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amber_moonlightwaves) wrote2020-10-23 02:53 pm
amber_moonlightwaves) wrote2020-10-23 02:53 pm
Piofiore: Fated Memories Review
Storyline: Within the small town of Burlone (Italy), considered the “backdoor” to Europe, there exists three mafia group: the Falzone, the Viscounti, and the Lao-Shu who control various parts of the city. They all vie to take control Burlone and are in constant conflict with each other. At the center of the story is a girl named Liliana Adornato (protagonist’s default name) who grew up as an orphan in the Church and soon comes to learn that her fate is much bigger than she imagined.
I finished playing the recently released otome game, Piofiore: Fated Memories. I had such a great time and wished to share some thoughts of mine. What I’ve written here are just my own thoughts and don’t reflect anyone else’s. So, please take it with a grain of salt as always~ ^^
Note: Within the review, I've done my best to avoid any major spoilers for those who have not yet played/finished the game. However, some videos I've included may contain spoilers. If they do, I have noted the videos as such. View at your own discretion.
As a warning, this game deals with heavy themes such as death, violence, drug, human trafficking, and abuse. So, if these don’t appeal to you, then this may be something you would want to turn away from.
When I first saw the game, I was hooked to the gorgeous character designs and the dramatic and heartfelt yet toe-tapping music. I mean, who can deny that Yang, as a character, looks extremely cool and badass for a mafia boss? Not to mention, I freaking love the instrumental theme that plays whenever he appears. It’s representative of not only his ethnic background, but also of his personality as well.
The voice actors are all top-notch guys, carrying out their parts with emotion and vigor. In particular, I loved Dante’s voice actor (Kaito Ishikawa) who I later learned voiced Dimitri (Fire Emblem: Three Houses). It was so awesome to be able to hear him be a mafia boss who secretly has a soft side. I loved it! Can’t forget Shoutaro Morikubo for voicing the charming Gilbert! Honestly, the voice acting all around is perfect.
I also love the winks and nods to real historical facts (like Prohibition in America during 1925) and how they alluded to WWII and mentioned the Opium Wars. It made the game feel much more rooted in reality despite being located in a fictitious town. It was a fresh feeling that helped to raise the stakes when things got sticky in the game.
By the way, a random comment, but I also admired the details not only on Italian culture, but also on Chinese culture especially when it came to foods! Throughout the whole time I was playing, I was constantly looking up all the terms and seeing how delicious they could be! Haha, it makes me hungry for some Italian pastries and Chinese food XD Now, I’m craving for some goma dango/jian dui and crostata, haha.
The ladies’ man and the right-hand man of Dante Falzone, leader of the Falzone mafia family. He is handsome, but observant and shrewd at the same time. He also isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty for the sake of the family. It was highly enjoyable to see his character take enormous risks for Dante, showing just how much he cares for him. (Does he care for Dante more than Liliana…? XD)
The romance between Nicola and Liliana was adorable in some parts especially when he was relaying a part of his past to her about Dante and him. I also chuckled when Liliana had fed him the crostata she made, lol. Like how much flirtatious could he be? Haha, not that I mind XP Although, I have to say that the ‘enemy’ in this route was certainly something else. Not totally unexpected, but wow, for some reason, I didn’t think the person would go totally bonkers like that, lol.
I’ve read that you can play Nicola’s or Dante’s route from the first go, and I started off with Nicola’s. I think it was a good way to ease into the game since it contains the least spoilery material. I don’t think it was my favorite, but I think the story is quite good and the voice acting is spectacular as always.
Okay, what to say about this route? XD When I initially played it, I was shocked and surprised that they wrote his route to be quite dark and realistic. But I rather enjoyed this take for his route. I commend the creators for demonstrating that the mafia isn’t all sugar and flowers, and that indeed, the mafia is the mafia for a reason.
As for Yang himself, he is the leader of the Lao-Shu, which is the Chinese mafia that controls Veleno, another part of Burlone. My first impression of him, when I saw him in Nicola’s route, was that he was going to be a bit of a bastard and a conniving boss with some hidden redeeming qualities. (Not to mention I thought he looked the best out of all the characters, lol.) Well, I was thrown for a bit of a loop, not expecting Yang to be wild, frightening, and impulsive, but also terrifyingly powerful, extremely cunning, and deliciously calculative. Initially, I wondered what sort of hellish route I was in for. Upon finishing it, I found myself liking how controversial and contradictory he could be as a character, and that the sheer insanity of his route perfectly matched Yang’s insanity as a ruthless mafia boss and a handsome yandere. In a way, he was the perfect mafia boss, taking advantage of the situation and not caring whether he lived or died.
As for the romance, it was one of the more interesting ones because of how it started out and how the relationship between Yang and Liliana progressed. One of my favorite parts is when Yang brushes off an attack as if he didn’t expect it, but Liliana then states that he expected it all along. The next moment, which Yang praises Liliana for thinking exactly like him, was unexpected, but it was a perfectly subtle moment. It’s when we see Yang unconsciously takes a liking to her. And this, for me, made me like the route much more because it’s when he begins to behave and think somewhat differently around her and vice versa for Liliana.
By the way, I also loved Lan and Fei, the cute twins who followed Yang around. They added so much flavor and comedy to the story. It was quite hilarious when they walked in and interrupted a serious moment between Yang and Liliana in which Liliana was about to blurt her true feelings to him. The pissed off expression on Yang’s face made me genuinely crack up.
Also, I didn’t realize it at first, but the name Lao-Shu means ‘old rats’ in Chinese. So, when Dante and the other mafia members referred to the Lao-Shu as ‘rats’, it only made me appreciate how much detail the creators put into the game. It was a play on words related to their group name, Lao-Shu, and it also served as an insult at the same time.
I think Yang’s route is another good one to play in the beginning since it also doesn’t contain as much spoilery details related to the overall bigger plot. However, you will have to finish playing one route first to unlock his.
The mafia boss of the Falzone family who inherited his capo position at a young age. Despite being serious and always frowning on the outside, he has the heart of a marshmallow who likes sweets and cats. Dante’s internal conflict of being a mafia boss vs. being a human has been done before in many games, but I felt this game had plenty of scenes to show his struggle and how he deals with this duality. In fact, I think the makers successfully intertwined it with the romantic development between him and Liliana.
I also think his struggle helped to make the love scenes so much cuter especially when we see him whip out his softer, more humanistic side in front of Liliana. And Liliana acts not just as a cheerleader, but also as an important figure for moral, emotional, and spiritual support. She wasn’t simply his lover, but the other half of Dante’s soul.
Unlike Nicola’s and Yang’s routes, Dante’s route dives straight into the lore of the game and the history of the town, ignoring most of the mafia business although not completely. I didn’t mind it since I was curious about Liliana and how she was related to the whole plot. In a way, it was somewhat typical to see how the story unfolded, but I think it was intriguing and intense when you factor in the realism of the game combined with the darker elements. For an otome game, as I mentioned in Yang’s part, it didn’t shy away from seedier topics and pulled it out in full force. Some other games tend to either skirt the issue or somewhat gloss it over, so this was a nice change of pace.
Also, I find it odd that the game allows you to play Dante’s route from the very beginning. Since his route tends to lean into the meat of the game, I thought he would be one of the later routes. But he’s one of the first. I guess I’m glad I didn’t end up with his route first, but it’s still a peculiar choice. In any case, Dante’s route was filled with heart wrenching moments, but also breathtaking romance. I can tell this is going to be a favorite route among many as it’s definitely one of mine!
A mysterious young man who tends to protect Liliana. At first glance, his identity and his role are a mystery. But as you play the game, his background and connections to the plot become clearer.
Okay, I think he is the official cinnamon bun of this game. He acts so humble and kind like a loyal servant and bodyguard. Later in the route, he mentions quite casually that he doesn’t even eat that often because it’s not “required”. At one point, he even feels like he’s burdening Liliana when she cooks something delicious to eat. It’s like he is devoid of human emotions and pleasures, which makes him such a sympathetically sad character! However, this only sweetens the romance between Orlok and Liliana who comes to genuinely care for him and embrace the hidden innocence within Orlok’s heart. For the first time in his life, he gets to experience what “love” is and what it means to be a “human”. It was then that his route stole my heart, haha.
This kind of plot has been done before in many types of games and shows. But the dynamic between the two of them becomes so strong and passionate. It made me fall in love with his character and their relationship. He’s like a precious cinnamon bun to me XD And that ending between them was so cute! It gave me diabetes with how sweet and sugary it was.
I was a little disappointed that he didn’t have any kissing CGs with Liliana except for the bad ending, which broke my heart in two. It’s a minor gripe. Overall, his route was like a rollercoaster of emotions that ended on a bittersweet, but quietly adorable note.
His route is best left done later since his route contains heavy spoilers related to the game. However, it does not diminish the value and excitement for his route.
The mob boss of the Viscounti who was originally born in America. His charm and suave attitude rewards him close relationships with the citizens of Creta, the area in which the Viscounti rules over within Burlone. He has a slick tongue and certainly knows how to converse with others, making his character both likeable and appealing.
You have to play the other four routes before Gilbert’s route unlocks, which made me wonder if he was somehow going to tie into the overarching plot like Dante’s. To my (pleasant) surprise, his route dug into the complex politics of the mafia world and connects to the wider history going on in Italy during this time. We even see the powerful lawyer and sidekick, Oliver, work his magic and see how the mafia forges papers and documents to have the situation swing their way. It was another juicy layer, digging deep into the underbelly of Burlone.
If there’s one thing Gilbert stands out for (and not only the cool-looking eyepatch), then it’s definitely the way he lavishes praise on Liliana from the get-go. I suppose this is due to his overall vivacious and gregarious nature. However, it came off strange since we barely knew him, haha. But he is in no way a badly or poorly written character. I loved how traditional he could be despite being a part of the mafia, which was a neat twist compared to some of the other guys.
While the romance felt natural and progressed fine, I think it felt the least interesting (for me). Not because there weren’t enough cheesy, steamy scenes or because he was a boring character. In fact, quite the opposite. Due to his attractive characteristics, it was not hard to see how he would fall in love with her and vice versa for Liliana. Despite how I felt, this in no way diminishes the romance and the power of their feelings for each other. One of my favorite moments and CGs in Gilbert’s route was when he bought gelato for the two of them, and she allowed him to try her serving. Even though it was a simple moment, it felt like a hilariously cute steppingstone for their relationship.
Overall, it isn’t a bad route, and I can definitely see him being a favorite character/route just like with Dante’s. He’s too hard to hate and very easy to like.
Given the time period of the game, I absolutely loved Liliana's character. She couldn’t physically kick butt, but she was smart and believed in the better of humanity, wishing to help others due to her upbringing within the Church. She also didn’t let the situation deter her and spoke what was on her mind when it conflicted with her moral values. At times, she saves the guy from getting killed, which is A+ in my book. And I also admired the way she decided to become involved within the mafia world because of her love for the town. Her character carried an inspiring, hopeful theme – something which shines through in all of the routes, especially in the “Finale” (true?) route.
In the Finale, we see every guy, including Yang, warm up to her, admiring her strength, personality, and realistic optimism. At one point, we even see Yang, a nonbeliever, come to Church, which was super funny. The only gripe I had about the Finale was that we had to play through a part of Gilbert’s route again, which is something I’m not a fan of in games. I didn’t mind it too much, but it had me a bit burnt out after just finishing his route.
I’m also a bit disappointed by the villain in the Finale. The character’s madness was fine and his reasons for being a villain was justified. With that said, I felt the way he overlooked certain details from his past was a bit odd and made him not an interesting villain despite being highly intelligent, persuasive, and meticulously crafty. Perhaps the game intended for him to be so blinded by his own hatred and thirst for vengeance that he couldn’t even be persuaded by what was in front of him. That being said, I loved his voice actor and character design.
While I wasn’t too crazy about the way the story wrapped up its loose ends, the story was still thoroughly engaging, and the characters were fantastic. The music, the voice acting, and the artwork is top notch. Also, can I mention how pretty the 2D graphics were? The dialogue/thought box and the font were so beautiful. In fact, it’s one of the few games where I love to stare at the start page menu, haha. I can’t emphasize enough how spectacular the artistry was in this game.
If you’re an otome and visual novel fan, I would recommend this game because of how bold it was to tackle the mafia world without being afraid to highlight both its glorious and wily moments. It’s also got an English translation and has been released on the Switch, so players outside of Japan can enjoy the game, too! Fingers crossed that the fandisk, Episodio 1926, gets translated soon, haha.
Let me know if you have any comments, questions, and thoughts about the game through here or on Twitter (monkeybanana)! I’d love to hear your thoughts~!
no subject
I loved Dante’s voice actor (Kaito Ishikawa) who I later learned voiced Dimitri (Fire Emblem: Three Houses).
Oh what! :O Though this makes sense to me, both of those characters require an incredible range (and an ability to persuade you that they have both a soft side and a not-so-soft side).
ETA: I also subscribed, hope that's okay! Would love to read more of your reviews. :D
wow, for some reason, I didn’t think the person would go totally bonkers like that, lol.
Same! I thought he was going to be a love interest, and then it was... "well, guess not"
Liliana then states that he expected it all along. The next moment, which Yang praises Liliana for thinking exactly like him, was unexpected, but it was a perfectly subtle moment.
Yes! And same for me, too, where he shows his other side around Liliana. They made the "only like that for her" trope work. And Lan and Fei. <3
It made me fall in love with his character and their relationship. He’s like a precious cinnamon bun to me XD And that ending between them was so cute! It gave me diabetes with how sweet and sugary it was.
:DDD Orlok is so sweet, and his route is so sad and hopeful.
I was a little disappointed that he didn’t have any kissing CGs with Liliana except for the bad ending, which broke my heart in two
I know, right? I was very annoyed about this, and having it in the bad ending (which was...rough) was just insult to injury.
no subject
No worries! It's totally okay~ :D I'm honored to hear that <3 I'm slowly getting my way through the Nightshade review, but it's almost there XD I promise it'll be up soon! (I've also subscribed to your account, I hope that's ok! I'd love to read your thoughts/reviews ^^)
Oh what! :O Though this makes sense to me, both of those characters require an incredible range (and an ability to persuade you that they have both a soft side and a not-so-soft side).
Agreed! His voice actor is simply incredible with a wide range. He's also in the new otome game, Cafe Enchante, voicing one of the main love interests. I think he's got such great talent.
Same! I thought he was going to be a love interest, and then it was... "well, guess not"
Right? It felt a little out of nowhere, but I guess they had to have a villain in Nicola's route, lol.
I know, right? I was very annoyed about this, and having it in the bad ending (which was...rough) was just insult to injury.
Yeah, especially knowing that things weren't going to end well. And that last scene in the bad ending with Orlok, it crushed my soul. It's like there was everything going against him; he couldn't even live through it ;_;
no subject
He's also in the new otome game, Cafe Enchante, voicing one of the main love interests. I think he's got such great talent.
Just looked him up, and oooh, he voices the seraph! I'm bumping the game up the list.
I looked him up and he also voices Fujisaki from Noragami, who is my favorite terrible charming villain. :O
After finishing Gilbert's route, I definitely agree with what you said -- they're very sweet and cute and I can see why they fall for each other, but the route really was mostly about noir (which I love! And in a sense, they made the fluffy love interest work so much better than Dante's route... which was "fluff but no plot" at points). I'm hoping Gil gets more development in the fandisc, I think there's a lot of things in his backstory and Mafia tension they could dig into still.
no subject
I looked him up and he also voices Fujisaki from Noragami, who is my favorite terrible charming villain. :O
Haha, I think he does a great job at voicing the angel character. He also voices one of the main love interests in another otome game called Psychedelica of the Black Butterfly. I've heard lots of good things about the game, and the artwork is gorgeous. I think the game is on Steam if you're interested in playing another otome game, haha XP
Ooh, he does? It's been a while since I last watched Noragami, but I love the series! Now, I want to go back and rewatch it just to hear his voice XD
no subject
It's been a while since I last watched Noragami, but I love the series! Now, I want to go back and rewatch it just to hear his voice XD
He's barely there at all, and it's disappointing! :P After I learned that, I immediately tried to look up YouTube clips of his voice, but could not find anything.