Sweet Rose, Golden Bird

All About

Volcano Princess (火山的女儿) is the ultimate fantasy roleplay, child-rearing simuation game. It was created by Egg Hatcher and published by Gamera Games for Windows PC on 21 April, 2023. You play as Wood, a widowed father dutifully raising his young daughter, Rose, in a whimsical world called Volcano Kingdom.

While her father remains a nurturing presence, Rose gains autonomy as she matures. By the time she's 13, she's picking her own clothes; gallavanting on dangerous adventures; building relationships with male and female love interests; gaining all sorts of useful skills... Of course, all this comes down to the player's discretion, but your choices are not delivered as "father's orders." Parent-child bonds drive the narrative, yes, but Rose is the true protagonist.

Have you ever heard of Princess Maker? Quite obviously, Volcano Princess is a spiritual successor to that franchise. But where the former was often uncomfortable, perverted, or downright disgusting due to its male developers and target audience, the latter offers a truly wholesome experience. Your daughter Rose is not an object of subjugation, lust, or derision. She's an active character playing a mysterious role in a rich fantasy setting. There's a lot for her to do, see, and become as her parents cheer her on— dad by her side and mom from beyond the grave. To describe Volcano Princess in my own words, it's not so much a child-rearing game as it is an enchanting female coming of age story.

Visually, it's stunning. As entertainment, it's addictive. Every facet of this project was lovingly made and earnestly delivered. There are over a dozen costumes to collect, 58 endings to unlock, more than 15 characters to romance— and if you want, you can marry five boys at once! What more could I possibly ask for?! The two-woman team Egg Hatcher have corrected everything wrong with Princess Maker and elevated the genre to soaring heights. Genuinely... I don't think it gets any better than this.

My only criticism is minor: the English translation can be a little wonky. The errors are rare and, rather than impeding progression, they're just amusing. English enthusiasts like me might be shaken out of the scene, but the overall atmosphere and polish of Volcano Princess will draw you right back in. Seriously... the art is gorgeous. The sound design is nostalgic. The story made me burst into tears. Every character charms you in their own way, and you'll be excited to discover who Rose becomes.

I played Volcano Princess for the first time in March 2024 and fell instantly in love. Well... Actually, I stayed awake for two days straight to play through the true ending. I barely stopped to eat or drink and finally, after 38 hours, fell into bed thinking, "wow! Game of the year."

If you enjoyed Volcano Princess even 10% as much as I did, I hope you'll consider joining the fanlisting.