Release Date: March 26, 2026 (North America)
Developers: Loca Games
Publishers: Loca Games, G-MODE
Platforms: Nintendo Switch
ESRB Rating: M (Mature)
SYNOPSIS
It is an era shrouded in darkness — the world sealed off, and a deadly plague ravaging the land. A peaceful village is ruthlessly attacked by a knightly order, leaving your home in ruins and your family slain.
Saved by a mysterious figure, you are led to a magical city floating upon the sea. There, the stranger proclaims you to be the Moon Witch, destined to guide the people toward prosperity. But amidst your newfound safety and status, turmoil begins to brew. Friends turn on one another, alliances falter, and blades begin to clash.
You wish to end this tragedy. To take root in this land and live on. Who will you trust…? Who will you choose to face the end with?
ART AND MUSIC
| Scenario: Yulius |
| Art & Character Design: Somate Studio |
| BG Artist: Hehudojnik, Bojan Temunovic |
| Soundtrack: Alec Shea (OST), Amelia Jones (Vocals) |
| OP Theme: Yumi Suzuha (Lyrics & Music) |
Voice Acting
Kazuyuki Okitsu as “Olivier Paquet“ – Saizo (Homura: The Crimson Warriors), Yuan Gonglu (Neon Clash), Ankou (Virche Evermore), Yoji Kobase (Sympathy Kiss), Atsushi Daikoku (B-PROJECT), Tsukuyomi (Olympia Soiree), Epilogi (Café Enchanté), Hachisuka Kotetsu (Touken Ranbu), Dante (Jack Jeanne), Ray (EPHEMERAL), Kuya (NU Carnival), Kyrie (Ozmafia!!), Keith Knight (Iris School of Wizardry)
Souma Yamoto as “Ismail“ – Pewrep (Yukar of the Abyss), Narrator (The Neuroscience of Hallucinations)
Yuichiro Umehara as “Emmanuel de Beaumont” – Lowd Gante (Neon Clash), Alfred (Mistonia’s Hope), Paschalia (Radiant Tale), Serge (Genso Manege), Kohei Minato (Sympathy Kiss), Benkei (Birushana), Canus Espada (Café Enchanté), Enishi (Jack Jeanne), Demento (Period Cube), Shingen Takeda (IkeSen), Sage (Nekopara Catboys Paradise), Rain (Shiro to Kuro no Alice), Oochidori (Touken Ranbu)
Tatsuhisa Suzuki as “Melodie“ – Alan Stuart (My Next Life as a Villainess), Yukito Sena (Lover Pretend), Akuroou (Dairoku), Ranmaru (Uta no Prince Sama), Ban (7 Deadly Sins), Prosciutto (Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure), Mitsuru Hinase (Shinigami to Shoujo), Yuma Mukami (Diabolik Lovers), Daisuke Anayama (Shinobi Koi), Kakouton (Juuzaengi), Itsuki (Sword Art Online), Aegis Alver (Tales of Crestoria)
CHARACTERS AND ROUTES
Only Emmanuel and Ismail’s routes are playable from the start. Melodie’s route unlocks after clearing Ismail’s Happy End, and Olivier’s route will be playable after finishing the Happy Ends for Emmanuel, Ismail, and Melodie.
The game has an overarching storyline, w/ each route gradually revealing key plot points one after another. If you want to play the game with the best story flow in mind, starting from the routes that give you the least spoilers to the most, I highly recommend following this order: Emmanuel → Ismail → Melodie → Olivier. This order was also the official hard recommended order given by the devs.
If you also plan to unlock the Plunder and Tragedy endings, I definitely advise sticking to this route order as well, as those endings contain even more plot hints and reveals that build up to a more impactful finale.
Walkthroughs
Note: All spoiler-related content in this review will be hidden behind a spoiler drop-down, that you can choose to view at your own discretion.
⬇️ Click to view Content Warnings
EMMANUEL DE BEAUMONT
tyrantkuudere- sometimes soft but…
Emmanuel is a diligent and reserved domestic affairs official, devoid of magical abilities. Since he rarely makes appearances at social gatherings, most nobles are unaware of his existence. All that’s known about him is that he harbors an abundance of secrets.
Initially, I played Emmanuel’s route in JP last year and was actually caught by surprise at how interesting this route turned out to be. Lots of unexpected things I didn’t see coming, which got me even more pumped up in the game, especially since this was the route the devs recommend to start with.
The romance, however, felt a little too time-pressed to fully land for me by the end. His last chapter had a lot going on, leading to an overhaul in focus that somewhat overshadowed his budding relationship with Fiena (me thinks). Conversely, I still ended up liking them as a couple. BUT (and in all honesty), it was another route’s “Plunder End” that made me actually love Emmanuel as an LI.👀
⬇️ Spoilers
***SPOILERS FOR MELODIE’S ROUTE*** What really stood out to me is that Emmanuel’s role, whether he’s an ally or a foe, depends on the route you’re in, and I really like this complexity in his personality. Emmanuel is a very calculated individual, so it feels more like if your decisions favor him, he becomes your ally or lends you a hand, but when they don’t, he turns into a very cold enemy who wouldn’t blink an eye to castigate those who oppose him. I mean, we see a lot of his tyranny in Melodie’s route. He really didn’t give two flying shits about poor Mel and his grandpa.😭
Although personally speaking, I’d say that Melodie’s ‘Plunder End’ made Emmanuel a more appealing LI than his actual route. The fact that he didn’t touch Fiena until she gave her consent makes it clear that the awful things he did previously, (like kissing Fiena in front of Mel in his prisoner’s cell) were only meant to provoke Melodie into striking a deal with him. It’s also in this ending that we see he still has a bit of heart left in him, as he develops feelings for the heroine and asks her to be his queen, even though he knows her heart will always belong to Melodie. He doesn’t force her and even complies with her wish for a small, simple wedding away from the public eye. His treating Fiena right in the end is probably his way of repenting for all the suffering he’s caused her, but by then, it’s already too late.
ISMAIL
- the hawt doctor 🔥🔥🔥
- the best “deed” lol 🤭
As a magical medical practitioner, Ismail serves as the royal physician to the king. Kind to everyone, he holds no interest in the power struggles within the castle. Strangely, he attracts women effortlessly yet maintains an emotional distance from others.
I thought he was kind of sus at first, like there’s no way a man that perfect doesn’t have skeletons in his closet, but nope! Ish is just ultimately, a great guy (w/ a whole lotta sex appeal lol). Since he isn’t interested in the power struggle in Ombrelle, he remains neutral in the country’s political conflict and is only committed to his research as a magical doctor. Tbh, I like how he just minds his own business and doesn’t really take sides in any kind of disputes, despite having good relations with both Emmanuel and Olivier.
I guess, this is also probably one of the routes where the romance actually has some buildup, and comes across more convincingly.
⬇️ Spoilers
….To add, the romance between Ish and Fiena would’ve certainly been TONS better if he hadn’t stayed locked up in prison for like half of his route! What a shame. The instance the story finally gives you some fluff, they take it away by having the LI absent for almost an entire chapter. Guess you really can’t have em all, huh? At least, the game compensates this by having them immediately do the deed the moment he’s released (laughs).😋
On a different note, I did enjoy how Fiena was pretty proactive here in practicing and refining her necromancy magic. And although she didn’t really get to utilize it as much compared to the later routes (aka Olivier’s), I still like how her strange ability to see ghosts was naturally explored.
MELODIE
- hot headed tsun
- 👁👁
Melodie serves as a court bard, entertaining the palace with his tales, yet is devoid of any magical abilities. Additionally, he is also a member of the knightly order. His sharp tongue has left him with few friends.
Melodie was my favorite LI in the game, and I’d even say that, much like Ish’s route, this one is just as romantically inclined, albeit in a different way. Perhaps it’s because they’re closer in age, his dynamic with Fiena was sort of delightful to witness. That, or maybe I just have a huge penchant for tsunderes. Ha! 😆
As for his route, as much as I love it and my guy Melodie, his story was just really depressing. Even in other routes, Mel always seems to get the short end of the stick! I feel so bad for him all the time.😭 His HAPPY End’s epilogue was definitely a nice breather after everything he’s been through, but I really wish there was more to it. He and Fiena deserve to be happy, seriously!
⬇️ Spoilers
I also loved how Fiena was the first one to initiate getting close to Mel, and how he responds to it, is so gauche but cute, its funny! Him sending her awkward letters to meet up is too adorbs, oh no! I love tsuns, so this is probably my bias talking lol. 🤣
On a different note, my poor, sweet Mel, Michao! I can’t believe I sat through his whole torture scene, plus his grandpa’s, which made it even worse. His entire situation was just doomed from the start, it was so stressful! Being a spy ordered to assassinate the king already robs him of an unscathed ending in other routes.
He got smoked real quick in Emmanuel’s route, tortured in his own route and Ish’s, and even executed publicly in Olivier’s.😥 Plus, he was casted with some sort of mind-control spell that makes him automatically harm anyone who suspects his true identity, forcing him to switch personalities against his will, on top of his memories getting erased over and over again. OH MY POOR BOY COULDN’T CATCH A BREAK!! Mel was legit the only LI among everyone that suffered enormously in this game!😭 #JusticeforMel
Lastly, the attempted SA on Ish’s route was kinda out of pocket… but Im glad he only did it to provoke Fiena to kill him (and his other mind controlled persona) which makes sense after realizing his assassinating the king already predetermines his doom.
OLIVIER PAQUET
- 🚩🚩🚩
- no filter
Olivier stands as the highest-ranking mage and cleric in the Kingdom of Ombrelle. A self-assured individual, well aware of his unrivaled magical prowess. While presenting himself with dignity as a cleric in public, he shows his unrestrained side in the company of those he trusts.
Final boss of Volontés, who happens to be poster boy too!, and deservedly so given that his route is locked as the finale. Olivier’s route is where everything culminates, and a lot of the lingering mysteries from previous storylines are finally answered here as well. I had a total blast with this one! And even though the romance was a little shafted, I thought it was a great final route! ***Just be cautious when treading into the Plunder and Bad ends, as they can get a little disturbing quick.
⬇️ Spoilers
Olivier is basically Jesus in this game. I mean, no matter which route you’re in, he’s literally untouchable. No one can best him unless he wills it to. They coined him as “demon lord” to which I thought he really was a spawn of the underworld. lol
While he becomes one of the big bads in most routes, I love that he generally doesn’t harm Fiena and even sometimes acts as her ally, despite her being on the opposing side from his stance/beliefs. We also finally get to learn more about Fiena’s background, the mark on her back, why Olivier was so fixated on her, as well as the mystery surrounding the common route. If you played Ish’s Tragedy ending, you can kind of connect the dots and figure out that St. Pierre was indeed her brother Florent, but I certainly didn’t expect the time difference between the outside world and what was within the Grand Cloche. Although, I do remember the game hinting at it several times lol (I guess I was just slow to catch on! haha)
I’m not sure how I feel about Nil though. It was certainly interesting that his existence explains more about why Fiena can see ghosts and use necromancy magic, but I wish his storyline had been a little longer and included more varying degrees of events, rather than repeating the same sequences of Nil teaching her how to use necromancy magic correctly, or how to eliminate the Fantomes for good.
Still, all in all, I did find the ending satisfying in terms of both romance and story. My biggest gripe here is that everyone gets to live happily except my boy Melodie! Bruh, why does my guy have to suffer so much, man!😭😭😭
FIENA (Main Heroine)
- axe-wielding heroine
Fiena’s a very straightforward heroine. Mature, hardworking, very practical, sometimes even a little too cynical for her own good, but it makes sense. Having hit rock bottom once, she lives with the mindset of relishing the present because she knows she could lose everything at any given moment.
I believe having this kind of lifeline and desperation to stay alive makes her count her blessings each day and really builds her resilience as an individual. That’s why whenever tragedy strikes, she remains sharp, even though she admits she’s absolutely terrified. Fiena is also very used to hardship, so it’s pretty much a knee-jerk reaction for her to go into survival mode whenever she’s in peril. She’s certainly a heroine who can adapt to any situation that befalls her.
Her self-preservation and strong will to survive, combined with her pragmatic attitude, are traits I can definitely relate to, so her self-journey as a protagonist was very satisfying to watch.
Fiena is also a mage, but wields an axe imbued with magical stones, and it would’ve been really cool if we got a solo CG of her in her full battle gear. Although we did get a glimpse of her battle attire and weapon of choice in Mel’s and Olivier’s routes.
SYSTEM AND LOCALIZATION
PROS:
- Heroine’s Name Customization
- Chapter Select
- Love Catch System
- Short Stories in the EXTRA section
- Character Profiles in the EXTRA section
- Skip READ function
- Quick Save/Quick Load
- Dictionary
- CG Gallery
- Music Library
- Movie Library
- Chapter Select & Ending List
- Backlog and Rewind function
CONS:
- Heroine not voiced
- No Heroine side sprite
- Loading Screen is atrociously slow
- No SKIP to the next choice function
- Lingering voice lines after a dialogue
- Untranslated text on BGM Gallery
- Untranslated Game Credits
- Very Few Save Slots
Localization
I wish the game credits had been translated as well when you switch the language to English, but apart from that, I don’t think I had any issues with the game’s localization. I thought the translations, phrasings, and tone preservation of the game were pretty well done. Spotted a few typos, and a slightly mistranslated phrase (“you” was used instead of “I” in one of the passing dialogues), though there weren’t a lot and they were not a deterrent to my gaming experience, so I thought it was a solid localization overall.
TRAILER
OVERALL THOUGHTS
The game is short. It took me 25-30 hours to finish everything, mostly in auto mode. The common route has five chapters and is of decent length, while each route also has five chapters, which you can probably finish in about three hours, tops!
A Dark Fantasy Tale Full of Surprises
Volontés is a dark fantasy title through and through. The game fully commits to its rather grim tone and doesn’t recoil from pushing its darker themes even further as the story progresses. I thought the prologue and lore introduction were handled really well! There’s this strong sense of urgency in the narrative from the beginning that gives it a certain hook; like it’s constantly building toward something more foreboding and unsettling, if that makes sense.
There were also a lot of plot twists and story machinations I didn’t see coming, so the game kept me wide awake and pretty entertained. All the routes definitely held my attention (surprisingly), and I feel like the story also gives off the sense that it knows exactly where it’s going and where it wants to take the reader/player, so I was pretty satisfied with it on that front.
Lots of Time Jumps
Then again, the game is not without its own drawbacks. While the storytelling was fairly solid, as I’ve repeatedly praised above, the chapters were unfortunately too short. What I mean is, the events unfold at a rather fast pace, and utilize a lot of time jumps.
To give an example, the heroine, Fiena goes from wandering around in a near-death state to being acclaimed as Ombrelle’s esteemed Moon Witch in what feels like a very short span of time. Her ability to use magic and learn it so quickly also feels quite rushed. I also found it a bit odd how easily she picks up combat skills and becomes proficient with her magic axe on the battlefield, especially since the story largely glosses over any real training in physical combat. It occasionally left me wondering, “Wait, when did she get so good with that?”😅
If anything, I feel like the routes could’ve used a bit more filler content. Personally, I love indulging in filler chapters to get more in tune with the characters’ quirks and nuances, so I think that’s what I was missing with this title. However, if you’re the opposite type of player who prefers to get straight to the core of the plot right away, I think you’ll definitely love the pacing of this game.
The routes, however, kept surprising me, so even though I had my gripes about how short they were, the stories definitely kept me preoccupied. I enjoyed all the LIs, and interestingly enough, my opinions of them kept changing as I played from one route to the next (laughs). It’s kinda funny how the game constantly questions my loyalty and affinity for these love interests!🤣
I definitely had a love-hate relationship with Emmanuel and Olivier, depending on whichever route I was playing. Ish, on the other hand, stayed as lovely as ever; the only problem is that he’s really only prominent in his own route and seems to fade into the background in the others. While Melodie just kept getting shafted in almost every story but his…😭 (poor dude!) he’s still my favorite though!
LI Ranking:
Melodie > Olivier > Ismail > Emmanuel
Route Ranking:
Olivier > Melodie = Ismail > Emmanuel
As a side note, I actually like Emmanuel as a love interest, but his route definitely had the weakest romantic development amongst all the lads. I do want to add, that he got really good in one of the “Plunder Ends”. IDK why, but I felt like I understood his appeal way more there than in his actual route (cackles). 🤭
Speaking of Plunder Ends, I definitely think they hold a lot of substance, and in some cases, even veer into lowkey, borderline NTR territory. Think of the Astray Ends in Mistonia. Barring Olivier’s Plunder ending, of course, because yeah… that one was just… yikes!
Last but not least, the romance in this title was certainly present, but it’s more on the mellow side. Having the routes very short definitely made this aspect suffer, and there are times where it feels like there simply isn’t enough room for Fienna and her chosen partner to properly bond or share more lovey-dovey date scenes. There’s a noticeable lack of fluffy scenarios, as the overarching plot takes precedence over the romance.
The good thing is that all the main characters in the game, heroine included, seem rather mature when it comes to relationships. So it’s easy to accept and believe their dynamic despite the limited buildup. Hence why I didn’t really flinch at seeing them engaging in intimate skinship within the context of the story. That, or maybe I am just starved for spice? (cackles) 🤣
Do I recommend this game? YES.
This is actually a pretty good and satisfying game, despite its short playthrough. Backed by stunning visuals, a gorgeous folk, medieval-like soundtrack, and a stellar voice cast that brought its mature characters to life, Volontés delivers a very thrilling story filled with themes of love, deception, conspiracy, death, and more. It doesn’t hold back either, especially when it comes to its cataclysmic plot twists and the sudden upheavals packed into the narrative.
If you’re craving a solid dark fantasy otome read, this one will absolutely scratch that itch. I’d recommend it to both new and seasoned otome players alike!
Otome Kitten 