Regina, our heroine, magically appears in Eroolia. She has no idea how she ended up in Eroolia, and here, she meets Juli and his companions, whom she ends up joining on their journey to Laarz, a country of cat people.
Will she be able to return home?
Is Regina’s presence in Eroolia an accident or is there a purpose behind it?
Can she trust Juli who seems to be full of secrets?
This review will go a bit deeper into the game in regards to story and character dynamics. To read my initial thoughts about the game, check out my first reviewtalking about the demo.
★ ☆ ✰ Rating: 9/10
I finally got the time to finish this game and I want to say that almost all of my expectations were met when handling a character falling in love like Juli and what comes of it terms of his country and long term goals. However, it should first be noted that the GUI and general aesthetic for the game looks great, it keeps with what was set up in the first game but also adds its own little spin to it in regards to Juli and Regina. It might not be for everyone, but the music and the song sung by Myana are very catchy and it is great to have the full version. Yet, it is the story that really shines in terms of about routes.
The story starts off with Juli, Mars, and Ronan encountering a strange girl in the forest, as Juli tries to comfort her she ends up punching him. On the other hand, Regina has gone through a mysterious door and has landed in an unfamiliar place that doesn’t look like her homeland, but she doesn’t seem that worry since she was been planning on running away in the first place, so in a way she gets her adventure. Though, they have a bad start, Regina starts traveling with the other 3 to Laarz, but she a bit weary of talking about her background around Juli, thus leading to her having a rather cold attitude around him. At the same time, the ruler of the country of Laarz has received news that humans are nearing their borders and while she is annoyed by this, something else seems to be occupying her mind as she looks for the only person that might possibly save her country. The group ends up meeting Myana, the princess of Laarz, and things begin to heat up as she seems to hold an interest in Regina, while Juli still seems to be hiding some secrets.
Depending on the choices made, the latter half of the game splits between Juli’s and Regina’s point-of-views and what they are doing during their time in Laarz. Juli’s side of things focuses more on his torn emotions about being king, as he is doing things that might never help Eroolia’s situation with Laarz should he succeed and the feelings he seems to start feeling for Regina, and how he must decide between them and what is good for his country. It might seem like Juli likes to complicates things for himself, but due to the environment that he was raised in and his special powers it is understandable that he might be a bit hesitant (and at the same time charmed) to deal with a lady that is so outspoken with him and doesn’t seemed to be bothered to all him out on his BS and be true to his feelings. After hiding for so long behind such a flippant personality, it is a real shock for Juli but he takes it with stride and it is kind of cute that he decides to take something for his own, even if it is in secret in the end!
Regina’s side is basically the complete opposite as she comes to learn more about the responsibilities that comes with being a ruler from both Juli and Myana. She has always wanted to be independent and learn things on her own, but she comes to see that somethings have to be given up by royalty and they have to step up for something bigger than their own feelings, though it can at times be very hard. Regina matures in her own way and takes her places between Juli and Myana, even though it causes some problems in the growth of her new relationship with Juli. It’s like both of them learn opposite lessons, but it allows them to better understand each other. At the same time, Myana is also a very important central character to this game.
I say this because she helps with Regina’s character, but she also plays a mirror to Juli’s character, which might be a reason that they dislike each other — since they are so similar. Myana cares deeply about Laarz and is willing to do anything for them, but she is still very emotional when it comes to dealing with Juli and Eroolia because of their past — she is the center of both Regina and Juli, but she also makes them see in different ways what they feel for each other. However, it is also sad to see all the things that she has gone through and how lonely she is, and in the end Myana draws emotions from the reader in her own way.
It is good to see that the story continues what was left out of the original HTTOYM and adds more flavor simply due to the nature of royals and vague politics, but it is still funny and cute without being overwhelming. The romance isn’t very overt, but the reader can tell that there is something there, especially with Juli, since they make each other question and learn in different ways. It seems like everyone can see it as well except them, which it kind of funny especially when it comes to Mars making fun of Juli. There is a lot of interaction with supporting cast and the story also reminds the reader of the previous game in different ways.
As a sequel, How to Fool a Liar King not only draws back from its original content but also improves from it and adds a lot more content. At the same time, the characters seems more complex and even adds more mysteries because in regards to certain institutions in Eroolia and how things will be handled as Regina’s own country enters the triple alliance with Eroolia and Laarz. How to Fool a Liar King is a great addition to the series, but it also makes me look forward to whatever may come next.
hayurika 