Escape to a tropical island in Stories of Mara

If making trips to the beach isn’t your thing, or taking a flight to an island in the middle of a pandemic isn’t realistic, being transported by stories may be your best shot at having a sunny day on a tropical island. 

Escape to a tropical archipelago in Stories of Mara, a slice-of-life visual novel. Made by Chibig Studio, this episodic summertime story sports a diverse cast of characters working on their own personal issues. That’s not all, though—some characters are also fantastical, like a cat-person or a trickster pirate.

The first chapter, which will be released for free on Steam and Itch.io this summer, follows Akaji, a hard-working and beefy blacksmith with fiery red hair and full sleeves of tattoos. While dealing with her own struggles, she’s on a mission to find Koa, who has disappeared. As Akaji asks all her neighbours for help, you get to bond with other characters and make choices that affect the story.

Stories of Mara is set in the same universe as Deiland Pocket Planet and Summer in Mara, but it’s a visual novel instead of a farming and crafting game. This particular story takes place on Qälis, a city island in Mara which is still recovering from a world-wide attack from an alien corporation called Elitis. Other characters tie these games together as well; Koa is the player character in Summer in Mara, where she is a rebellious eleven-year-old exploring the archipelago. 

If you would like to experience the first chapter of Stories of Mara for free when it’s released this summer, you can wishlist it on Steam.