Thank you Aksys Games for sending us a review code!

Radiant Tale -Fanfare!- takes place immediately after Radiant Tale. If you haven’t played the original game, I highly recommend doing so before playing this title. While the after stories do a small recap, the bulk of the character development is done in the previous game so you should play them in order.

The heroine is the same and her default name is Tifalia. She has two new potential suiters in this title and you can play those new routes in the “If Story” game mode. Jinnea is so flamboyant, I didn't realize he was straight until this route existed. In case you're wondering, there's a fascinating backstory as to why he behaves and dresses this way. Liyan is a flirtatious tavern owner who treats Tifalia differently than other female patrons. Reading about when he falls in love with her is heartwarming. Once you complete each story, a short episode will unlock in the Interlude game mode.


The meat and potatoes of the game is the After Stories game mode. In this section, you get to resume the story for the five formerly bachelors from the previous game. In most of the scenarios, Tifalia and the love interest are newlyweds and navigating life together after concluding their circus tour from the previous game. Zafora’s route is the only one where they are not a married couple in the beginning. Marital intimacy is implied in the other routes, but nothing outside of kissing is shown or described.

The after and if stories are four chapters long. I don't want to go too deep into the after stories as they contain spoilers, but they are all quite good and left me hungry for more. Overall, this is a more uplifting game than the previous one.

Morally, Radiant Tale -Fanfare!- has many of the same issues as the original game, but the violence is toned down significantly. There are some verbal threats and some altercations, but I don’t recall any bloodshed. The cussing is pretty much the same with an instance of omigosh and OMG spelled out. There are elemental spirits and gods/goddesses that are present in the predecessor. Alcohol consumption is commonplace, but the main character is too young to drink.

The artwork is on par with the previous game and you’ll have to play though good and bad endings to unlock all of the available images. I like how you know right away when you’ve made the right choice towards a good ending. It’s nice not having to rely on a walkthrough!

The background music is pleasant to listen to and you can listen to specific tracks in the music player which is located in the Extras menu. The Japanese acting is well done and the emotions are conveyed no matter what your native tongue is.

I had a hard time coming up with a weak point for this game. The story selection for the Interlude area is a little bit clunky and it’s a bit of a pain to select a specific episode to watch. That's my only complaint!

I'm really glad I got to check this game out. If you enjoyed Radiant Tale, this sequel is highly recommended. If you enjoy otome (reverse harem) visual novels, this is a great series to look into. Just make sure you start with Radiant Tale before playing Radiant Tale -Fanfare!- .