Visual novel Long Live The Queen dropping on Switch next week

Creative and Polished

Long Live the Queen was first released on PC nearly 10 years ago and now debuts on console, showing off the talents of a development studio that presents games of graphical beauty and deep and compelling interactive experiences. Hanako Games has been releasing video games since 2003 with an emphasis on narrative and player choice.

And so the story goes…

Long Live the Queen begins with the young princess Elodie arriving at the castle of Nova after the untimely death of her mother, the Queen. She has no time to mourn, but must immediately begin making preparations to become the next Novan ruler. While she frantically studies and trains to raise her skills, others attempt to take advantage of Nova’s vulnerability. Elodie must fend off invasions, assassins, schemes, and civil war in order to survive long enough to be crowned Queen.

Long Live the Queen mixes and pulls together three genres: RPG, simulation and strategy into a unique formula. The developer continued with their own ideology,“It’s not so much that it uses elements from all three of those standard genres and more that the gameplay is something entirely different which might be described as any of those three. The gameplay consists of choosing what skills Elodie learns and then deciding how to respond to a series of events and crises that happen within her country. Many choices are not available or will lead to disastrous outcomes unless Elodie has sufficient skill to handle the problem effectively, and every choice has ongoing consequences for the story and the country.”

Let the Journey Start

Elodie begins as a fourteen-year-old girl, depressed and afraid after the death of her mother, with no skills to her name but enormous potential for growth. As the player manages her moods and training, she might become a wise diplomat, a cruel tyrant, a dashing warleader, or the mistress of devastatingly-powerful magic.

Screenshot showing Elodie, the princess. A beautiful castle in the background

Early in the game, Elodie discovers that her mother controlled magical powers with the aid of a Lumen crystal, and that this crystal should now fall to Elodie. However, her father forbids her from studying magic, claiming that magic is inherently dangerous and was responsible for her mother’s death. If Elodie wants to become a Lumen, she will first have to find a way to get around her father and steal her hidden heritage. But is it true that magic can only lead to doom? Long Live the Queen offers much: It is a leadership simulation, which inherently involves strategizing to determine your priorities, and a game in which you play the role of a princess and invest points in her character skills as she progresses.

Many first-time players will soon see Elodie meet a tragic death… and then again and again as they attempt different approaches. There are many possible ways for your princess to die, and achievements for the number of deaths you collect.

Key Features

• A rich and compelling story
• RPG, Strategy and Simulation
• Magic and Secret Powers
• Multiple Endings
• Intriguing Cast each with their own political agenda
• Background Mysteries to uncover
• Cute Graphics
• Unlockable Outfits
• Achievements list
• Cruelty, Moods, Skills and Approval
• Black Humour