Like some reviews you may find out there I actually had no idea it was Boys Love genre, but that obviously did not deter me in the slightest as I went on to 100% the game and enjoyed every second of it.

In order to grow closer to your character of choice you must choose activities each day of the week to increase the protagonist’s skill points in order to pass certain checkpoints that are unique for each love interest. I found it easiest to concentrate on two skills a week alternating with another because if you spread your skills evenly, you are guaranteed to fail. Fortunately there is the TAB button that is easily activated and deactivated that will quickly become a best friend after the first play through because it allows you to speed along lines and dialogue that you have already seen.

The characters are rather enjoyable, and this is one of the very few games out of the many I have played where my favorite character is actually Marcel, the protagonist himself. He goes into the story guided by his deep-rooted anger and curiosity as he takes up a position as a servant to Lord Sandor, his father who abandoned him and his mother long ago. As the story progresses and Marcel learns more about Lord Sandor and the characters surrounding him, his character develops in an appropriate and believable way. I found him to be rather relatable and humorous in his tongue-in-cheek and jaded responses to things, particularly Lord Eloy.

As for the Love Interests:

Borges– The “local doctor” was the first character whose route I completed, and I did enjoy it despite it being rather predictable. It’s nice and simple but with no real surprises to the character, which honestly did not ever feel like a bad thing.

Eloy– You’ll understand why once you meet him, but the “mischievous elvin Lord” was obviously the most fun character in the game. However, I was pleasantly surprised by his story and the sweet side to his personality.

Vincent– The “perfectionist butler” would probably be more popular with other people, but honestly I couldn’t get into him and just completed his route on my way to romancing everyone. He did, however, have the most hilarious CG that was likely not meant to be as funny as I found it.

Kamal– I inadvertently saved the best for last with the “ex-gladiator turned gardener”, a character I was extremely impressed with. His ending felt utterly appropriate and while his last CG wasn’t of a kiss, unlike some of the others, it was still one of the most romantic CGs I have seen in a game. It’s sweet and simple but combined with the text created such an impact.

Thanks to Kamal, I was so glad to complete all of the eligible bachelors’ routes on such a high note!

Many of the supporting characters appropriately act as just that- as support for the game and don’t feel unnecessary in any way. The most notable is Licia, one of Marcel’s fellow workers. Her impact on the story as not just Marcel’s support but her own agent is one of the components to Heirs and Graces that made it so compelling and enjoyable for me. Licia has her own story, but it only adds to Marcel’s instead of distracting from it.

Speaking of the story…

The plot itself is simple but also well done with Marcel’s conflicting emotions regarding the course of events and his own relationships with all of the characters, rather than just the romance du jour. My only gripe was that my own sense of paranoia over-hyped what would happen in The Big Scene, so I felt let down when the story proceeded in a not-that-dramatic way.

Other than that, however, I found this game to be a pleasant surprise especially as I went into it completely not knowing what to expect. I had no idea it would end up being one of my favorite games, and hopefully this review inspires you to check it out!