Noel the Mortal Fate by PLAYISM and Vaka Game Magazine is an interesting title in which the life of a young pianist girl turns into one of rage and vengeance. Learn more in our Noel the Mortal Fate review!

 

Noel the Mortal Fate by PLAYISM and Vaka Game Magazine is an interesting title in which the life of a young pianist girl turns into one of rage and vengeance. The story starts at the final moments of the Lhaplus Piano Competition. Being the daughter of two famous pianists, Noel was sure she’d win the competition. In the end, it’s her friend Jillian that receives the honor of victory. Obviously disappointed, Noel ends up leaving the place screaming, only to have Mayor Burrows notice her reaction and come talk to her outside. He ends up telling her that something interfered with the competition and that he could tell her more about it if she went to an abandoned building at 2 a.m.

At this rendezvous, she meets with the Mayor’s secretary, who tells her all about the Stella Stage Company that’s supposedly doing harm to the city and that they interfered in the competition’s vote. She then suggests a ritual to make a deal with a devil to kill its president so that she could end up being the winning pianist… which she agrees to. Unfortunately, what she didn’t know was that there was a price to pay, so she ended up with both legs and arms cut off. From there, after being rescued by a devil named Caron, her quest will begin in order to amend what she did and to get revenge against the Mayor.

 

The game is played from a top-down perspective, where the left analog stick or the D-Pad will move your character, while the X button is mainly used for interactions and to investigate points of interest. The Triangle button will open up the menu so that you can see your inventory or the stances of your character. Most of the time, you’ll be in control of the devil Caron, as Noel accompanies him. It is Caron who must help Noel proceed since she has limited capabilities.

In each of the game’s scenes, called breakouts, you’ll have to solve small puzzles to help Noel advance and sometimes fight off enemies. To fight, all you have to do is move Caron towards an enemy to hit them. They will sometimes glow red, which means they are in a Desperation State, and it’s then that they can make you lose hit points. You will also pick up currency simply called “P,” which will allow you to purchase items in a store to get things that could restore hit points or your life if you lost them all. The game’s visuals feature some nice and detailed environments, with a lot of attention to small details in the different locations you explore. The music also fits the storytelling perfectly as it’s used to highlight some of the more tense moments.

 

When I started this game, I had literally zero expectations because I had never heard about it, even though it has existed since 2018. The visuals looked interesting, and the gameplay was easy to pick up, so I went along, solving easy puzzles until the moment I got to the ritual. Then I see my arms and legs chopped off, the rest of my body thrown down a building, and things get increasingly interesting. From that moment, I was hooked and went to sleep later than I wished because I was hooked on this game. The gameplay is really simple to pick up, and you always have a reset tile you can step on if you get stuck in puzzles, although that might prevent you from getting some “P.”

The most satisfying part of the game, though, is the story. You get small cutscenes pretty much every time you complete one of the breakouts that keep you hooked on the story. Nothing takes too long to complete, so you’re always back to experience more of the storytelling. And once you’re back to the gameplay, you’re pushing through because you look forward to what the story has in store for you. And even if the story has a rather dark tone, it doesn’t go without its share of humor as you see the relationship between Noel and Caron evolve, with him casually tossing her around and her frequently calling him “bird head.”

 

As for the trophies, the list is a rather simple one to work on in order to get a new Platinum. The story has a total of 8 seasons that you have to complete, and the vast majority of the trophies will pop simply by completing them. The rest will be related to the “P” you obtain, as you need to collect all the “P” from every season. The good news is that you’ll also have a great time with this game as you trophy hunt!

Noel the Mortal Fate completely caught me off guard. I found a game that is simple to pick up with good gameplay mechanics, but most importantly, with an incredible story to follow. If you’re a fan of games that focus on a good story that keeps you on your toes at all times, this one will definitely satisfy that need. Noel the Mortal Fate is out on PlayStation 4 with a $24.99 asking price.

Disclaimer
This Noel the Mortal Fate review is based on a PlayStation 4 copy provided by PLAYISM.