“Who Murdered My Empress? had me completely invested from beginning to end...With its beautiful presentation, compelling characters and satisfying conclusion, this is a visual novel I can easily recommend to anyone looking for a story-driven mystery with romance.“
Platform: PC | Release Date: 21 Jun, 2024 | Hours Played: 7 hours
Love is a feeling that’s hard to describe. You can’t explain it; you can only feel it. But what if you were unable to feel anything at all?
Who Murdered My Empress? is a time-travel romance visual novel about Mai, a young policewoman who struggles with empathy and emotion. After travelling back in time to a fictional 19th-century Da Viet (Vietnam), she suddenly finds herself in the body of Empress Le Pham, the ruler of Da Viet in 1845.
As if figuring out how it happened and how to return to her own time wasn’t hard enough, there’s another catch: Empress Le Pham was historically recorded as being mysteriously assassinated, exactly 220 days from Mai’s arrival. Now, she must not only find a way home, but uncover who murdered the Empress before history repeats itself.
Using her skills as a police officer, Mai begins investigating those around her… including the handsome men within the Empress’s harem.
The mystery immediately draws you in and keeps you on your toes throughout. What really worked for me was how every time I thought I understood something, the story would uncover another clue. Even when one question was answered, a new one would arise, constantly keeping me guessing.
It honestly felt like I was watching a historical romance drama – the kind that you would get addicted to and watch the whole thing in one sitting. Even mid-way through the story, I was still no closer to the truth and whether everyone was actually who they seemed.
The gradual reveal also makes for an intriguing discovery surrounding the Empress, as Mai learns that the woman depicted in history books is quite different from the person she finds herself embodying. The contrast is something even the other characters take note of, adding another interesting layer as you begin to question what else about her history might not be as it seems.
The story is split into several chapters which would also feature mysterious poems that appear on the end screen. Clearly love letters to Empress Le Pham, why we see them and who they are from is just one of many mysteries. There is one thing we know for certain, which is that they are beautifully written.
Meeting the Harem
Speaking of beautiful, the men in Empress Le Pham’s harem are nothing short of it. In spite of Mai’s straight-laced personality, even she admires these men. For the sake of figuring how to get back home, she forces herself to interact with them but unexpectedly (to her anyway) finds herself feeling affection for them.
Their relationships with her progress so seamlessly throughout the story that even though I initially was partial to Minh Quang, I ended up having a soft spot for all of them.
This is in part credited to the amazing writing, which does a wonderful job of capturing even the smallest nuances, such as sly gazes and little touches that enhance the relationships in a way that makes you gasp and/or hold your breath (which I did a lot of).
All in all, I have nothing but high praise for the characters. They were all well-crafted with distinct personalities, and the game did a great job making me care about them.
Like a romantic drama, it also comes with its dramatic obstacles and misunderstandings and you find your heart keeps getting pulled in different directions with how endearing they all are.
I’d also like to praise the character of Mai herself, as she isn’t your typical cheerful/happy-go-lucky romantic female protagonist. She initially comes off as cold and emotionally distant, but you gradually come to learn her story as well.
Her emotional distance feels justified rather than simply being a personality quirk, and I appreciated that she had her own identity rather than simply being an avatar for the player. If anything, the player begins to embody Mai herself rather than the other way around.
As she begins uncovering feelings she had previously locked away, it’s satisfying to watch the other characters gradually break through her emotional walls.
There can only be one
Despite the wonderful selection of men at Mai’s feet, the game has a linear narrative as there is only one ending and thus one romance. There are a few options scattered throughout the story that reveal flavour text and information about the world, but your choices are largely inconsequential.
However, there are choices that can lead to a bad ending – but it does brings you back to the last scene so you don’t lose your progress (which is appreciated). It’s still recommended to experience all of these, as they can unlock bonus content that you can access after finishing the main story.
The chapters helped to break up the story as it would represent time passing at different durations, sometimes day-by-day and sometimes several days at once. I felt this was a great way to help with the pacing. And to give credit, from the way the scenes were set to the dramatic plot twists, the pacing was just excellent. Everything felt intentional and relevant to the story without feeling bloated or extraneous.
The art, including the sprites, CGs and backgrounds, was just beautifully presented. The world of Da Viet felt real and everything just fit together effortlessly. The UI also needs to be praised as it really added to the royalty theme, and the cultural influences were very clear.
The music is also lovely, with clear Vietnamese/period-inspired elements woven into it. No notes, just appreciation and I found myself pausing the story to just sit and listen to it.
And does it pay off in the end? Spoiler: Absolutely.
It all comes together so well that once the final pieces are connected, you are left with an absolutely cathartic feeling… and tiredness from the rollercoaster of emotions that the story puts you through.
Even after the story is over, you still have the bonus content to enjoy. These include what-if scenarios of romance with the other characters, as well as a POV from an important character’s perspective and additional story.
As mentioned earlier, these are completely optional but you will want to see them because even when the story is over, you feel that you can’t get enough of the world and hate to see it end.
The lore and its world clearly had thought put into it outside of the main plot, and that’s what makes the world and its characters feel rich.
10/10
Who Murdered My Empress? had me completely invested from beginning to end. Its mystery kept me constantly questioning what I thought I knew, while Mai’s emotional journey gave the story a surprisingly touching heart.
There’s so much more I could say but it would include revealing the whole story and the story is something I feel everyone should experience first-hand. With its beautiful presentation, compelling characters and satisfying conclusion, this is a visual novel I can easily recommend to anyone looking for a story-driven mystery with romance.
You can purchase Who Murdered My Empress? on Steam.
This review was written as part of the Fall in Love Visual Novel Festival on Steam, and I was kindly provided with a review code by Little Snake Studio.
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