Thank you Aksys Games for sending us a review code!

Virche Evermore -EpiC: Lycoris- is a fan disc that released a year after Virche Evermore –Error Salvation-. It’s highly recommended that you first play Virche Evermore –Error Salvation- as the fan disc builds off of the main characters and provides alternate endings and side stories for them. A couple of new stories/routes are included as well. To complete the experience you’ll also find forty-three short stories that further build up the characters including the back story of Yves’ puffer fish, Puffy! Altogether there’s thirty-five hours worth of gameplay so I would say that this title is well worth the $49.99 entry price if you’ve enjoyed the previous game.

The Virche Evermore series is rather grim and probably one of the most depressing visual novels I’ve played. The main character whose default name is Ceres starts the game contemplating suicide because she’s to blame for the death of several orphans. It’s not intentional, but her mere presence seems to escalate the deaths of the islanders who already have short lifespans. People on the island of Arpéchéle rarely live past twenty-three years old. The reason behind their deaths is explained in the first game. Their solution to this problem is to download their memories when they are close to death and to download them into their cloned bodies after their demise. Cloned beings are called relivers and the technology isn’t perfect since their ability to express emotions is handicapped compared to natural humans.

Reliver bodies cannot cope with extreme emotions and there are a slew of grisly crime scenes from them clawing their hearts out of their chests due to pain. In one of the “good” endings for Mathis’s route because the love between him and Ceres is so strong, they only get to live roughly a year as a reliver instead of the normal twenty-three. Mathis is a homunculus (scientifically created human) who has false memories downloaded into his mind on a daily basis. Ceres obviously falls in love with Mathis’ true identity, but in the bad ending Mathis is reprogrammed with the mind of a murderer. In this insane state, Mathis expresses his love for Ceres by abusing and mutilating her. Ceres suffers through the abuse because she doesn’t want him to harm anyone else, and she holds onto the hope that the real Mathis will emerge again. This route is quite disturbing and goes against all common sense.

Each of the bachelors from the previous game have side stories along with despair and salvation endings. The despair endings are typically pretty short, but the salvation and side stories have several chapters to them and will take a couple of hours apiece to complete. I was happy to see a new story route for Ankou and the drifter. Both of these characters are guys that drifted onto the island and live past the typical lifespan.

On the moral side of things, not much has changed in regards to violence. Some of the gruesome murders have pregnant prostitutes (and their fetuses) as the victims. Suicide is also a recurring theme in this game. Foul language is present and stops short of the F-bomb. Some of the islanders have faith in God and there is a prominent researcher who considers himself a god. Many of the people on the island believe in reincarnation. Hades is mentioned often as “The Watchman of Death” retreats there often to recharge his powers. On the love front, there are several kissing scenes and pre-marital intimacy is implied, but not shown. There are a couple of instances of drinking and drunkenness seen.

If you enjoy otome visual novels or the first game, Virche Evermore –Error Salvation-, Virche Evermore -EpiC: Lycoris- is worth picking up. The character development is really good and the art is fantastic though bloody at times. The voice acting is good and all of the characters sound the same as before. If you’re looking for a cheerful slice of life game, you’ll have to continue your search elsewhere.