An Octave Higher

An Octave Higher is a fantasy visual novel/adventure game released for PCs and mobile platforms. The new universe (following a science-fiction Sage Fusion) has been reinforced by a considerable prequel – One Small Fire at a Time, which interestingly enough was released for personal computers only, including MacOS and Linux operating systems.

Plot

We are taken to Overture – a capital city of a powerful empire that has reached its peak thanks to the discovery of magic. The new power has changed the daily life of all its citizens, creating a society based on each individual’s magical capabilities. Unfortunately, the new order results in a divided society, causing numerous conflicts and sowing distrust that begins to destabilize the country – some say that the situation is just a prelude to a nationwide rebellion.

The plot revolves around three characters – Elise, a factory employee, Franz, a scholar, and Frederic – a member of one of the noble families. The trio hails from different backgrounds and live completely different lives, but their fates will be tied to an ordinary piano. It has become common knowledge that healing spells work only on living beings, but Elise believes that those spells may be used to repair inanimate objects, and plans to prove this theory on the aforementioned instrument. This seemingly crazy idea will connect the three heroes and begin a powerful friendship that will influence the course of the imminent rebellion.

Mechanics

An Octave Higher for PC, iOS and AND is a classic visual novel – the story has considerable length and complexity (in all, the script consists of over 120,000 words). The player’s task is mainly to follow the plot, occasionally deciding upon one or more ways of dealing with the situation at hand. These decisions are of vital importance to the further course of the story, finally leading to one of six alternative endings. As a result, multiple playthroughs are recommended in order to fully flesh-out the characters or to witness all sub-plots.

Last updated on 05 May 2015