Zarie: The Story of Sin
Steam
MOON USAGI
2023
I've played/read a bunch of movie-length visual novels, but Zarie: The Story of Sin is something else altogether. This is the length of a television show: twenty minutes, twenty-five tops. A total freebie, this feels like someone's first attempt at making a VN, and the developer indeed has nothing else to their name. The protagonist here is "you" (the literal player) or, I suppose, a protagonist of your choosing. Thankfully the game is still written in first-person as opposed to the dreaded second-person. Upon arriving in Hell, you are soon greeted by Zarie, a cute anime shinigami (spirit of death). While being led towards judgement by Enma, deity of Buddhist Hell, you attempt to decipher the present circumstances and edge towards redemption.
It's hard to say if this is the fault of a cheap/rushed English localization, but the writing isn't great. Reminds me of a creepypasta or some long-form message board post. The narrative hints at an impending twist and when it finally arrives it's... breaking the fourth wall (sigh). Aesthetics are a mixed bag. I love the look of Zarie, plus the CGs she appears in. The white / black / red color scheme is eerie and beautiful. Unfortunately, there are only four CGs total (in fairness this means one every few minutes), and the standard backgrounds plus music all come off as bland stock slop. There are choices, but they're mostly meaningless, save for a few changes in resulting dialogue. Hard to recommend this one, but I can't really be mad. Not like I wasted any time or money on it.
Rating: 2/5
Reviewed: 08/24/25