Cinders

Title: Cinders
Publisher: MoaCube
Developer: MoaCube
Release Date: June 20, 2012
Genres: Visual Novel, Indie
Platform: macOS, Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, Steam, Xbox One
Where to Find It: Website
Rating:

Cinders is a witty young woman living with an overbearing stepmother and her two daughters as if she was reenacting a certain well-known fairy tale. But unlike its protagonist, Cinders is not afraid of taking fate into her own hands. Even if it means breaking the rules…

The game takes a look at four women and what made them who they are. It’s a story about freedom, dreams, sisterhood, and finding your own Happily Ever After that may not exactly agree with the stale morals of classic fairytales.

With multiple endings, 120 decision points, and over 300 choices, Cinders gives you total control over the main character’s personality and how her story unfolds.

Review

Fairytale retellings are such a guilty pleasure and Cinders stands out as one of the best of the best. Cinders is a mature retelling of Cinderella and focus more on the relationships between Cinders, her stepmother, and her two stepsisters. I loved the way that all four of the main female roles are written and fully fleshed out.

The stepmother is indeed cunningly wicked, a powerful woman that claws her way to the top at any cost. The two stepsisters, normally presented as indistinguishable insufferable brats, are foils to each other; one a high-minded dutiful daughter, the other an intelligent though cruel girl, both molded by the withering abuses of their mother. And of course, Cinders is whip-smart and unafraid to pursue her goals, not unlike her ruthless stepmother.

With a few branching paths, the story presents a variety of scenarios, from the classic fairytale ending of marrying the Prince to a vengeful plot against her wicked stepmother, the game provides players with the opportunity to forge a new path for the mistreated princess.

The visual and sound design for this game is stunning. The game features art that looks like a moving painting, the way that the character’s eyes move is haunting but add a certain style that makes the fairy tale characters come to life. MoaCube does an amazing job of creating high-quality visual novels and Cinders is a testament to their creativity and the care that they put into every part of the game. A wonderful visual novel that I can easily recommend for gamers and non-gamers alike.