Don't be fooled. This isn't your typical Dating Sim.
"Anyway, who do you want as your storyteller? Me or this prude?"
-Wildfire to you
You stumble across two women at a campfire. Wildfire is an Action Girl and a Valkyrie, who you might be forgiven for mistaking as a man from behind. Ambrosia is a member of The Phoenix, an exotic lady in red who you might recognize from the Death Room.
They're talking about the sun having vanished and, for whatever reason, Ambrosia keeps counting down from 3. Huh?
Okay, it'll all make sense once you hear their explanation, right?
Ambrosia tells a story that starts like an epic and ends like a love story with Arsenik the gentleman, except that it comes with a supernaturally creepy stalker. Wildfire tells a story about going from Friends with Benefits with Chase the Nice Guy to a Violently Protective Girlfriend or, depending on your choices, a steadfast supporter of chicks before dicks.
Now, the question is...why don't their stories line up?
As one reviewer
aptly puts it, "it's your job to make like Miles Edgeworth and solve this mystery to figure out what is really going on."
Created by Dreamgazer, War: 13th Day uses every aspect of the Ren'Py Visual Novel engine to engage you in an interactive mystery full of plot twists, mind screws, and unconventional romance arcs. Serving as the opening act to War (X Playing Pieces), it's available for free on itch.io and Lemmasoft. If the Jigsaw Puzzle Plot boggles you, don't be ashamed of using the official walkthrough.
Since its release on New Year's Day, it has spawned a Valentine special and an April Fools' one.
The following tropes can be found in War: 13th Day -
- Abduction Is Love: In one ending, Chase can carry off Ambrosia with him. She doesn't really mind.
- All Just a Dream: What Ambrosia makes you and Wildfire believe halfway through the beginning. It sort of is, but it’s more like Wildfire’s Dying Dream, and Ambrosia explícito denies it being a dream- more akin to someone’s life flashing before their eyes.
- Amazon Brigade: The clan of the Valkyrie are pretty much all women, in contrast to the all-male Vi.
- Anger Born of Worry: When Chase fails to defend himself against Brooks, Wildfire is decidedly angry.
- Art Evolution: Compare the look of War: 13th Day to the Valentine and April Fools' specials. You'll notice a huge difference. Of course, since the entire game takes place in a dying vision where symbolism runs rampant, it makes sense for everything to look a look a little loopy and rough around the edges. Not to mention, this is Wildfire. She's more likely to see the world as a rough-cut shonen than a sparkly shoujo.
- Attack! Attack! Attack!: In one of Brooks's endings, Wildfire and her decide to go down fighting against the Vi.
- Attempted Rape:
- The female on male variety. It's heavily implied that Brooks attempts this with Chase. Wildfire has the option to stop it or join it.
- Grant threatens to take Wildfire by force if she loses to him in a fight. He doesn't succeed.
- Aw, Look! They Really Do Love Each Other: If Wildfire chooses Chase over her best friend, they have a bonding moment that proves that she does care about him, even though she kept insisting he was just a boy-toy.
- Being Watched: Onyx is always watching Ambrosia.
- Best Her to Bed Her: This is basically a custom of Valkyrie clan.
- Big Bad: King Barium is the leader of the clan of the Vi, a mysterious clan who appeared and has essentially taken over Virgo Island. Wildfire, one of the main heroines, plots to overthrow the Vi, putting her in conflict with him. Of course, the Barium seen here is a part of Wildfire’s Dying Dream, putting into question how malevolent he really is. The true villain for the immediate story could be considered Wildfire’s murderer, aka the player.
- Birds of a Feather: Arsenik and Ambrosia in his route. He's a gentleman and she's a lady...at least, we think they are?
- Bittersweet Ending: In one ending, Ambrosia and Arsenik are on the run from the Vi.
- Black Knight: Onyx is clad in black armor from head to toe.
- Blackmail: Night does this to Ambrosia.
- Boy Meets Girl: It's how all romance starts.
- Break His Heart to Save Him: With a slight variation. Night tells Ambrosia that he will jail Arsenik for attacking him unless she gives him a kiss everyday. It makes her feel like she's cheating, which leads her to break up with Arsenik.
- The Cameo: In an unlockable Bonus Scene, Evie Olive from the Death Room makes a brief appearance.
- The Charmer: Barium has quite the way with words. The Valentine special even labels him as the "Seductive King." Depending on your interpretation, Night may or may not fall into this trope as well.
- Chick Magnet: Arsenik might be this.Chase: I’m not staying here and taking this from one of his admirers.
- Crash-Into Hello: Narrowly averted. During their first meeting, Chase very nearly runs into Ambrosia.
- Cock Fight: Arsenik and Night over Ambrosia.
- Courtly Love: Arsenik courts Ambrosia like he's from Shakespeare's time.
- Chastity Couple: Arsenik and Ambrosia...probably. Wildfire sure doesn't think so.
- Damsel in Distress: Ambrosia runs into trouble with Wildfire, Night, and Brooks.
- Distressed Dude: Chase gets in trouble when he refuses to hit Brooks, who's coming after him like a raging bull.
- Downer Ending: In the True End, you learn that Wildfire is dying.
- Dream Land: To be exact, this is Wildfire's Dream Land.
- Dying Dream: This visual novel in a nutshell.
- Eating the Eye Candy: Wildfire takes no pains to hide the fact that she wants to tap Arsenik.Wildfire: It’s not that I was particularly interested in him. I just wanted to bang him, plain and simple.
- The Ending Changes Everything: The True End reveals that the entire story is through Wildfire's biased perception, as well as her wishes, hopes, and dreams, fantasy and reality mixed together, and that is essentially her life flashing beforehand her eyes, as she was Dying All Along- and the Player Character, of all people, is her killer. In the post-credits scene, Ambrosia even makes this clear.Ambrosia: Her perspective is biased and, to tell you the truth, terribly inaccurate. Do we seem unrealistic? Over-the-top? Annoying, even? That is simply how Lady Wildfire sees us. You could say she sees a satire of us in her mind.
- Extreme Doormat: Ambrosia...sometimes. Depends on whose perspective and which route.
- Featureless Protagonist: You never get to see yourself. This is used to great effect when you ultimately learn that you're one of the characters from their world. Specifically, the one who murdered Wildfire.
- Female Gaze: Some of the illustrations are from the perspective of being under a hot guy...or on top of him.
- Feminine Women Can Cook: At least, it's assumed that Ambrosia can cook. Arsenik comes over for dinner a few times, and Wildfire thinks Ambrosia would tell someone:Ambrosia: You’ve never tried chutney before? Oh, that simply won’t do! You must come over to my home for dinner tonight.
- Fiery Redhead: Chase is outspoken, overflowing with passion, and strong. But in the end, you learn this is only what Wildfire wishes he was. In the Bonus Scene:Chase: What are you blaming Ambrosia for? You're the one who had Ambrosia see me that way.Wildfire: And like I said, you're more of a man that way.
- Forceful Kiss: Night does this to Ambrosia.
- Foreshadowing: Just about everywhere. The fact that it's snowing in summer, the out-of-place backgrounds, and all the other inconsistencies in the women's stories lead up to the revelation that they're dreaming. But just wait until you get to the True End. Wildfire's not having just any dream...
- From Bad to Worse: The deeper you delve into Ambrosia's and Wildfire's stories, the darker it gets.
- Genre Deconstruction: Ambrosia's romances play out like a scene from a YA novel or a shoujo. You learn that this is not only Wildfire's view of Ambrosia but her fantasy. That's right. Ambrosia's story is not only based off Wildfire's biased observations but her daydreams. Deep inside, Wildfire, the rough n' tough gal, wants it all: love, torrid love triangles, stolen kisses. All in all, a perfect life.
- The Grovel: When Ambrosia forces herself to break up with Arsenik, he immediately thinks it's his fault.Arsenik: Please, Miss Ambrosia. Do you want to see me beg? Because I will from upon my knees –
- Green-Eyed Monster: At the end, it's revealed that Wildfire is intensely jealous of Ambrosia.
- Hair of Gold, Heart of Gold: A rare male example. Arsenik seems to fit this description pretty well so far.
- Handsome Lech: Night. But this is Wildfire's view of him. In the post-credits scene, Night even says:Night: You didn't get me exactly right either, but it doesn't really matter to me. I just think it's interesting you see me that way.Wildfire: What way you talkin' about?Night: Oh, I don't know. Like a lecherous old man?
- Happily Ever After: Some of Ambrosia's endings.
- Harem Seeker: King Barium of the Vi.Brooks: Well, you know how Barium’s been acceptin’ additions to his harem of women? And man, he ain’t picky.
- Honorable Marriage Proposal: In one ending, Arsenik proposes to Ambrosia not only to preserve her reputation but out of true affection.Arsenik: Please do not assume this is solely out of obligation. Truly, I would be happy to have you – more than happy. You must know that I fancy you, Miss Ambrosia.
- Hot-Blooded: Wildfire is this to some extent.
- The Ingenue: Ambrosia...usually.
- I Want My Beloved to Be Happy: Ambrosia gives into blackmail to keep Arsenik out of prison. In another ending, Ambrosia is framed for murder and Arsenik takes the blame for it.
- Innocent Blue Eyes: Arsenik has them.
- The Killer in Me: You are Wildfire's killer.
- Long-Haired Pretty Boy: Arsenik's hair falls past his waist.
- Love Triangle: Wildfire has the hots for Arsenik, who's clearly smitten with Ambrosia. In his route, Chase has a crush on Ambrosia as well.
- Lust Object: In general, Wildfire and Brooks see every guy this way.
- Meaningful Name: On Virgo Island, everyone earns their name through their actions and/or personality traits.
- Moment Killer: While Wildfire and Chase are necking, Brooks pops up. Topless.
- Ms. Fanservice: Ambrosia seems to be the token sex symbol of the X Playing Pieces universe. She falls into the Innocent type, but Wildfire sees her as The Tease who Really Gets Around.
- Multiple Endings: There are over 12 of them. You have to get certain ones to unlock the True End.
- Murder Is the Best Solution: Wildfire can kill Grant to keep his mouth shut.
- Murder the Hypotenuse: Wildfire can kill Ambrosia in one ending because she fantasizes about doing this.
- Mystery Fiction: You have to piece together the truth. At the end, you're presented with the grand mystery: who killed Wildfire?
- Nice Guys Finish Last: Subverted by Chase in Wildfire's telling of the story.
- Not Quite Dead: Wildfire can stab King Barium in the heart. It doesn't work.
- Old-School Chivalry: Arsenik is the walking, talking embodiment of this.
- Our Monsters Are Different: Each clan is made up of a different creature of legend, but they all sport quite a few variations from their original counterparts.
-
Paranoia Fuel: Onyx. - Paranormal Romance: Given how none of the cast is human, all the romance essentially falls into this category.
- Pretty Boy: Arsenik and Night.
- Rapid Aging: All of Alexandrite's brides become elderly women and die.
- Rescue Romance: Arsenik rescues Ambrosia from the lodge and the fire at the villa.
- Raven Hair, Ivory Skin: Ambrosia's true appearance.
- The Reveal: When Ambrosia leads you to believe you're in a dream...and then ruthlessly shatters that notion in both the ending and post-credits scene. In order:
- “The sun”, which Wildfire wants to return, is a metaphor for her life.
- Onyx, the Vi war chief, symbolizes death, which always follows the Phoenix Ambrosia.
- YOU are Wilfire’s killer.
- Royal Harem: King Barium has one that Wildfire can pretend to join.
- Second-Act Breakup: Shows up in the first telling of Ambrosia's story.
- Set Right What Once Went Wrong: The whole goal of the game.
- Shoo the Dog: Having to give herself to Night in exchange for Arsenik's safety, Ambrosia tries her best to stay away from her former lover. She underestimates how determined he is to fix their relationship.
- "Shut Up" Kiss: Ambrosia is framed for murder, and Arsenik wants to take the blame. She tries to stop him, and he stuns her with a kiss.
- Taking You with Me: Wildfire and Brooks can try to take the clan of the Vi down with them.
- Tall, Dark, and Handsome: Night.
- That Came Out Wrong:Ambrosia: Then, sleep with me.Arsenik: Sleep with you. Hmm...that’s a very tempting offer.Ambrosia: I-I meant beside me! There’s room, to be certain.
- There Is Only One Bed: Subverted.Ambrosia: Is there no other bedroom that’s been untouched by the fire aside from this one?Arsenik: There are plenty more. Only the second floor’s been incinerated. I suppose you would like me to move, but to be perfectly honest with you, I’m quite exhausted. You won’t mind if I rest here for a little while, do you?
- Tomboy and Girly Girl: Wildfire is the former and Ambrosia is the latter.
- Unlockable Content: When you reach the True End, you unlock Behind-the-Scenes content and Bonus Material, which delves further into the world of Virgo Island. It also includes a fourth-wall breaking Let's Play and character interview.
- Walking Shirtless Scene: Arsenik wears a lion's mane around his neck, which does absolutely nothing to conceal his masculine chest. Given how the game is from Wildfire's perspective and she's crushing on Arsenik, it's not all too surprising that he's walking around half-dressed.
- World of Symbolism: Everything in the game represents something in Wildfire's subconscious and/or perception of the world.
- Would Hit a Girl: Grant has no qualms about trying to beat up Wildfire - 'try' being the keyword, of course.
Three, two -
No one saw you, did they?
