Bloody Chronicles: New Cycle of Death

Bloody Chronicles: New Cycle of Death is a gritty first-person visual novel adventure set in a dark anime/manga-inspired world. Players assume the role of an orphaned detective working for a specialized organization that takes on cases deemed unsolvable by the regular police. The game features a strong narrative focused on detective and mystery elements, with an enduring cast of characters and a substantial amount of content to explore.

Bloody Chronicles: New Cycle of Death: A Gritty Descent into Visual Novel Noir

In the vast and often predictable landscape of visual novels, where tropes frequently overshadow tension, a title emerges from the shadows to challenge conventions. Bloody Chronicles: New Cycle of Death, the debut title from the small but ambitious Igrasil Studio, is not merely a game; it is a statement of intent. It is a gritty, character-driven mystery that leverages its noir inspirations to craft a compelling, if occasionally flawed, foundation for a promised trilogy. This is the story of a detective’s quest for truth in a world where the line between justice and obsession blurs, and it demands to be taken seriously.

Development History & Context

The Ascent of Igrasil Studio

Bloody Chronicles: New Cycle of Death is a testament to the democratization of game development in the modern era. Developed and published by Igrasil Studio Ltd., the project was brought to life by a dedicated, international team of just 58 credited individuals—a modest size for a narrative of this scope. The game was built using the Ren’Py engine, a popular and accessible tool for visual novel creation, which speaks to the studio’s pragmatic approach: focusing resources on narrative depth and artistic presentation rather than proprietary technological innovation.

Released on December 13, 2018, for Windows, Macintosh, and Linux, the game entered a market saturated with visual novels of varying quality. Its success on crowdfunding platforms prior to release indicated a hungry audience for a more mature, mystery-focused experience distinct from the often lighthearted or romance-centric titles dominating the genre. Igrasil Studio’s vision was clear from the outset: to create a “gritty visual novel” that functioned as a serialized detective drama, evoking the procedural depth of classic noir while embracing its anime/manga aesthetic roots.

Narrative & Thematic Deep Dive

A Cycle of Trauma and Truth

The narrative core of Bloody Chronicles is the tragically driven protagonist, Kazuki Koyama. Witnessing the death of his parents in an event officially ruled an accident, Kazuki’s life becomes a singular mission: to uncover the truth he feels was buried. This personal vendetta leads him to Igrasil, a unique private investigation organization funded by the wealthy to tackle cold cases deemed unsolvable by the conventional police force.

The plot is structured across four distinct chapters, each acting as a self-contained case while meticulously weaving threads that point back to the larger, overarching mystery of the “Phantom” and Kazuki’s own past. This structure is a double-edged sword. The first two chapters, as noted by critics, serve primarily as an extensive establishment phase, building the world and the dynamics of the Igrasil team. While this allows for deep character immersion, the pacing can feel sluggish, with the plot taking a backseat to character introductions and team banter.

A Cast of Contradictions

The character writing is where Bloody Chronicles truly shines, albeit with one notable exception. Kazuki himself is a fascinating departure from typical visual novel protagonists. He is intentionally cold, emotionally distant, and often perceived as mean by his colleagues. The game’s choice system cleverly reinforces this characterization; selecting warmer, more empathetic responses often results in other characters noting how out-of-character it is for him. This creates a powerful role-playing experience where the player is incentivized to lean into his flawed, trauma-hardened personality.

The supporting cast, particularly the female members of Igrasil like Nanako Minase, Kaoru Moriyama, and Rui Saejima, are praised for being “well written” and avoiding the pitfalls of generic anime tropes. They are granted unique personalities, backstories, and agency within the narrative. The game incorporates optional romantic routes with these characters, handled with a surprising degree of subtlety and maturity. These moments are “pretty romantic overall” rather than explicit, and their optional nature makes them feel like earned diversions rather than mandatory checklist items.

However, the character of Akito Ishikawa stands as a significant point of criticism. Designed as the team’s comic relief, his constant jokes and levity are cited as a source of annoyance that actively disrupts the game’s otherwise grim tone. In a lengthy visual novel, his presence becomes a “waste of time” that undermines the immersion the narrative works so hard to build.

Thematically, the game explores obsession, the subjective nature of truth, and the weight of past trauma. It questions institutional authority—contrasting the failings of the official police with the unconventional methods of Igrasil—and delves into the moral compromises made in the pursuit of justice.

Gameplay Mechanics & Systems

The Visual Novel Framework

As a pure visual novel, Bloody Chronicles offers traditional gameplay mechanics centered around reading and player choice. The core loop involves progressing through dialogue and narrative descriptions, with periodic decision points that branch the story. Critics noted that these choices have “nice weight to them,” leading to “completely different routes” and meaningful consequences, which is a significant strength for the genre.

The user interface is described as simple and effective, with a helpful feature that explains key terms during dialogue, ensuring players can keep up with the complex plot and its jargon. The game also includes side stories discovered during play, which offer deeper insight into the characters and world, rewarding thorough exploration of the narrative.

A notable and ambitious feature is the implementation of full English voice acting for its lengthy script. While the performance quality is generally praised, especially for emotional scenes, the audio design shows its limitations. Characters speaking over the phone lack a telephone filter effect, and there is a noted absence of foley sound effects (e.g., footsteps, door creaks) that would have greatly enhanced atmospheric immersion.

World-Building, Art & Sound

A Noir Palette in an Anime Style

The art direction of Bloody Chronicles is a crucial pillar of its identity. It employs a classic anime/manga aesthetic but applies a distinctly noir filter. Character designs by artists Hai, Keidi Rn, and Satchel are “overly defined” in a way that makes them stand out, avoiding generic tropes. The CGs (Computer Graphics) for key scenes are impactful, and the SD (Super Deformed) expressions used for comedic moments provide effective, if occasionally tonally jarring, visual relief.

The background art by DaoDao and Karel Kok sets the stage for the game’s grim atmosphere, depicting everything from gruesome crime scenes to sterile office buildings and dimly lit streets. This visual world-building is essential in selling the game’s gritty premise.

The soundscape, composed by Nishiki Haruka and Andy Hiroyuki, supports the narrative well, though specific tracks are not detailed in the source material. The commitment to full English VO, while impressive for a small studio, is the most discussed audio element. It’s a bold choice that largely pays off in character portrayal, even if the technical execution around it (like the missing phone filter) leaves room for improvement.

Reception & Legacy

A Cult Foundation

Upon its release in 2018, Bloody Chronicles: New Cycle of Death garnered a positive, if limited, critical response. It holds a 79% average rating on MobyGames based on two professional reviews. Niche Gamer (80%) praised its “intriguing story” and “enduring characters,” noting it was a title that could convert newcomers to the visual novel genre. Noisy Pixel (78%) offered similar praise for its narrative and passion but critiqued its pacing and over-explanatory dialogue.

Commercially, it found its niche. Its reasonable price point and substantial content were highlighted as strengths. Its legacy is intrinsically tied to its status as the first part of a planned trilogy. The game ends on a cliffhanger, successfully generating anticipation for its sequels. Furthermore, the release of additional side-story DLCs like Kaoru If Mode and Secret Operation demonstrates a commitment to expanding this universe beyond the main narrative.

While its direct influence on the broader industry may be subtle, it stands as an exemplar for small studios aiming to create narrative-rich, serialized content. It proved that a compelling mystery and strong character writing could form a solid foundation for a franchise, even without a blockbuster budget.

Conclusion

Bloody Chronicles: New Cycle of Death is a compelling and ambitious debut. It is a game that understands the power of its genre—the visual novel—and uses it to tell a slow-burn, character-centric detective story with a satisfyingly grim atmosphere. Its flaws are evident: a slow introductory pace, a poorly received comic relief character, and audio design that doesn’t always meet its ambitions. Yet, these are outweighed by its strengths: a fascinating and atypical protagonist, a well-realized supporting cast (minus one), meaningful choices, and a narrative that expertly builds tension towards a cliffhanger that leaves players wanting more.

It may not have reshaped the visual novel landscape overnight, but it carved out a distinct and respected space within it. For fans of mystery and noir, Bloody Chronicles is a cycle worth starting. It is a confident first chapter that promises even greater things to come, securing its place as a noteworthy and respected entry in the annals of indie visual novel history.