fault – StP – LIGHTKRAVTE (Switch) review

While fault – StP – LIGHTKRAVTE is a tightly-focused novel about a person chasing their dreams, it packs an emotional payoff and provides insight into Rughzenahide’s rich history.

Few visual novel franchises are as capricious as doujin developer ALICE IN DISSONANCE’s fault series. Originally published in 2013, inaugural entry, fault milestone one, enjoyed three different releases. Each subsequent iteration demonstrated creative director Munisix and art director Hare Konatsu refining their work, with upscaled artwork, and re-scored soundtrack.

Sure, the budget never quite grew large enough for voice acting, but a visual technique pioneered in 2015’s fault – milestone two side: above was retroactively applied to the original. Moving the mouse gracefully moved around character portraits and the backdrop, mimicking the appearance of looking at layered objects. Narratively, the franchise enjoyed defying expectations.

Deep Lore, An Imagined Language

Players might have expected a conventional, shōnen-style adventure from the set-up. The novel’s premise centered on princess Selphine Rughzenhaide and royal guardian Ritona Reighnvhasta making their way back home after being accidentally teleported to another part of the world during an assault.

But the distinction was found in fault’s fusion of fantasy and science fiction elements and the sheer detail of its lore. For years, Rughzenahide had enjoyed peace, bringing on an era that’s analogous to the Age of Enlightenment, albeit with alternative technology known as manakravte. While most narratives might just accept the existence of magic, fault offers a multi-step process where elemental-based mana from the atmosphere and the user’s own mana unify. Echoing Steins;Gate’s technical explanations, there are elaborate rulesets that explain uses and limitations. But more importantly, milestone one offered quite a few philosophical debates, elevating it above its contemporaries.

A Welcome Inroad for fault Newcomers?

Following standalone spin-off, Mhakna Gramura and Fairy Bell, ALICE IN DISSONANCE is back after a seven-year interval. Pledged as a stretch goal during fault’s original 2014 Kickstarter campaign, fault – StP – LIGHTKRAVTE is a prequel set five years before the first title. The developers claim that this is also a separate title that requires no previous knowledge. While that assertion might be technically accurate, LIGHTKRAVT spends time with a younger Ritona, revealing facets of her personality that will later come into play.

But LIGHTKRAVT also brings with it a heap of lore. Come across one of fault’s technical terms and you’ll likely find that the word is linked to an in-game dictionary. Although the title offers a basic definition, it’s hardly a substitute for learning about each term by experiencing them firsthand in the first two games. For the newcomer, LIGHTKRAVT might seem a bit too lore-heavy, like venturing into the Marvel Cinematic Universe for the first time with Avengers: Endgame.

Enter Average Protagonist

With LIGHTKRAVT, the fault franchise shifts its standpoint from royalty to civilians, offering an alternative view of life in Rughzenahide. Lead character Khaji Oberg is the son of a moderately successful farmer. But his ambitions reach far beyond running the orchards. As a self-proclaimed lover of history and women, he yearns to become a painter who captures the beauty of the female form on canvas.

But two issues impede his ambitions. First, he doesn’t have raw talent. After two years of practice, his skills haven’t seemed to improve. Secondly, Rughzenahide has a vocational aptitude test, and the results told him he should stick with farming. Unsurprisingly, LIGHTKRAVTE navigates the oft-uncomfortable space between our far-reaching aspirations and the narrow lanes a society often tries to place us.

Acceptance Eventually Arises

But while we’re getting there, the novels a perilous amount of time making us dislike Khaji. While his aim of painting women seems innocuous, he’s often treated with contempt. Repeatedly, others tell him his artistic skills are deficient or that his plans are kind of creepy. For a novel that can be read in approximately six hours, expect to spend about one-third of that time not identifying or liking the protagonist.

Without venturing into spoiler territory, know that sentiments will be swayed. Like many initially unlikable leads, information arrives that will soften your stance. Subsequently, there’s a good chance that identification or at least empathy with the character will occur. While LIGHTKRAVTE’s course correction comes leisurely, the approach allows for some thoughtful and even poignant moments, even if you’ve witnessed the redemptive arc many times before.

Conclusion

LIGHTKRAVTE’s biggest technical contribution is a character animation system that allows for dynamic gestures and facial expressions. It’s not used throughout the entire game, so there are often CGs between animations, but it helps bring the novel characters to life, especially since there’s still no voice acting. Coming from a doujin, it’s an amazing feat that when coupled with Konatsu’s attractive artistry, offers visual delight. This is undoubtedly one good-looking novel that strives to look like anime, with a camera that occasionally zooms and pans across gorgeous backdrops.

Pleasingly, LIGHTKRAVTE’s user interface is convenient and responsive. The title offers 32 save slots, which is sufficient for a non-branching kinetic novel. If you miss part of a conversation or soliloquy, an upward twist on your mouse’s scroll wheel brings up the backlog. Save for a couple of typos, the novel’s localization is adept, with language that subtlety signifies social class.

The first hour or two of fault – StP – LIGHTKRAVTE probably won’t provoke interest. But give ALICE IN DISSONANCE latest a bit of time and it will gradually and insistently pull you in. While some unanswered questions arise after the conclusion, these are outweighed by moments of reflection, occasional instances of humor, and tides of emotion. Even if we don’t get to see Khaji again, it was time well-spent and provides insight into Rughzenahide’s rich history.

fault – StP – LIGHTKRAVTE was played on Switch
with review code provided by the publisher.