Whenever an otome game is extremely popular, a fandisc is sure to follow. Fandiscs generally expand the number of content players can enjoy by bringing some alternative and what-if stories to the table, and of course, featuring your love interests. However, the recently released Piofiore: Episodio 1926 goes beyond a fandisc of Piofiore: Fated Memories, which made its debut in the west in October 2020.
If you are a fan of the series, Piofiore is a visual novel that was highly acclaimed for its heavy theme, featuring the protagonist mingling with the mafia, but also with some rather heart-throbbing moments. Our story takes place in the quaint port city of Burlone, Italy, which is known as the “backdoor of Europe,” because of the three powerful mafia families vying for control. In a sense, the story can be both heavy and romantic at the same time.
▍Piofiore: Episodio 1926 Trailer
▍Straight Up A Sequel
Let’s get right into the big question at hand, because even though Piofiore Episodio 1926 presents itself as a fandisc, I would argue the story inside is more than just that, and it packs a serious sequel to everything.
Pretty much all of the events in the game will move forward with the assumption that you are aware of what happened in “the last year”, so if you’ve never played Piofiore 1925 or your memories of the game are a bit foggy, I strongly suggest playing that game first, or your experience will certainly be foiled. And I mean a LOT.
▍Different Chapters for Different Points of View
The game is divided into two different chapters, plus a secret one. The first is called Chapter: Burlone, and it’s divided into five different segments. Each of the chapters has a different approach to the information you know because it connects the best possible endings from each of the love interests’ endings from 1925.
Due to that, however, every chapter has a different view on how the events flow, and that includes which characters are deceased and who are still alive. However, this does make these chapters establish a connection with the predecessor successfully, something I really would not have expected from a fandisc.
In the Alternativa Route, the story this time flows from the finale ending of 1925. It first gives you an advent calendar with small stories that happen with the protagonist and the love interests from January to August of 1926, before the main show starts on September 1926.
In this story, a precious relic of the church is stolen, and in exchange, the three mafia groups must help find who was the perpetrator, as he threatens to “erase Burlone off the map” if the group doesn’t give in to his demands. This is also the only chapter of the game that has a flowchart, which is really cool, considering you can interchange how the story flows a bit.
After playing the Alternativa route, you will unlock a secret character that you might’ve known in 1925, but for the interest of not spoiling it, I’ll just say it: you’re in for a ride once you find out more about him!
▍Way Better Translation Than Its Predecessor
The original Piofiore 1925 was perhaps infamous for its constant grammar errors and typos, which greatly upset fans as it broke the immersion every single time.
However, this time, while there are some typos and font issues still, they’re severely less common than its predecessor, which is really good, because many people were worried if the fandisc would have the same quality of translation as some of the localization team’s previous titles (Café Enchante, anyone?)
▍The Aria and Meanwhile Story Systems Bring Something Different
Piofiore has two main systems that bring something new to the main story. The first is the Meanwhile Story, where at certain points, you’re presented with the option to glance at an event that’s happening right at the same time as the protagonist’s speaking, such as an incident at the police office while she’s talking with a love interest for example.
Furthermore, there’s also the Aria system, which will replay a certain cutscene from Piofiore 1925, but from the love interest’s point of view. Both of those systems allow the player to establish a better sense of the worldview in-game, and in essence, I think they do it so well.
▍Piofiore Episodio 1926 Drags You to Its Heart-Throbbing Story
Piofiore: Episodio 1926 is such a great game, and as I alluded to in the title of this review, it is much more than just a simple fandisc, with a story that can be treated as a full-blown sequel. It successfully establishes a sense of continuity from the ending of its predecessor.
Even though I find it hard to recommend it unless you manage to play its predecessor, I still hold it in high regard and would recommend it if you’re in the mood for an otome game that manages to strike a balance between heavy story and also some heart-throbs. Piofiore: Episodio 1926 gets a 4 out of 5.
