Furyu, best known for releasing niche JRPGs like Caligula, has just announced their new project, Varlet. This is a high school JRPG that’s set to release on Aug. 28.
First things first, you can check out the announcement trailer for yourself down below:
While I’ll be the first to admit that Furyu is very much the king of mediocre RPGs with great concepts, Varlet does look like it has decent potential. I mean, just look at the art. It’s beautiful. The character designs are actually somewhat unique too, though it’s obvious that they’ve taken a lot of inspiration from Persona.
Per the press release, Varlet takes place in Kousei Academy, the first school to “implement the cross-reality, virtual reality network known as Johari, which is used for everything from finding basic information and making purchases to serving as a social networking and messaging app.” As you might’ve already guessed, things go awry as more and more students begin to use the app.
Before long, we’re getting rumors of users disappearing into Glitches if they get too obsessed over gaining their peers’ approval. Sound familiar? It’s like I’m back in Inaba all over again.
Anyway, the protagonist eventually catches wind that these aren’t just rumors, and you’re tasked with saving the people who have wandered into the Glitches. What sets Varlet apart from your typical RPG, though, is its Triad Stats system. As you progress through the story, you’ll have to make various narrative decisions, which in turn affect how your character develops. New attributes may pop up, along with dialogue options and other skills, depending on what choices you’ve made.
Sounds pretty good, but only time will tell if it’s able to actually deliver. After all, I’ve been burned by Furyu games one too many times…
Varlet is set to be released on Aug. 28 for PC and consoles.
