Game: Death Becomes You
Genre: Visual Novel, Mystery
System: Steam (Windows, macOS & Linux)
Developers|Publishers: Quill Studios
Price: UK £6.19 | EU € 7,39| USD $8.99
Release Date: November 9th, 2021
Review code used, with many thanks to Quill Studios.
It’s one thing to lose a friend because of a fight or drifting apart, but another to lose them to death, let alone murder. Death Becomes You is an LGBTQ+ murder mystery visual novel where the player must discover who or what killed their best friend.
Synopsis
Sidney (character renamable) is a first-year magic student at Ira Royal Academy. She has had a recent argument with her mentor and best friend, Lyra. Wanting to makeup, the pair agree to meet up nearby…only for Sidney to arrive in time to watch Lyra plunge to her death from a third-story balcony. Sidney is horrified when four women arrive on the scene: Daniella, a third-year mentor who accuses Sidney of killing Lyra; Apolline a third-year substitute who tries to ease Sidney’s suffering; Alice, a seemingly sweet second-year who has a distaste for Lyra; and Sophie, a mysterious second year.
Sidney’s job is to explore the lives of these women to try and find out who killed her mentor. The player will go through cycles of saving and exploring the story from different perspectives, learning the clues that will bring this murder to light.
Investigate
The player will be given options on whose story to explore over the course of the game. These are typically presented as choosing between two character portraits. The order of choices and when they occur in the story impact which of the 13 endings the player gets. The player is asked to choose who to investigate and who to trust. The branching arcs were fascinating to explore.
As a visual novel, the game consists largely of character interactions and testimony to find the truth. The more endings unlocked, the more of the truth the player will learn. The shifts in perspective based on whose story you are pursuing added some freshness to the typical visual novel format.
Audiovisual
I rather enjoyed the visuals and music in this game. The varied character designs were distinctive and beautiful to look at. The backdrops were gorgeous, adding depth to the world the story takes place.
The sound effects and music were pleasing to the ear. They suited to the occasionally eerie atmosphere and the magical setting. There’s no voice acting in this game.
Overall Opinion
I enjoyed Death Becomes You. The pacing does drag a little here and there, but the story and characters are engaging. There are aspects of the UI that I liked, for example, the fact that portraits are visible at all times and light up depending on who’s talking.
This game kind of reminded me of why I enjoy visual novels in general. I love the use of multiple endings and routes to tell a story. It speaks to the mystery fiend in me who enjoys putting together the clues.
Conclusion
Death Becomes You is a solid visual novel that has mystery, intrigue, and questions about the nature of putting people on pedestals. It’s great for several hours of entertainment. For those who enjoy mystery, this is a nice story to check out.
Final Verdict: I Like it. 