Mhakna Gramura and Fairy Bell is a visual novel focused around two orphans living in horrid conditions inside of an orphanage that will sell them into slavery once they are big enough to work. Sebai takes solace in drawing and our main protagonist Mhakna in simply being with him. These small joys are soon taken from them and given their desperation, attempt to pray to a fairy said to take children to a magical land in where there is no suffering. It turns out that the rumors were indeed true and are soon off to a far happier place.
That sounds like an open and shut case, one where a story tale would end in a ‘happily ever after’. This is not the case here. You are given the chance to see how they happily live out their now immortal lives without a care in the world and receive whatever desire just by wishing for it. There is a colorful cast of other wholesome inhabitants in the lands of Enles that they’ll frequently interact, with all of them being a memorable cast of characters. Yet there is an ever-present feeling that something is wrong in this paradise. Something they can’t quite place and are all too willing to shrug aside as they continue to enjoy their days.
I’ll say no more as this is a very short game, clocking in at around an hour and a half, so any spoilers will be quite significant to your enjoyment of it. What I will say is that it is true to its folklore inspirations, this is no PG Disney retelling of a classic tale. There are profound philosophical questions and lessons to deem about on all matters of interesting subjects, while not being afraid to delve into pretty dark events. It is a tightly written story and with a well-told plot that will likely have you hooked until you reach its conclusion. There are no choices or branching paths however, meaning one doesn’t have much of a reason to replay it once you reach the credits.
The first thing you’ll immediately notice is how amazing the artwork is. Unlike most other visual novels, this doesn’t use static character cutouts or backgrounds. You will continuously be shown unique art for a specific scene seemingly every few sentences. The store page claims that there are over 150 pieces of them, which is a ton for any game, making it all the more crazy that this is priced at just a mere 5 US Dollars. Given the short nature of this title, that makes it very dense with superb art and is a real feast for the eyes. It is fittingly enough, similar to flipping through a picture book. Not to mention many are animated lending it an even more stunning presence.
Its music is no slouch either. All the tracks are well composed, well placed, and a real pleasure to listen to. I do find it slightly disappointing there is no gallery mode or music player after you finish the game, as to admire the art or listen to its music freely. What is unlocked, on the other hand, is an encyclopedia detailing the backstories and adding to the lore of various characters, which are well worth a read. It has been translated to multiple languages and gives both English and Japanese readers the ability to switch between those two on the fly by pressing the E and J keys respectively. There is no voice acting, though pressing V will activate a text to speech device to read it for you. I do not recommend that, but it is an option.
With the vagueness in which I described the story, it can be easy to think that the art and music are the real driving factors. This is not the case. It all compliments one another perfectly and what I read may actually stick with me even longer. Mhakna Gramura and Fairy Bell is a brilliantly put together package that I just spent the entire review praising. The thing is, I have nothing to levy against it. It is one of the best visual novels that I have played, and the fact that it costs so little is yet another reason I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to anyone. You really can’t go wrong with giving this short, but unforgettable title a go.
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