Matsurika no Kei - Tenmei Kashokuden is a profound and lush Chinese fantasy that debuted as a brand-new title from Otomate. The setting involves two ethnic groups and one nation: Matsurika Village, the White Wolf Tribe, and Gekka Country. The differing cultures and customs of each region are meticulously depicted, lending depth to the background carried by every character. It is not merely a love story; themes like “nation and ethnicity,” “fate and resistance,” and “love and sacrifice” intersect, and players will gradually feel their hearts being drawn into the world itself. The atmosphere woven by the entire worldview, not just the beautiful visuals, is the true essence of this work.

The “Sanze Inga-ten” (三世因果典), which spans the past, present, and future, depicts the relationships formed with your love interests from the previous game even more deeply. By touching upon their emotional shifts, hesitation, conflict, and feelings for you that were “unseen” behind the story, a new sense of emotion is born, even within the same episodes. Transcending the framework of a mere sequel, this is a journey to truly savor the “connected hearts” once again. It is a brilliant part where emotions beautifully overlap, allowing you to cherish the existing story while feeling new understanding and affection.

Throwing new kindling into the story is the “Kin'u Gyokuto-ten” (金烏玉兎典), which depicts the story with the new character, Gyokusui. From the night the protagonist learns the secret of her birth as “mixed-blood,” the gears of fate quietly and surely begin to turn. Her figure, banished from the village and moving forward while confronting her past, coexists with strength and poignancy, and her growth is moving. And Gyokusui—each time the true nature of his existence is revealed, the story progresses into an even deeper, multi-layered development. The drama of people swayed by “Heaven's Mandate,” which is fantastical yet somehow realistic, is truly breathtaking.

After riding the waves of emotion, you can enjoy peaceful moments with your beloved. In the “Chōchō Nannan-ten” (喋喋喃喃典), you can enjoy invaluable daily conversations with your now-partnered love interests. Even without extravagant events, their kindness, awkwardness, and deep feelings for you seep out in every verbal exchange, warming your heart each time you read. It's truly surprising that casual conversations and simple gestures can convey such happiness—this is a part where you can savor the “afterglow” of being in love.

Furthermore, the “Tenmeiin Gaiden” (天命胤外伝) depicts the figure of a young man named Fay confronting his own fate. His will to reject simply following Heaven's Mandate and choose the possibility of changing that day's decision is particularly powerful and full of hope within the story. As a player watching over his choice, this is a part that evokes emotions that sometimes shake your heart and sometimes make you quietly want to cheer him on. This is Fay's story, and simultaneously a parallel perspective that depicts the human potential for “choosing again.”