Info about The Weeping Swan: Ten Days of the City's Fall:

Official game description:
It is 1642, the final years of the Ming Dynasty. The scholar Fang Zhiyou loses his mind to grief when his childhood love—the celebrated Yangzhou courtesan Su Lianyan—is found drowned. Convinced that all men are beasts, he numbs himself with wine, his memories shattered.
Three years later, drunk and broken, Fang Zhiyou awakens to a nightmare: he is trapped inside _Lion Camel Kingdom_, the world of his own macabre writings. Demon soldiers have breached the gates. As the city burns with slaughter, pillage, and flame, a man with no will to live finds a reason to survive: a feral young girl called Little Yan, whose face is a ghostly echo of Su Lianyan. He makes a desperate vow—to keep her alive until the massacre ends.
As they flee through the charnel house of his own creation, fragments of his past resurface, blurring sanity into madness. But the truth, when it comes, will offer no escape from his destiny...
**An All-New Vision from the Creators of _The Hungry Lamb_**
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From the team behind the million-selling visual novel _The Hungry Lamb_ comes a brand new, standalone experience. You don't need to know the previous game to be drawn into this world of desperate beauty and impossible choices.
**Survival Is Just the Beginning**
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History and nightmare collide. Based on the real-life tragedy of the Ten Days of Yangzhou (Yangzhou Massacre), you must navigate a city under siege by monsters. Every moment is a life-or-death calculation: Where to hide? When to run? Do you bargain with your last coins, or draw your blade and fight? Your choices—and your life—hang in the balance.
**A Story Stained in Blood and Silk**
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Experience a narrative of two halves: the visceral terror of the demonic siege, and the heartbreaking beauty of a scholar's lost love. Past and present intertwine in a novel-length script of over 450,000 words, leading to multiple main endings and dozens of ways to die.
**Hand-Painted Beauty, Forged in History**
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Hundreds of hand-crafted CG illustrations bring this dark era to life. The art blends realistic oil-painting textures with a modern anime aesthetic, while characters' clothing and architecture are meticulously researched from Ming and Qing dynasty sources, capturing both the historical truth and its brutal beauty.
**Fully Voiced Dialogue & Original Soundtrack**
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The entire story is fully voiced by a star-studded cast of Chinese and Japanese talent (Japanese VO to be added post-launch). An original, evocative soundtrack elevates every moment of terror and tenderness.
**A Gift for Returning Travelers**
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For fans of _the Hungry Lamb_, a special bonus chapter awaits. Revisit Liang and Sui in two all-new story threads that explore their fates beyond the events of the previous game, offering a deeper glimpse into the world of _the Weeping Swan_.
**Fang Zhiyou**
The protagonist. After losing his parents at the age of nine, he was adopted by his uncle. Fang passed the imperial examination at a young age and became a scholar. However, he chose to live alone, gave up pursuing an official career, and tried to spend the rest of his life as a writer.
He tried to emulate the Scoffing Scholar of Lanling, who wrote The Plum in the Golden Vase inspired by Water Margin. Similarly, Fang Zhiyou created The Lion Camel Kingdom based on Journey to the West. However, the death of his friend Su Lianyan shocked him so deeply that he could no longer write. He lost his memories and developed an illness that caused him to see people as beasts. In 1645 on the 24th day of the fourth lunar month, after drinking heavily, he found himself transported to The Lion Camel Kingdom — the very world he had once written about.
**Su Lianyan**
A courtesan who never offered bed services. She was an artist with a natural talent for writing poems, drawing, and playing different instruments. Su Lianyan was so famous that people from the whole empire traveled to see her performances. The night of the 15th year of Chongzhen, she ended her life by jumping from the Twenty-four Bridge into the cold waters. Her death became a never-cured illness in Fang Zhiyou’s heart.
**Little Yan**
A mysterious young girl with the same nickname and appearance as Su Lianyan. However, she has a very distinct personality from Su. Fang’s old friend was decisive and stronger than most boys, but Little Yan was a weak, faint-hearted girl to be protected. She is the first person that Fang meets after entering The Lion Camel Kingdom.
**Lin Pianpian**
Pianpian was born in poverty. In the 13th year of Chongzhen, she was selling herself at the Willow Street of the 24th Bridge. She met Zhiyou out of coincidence, but they gradually drifted apart after Lianyan's death. With her sensational beauty, she rose to fame many times in the following years. By the time Yaoguai broke into the city in the year of Yiyou, she was already the most prestigious "Red Courtesan" in 24th Bridges.
**Madam QiongHua**
The wife of a general. She got her nickname, Qionghua, after the white-jaded flower she always wears in her hair. She used to live in a shelter under the Twenty-four Bridges, gathering victims from all around the city and protecting them from murder and theft in the name of her husband, Wang. As she became popular, the people she saved started calling her Madam White-Jaded Flower, or Madam Qionghua.
**The Golden Winged Great Peng**
The responsible for the massacre of the city in The Lion Camel Kingdom. He is one of the three Yaoguai of Shituo Ridge. Of an unpredictable personality, his actions are hard to comprehend, yet he often accomplishes remarkable feats. The eldest Yaoguai brother is the violent Green Lion, the second is the cunning and scheming White Elephant, and Tathagata Buddha who is yet to become Buddha, is his own nephew.
**Scholar Wang**
A friend several years older than Fang Zhiyou. They earned their scholarly titles together. In younger days, he would take Fang Zhiyou to the pleasure quarters at Twenty-Four Bridges, but marriage and fatherhood ended those visits.
When The Lion Camel Kingdom slaughtered the city, he and his family fought to survive.
**Liang**
During the massacre of Lioncamel, a hero who saved people in the city would record every person he saved, saying that it was to "repay his debt".
**Sui**
A strange woman often mentioned by the hero "Liang", she was not in the city during the massacre.

Release date: Apr 2, 2026

Categories: Visual Novel, Choice-based Narrative, Historical Simulation, Character-driven Narrative, Branching Narrative, Atmospheric Horror (Light), Romance


- Hardware Profile:
  - Summary: The game performs well across both hardware cohorts, with players reporting positive experiences and smooth gameplay.
  - Sample size: 69 (7% coverage)
  - Audience skew: Review sample is mostly Windows-based.
  - Windows 12-15GB VRAM (positive, 19 reports): Players report a smooth and engaging experience with no significant performance issues.
  - Windows 8-11GB VRAM (positive, 16 reports): Players report a seamless and enjoyable experience, with the game running well.
  - Caveats: 69 of 1000 reviews expose hardware metadata.; Review sample is mostly Windows-based.
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $9.99 - $12.99
  - Reasoning: The evidence indicates that users find the game to have high value for its price, mentioning good cost-performance ratio and worth purchasing at the current price point. The comparisons to other high-value items and the emphasis on the game's quality and length support the idea that the community considers the fair price to be around the current base game price.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 15.0h
  - Story completion: 10.0h
  - Session length: 2.0h
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: The evidence provides direct and indirect mentions of playtime. The first quote mentions the initial hours of gameplay and the pacing. The second quote mentions a 7-hour playtime. The third quote mentions a 10-hour play session. The fourth quote provides an estimate of 15-20 hours for a complete playthrough, including reading text and listening to voice lines. These quotes help to derive typical playtime metrics for the game.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: The game starts slow but becomes enjoyable after a key character appears around the two-hour mark, leading to a satisfying experience.
  - Stance: Clicks after
  - Anchor: A certain character appears
  - Time to anchor: 2h 0m
  - Friction: slow pacing in the first 1–2 hours
  - Unlock drivers: appearance of a certain character
  - Conditions: continuing past the initial slow pacing; appreciation for story and character development
- Player Archetypes:
  - History Buff (buy)
    - Motivation: Appreciation of historical and philosophical themes
    - Playstyle: Engages deeply with the narrative and historical context, often reflecting on the themes presented.
    - Experience: mixed
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: 历史爱好者; 哲学思考者
    - Reference games: 饿殍; 其他历史题材游戏
  - Franchise Fan (buy)
    - Motivation: Continuation of the story and character development from the previous game
    - Playstyle: Focuses on the narrative and character arcs, often comparing to the previous game.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: 前作党; 忠实粉丝
    - Reference games: 饿殍
  - Art and Tech Enthusiast (buy)
    - Motivation: Appreciation of the game's visuals, audio, and technical performance
    - Playstyle: Focuses on the game's presentation and technical aspects, often providing detailed feedback on these elements.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: 技术爱好者; 艺术鉴赏者
    - Reference games: 其他视觉小说和AVG游戏


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- Engaging and intricate plot (weight 0.71): The plot is praised for its depth, intricacy, and engaging storyline. It includes interesting twists and detailed narrative that keeps players invested.
- Deep character development (weight 0.69): The game features well-developed characters with deep and realistic character arcs. Players appreciate the complexity and emotional depth of the characters, particularly Lin Pianpian and the main characters.
- High narrative quality (weight 0.66): The game's narrative is noted for its depth, emotional engagement, and literary quality. The storytelling is compelling and often compared favorably to literary works.
- Rich historical context (weight 0.4): The game is appreciated for its detailed depiction of historical events and cultural references. It provides a rich historical context that enhances the narrative.
- Improved visuals and audio (weight 0.31): The game has seen significant improvements in its CG, illustrations, and overall visual quality. The music and sound design are also highlighted for their emotional impact and immersion.

Common complaints:
- Unsatisfactory and controversial endings (weight 0.44): Many players expressed dissatisfaction with the endings, finding them controversial, unsatisfactory, and lacking positive resolutions. The endings were criticized for being unnecessary, depressing, and not emotionally fulfilling.
- Criticism of character portrayal (weight 0.38): Players criticized the portrayal of characters, particularly the female characters, finding their descriptions and developments to be lacking and sometimes offensive. Specific characters like Lin Pianpian and Su Lianyan were noted for their poor treatment and weak portrayal.
- Narrative and pacing issues (weight 0.34): The narrative was criticized for being redundant, with pacing issues making the story feel dragged out. Players noted that the story felt forced and illogical in many parts.
- Depressing and tragic storyline (weight 0.24): The storyline was criticized for being depressing, tragic, and emotionally challenging. Many players found the themes and plotlines to be too dark and not appealing.
- Criticism of male protagonist (weight 0.11): The male protagonist was criticized for his personality, indecisive behavior, and excessive dialogue. Players found his development and actions to be unsatisfactory.

Gameplay feedback:
- Historical and literary themes (weight 0.22): The game incorporates historical references, settings, and events, along with themes of life and death, providing a rich historical narrative.
- Multiple endings and branches (weight 0.17): The gameplay features multiple endings and branches based on player choices, offering a narrative-driven experience with more choices and endings compared to previous games.
- Character-driven gameplay (weight 0.17): The gameplay is deeply character-driven, focusing on character development, relationships, and interactions.
- Dual narrative timelines (weight 0.16): The narrative structure includes dual narrative timelines and parallel storylines, enhancing the storytelling experience.
- Emotional and voice-acted storyline (weight 0.11): The game features a storyline with voice acting, music, and emotional impact, providing an engaging and immersive experience.
- Visual novel elements (weight 0.11): The game includes visual novel elements, focusing on text and CG, and offers a narrative-driven experience similar to a visual novel.
- Visual and musical improvements (weight 0.09): The game includes visual improvements over previous works and features high-quality music, enhancing the overall experience.
- Historical drama and supernatural elements (weight 0.07): The game combines historical drama with supernatural elements, providing a unique and engaging narrative.
- Romantic tragedy storyline (weight 0.05): The storyline includes elements of romantic tragedy, adding depth and emotional engagement to the narrative.
- Longer gameplay and story flow (weight 0.05): The game offers longer gameplay and a more extended story flow, providing a more immersive experience.
- Choice-based mechanics (weight 0.03): The gameplay includes choice-based mechanics, allowing players to influence the storyline and endings based on their decisions.

Performance notes:
- Text errors and minor bugs (weight 0.11): Players have encountered various text errors and minor bugs that need to be addressed.
- True ending option text missing (weight 0.06): The text for the true ending options is not displaying, which affects the gameplay experience.
- Language setting issues (weight 0.06): There are issues with language settings, particularly in the true ending chapter where the text appears in English or Chinese despite Japanese settings.
- Improved optimization over predecessor (weight 0.03): The game has shown noticeable improvements in optimization compared to its predecessor, enhancing overall performance.
- Occasional system text errors (weight 0.03): There are occasional instances where system text appears as default or placeholder text, such as 'defaultXXX'.
- Minor bug with character illustrations (weight 0.03): Some players have reported minor bugs related to character illustrations, which need attention.
- Supports 144Hz refresh rate (weight 0.03): The game supports a 144Hz refresh rate, which is a positive feature for players with high-refresh-rate monitors.

Recommendations:
- Recommended for fans of the predecessor (weight 0.15): The game is highly recommended for those who enjoyed the previous game in the series, as it continues the story and provides a similar experience.
- Engaging story and character arcs (weight 0.15): The game is praised for its powerful and engaging story, with deep character arcs and thought-provoking themes, appealing to those interested in historical accuracy and character-driven narratives.
- Positive gameplay experience (weight 0.13): Many players recommend the game for its overall quality and enjoyable gameplay experience, suggesting it is best played in a good mood.
- Anticipation for updates and fixes (weight 0.05): Players are anticipating future updates and fixes for current issues, including language support and improvements to the storyline.
- Atmospheric music and voice acting (weight 0.03): The game is noted for its atmospheric music and Chinese voice acting, enhancing the overall immersion and experience.
- Support for national game development (weight 0.03): Some players recommend the game as a way to support national game development, highlighting its cultural significance.
- Suggestions for future character settings (weight 0.02): There are suggestions for adding specific character settings, such as a 'loli mother' character, in future works.
- Ignore negative comments without playing (weight 0.02): Players advise not to believe negative comments about certain characters without experiencing the game firsthand.
- Improvements needed in storytelling (weight 0.02): Some feedback suggests that the game's storytelling could be improved by taking inspiration from novel writing techniques to make it more engaging.
- Consider storyline elements before purchase (weight 0.02): Potential buyers are advised to consider specific storyline elements before making a purchase to ensure it aligns with their preferences.

Other player notes:
No miscpoints

Emotions:
- Disappointment (weight 0.23): Players are disappointed with various aspects of the game, including the lack of innovative gameplay, repetitive elements, and poor narrative quality. Character development and plot inconsistencies, particularly regarding the female lead and unsatisfactory endings, also contribute to this sentiment. Additionally, the game's failure to meet expectations set by its predecessor and issues with visuals and character backgrounds further amplify the disappointment.
- Frustration (weight 0.15): Frustration stems from pacing issues, unclear plot points, and unsatisfactory character arcs and endings. Players are also frustrated with the lack of impactful choices, poor character development, and forced storyline elements. Technical issues, such as bugs and language problems, along with unrealistic character decisions and poor narrative structure, add to the frustration.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.1): Players express satisfaction with the game's overall quality, including its narrative, character arcs, and emotional depth. The game's content, CG, and voice acting are also praised. Additionally, the detailed historical and cultural descriptions, as well as improvements over the predecessor, contribute to a satisfying experience.
- Appreciation (weight 0.06): Appreciation is shown for the game's plot, dialogue, sound design, and character development. Players also appreciate the game's atmosphere, art, music, and the emotional depth of the story. The improvements made by the development team and the game's narrative and character depth are also highly valued.
- Anger (weight 0.06): Anger is primarily directed at the portrayal of certain characters and plot elements, as well as the game's impact on players' moods. Poor character development, inconsistent plot points, and uncomfortable content also contribute to this emotion. Additionally, the game's narrative and writing style, along with crowdfunding practices, are sources of anger.
- Admiration (weight 0.05): Players admire the game's depth and complexity of narrative and themes, as well as its emotional depth and artistic presentation. The historical context, character development, and the impactful depiction of war and disasters are also highly admired. The increased number of CG and music, along with the poetic depth of the narrative, contribute to this admiration.
- Sadness (weight 0.04): Sadness is evoked by the tragic endings and emotional impact of the story and characters. The tragic fate of specific characters, such as Lin Pianpian, and the excessive amount of tragic elements in the storyline contribute to this emotion. The emotional impact of the game's story and ending, along with the tragic historical events depicted, further amplify the sadness.
- Empathy (weight 0.03): Players feel empathy towards the characters' struggles and emotional journeys. The deep and emotional character arcs, along with the detailed portrayal of the characters' struggles and emotions, evoke this sense of empathy. The emotional impact of the story and the depiction of the hardships of common people during chaotic times also contribute to this feeling.
- Criticism (weight 0.03): Criticism is directed at the game's focus on certain narrative elements, lack of originality, and disjointed feeling between story arcs. The lack of logical connection in the plot, overly complex plot, and forced character connections are also criticized. Additionally, the UI, some aspects of the art and voice acting, and the lack of good endings for the female leads are points of criticism.
- Disgust (weight 0.02): Disgust is expressed towards certain character settings and plot developments that are found offensive and distasteful. The writing style and content appropriateness, along with specific character settings and plot details, evoke this strong negative reaction. Some content is perceived as vulgar and offensive, leading to feelings of disgust.
- Appreciation (weight 0.02): Players appreciate the game's plot development and character design, particularly the handling of certain character arcs and the overall narrative structure. The game's design and the way it ties into the storyline are also praised.
- Excitement (weight 0.02): Excitement is generated by the game's engaging storyline, appealing art style, and the potential for character appearances. The reviewer's enjoyment of the game's story and settings, along with the connection to the previous game's storyline, contributes to this excitement. The multiple endings and the overall high quality of the game also add to the excitement.
- Approval (weight 0.02): Players approve of the game's setting, historical portrayal, and the well-developed character of Lin Pianpian. The game's music, innovative plot, and emotional impact are also highly approved. The overall quality of the story and characters, along with the well-done and fitting music, contribute to this approval.
- Sympathy (weight 0.01): Sympathy is felt towards the tragic and unrequited love of certain characters, such as Lin Pianpian. The character interactions and historical events depicted in the game evoke this sense of sympathy. The emotional impact of the story and the characters' struggles also contribute to this feeling.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.01): Nostalgia is evoked by cameos from previous characters and reminiscing about personal experiences while playing the game. The emotional impact of the story and character mentions, along with the reviewer's personal growth and changes over the past two years, contribute to this sense of nostalgia.
- Joy (weight 0.01): Joy is derived from the high narrative quality and connection to the previous game, as well as the immersive gameplay experience. The enjoyable segments with certain characters and the appearance of beloved characters also contribute to this joy. The overall story and emotional engagement with the game's narrative bring happiness to the players.
- Disappointment (weight 0.01): Disappointment is felt due to the predictable plot and lackluster character development. The game's failure to meet the expectations set by its predecessor and the unsatisfactory endings also contribute to this disappointment.
- Happiness (weight 0.01): Happiness is derived from enjoyable segments with certain characters and the appearance of beloved characters. The official recognition of character relationships and the enjoyment of the game's narrative and emotional engagement contribute to this happiness.
- Hope (weight 0.01): Hope is inspired by the themes of hope and perseverance in the story, as well as the hope for world peace and future improvements. The reviewer's hope for more games that explore complex and less idealized themes also contributes to this sense of hope.
- Reflection (weight 0.01): Reflection is evoked by the character's introspection and emotional struggle, as well as the philosophical reflections on the game's story. The thematic exploration of forgiveness and the impact of war contribute to this sense of reflection.}