First released in 1999, Tsukihime: A Piece of Blue Glass Moon is a remaster of the independent visual novel game set in Tokyo in the 2010’s. Developed by Type-Moon, this version of the game highlights updated visuals, animations, and music, complete with full voice acting and a refreshed storyline courtesy of the original creator Kinoko Nasu.
This game is not a 1:1 remake of the original Tsukihime. This iteration gives players two stories from the original’s “Near Side of the Moon” arc: the journeys of Arcueid in “Moon Princess” and Ciel in “Midnight Rainbow.”
Set in Tokyo, the plot centers around Shiki Tohno, a high schooler gifted with an eerie ability. After a childhood accident, he gains the ability to perceive lines of death. After his father’s death, Shiki returns to his ancestral home to live with his sister Akiha. He finds himself ensnared in the sinister secrets that saturate the town. Through Shiki’s perspective, players will delve into the re-envisioned universe of Tsukihime. This involves navigating a series of mysterious murders while encountering both beloved returning characters and surprising new faces.
Type-Moon has influenced many creatives around the world with their gripping narratives. One notable mention is Gege Akutami, the creator behind the hit manga and anime series Jujutsu Kaisen.
The Experience
In Tsukihime: A Piece of Blue Glass Moon players are guided through the visual novel through Shiki Tohno’s story in 2014 in Souya, Japan. The story captivated me, with the mystery of Shiki’s powers holding my attention and curiosity. The power Shiki wields is unique, and I understand the pull Type-Moon narratives have from this early glimpse at the start of the game.
The ambiance and voices enrich the story very well. The game experience starts on a soothing note, though the following chapters hold a mysterious darkness foreshadowed earlier on. In the time I put towards this game, I found the themes of life and how fragile it is to be just as beautiful as the character illustrations.
After a solid fifteen minutes of the introduction, unfolding dialogue options are introduced to the game. Players familiar with classic visual novel setups will be given a prompt and two to four options they want their character to respond with. Within the first chapter, the choices began to appear every five to ten minutes, affecting your Flowchart. The Flowchart is a tool for players to see what chapters they have gone through and what choices they have made. The colored images will mark the path players have taken. The greyed-out boxes will represent the choices yet to be discovered. This adds an air of mystery about what the story could unfold if players choose to revisit.
I appreciate the accessibility settings Tsukihime: A Piece of Blue Glass Moon has to offer. In this menu, players can change the text speed, transition page speed, voice toggle to be on or off, the music volumes, and so on. I changed the text speed to max, and it greatly enhanced my experience.
Verdict
Tsukihime: A Piece of Blue Glass Moon presents an enjoyable experience even for those unfamiliar with the original. I sometimes wondered which decisions would steer me towards a positive outcome and which might lead to less favorable consequences. The choices aren’t very clear, and I could not always tell which was a good choice or bad. Nevertheless, despite their somewhat predictable attributes, the narrative’s progression and characters were engaging.
The main story will set you back over 40 hours, as the game is quite content-heavy – each of the two routes have two endings. As a visual novel game, it’s easy to compare this to an audiobook experience, as the amount of interaction is lacking. However, because of this, the replayability strikes me as low unless players seek to go through chapters to go down narrative paths they haven’t explored.
I adjusted my settings for faster text delivery after investing a couple of hours to enhance my gameplay experience. The highlight for me was the stunning battle visuals and seamless transitions, which captivated me in each scene. It’s great for fans and those seeking a unique interactive story. However, not ideal for those looking for traditional action or constant gameplay.
Tsukihime: A Piece of Glass Blue Moon is available now for PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch. The game has language support for Japanese, English, Simplified Chinese, and Traditional Chinese. For more information, check out the official Tsukihime English website here!
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Reviewed on PS5. Review code provided by the publisher.
