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[Thick Thighs Save Lives]

Via Noisy Pixel

FuRyu has announced its new high-school RPG, Varlet, which will be released for PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store on August 28, 2025. Team Noir, the studio behind the turn-based RPG Monark, is also helming this title.
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Setting & Narrative​

Kousei Academy is the first school to implement the cross-reality, virtual reality network known as Johari, which is used for everything from finding basic information and making purchases to even functioning as a social networking and messaging app. This app has demonstrated a significant increase in users' desire for approval and attention from peers.

An urban legend about users disappearing into otherworldly "Glitches" if those desires become too strong begins spreading. Further, monsters within the Glitches supposedly replace users in the real world, leaving everyone else ignorant. The protagonist discovers that this urban legend is real, and monsters have already replaced some of the students.

Players become members of the Student Support Services (SSS), a guild aiming to solve the academy's conflicts. Guiding friends and strengthening bonds is crucial, but navigating these relationships can be challenging, as getting too close to multiple people can cause unexpected consequences.
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Triad Stats​

The Triad Stats system is at the core of this experience, shaping character progression based on choices made by the player. These six attributes are divided between Light and Dark Triad traits, influencing dialogue options and passive battle skills.

Light Triad stats emphasize morality, sympathy, and altruism. Dark Triad stats lean into Machiavellianism, psychopathy, and narcissism. As a result, players can become an uplifting, guiding leader who empowers allies in combat, or a ruthless ruler who wields major strength at a personal cost.

The teams have also made the online Triad Diagnosis personality test.

FuRyu has shared numerous screenshots, character illustrations, and more material that is all viewable via our galleries below:
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Key Art​

 

[BennyBlanco]

I was ready to write this off immediately as a poor man's Persona but the morality system sounds kind of cool. Remember in the 360 era when every game had one and you could act like giant dickhead for no reason?

 

[Agent_4Seven]

Wishlisted!

 

[R3TRO]

Eh why not.

 

[Kataploom]

Looks good, already wishlisted on Steam, here's the link:

 

[LordCBH]

Team Noir, the studio behind the turn-based RPG Monark

Pass. I thought Monark was absolute trash.

 

[TintoConCasera]

This one's from the Monark and former SMT devs, right?

Could be cool, but man I don't like the artstyle at all. The samurai-robot-catgirl is too much lmao.

 

[Thick Thighs Save Lives]

Looks good, already wishlisted on Steam, here's the link:

Thanks for the Steam link! Btw, it looks like it won't support mouse and keyboard on PC.

 

[Kataploom]

Thanks for the Steam link! Btw, it looks like it won't support mouse and keyboard on PC.

Weird, but I play mainly with a controller I'm ok with it

 

[Liopleurodon]

It looks good, IMO.

The samurai-robot-catgirl is too much lmao.

She has the best design so far.

 

[consoul]

FuRyu release a Persona clone.
Is this FuRsona?

 

[drganon]

Furyu makes decent mid tier stuff. Hopefully it's less grindy than monark. Wonder what the caligula effect team is up to?

 

[Agent_4Seven]

Is this FuRsona?

 

[MudoSkills]

That is a shrill trailer.

 

[IAmRei]

i got Caligula vibe here, but looks better than Caligula.
not too interesting for me, but will try if i had chance to

 

[Liopleurodon]

Nice opening, although a bit cliche.

 

[corgiix3]

its so strange.. i like anime yet every time i see a game like this with the typical anime style i just assume its slop lol

 

[RSLAEV]

There's something irritating about Furyu's juxtaposition of a shallow, overwrought anime aesthetic and their attempts to make games that speak to complicated questions about humanity, technology and society. It never works for me.

 

[Thick Thighs Save Lives]

Noisy Pixel just dropped their preview for Varlet:

 

[DonkeyPunchJr]

I haven't exactly been impressed with FuRyu. Will wait and see how the reviews/impressions go. A demo would be even better.

 

[Agent_4Seven]

Are they super sure about the release in August? Cuz the quality of animations during combat and combat moves are very rough to say the least and the UI is just bad (good luck to anyone who's trying to beat ATLUS when it comes to their slick and stylish UI designs which are best in the biz, but still), it's very PS2-like and not much effort was put into making it look unique and closer to the game's look and artstyle.

 

[Deerock71]

Looks interesting.

 

[Lokaum D+]

we already have persona/SMT at home

 

[Thick Thighs Save Lives]

Btw, the game just launched and the reviews are looking pretty bad... I might still pick a copy up when it goes on a deep discount though.

Review Aggregator:

OpenCritic - 55 average - 14% recommended

Critic Reviews


8Bit/Digi - Stan Rezaee - 9 / 10

Varlet embraces its familiar genre roots, yet builds on that foundation to deliver a unique story with compelling characters. Its narrative blends urban legend, digital nightmares, and emotional struggles, creating a unique experience.

COGconnected - Tisha Kambarami - 68 / 100

Is it perfect? No. The choice system needs a rethink, the pacing could use tightening, and the life-sim tasks sometimes cross the line from immersive to plain tedious. But for those willing to put in the hours, Varlet rewards you with a world worth exploring and characters worth caring about.

Game8 - Alfonso Majarucon - 66 / 100

On the surface, VARLET seems like it could be one of FURYU's stronger titles, with striking visuals and solid audio design. Unfortunately, its weak story and steep price drag down what might have otherwise been a decent game, leaving it as another disappointment in the company's mixed lineup.

Hardcore Gamer - Zach Mckay - 3.5 / 5

The portions of the game that take place between the main plot points and dungeons are dull, making it hard to want to go through the effort of completing all the side objectives. The combat is where the game shines, however, allowing for interesting combinations of your characters and what you can do with them.

MonsterVine - James Carr - 2 / 5

Varlet feels like a turn-based RPG that is simultaneously doing far too much and far too little. The story is overly complex and long for the game's 16 hour run time, which also takes away from the development of its cast of characters. On the other hand, the dungeons lack personality and variety, and the combat is truly one note, leaving a ton to be desired. I cannot recommend Varlet for anyone, as it doesn't have anything it truly excels at, and far too much that it utterly fails in.

RPG Site - 4 / 10

At best, Varlet is a boring command-based RPG with social sim elements. At worst, Varlet is a fundamentally broken game.

WayTooManyGames - Leonardo Faria - 6.5 / 10

Varlet is the perfect definition of a mixed bag. It feels incomplete at parts, with some of its chapters feeling incredibly rushed. The writing isn't the best, the schooltime activities were pointless, and the setting felt like a cliché. That being said, there was always something about it that made me somewhat ignore its shortcomings and make me want to push forward, be it the charming characters, decent presentation or actually interesting combat section. Yes, it clearly wants to be an alternative to Persona, and that is the quintessential losing battle, but it could have been a lot worse.

 

[Punished Miku]

I think JRPGs get a little boost in reviews too. At least a point.

55 is brutal.

 

[ssringo]

Took a look at Steam reviews and they're also pretty bad. Several people stating they enjoy Furyu's brand of "slop" but this is bad even by those standards.

 

[touchfuzzy]

Yeah, easy pass, as Furyu always is.

 

[DonkeyPunchJr]

Took a look at Steam reviews and they're also pretty bad. Several people stating they enjoy Furyu's brand of "slop" but this is bad even by those standards.

And 3 of the top 4 reviewers got refunds. Yeah this is looking like trash.

 

[Deerock71]

 

[SomeNorseGuy]

Oof, brutal. Deeeeep sale it is.

 

[semiconscious]

cheesy, derivative, old-fashioned (pre-ai) slop?...

 

[Rambone]

I had my eye on this one and was wondering how it would turn out....

Even at bargain-bin prices, Varlet feels overpriced, because the real cost is your time. And judging by these reviews, that's a currency better spent elsewhere.