You awaken in an old mansion. Unsure of where and who you are, the mansion's Maid leads you on a journey through the building's past: 1099, 1603, 1707, and 1869. Behind each door is the tale of a former resident and the tragedy that befell them. In the process, you slowly reclaim your own memories, recall your own tragedy, and unravel the deception in the mansion.
Fata Morgana is a Shakespearean tragedy/horror/suspense story and exploration of every kind of love - both the destructive and the transcendent kind. It explores social status, gender roles in society, trauma, and self image, while examining how and why the cast of characters became who they are, or why they act in the way that they do. Sensitive subjects are demonstrated genuine care and respect in how these topics are presented and effect character development. You get to see the cast's origins, their inner conflicts and thoughts, and how they handle the trauma. Your shown how it colors their world views, tests the bonds of friendship, family, and significant others and how they either break down or overcome it - individually or together. Society's role in the stigmatization or liberating of certain individuals and the effects of changing values changing over time, is another key element.
The writing possesses an enticing sense of mysteriousness, and manages to be complex without being convoluted by focusing on Morgana and her connections to the souls trapped behind the doors of the mansion. Morgana's story was possibly the most distressing, in part because none of the people who wronged her were necessarily "evil", they were just ordinary people trying to survive, or in some instances, attempting to save her from a bad situation. One of the few characters that could be seen as wholly evil - (highlight to read) Yukimasa, I'd argue is a deranged man desperately in need of professional help in a world/time period that can't provide it. In the end they all, knowingly or not, contribute to an unforgivable act for which they spend their afterlives paying the price. By comparison, the story of Michel and Giselle (two important secondary characters) was uplifting and is, in my opinion, one of the best fictional romances ever written. They support each other unconditionally and complete each other beautifully. They truly felt like two halves of a whole.
As is normal for a visual novel, the bulk of the game is made up of text - approximately 60 hours worth, spread across seven chapters or "doors". The first four "doors" act as independent stories meant to introduce key characters. The final three doors then delve into the past, revealing a history between the previously unrelated characters. Unlike most visual novels, only a handful of sections have important choice options, some of which are timed. Your choices determine which of 7 regular endings, or 1 true end, you will get. No matter what, it is impossible to make a "wrong choice" that ends immediately in game over screen.
Conclusion
The House in Fata Morgana sets out to warm and break your heart through its portrayal of the human condition. It has the best romance I've seen of any game/film and presents a very believable depiction of the effects of trauma. The writing was so good that by the story's conclusion, even the eponymous mansion felt like a character I was sad to see go. I wasn't crazy about some of the inconsistencies in the art, particularly the real-life background pictures with filters applied. That aside, it's a magnificent game and absolutely worth playing if your up for an emotional roller coaster ride with a dirty little secret (highlight to read): Almost all the tears shed will be tears of joy.
First posted to videogamegeek.com.
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