There is nothing that excites me more than a good mystery that needs to be solved. Be it visual novel or a good book, solid mystery gets my neurons running into overdrive. Which is why when the opportunity to review PARANORMASIGHT: The Mermaid’s Curse came up, I was ready. Yes, I knew I’d be giving my full weekend to complete the game but it was worth it. Full disclosure, I have not yet played the first entry into this series, but will be going back to do so after this experience.

This isn’t your Disney-fied mermaid experience either. So when you dive into PARANORMASIGHT: The Mermaid’s Curse be prepared for twists, turns, and some unexpected surprises. If you’re like me, after this adventure with Yuza wraps up with…

Apologies – no Story Spoilers here

Full disclosure, if you are looking for story spoilers in this review, you won’t find them here. Apparently even if this reviewer wanted to, the Storyteller is having none of it. You’ll have to play to really dive deep into that story. PARANORMASIGHT: The Mermaid’s Curse is a story worth your time and while we won’t tell you how it ends, what we will share is that you should look forward to seeing certain scenes more than once. There are a few endings in this game and which ending you get is up to you and your choices. Can you achieve the true ending? Will it end with glory or ruin?

Gameplay

Despite the fact that it is a visual novel, there is just a little bit more than reading and making decisions. Yes, of course that is the majority of the game, but the introduction of controls needs to be mentioned. While many games give you a quick tutorial that can seem disjointed from the game, the game controls are actually part of your introduction to the Storyteller. Not only will he be a bit of a guide, he will also ensure that you know how to play the game. Quite a lovely gentleman. He’ll even give you kudos as you go through the tutorial! It’s a nice touch to get you acquainted with the basic controls.

Throughout the game you’ll find yourself going into the menu quite a few times to review information you’ve learned. In other games while you may need to take notes, PARANORMASIGHT: The Mermaid’s Curse allows you to review information at any time. There will be times when you’re quizzed on what you’ve gathered so far. You’ll see this pop up as multiple choice or having to type in your answer. This is where the ability to review information at any time is so helpful. You don’t need to fail a check or a question to see this. Thankfully, this allows players to continue on without suffering any bit of negative consequence that may have otherwise occurred.

You will have to click around quite a bit during the game as interacting with the surroundings, the characters, and seemingly random items are all part of the experience. As you experience the game from multiple perspectives, sometimes you will have to think to yourself (in game) or look at characters multiple times to gather all there is to know. However it’s not just your interactions with characters or your surroundings that are important. Your choices will impact what you do next as the game does have a bit of a branching narrative. You’ll see the story chart quite a bit during your play time. One of my favorite bits on the story chart? The access to the diving mini game.

Diving Minigame

I enjoyed this minigame so much, it requires its own discussion. Yuza is out on his first official dive and you get to control him along the way. However, the diving isn’t just at the beginning of the game and you thankfully aren’t locked out of the diving as you progress through the story. Once you unlock the Story Chart, during breaks in the story you can always come back to the mini game. Perhaps you are a collector of sorts wanting to get the achievements, perhaps you just want to beat your best score. Whatever your motivation is, the diving mini game is actual fun and relaxing as long as you don’t let your oxygen run out.

There are a few achievements tied to the mini game, mostly in terms of getting high scores. While I am typically not an achievement hunter, the simplicity of the mini game made me want to get all related achievements. For those who also like to space out their time in mini games, feel free to try out the diving in between different story events. Even if just for a few dives, it is a nice break from the story when it gets a bit intense. As it is a visual novel, that does mean there can be times where there feels like a lot of exposition. The diving mini game breaks it up nicely. Not a fan of mini games? Well, what I will say is that you’ll be revisiting this in search of an ending. Consider yourself warned.

The game is simple, dive, look for sea life to collect and bring with you to the surface before you run out of oxygen. The more you collect, the higher you score, and the higher up your diving rank goes. As you rank up you’ll also be able to increase some of your diving abilities. This will make your future dives easier to allow you to find different sea life, stickers, and a life changing…

Characters

While the characters aren’t actively stopping me from telling you about the narrative in PARANORMASIGHT: The Mermaid’s Curse, they do respond to you in very similar ways throughout the game. The Storyteller may interrupt you mid scene for something important. A character may interrupt another character to stop them from revealing or learning too much. While the pattern may continue throughout the game, they each do so in different ways.

The cast of characters also feel quite unique and yet relatable all at once. The main protagonist is a young man with strong motivations while not feeling over the top or too much of a trope. This isn’t a shonen protagonist or a weak lead who has to rely too strongly on his friends. The cast that rounds out his close friend group all feel like characters you could’ve been friends with in teen years. Perhaps these characters could even be their own brat pack.

Then we come to the visitors both foreign and otherwise. Again, each coming with their own motivations and while one may seem over the top, he brings a certain charm and humor to break the tension. The game ebbs and flows much like the ocean through a series of emotions. We have our moments to humor, joy, sadness, anger, fear, and sometimes even love. While some may not want to see romance in their supernatural mysteries, it is some of these moments that round out the game. With characters in their teen years, there’s bound to be a crush or two just waiting to be revealed.

Can You Tell Me Anything About the Story?

Why, yes. Here are some quick bits on the story. This is not a horror story, although there may be one or two moments that do feel jarring. We are dealing with elements beyond the understanding of just your everyday humans. In trying to unravel some of these mysteries, there may be moments that feel slightly unsettling but won’t keep you up all night.

There are some bloody moments, there are some interesting images you’ll see, and there are a few manipulative characters. If these are triggering to you, proceed with caution. If you are okay with the idea of curses and trying to break a curse, no matter what the cost, then this game is for you.

Many characters are looking for a mermaid and a way to break a curse. This shouldn’t be a surprise, it is in the name of the game. However, some of your solutions to things will require you to think outside of the box, sometimes literally. Additionally, as there is a recollection mechanic, you will have to be ready to experience some of the game in reverse. You may play through a scene only to then have to play a scene that technically happened prior. Keep an eye out for all of these moments as they are pivotal to your happen ending. If you want one of course.

While you start the game as Yuza, you will experience the game from a few vantage points. There’s no way for you to only play as Yuza as the story involves each perspective. This won’t change up the game play too much, but it may allow you to enact some curses of your own. Proceed with caution. You’ll have to experience the rest on your own.

Final Thoughts

PARANORMASIGHT: The Mermaid’s Curse is a fantastic story that may even make you wish the game was slightly longer. For those who want a mystery that transcends a lifetime set in a beautiful fishing village backdrop, this is for you. While not puzzle heavy, when they appear, they are well thought out and clever. When focused on the narrative, the story is well paced. The writing is smart enough to reiterate the things you need to know without feeling too repetitive. After this entry into the series, I hope Square Enix knows they have something precious in their hands and continues to revisit this series in the future.

PARANORMASIGHT: The Mermaid’s Curse is out now on Steam, iOS, Android, Nintendo Switch, and Switch 2.

Gamer Social Club was provided a copy of this title for the purposes of this review. This review was played on PC (Steam). Gamer Social Club would like to thank Square Enix for the review code.