The concept of utopia in fiction is almost always a warning. These perfect worlds, free of crime and want, are built upon fragile foundations, their gleaming facades inevitably hiding a dark, decaying structure beneath. Illusion of Itehari presents players with such a society in its titular floating city, a steampunk paradise where violence is a forgotten concept and a spiritual leader named the Great Taiju ensures peace. It is within this gilded cage that we meet Hinagiku, a young noblewoman of impeccable standing.
Following the death of her parents, she has assumed the duties of her family with a quiet grace. She is kind and sheltered, her understanding of the world shaped entirely by the city’s rigid doctrines. Her life of peaceful routine is irrevocably broken when an assassin’s blade nearly finds its mark. Her life is saved by Yashiro, a mysterious stranger left with amnesia from the conflict. This single crack in Itehari’s perfect veneer starts a chain reaction, forcing Hinagiku to confront the disturbing reality of her home.
A World in Pieces
Illusion of Itehari dedicates itself to the methodical deconstruction of its world, a narrative process that is both its greatest strength and a source of its pacing challenges. The story’s central purpose is to peel back the layers of the utopian city to reveal the political corruption, systemic classism, and hidden conspiracies at its core. This is not a straightforward tale but a fragmented mystery told through a tightly controlled, branching structure.
The player’s journey begins with access to only two character routes: that of Awayuki, Hinagiku’s attendant, and Tobari, the leader of the city’s entertainment district. These initial paths serve as a crucial narrative foundation, offering two starkly contrasting perspectives. Awayuki’s route provides a glimpse into the anxieties and secrets within the noble class, while Tobari’s plunges the player directly into the disenfranchised underbelly of Itehari.
Completing these two stories unlocks the paths for Tsuyukusa, a reclusive mechanic, and Yori, a high-ranking officer. Each of these subsequent routes builds upon the established lore, contributing vital information that re-contextualizes past events. The game’s full narrative is reserved for the final “True” route centered on Yashiro, which becomes available only after all other stories are finished.
This structure effectively makes each character route a necessary piece of a larger mosaic. Unlike some otome games where routes can feel like self-contained alternate realities, here they are interconnected chapters of a single, sprawling story. Information learned about the city’s power structure in one route becomes critical to understanding a character’s motivation in another.
To manage the significant amount of world-building, the game leans on the classic trope of an amnesiac character. Yashiro’s inability to remember anything about Itehari provides a natural reason for other characters to explain the world’s rules, from its social etiquette to its technological quirks. This method of delivering exposition can sometimes feel heavy-handed, leading to moments of dense lore dumps in the early chapters.
Yet, it is through this lens that we see the protagonist, Hinagiku, begin her transformation. Initially, she is a product of her sheltered environment, genuinely naive about the world. Her growth is not a sudden change but a gradual awakening, shaped by the harsh realities she witnesses in each route. She evolves from a passive observer into a person who actively questions the foundations of her society, developing a perspective that values people beyond their designated social status.
This deliberate, slow-burn approach to both character and world development defines the game’s pacing. The early chapters, particularly in Awayuki’s route, can feel ponderous, with the plot progressing slowly. In contrast, other routes like Tobari’s feel dense, sometimes juggling multiple subplots at once. The narrative finds its strongest momentum in the later, unlocked routes, where the accumulated knowledge allows for more significant and impactful revelations.
Faces of a Fractured City
The men of Itehari are not merely romantic interests; they serve as windows into the different social strata and hidden conflicts of the floating city. Each one embodies a particular aspect of the world, and their individual stories are essential to understanding the game’s complex narrative. The character archetypes will be familiar to veterans of the genre, but they are executed with enough depth to feel like integral parts of the setting.
Awayuki is Hinagiku’s attendant, a man whose devotion veers into an overbearing codependency. His story is one of a forbidden love, constrained by the vast gap in their social classes. He views himself as a tool for his mistress to use, a submissive attitude that hides a mysterious past and deep-seated affections. His route is a slow, methodical exploration of duty versus desire. In stark contrast is Tobari, the stern and pragmatic leader of the entertainment district.
As the head of the anti-establishment group Shiranui, he is Hinagiku’s guide to the city’s seedy underbelly. His route is a crash course in social injustice, revealing the poverty and corruption that the nobility ignores. Though he presents a tough exterior, his story reveals a deeply caring man burdened by responsibility.
Tsuyukusa is Hinagiku’s childhood friend, a reclusive but brilliant mechanic who owns a small shop. His grumpy demeanor barely conceals his long-standing crush on the protagonist, leading to a shy and gentle romance. His route is crucial for its technical and political revelations, delving into the machinery that keeps Itehari afloat and the secrets of its ruling class. Then there is Yori, a high-ranking officer in the Kurozuru police force.
Arrogant, manipulative, and openly disdainful of the lower classes, Yori is an unapologetically difficult character. He is an antagonist in most other storylines, which makes his own route a fascinating and wild experience. Much like the infamous Yang from Piofiore: Fated Memories, Yori’s appeal comes from his refusal to compromise his monstrous nature. The story does not try to redeem him so much as it explores the depths of his twisted worldview, creating a uniquely intense romance.
Finally, Yashiro, the kind man who saves Hinagiku at the start, serves as the game’s central mystery. His amnesia makes him an outsider, questioning the strange customs of Itehari alongside the player. His pleasant and helpful personality masks his true importance, and his story is the key that unlocks all the remaining secrets of the world.
His is the True route, tying together the threads from every other path to provide a definitive conclusion. The romance across these routes is often a patient affair. The strict social rules of Itehari provide a powerful in-universe reason for the slow burn, as characters on both sides of the class divide hesitate to act on their feelings. Romantic confessions and physical affection are frequently saved for the story’s climax or the supplemental short stories unlocked after the credits.
The Artifice of Itehari
The production values of Illusion of Itehari are a clear standout, particularly its visual presentation. The character art is handled by RiRi, an artist whose work on Piofiore: Fated Memories is highly regarded. Her detailed and expressive style is on full display here, with intricate patterns on the steampunk-inspired clothing and beautiful compositions in the many event illustrations, known as CGs. The visuals are further elevated by the use of Live2D technology.
This gives the character sprites subtle animations: they breathe, their hair and accessories move, and their expressions shift smoothly, which adds a dynamic quality to the long dialogue sequences. The game also features an impressive number of backgrounds, depicting everything from opulent noble mansions to the dark, narrow alleys of the entertainment district, making the world feel expansive and lived-in. There are, however, a few minor blemishes.
The protagonist’s face is often obscured or completely hidden in many of the CGs, a common but sometimes frustrating choice in the genre. A more noticeable issue is the user interface. The simple, almost bland design of the text box clashes with the lush, detailed art style of the rest of the game, creating a strange visual dissonance.
The audio experience is strong, carried by an excellent Japanese voice cast. The performances are top-tier, with each actor effectively capturing the nuances of their character’s personality. As is standard for the genre, the protagonist Hinagiku is unvoiced, allowing the player to more easily step into her role. The game’s opening and ending theme songs are memorable and suit the story’s tone. The background music is effective in setting the mood for various scenes, though it lacks the kind of standout, iconic tracks that linger long after playing.
From a gameplay perspective, Illusion of Itehari comes equipped with a suite of helpful features. All the standard visual novel tools are here: a dialogue log, a glossary for in-world terms, and various skip functions, including a very useful option to “Skip to Next Choice” that streamlines subsequent playthroughs. The game also includes a chapter select menu, which allows players to revisit specific parts of the story. An optional “love catch” system provides a visual cue when a choice increases affection with a character, and progress can be checked at any time in a status menu.
This makes navigating the routes straightforward for the most part. However, a significant point of frustration is that certain choices required to unlock the true endings have no associated feedback. This design choice can feel punishing for players who prefer to avoid using guides, as it makes achieving 100% completion a matter of trial and error. The game’s implementation on the Nintendo Switch is also imperfect, with touchscreen controls that are only partially supported and feel unintuitive. Actions like opening the menu require physical buttons, and navigating certain screens via touch is a clumsy process.
The Review
Illusion of Itehari
Illusion of Itehari is a high-quality visual novel that succeeds through its ambitious world-building and stunning presentation. Its fragmented narrative weaves a compelling mystery, supported by beautiful art from RiRi and a strong voice cast. While the experience is occasionally hampered by slow initial pacing and frustratingly obscure choices required for the true endings, the rich, detailed world and the well-developed characters make the journey through Itehari’s secrets a worthwhile and rewarding one for fans of story-driven games.
PROS
- Beautiful, detailed artwork and character designs by RiRi.
- An intricate, overarching mystery that connects all character routes.
- Deep world-building that explores complex social and political themes.
- Excellent Japanese voice acting brings the characters to life.
- Use of Live2D technology adds dynamism to character sprites.
CONS
- Pacing can be very slow, especially in the initial routes.
- Some choices for the best endings are obscure and provide no feedback.
- The minimalist user interface clashes with the ornate art style.
- Touchscreen controls on the Nintendo Switch are clunky and limited.
