Perfumare:Avulsion is a free-to-play visual novel from developer PDRRook. In this dark fantasy role-playing game, you are put into the shoes of a rookie cop investigating a series of deaths in a fictional world. In its unique environment, a large part of the population is blessed (or cursed) with abilities. It has a short playthrough. Still, it features a good amount of replayability thanks to the different love interests you can pursue.

Visually speaking, Perfumare:Avulsion breaks away from the usual anime-styled aesthetics. Other games with a unique take on the genre include CURTAIN and Infinite Stars - The Visual Novel.

Follow your gut

The first thing you’d notice with Perfumare:Avulsion is its overall aesthetic. It’s dark and gloomy, from the interface to the set designs. It adds suspense and tension to the game overall. Also, as mentioned before, the game has a distinct visual style. The characters and locations are more on the realistic side. Additionally, the game looks like being viewed from a watercolor filter, also adding to the game vibe.

The story has some seriously promising content. Its world-building, given through hints and conversational references, feels like something straight from a young adult novel series. It’s set in a fantasy world, but it tackles real-world issues pertaining to younger people in general. A reminder though, this game is not suitable for younger players due to its heavy use of mature language, themes, and images.

The only drawback of this game, as with most indie games, is its short playthrough. A single run can be completed in less than 30 minutes. It leaves the player hanging, especially since it opens up a large world that begs to be explained and explored. The only silver lining in this quick run is that you can replay the game and try other paths.

Feels like a demo

With all the potential it successfully presents, the Perfumare:Avulsion release feels like a demo for something bigger. It sets up a fantasy world with a unique take on a dystopian society, with the game aesthetics contributing to making the experience even more immersive. Unfortunately, it ends just as you start getting used to the game, with its replayability offering a minor consolation. Still, a must-try.