questions that need ANSWERS to. I feel like August losing his mind when he can't figure out what is wrong with the world, haha. Please tell me, you plan to explore more around Bataille? Or are all of those things left to personal interpretation? Or did I simply miss the exact answers in the game?
Man this'll bother me for a while *sigh*
Anyway still thank for bringing this into the world
P. P. S. I didn't expect the perma decision to actually be permant permanent. Do I start a completely new game to pick differently?
Really excited for the new content - I installed the latest update and finished each of the 4 individual routes, but I'm not seeing New Game Plus unlock. Maybe I'm missing something?
Did you get the good endings on each route?
If so, it should unlock. Try the Extras menu also. Let me know
Yes, I followed Ceaseless Duality's guide on Steam to unlock all of the good endings and CGs. I also tried restarting the game a few times - not sure what the issue could be.
I'm having exactly the same issue, and I just finished the PS4 version an hour ago. I have good endings for all four routes - all show checkmarks - and I just can't get New Game Plus to show up. Nothing has changed on the Extras menu, and "New Game" just starts a regular new game.
The only thing I'm missing are a few CGs, but from everything I've read you don't need to unlock them all for NG+.
Edit: I can confirm that doing Julian's route last was the issue, and that replaying another route unlocked NG+. Thanks for reaching out on Reddit for the help!
After every playthrough, there are scenes after the credits. Make sure you watch these all the way through until you get a message about a new path unlocking.
I think there may be a minor bug happening if you already completed all the routes before the new update, OR if you play Julian's path last. If my theory is correct, replay Maddy's, Liam's, or August's post-credits ending sequences until you get the New Story + Unlock message. Let me know if that fixes it. I'll also work on a patch to make this update smoother for those who experienced this.
Thank you!!! I watched all of the epilogues, but I played Julian's route last so that must have been the issue. I loaded my save from Liam's epilogue and now New Game + is available from the Main Menu.
This should now be fixed in the update with the suffix "-v203." When you go to the Extras menu, you should see the Final Path option. Thanks for bringing it to my attention!
So excited about the release on new consoles! Quick question: if I buy the game on the Nintendo eShop, would it be possible to also receive a steam key?
Thank you! Unfortunately no, we can't cross keys between PC and console versions.
This VN was amazing. I was hooked straight from the prologue, and really could not put it down from start to finish. I can't resist a good horror/mystery story, but August Flynn was really something special and was what stood out for me. Definitely one of my top favorite English VN characters. I have to say, I appreciated the way the devs never watered down or sugar coated his character, right up until the very end. All of the characters had their complexities, and I loved how the story never compromised that.
I really would be here all day if I talked about everything I loved about this game... I could talk about how amazing this game was for really days on end! This one will definitely stick with me for a long time!
First off - phew! Storytelling! I have read hundreds of visual novels for over a decade now, read so many books and stories and watched so many films, and in my experience, it has been extremely rare to find a game (or film plot) that not only tells an interesting story that keeps you gripped the entireeee time, but also paces that story so, so well. There wasn't a single moment I didn't feel invested in this story; I spent an entire weekend playing because I simply could not stop.
As much as I like to have all the answers, I love the way that the routes ended. I love how unique they were to each character, how much thought your team put into each route and ending and how perfect they were to suit the character and theme of each route. I'm not sure if the quote was on the start of August's route or the start of the game since I played his route first, but I remember it said something about life being an enigma and something about it being worse when we try to assign meaning to it or puzzle it out? I couldn't find it again but that just really stuck with me as I played and finished this game; I definitely took this approach to it. I didn't have all the answers and to me, that was one of the whole points of the game. I feel that not having all the answers, and how we deal with lack of knowledge, how our beliefs change, how we treat each other, etc, is what this game was all about. I really appreciated how true and consistent you guys stayed to the themes you wanted to convey. Your storytelling went beyond the words but in how you ended the routes, how you paced and plotted them, how you hinted at certain things, the small details of the game that readers unconsciously pick up on...Really you invested so much thought into every single element and each one felt like it really supported the message you were sending. Again just a huge huge nod to a gripping story and pacing, I honestly cannot remember any game I've played in years that paced as well.
Characters - Oh lord, I'm someone obsessed on the topic of characters so I just have to keep this as broad as possible or I'll make this review way longer than it already is. Basically I LOVED them all, even the ones I hated haha. By that I mean that they all had such depth that even though I disliked the close-minded personalities of some, I can appreciate their place in the story. Amazing character development and dimension. None of them seemed to do anything just for the sake of doing it or just to move the plot along. They had really believable motivations and stayed true to that on each route. I've recently discovered that I find myself drawn to reading fictions about mentally disturbed / 'dark' characters, especially in romances (Why am I like this?!). I find these characters interesting -- so without a doubt I really loved Augusts's character a lot. I loved how dimensional Erika was as well. She is far from some insert protagonist -- I found myself getting so frustrated with her sometimes and I really loved that because she was her own person. Honestly, I learned a lot from her point of view. I would disagree with her way of acting and then realized that she was right to act the way she did and so it balanced my own personality out. I won't ramble on any more about the others, but I really enjoyed them all and only wish that there was more information revealed about them all!
Art - AHH!!!! I have played you guy's games since I have been a teen and gotta say, whoever is in charge of the art has grown so much! Anytime I see your characters, I know when I'm playing a Woodsy Studio game because I have always loved the style a lot. The style seems to have changed between now and the last game I've played of yours and I absolutely love it (Quantum Conscience - holy hell that game released in 2014?! No wonder!) I love the comic edge it takes in this game, and appreciate the talent you've invested so much into. Really love how you put so much detail in what these characters look like (for example, August's shirt being half tucked, half out?! Little details like that are so damn genius to me!) The style of art and character detail tells you so much about these characters even without the help of the dialogue and other elements of the game. If a character can speak in appearance alone without actually having to speak , you're doing something amazing as an artist. Simply love your work!
I speak for the 3D art too, really love how the world was designed and how the 3D art tied in so well for this game!
Music - So perfect! I'm hardly adept enough at music to analyze or praise it as much as I'd like to, but just WOW. The music and ambiance in this game were AMAZING! Even finishing the entire game, the music left me feeling unsettled and tense and entire time. It really helped keep me on edge and never got annoying. In fact, I had to do some chores and house errands and the music accidentally was left to still play. I was too busy to turn it off but I didn't even care to. It's so mood-setting and atmospheric; let's just say washing my dishes has never been so creepy lmao! It really gets to you emotionally and fits the theme of the game perfectly. It reminded me a lot of Quantum's music.
Voice actors - Gonna be blunt here, most English voice acting I've heard in VNs is pretty bad IMO lol. I have cringed and been embarrassed a lot. Not this game!!! It's a job well done on casting for these characters. The voice actors are top notch and fit the characters perfectly. I think I've heard August's voice actor as of late in VNs and oh lawddd I don't understand why I'm attracted to sound waves but that man's voice is pure seduction. So fitting for a manipulative character like August. I really loved Julian's and Liam's too, I'm attracted to all the sound waves that their actors produce LOL.
I don't want to ramble any more! I feel bad having typed all this in this hour long review, but I just wanted to give credit where credit is due because I have been playing you guy's games since I was a kid and have always loved them! You guys have grown so much and I'm so blessed that I get to experience the great stories and hard work you all put in. You guys definitely break the limits of typical English visual novels and make top notch work that goes beyond the standards and is incredibly unique. Love the synthesis of 2D and 3D art in this engine for this game, I didn't expect the 3D gameplay and enjoyed it a lot. I am so excited to see what you guys make in the future! Thank you for yet another beautiful and provoking story.
Thank you so much for listening to our stories and the kind words; it means a lot!
omg you noticed the art too ?? I totally agree!! I was like phew! I've been playing their games too? so I think I relate 100% to this, it makes me so happy ?
Thanks for your review, i'm so excited to play now
Ahhh yes agree! They do so well and have grown so much as a company! So nice to meet people who are into visual novels! Considering the time I've put into them I can say they're a pretty big part of my life and I never have anyone to talk to about them for things I notice like this! If you ever want someone to talk to about specific VNs, feel free to message anytime!
Lol I wanted to ask you the same thing but I was shy ! Well I don't think there's any private messaging system,so is there any way I can join you ? Maybe discord/twitter or something else ?
Haha I'm the same way, I'm shy with strangers too even on the internet LOL. My discord is krazyki #9424, but someone else had an issue finding it for some reason? So if you can't find me, maybe we can try making one of those "join group" links instead.
Finished good end for August but I'm missing the 3rd illustration in his gallery. Did i miss a choice or is this for the bad end?
That one actually unlocks in the Liam path ;)
I love the art and VA from what I heard so far but it lags a lot for me even though I have everything on low. I'm playing it on steam, is there a way I can get the itcho download if I prove I got it on steam? I'm so desperate to play it (without all the crash/lags) and I just wanted to check if Itcho will run more smoothly for me
actually nevermind I got it to work! :D I love August, thank you for this amazing game
Are you gonna release it for android ?
There are no plans for an Android release at this point, sorry!
ok thanks for the reply
Are there plans for a mac-friendly version of this game? I'd love to play it but I don't have a PC :(
There are no plans for a Mac release at this point, sorry!
Crimson Spires is an amazing game! The world building is stunning and detailed. I'm captivated by each and every one of these characters, even Charlotte as they're all written with so much depth. Erika has to be my favorite since her personality and intelligence really stood out to me in the realm of otome game MCs. I especially enjoyed reading her banter and dynamic with August. My favorite line is where she says "Don't insult both of us by pretending you had some reason to be skulking behind me and then act like I'll believe you." xD
The voice acting and music are very immersive, and while I was playing it really felt as if I was part of this world and discovering more alongside it with Erika, who was just as confused as I. I don't think I've ever played a game that's captured so much of my interest before or made me think so much!
The endings are a little unclear (I've only play August's and Liam's) which was frustrating for a while (but in a good way!) They made me wonder "what did I just read???" It felt as if there was a big revelation to be found but I simply couldn't understand it, or maybe I didn't understood the characters/world well enough to know what the endings meant about the world around them. Honestly I think the game left me with more questions and I wish someone had a long detailed analysis of the characters and/or story so I could get some answers haha xD
In the end, I realize I actually really enjoy the openendedness since it leaves a lot to for you to interpret and encourages readers to play the other routes to see different sides to the characters/story. Which I definitely will be doing in when I have time! c:
P.S. I really hope there'll be a sequel!
Thank you for your thoughts and kind words! Although we don't plan a sequel, we do plan to add some DLC content next year
I absolutely adore this game and Julian and August are my favourites, any chance of their being a sequel in the future? The only thing i didn't like about the game is the 3D explorable areas, I am not a fan of First person games. Thanks so much for making such an incredible visual novel.
Thanks for the kind words and thoughts!
This game is so good! It's delightfully dark, and I love the art style. The story is interesting, and the characters are wonderful.
I would ask for an option to remove the film grain, if possible, since it has caused some eye strain!
We released an update today with an option to turn off the film grain :)
I really have to ask: am I the only one bothered by the stupid film grains??? It's making me very sick, OTZ, wonder if it's possible to have a patch to remove it or something?
We released an update today with an option to turn off the film grain
I bought it just now for Steam! I loved Serafina's games, and I've been waiting for this one so I'm super excited. Only problem is that my laptop heats up a LOT while playing (even with low quality) and it's a gaming MSI laptop, so it shouldn't do that... I mean, playing games like Witcher 3 heats it up a lot less, so idk whyyyy
I'm sorry you're having that issue on your laptop. I hope you can still enjoy the game!
Thank you! We don't have a Mac version planned at this time
I absolutely adored this game. Very well written. I've had no life but this for the past few days.
Got all the good endings. Still confused about some things, so I was just wondering if there's an intended sequel? Should I be playing through the bad endings as well?
It was really hard not to choose August every time, haha.
Edit: Reading up, apparently I got the black bug screen bug at the end of some of my playthroughs. Does that affect anything?
Thanks Raziara! You are seeing the intended content and clues. If the game is very successful we do have some additional content in mind, but I don't think it would give you what you're looking for.
We are not sure why the "black screen bug" sometimes occurs, but I believe you are only missing a link back to the main menu, nothing more.
Thanks so much
I think I of course got the back ending on my first try with august 😭. Will there be a guide on how to get the good ending?
You can find a player-made walkthrough on Steam here: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2264657640
Yes, the controls work with a gamepad controller :D
Have you tried playing it outside the Itch app (run the .exe from the downloaded contents)? It may perform better this way.
That is happening to me too. I had to put it to the lowest setting. It's a big game!
This is a first game I ever commented on. It is such a delight!. The story is so interesting, and compelling. I love Erika very much, she is a perfect lense with which we can observe the mystery unraveling. And I love how natural it feels. There is so much going on within the narrative, yet is is so plausible because the writing is super good. (I hope this all makes sense, English is not my first language, sorry!)
First game I have ever bought on Itch.io. Cant Wait to play :)
Just bought it and I'm so excited to play! Amazing job guys.
One question, does this come with a steam key as well?
Yes, as of this morning I added Steam keys!
I am having the same issue.
Also, occasionally it crashes with the message: "Unreal Engine is exiting due to D3D device being lost ox887A0006"
My Graphics Card is GeForce GTX 1660 Super
32 GB of Memory
I'm sorry you're experiencing a crash. You might want to try updating the driver for your GTX 1660. Here are some other tips about the issue: https://www.drivereasy.com/knowledge/solved-unreal-engine-is-exiting-due-to-d3d-...
Thank you! I will try this. Excited to play more!
Updated my graphics card and experiencing no issues now. Thank you!
I'm sorry you encountered this issue! I repackaged the game and I hope it has resolved the problem.
I had the same issue too since I recently deleted my PayPal. The game is also on Steam so I bought it from there using my debit card :)