Image via Crystal Game Works
Years ago, Crystal Game Works released a free visual novel called Crimson Waves on the Emerald Sea. It introduced a world of vampires in a Victorian era, exploring what those supernatural beings are like in that world. Crimson Waves on the Emerald Sea: Amaranthine Moon is here to build on that in a longer, richer, and more substantial otome game that also explores themes of identity. It means we not only get to see Crystal Game Works’ growth as a studio in terms of its scripts and storyline scope, but of lead character Lucie and the world the team created.
Lucie is a vampire, but she’s one who’s not suffering from the effects of that state as Crimson Waves on the Emerald Sea: Amaranthine Moon begins. That’s because she’s discovered the cure for the condition. If someone afflicted takes specially prepared emeralds, their abilities can be negated, they will age normally like humans, and they’ll be cured. However, as she’s about to make a deal to make this widely available, she learns the person she was going to work with didn’t ghost her. Her potential partner Douglas is dead. Our choices determine what happens with her business and the murderer of jewelers, if she takes the cure herself, and if she ends up with one of three love interests along the way.
Now, as this is a follow-up to a previous game, someone might be concerned as to how good it is on its own. Rest assured that Crystal Game Works did a wonderful job of establishing Crimson Waves on the Emerald Sea: Amaranthine Moon as a story that stands on its own. Does it help if you played the original game? To be honest, I started without having played it and only went back to check it out when I decided see what Lucie and Cecil would be like together, and I thought Crystal Game Works’ characterizations and doling out of established information ended up executed perfectly. But if you do find yourself really liking Lucie, Cecil, and Nemo, I’d say it is helpful to pick up the free game and check it out as well.
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The characterizations and mature way in which themes are handled and we see relationships develop is part of the reason Crimson Waves on the Emerald Sea: Amaranthine Moon feels so enjoyable. Lucie herself is a good example. She’s a strong individual, and as a result of the early storylines and writing feels in-character both as a human or vampire. Each of the love interests also feel well written, with many feeling like individuals who can stand on equal footing with her both in terms of maturity and intelligence. I especially enjoyed Rowan’s route, but Cecil’s does build up in a sort of friends-to-lovers sort of way and Elm is fascinating when it comes down to picking the state of being Lucie wants for herself.
Another thing I appreciate is the sense of balance throughout the story. Crimson Waves on the Emerald Sea: Amaranthine Moon is a love story for sure, as you’d expect from an otome game. However, there is that murder mystery tied to Douglas’ death. It fits in well with the romance, given he’s both Elm and Rowan’s father. But Lucie getting involved with sussing out what happened to him and the other murdered jewelers and how it ties in to vampires is fascinating.
The only downside is, I feel like there’s a lack of consistency with the art in Crimson Waves on the Emerald Sea: Amaranthine Moon. The character portraits for conversations and story segments are fantastic! They look great. But once we get to those special moments, sometimes it seemed like the character outfits were the only way I could realize, “Oh, this was supposed to be Cecil.” It makes me wonder if there were multiple artists attached to the project, instead of one working on both the portraits and those events. It breaks the immersion and adds a sense of dissonance that I really didn’t like, to the point at which I think I’d have appreciated it more if there had been no CGs at all since the events feature more cartoonish and wide-eyed characters compared to the more mature ones during standard scenes.
Image via Crystal Game Works
Crimson Waves on the Emerald Sea: Amaranthine Moon is an otome game with engaging storylines and character development. It’s a fascinating look at how vampirism can affect a love story while, at the same time, showing how someone could fall in love even while dealing with high stakes situations like a murder mystery. It’s very well executed and Crystal Game Works has grown as a developer. Unfortunately, there’s an odd inconsistency between the gorgeous character art for portraits and the event CGs, which causes the latter to stick out like a sore thumb whenever one of those moments comes up.
Crimson Waves on the Emerald Sea: Amaranthine Moon is available on PCs via Steam.
