Harmony: The Fall of Reverie is a pretty deconstruction | Kaser Focus

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With all the summer gaming excitement, I haven’t had the chance to speak about several of the games I’ve played in the last few weeks. One of those games is Don’t Nod’s new visual novel, Harmony: The Fall of Reverie. And since this has been a relatively quiet week (and a short one, for those us celebrating an American holiday), I’d like to take the time to at least do a mini-review of the title. While my thoughts have not changed much since I played the preview, I think it deserves attention — so that’s what this Kaser Focus is about.

Strangely, what Harmony reminds me of the most is deconstructed food. I’m no avant garde chef, but my understanding is that deconstructed food is intended to offer familiar ingredients in a new, raw form to give the diner a refreshed experience. That’s the vibe I get from this game: It has all of the familiar elements of a visual novel, but presented in an alternate way. It makes for a game that’s much different from other games in the same oeuvre. Unlike other visual novels, the game presents its choice mechanic (and entire game is built on the choice mechanic) via a Twine-like choice layout called the Augury.

The visuals in Harmony are arrestingly beautiful, with the Aspirations making an especially big impression. Each embodies their respective feeling, with Chaos being a mess of discordant colors and mischievous attitude, Truth a bleak pillar covered in eyes and Bliss a small bundle of buoyant delight. Both Reverie and Brittle have distinct, pleasing looks. The story is also engaging with a central mystery hook and some emotional payoff that tugged on my old, withered