A visual novel with a fighting edge
By Paul Hunter
One of 2023’s finest PC visual novels is coming to new platforms—landing on Switch, PS5, and Xbox with new tricks up its sleeve. Noctuary is back, ready to mix storytelling with action for a fresh crowd.
Made by Gratesca Studio and published by Serenity Forge (yes, the folks behind Doki Doki Literature Club Plus), Noctuary mixes visual novel storytelling with action RPG combat. You’re playing as Fancia Dream and Alina Nightsong—two rookie Illuminators learning how to fight shadows, swap skills, and navigate one strange world.
The story was already rich and layered, but the console release takes things even further. There’s new story content, extra characters to play with, a full Japanese voiceover track, and handy quality-of-life options like battle skipping. Not bad for a game that mostly wants you to sit, read, and care a little too much.
Real-time fights add a lively rhythm to the dialogue, bringing fresh energy to the story. The new updates enhance the experience while keeping the game’s core intact.
So, is this interesting combo of novel-length story and lightweight brawling worth checking out now that it's on console? Let’s find out!
Noctuary invites you to settle in for a rich, character-driven journey. If you like getting into the heads of characters—especially ones figuring themselves out—you’re in the right place. Fancia and Alina aren’t just swinging swords. They’re sorting out who they are in a world where light is fading fast.
Much of the story unfolds through thoughtful conversations and tense moments. You’ll witness friendships tested, identities explored, and emotions that feel genuine and raw. The writing takes its time, allowing scenes to develop naturally and giving weight to each interaction.
The console version adds six new chapters, and they’re worth it. You get to see more of the supporting cast, learn what shaped them, and meet Krosa from Far Away—someone who shifts the tone just enough to keep things fresh. The additions give weight to earlier moments without changing the game’s overall arc.
It’s not all heavy, though. There’s plenty of playfulness in the way characters talk to each other. Even during the emotional lows, the writing never tips into melodrama. It stays grounded and loaded with charm.
You can now skip scenes if you want, but I wouldn’t suggest it. The story builds slowly, and it’s those quiet character moments that stay with you.
Noctuary’s combat surprised me. What starts as a story-heavy visual novel quickly breaks into fast, real-time battles that demand attention. You control both Fancia and Alina, each with different fighting styles that play off each other. One is quicker with combos, while the other lands heavier, slower hits.
You can swap between them during fights, and that mechanic adds a solid layer of strategy. During one boss encounter, I switched to Alina mid-air just in time to parry a counterattack—it felt clean and responsive, even with the chaos on screen.
Skill loadouts let you tailor your build to your style. There’s enough flexibility to encourage experimentation, and loadouts matter more as enemies get tougher. Bosses aren’t just stat blocks. They each ask for slightly different tactics, and later fights start pushing your reflexes more than expected.
The console release brings even more options. You can play as three additional characters, each introduced through ten combat-focused scenarios. These new missions ramp up the difficulty a bit and offer enough variation to give it a fresh vibe.
If you’re not in the mood for action, the game includes a skip battle feature. It’s there from the menu—easy to use, never forced.
Noctuary’s fights aren’t filler. They arrive without warning, cut cleanly into quiet story beats, and test how well you’ve built your characters.
Noctuary leans into the visual novel format with clean menus, strong character art, and moody backgrounds that really match the tone of each scene.
The characters especially stand out. Their designs are sharp and flashy, and the subtle changes in expression go a long way during emotional moments. The environments are packed with detail, setting the stage nicely and elevating the story.
The console version adds full Japanese voice acting, joining the existing Mandarin and Cantonese options. It’s great to have three voice options—hearing the lines read out gives the story more personality, and it’s easier to stay in the moment.
The whole thing flows well. Noctuary knows what kind of story it’s telling—a cozy, coming of age tale about friendship, camaraderie and ambition—and the art, voice work, and UI all stick close to that vision.
Final Score: 8/10 - Great
Developer: Gratesca Studio
Publisher: Serenity Forge
Genre: Visual Novel, Role-Playing Game
Modes: Single-player
A key was provided by the publisher.
By Paul Hunter
One of 2023’s finest PC visual novels is coming to new platforms—landing on Switch, PS5, and Xbox with new tricks up its sleeve. Noctuary is back, ready to mix storytelling with action for a fresh crowd.
Made by Gratesca Studio and published by Serenity Forge (yes, the folks behind Doki Doki Literature Club Plus), Noctuary mixes visual novel storytelling with action RPG combat. You’re playing as Fancia Dream and Alina Nightsong—two rookie Illuminators learning how to fight shadows, swap skills, and navigate one strange world.
The story was already rich and layered, but the console release takes things even further. There’s new story content, extra characters to play with, a full Japanese voiceover track, and handy quality-of-life options like battle skipping. Not bad for a game that mostly wants you to sit, read, and care a little too much.
Real-time fights add a lively rhythm to the dialogue, bringing fresh energy to the story. The new updates enhance the experience while keeping the game’s core intact.
So, is this interesting combo of novel-length story and lightweight brawling worth checking out now that it's on console? Let’s find out!
Noctuary invites you to settle in for a rich, character-driven journey. If you like getting into the heads of characters—especially ones figuring themselves out—you’re in the right place. Fancia and Alina aren’t just swinging swords. They’re sorting out who they are in a world where light is fading fast.
Much of the story unfolds through thoughtful conversations and tense moments. You’ll witness friendships tested, identities explored, and emotions that feel genuine and raw. The writing takes its time, allowing scenes to develop naturally and giving weight to each interaction.
The console version adds six new chapters, and they’re worth it. You get to see more of the supporting cast, learn what shaped them, and meet Krosa from Far Away—someone who shifts the tone just enough to keep things fresh. The additions give weight to earlier moments without changing the game’s overall arc.
It’s not all heavy, though. There’s plenty of playfulness in the way characters talk to each other. Even during the emotional lows, the writing never tips into melodrama. It stays grounded and loaded with charm.
You can now skip scenes if you want, but I wouldn’t suggest it. The story builds slowly, and it’s those quiet character moments that stay with you.
Noctuary’s combat surprised me. What starts as a story-heavy visual novel quickly breaks into fast, real-time battles that demand attention. You control both Fancia and Alina, each with different fighting styles that play off each other. One is quicker with combos, while the other lands heavier, slower hits.
You can swap between them during fights, and that mechanic adds a solid layer of strategy. During one boss encounter, I switched to Alina mid-air just in time to parry a counterattack—it felt clean and responsive, even with the chaos on screen.
Skill loadouts let you tailor your build to your style. There’s enough flexibility to encourage experimentation, and loadouts matter more as enemies get tougher. Bosses aren’t just stat blocks. They each ask for slightly different tactics, and later fights start pushing your reflexes more than expected.
The console release brings even more options. You can play as three additional characters, each introduced through ten combat-focused scenarios. These new missions ramp up the difficulty a bit and offer enough variation to give it a fresh vibe.
If you’re not in the mood for action, the game includes a skip battle feature. It’s there from the menu—easy to use, never forced.
Noctuary’s fights aren’t filler. They arrive without warning, cut cleanly into quiet story beats, and test how well you’ve built your characters.
Noctuary leans into the visual novel format with clean menus, strong character art, and moody backgrounds that really match the tone of each scene.
The characters especially stand out. Their designs are sharp and flashy, and the subtle changes in expression go a long way during emotional moments. The environments are packed with detail, setting the stage nicely and elevating the story.
The console version adds full Japanese voice acting, joining the existing Mandarin and Cantonese options. It’s great to have three voice options—hearing the lines read out gives the story more personality, and it’s easier to stay in the moment.
The whole thing flows well. Noctuary knows what kind of story it’s telling—a cozy, coming of age tale about friendship, camaraderie and ambition—and the art, voice work, and UI all stick close to that vision.
The Verdict
Noctuary takes two very different genres and fuses them into something quietly powerful. Its story goes deep into identity, relationships, and the fading light of a troubled world, while its action RPG combat gives you the agency to push forward and shape how things unfold. The console edition expands that vision even further, polishing the experience with new content, better accessibility, and richly layered voice work. Noctuary delivers, and it lingers long after the credits roll. A must-play for visual novel fans on console.Final Score: 8/10 - Great
Noctuary details
Platform: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo SwitchDeveloper: Gratesca Studio
Publisher: Serenity Forge
Genre: Visual Novel, Role-Playing Game
Modes: Single-player
A key was provided by the publisher.