Synopsis:
You are Kira Akishino, an ace student from one of the best universities in Boston. You are offered a tutoring job at the illustrious Gloria mansion, along with your friend Georg. The Gloria family has long been one of the wealthiest and most prominent empires, and they need you and Georg to tutor one of the five daughters. Georg is immediately taken with the eldest daughter -- the strong-willed Etana Gloria, which leaves you with four others to choose from. There's Sicile, who has the worst grades of them all; Mary, the naive golden-haired angel; Naomi, who cares about nothing else but drinking; and Charme, the most brilliant one of the Glorias. But there's something more to it all... the Glorias are hiding some things, and it's up to you to find out what they are. Will you be able unlock the family secrets? Or will you just be a good tutor? Who knows, you may even end up marrying one of the Glorias...

Review:
GLO*RI*A is an intricate and truly interactive visual novel where you, the player, can actually take charge of the story. I had watched the anime version before I got to play the game, and so I already had some idea as to what GLO*RI*A is about.

GLO*RI*A lets you assume the role of Kira Akishino, a Japanese exchange student in America. You are hired by the Gloria family to tutor one of the five daughters, but in reality you can only choose between two -- either Sicile or Mary. Georg puts himself in charge of Etana before you can do anything, Naomi isn't interested in studying, and Charme simply doesn't need a tutor.

The way the story branches out is very impressive. A single decision, trivial as it may seem, can alter the the course of the game dramatically. There are over 40 possible endings, and each path you take is a complete story within itself -- which greatly enhances GLO*RI*A's replayability. There's even a gauge of how each female character feels about you after the game -- whether she loves, likes, dislikes, or hates you. Additional modes and extras can also be unlocked as you go along (such as a music mode, a slot machine mini-game, etc.). Getting the most detailed storylines and best endings is very tricky, making this game rather difficult to complete (by that I mean getting 100% CGs). A fast-forward option would've been a lovely thing to have, as it gets tedious reading through the same stuff the umpteenth time you play.

The artwork is quite good, similar in style (albeit more polished) to another C's Ware bishoujo title -- "Fatal Relations". With regards to sexual content, GLO*RI*A is shamelessly graphic... making the anime version seem wholesome in comparison. You see every little detail of every act and every corresponding body part. Bishoujo game purists will also be delighted to know that the original Japanese voices have been retained. GLO*RI*A is without a doubt one of the best choose-your-own-adventure type of bishoujo games out in English. It combines an excellent plot, distinctive characters, steamy sex, and countless possibilities in one glorious package. Definitely a lot of bang for your buck.

Miscellanies:
Glo*ri*a shares a number of similarities with "Fatal Relations" and is sometimes referred to as "Fatal Relations 2".

Shopping - click on title to purchase: - Out of Print

Publisher: Himeya Soft, Inc. / C's Ware

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