Serafina’s Saga: Awakened is a complete remake of the original Serafina’s Saga, released first in 2013 then remastered in 2014. The new version is an otome-style visual novel made in UE4. The script will be mostly rewritten, the art entirely redrawn, and the music remixed. Intrigue, romance, and drama combine in a rich fantasy world with animated character sprites and lush 3D environments.
Young Serafina has spent her entire life alone in the jungle with only her guardian, a mysterious man named Arken, as company. When Arken is captured by a group of soldiers and carried away, Serafina must venture outside the forest to save him. On her journey to the heart of the kingdom, Serafina discovers a whole new world beyond the shadows of the jungle.
As Serafina, you will mingle with honorable warriors and salacious nobles to infiltrate the royalty of Castle Krondolee and save Arken. But in the process, you will become entangled in a wide web of relationships, schemes, and beliefs that may set you on a different path than the one you began. Learn the dark truth of Arken’s past and thus Serafina’s. Decide whom to trust, fight, or love. Your choice will change the fate of the entire kingdom.
See more about the original game and animation here: http://woodsy-studio.com/vn/serafinas-saga-visual-novel/
The new version will indeed be a complete remake. You can expect the same general storyline, but the script will be heavily edited with lots of new branches and content. Some characters–like Jezu–will be much different than before. Others, like Valerie and Belatrix, will get much more screen time than the original.
The 2D art will all be redone, including some animated motion as seen in the GIF above. The music will be remixed with new tracks added, sometimes using FMOD for dynamic layers. All of this will be combined in UE4 with 3D environments to create a rich and immersive experience.
This project is still early in development, but its release date is estimated for March 2024. Stay tuned for updates!
Characters
Serafina
Until the age of 18, Serafina lives in the fierce Darzian Jungle with only her guardian, Arken, as company. Arken prevents her from ever leaving the jungle, warning her that the world beyond is full of cruel and devious humans. But everything changes when a group of soldiers from “the world beyond” capture Arken and take him out of the jungle. Serafina decides to risk everything in order to save him. But the world beyond the jungle is full of surprises, including the truth of her own origins and Arken’s dark past.
Arken Jeridar voiced by David Dixon
Arken
The strict yet caring guardian of Serafina, Arken is content to staying in the jungle forever with Serafina. He despises the world beyond and teaches Serafina to fear it, too. He avoids describing his own previous experiences in detail. But his past will catch up to him eventually… and Serafina must one day learn of the dark secrets he tried to bury.
Nikolaos Perin voiced by Jerron Bacat
Nikolaos Perin
Nikolaos is a playful spirit trapped in the harsh role of a Royal Scout in King Kallias’s army. He descends from the noble House Perin, so he’s obligated to some involvement in the royal complications of Castle Krondolee. But if he could, he’d actually spend his life as a theater actor, performing dramatic roles on stage! He’s compassionate and light-hearted by nature, but he has a slight dark side: in a conflict, he’ll take the easy way out to avoid more trouble, whether it’s running away or deceiving the people around him.
Valerie Sparkov voiced by Meredith Nudo
Valerie Sparkov
Valerie is a farmer living on the outskirts of Darzia–in more ways than one. She is a free spirit who has never “fit in” anywhere, so she often keeps to herself and dances to her own tune. After meeting Serafina, she’s drawn to follow her to Castle Krondolee and embark upon a new adventure with her. But Valerie has no set agenda of her own. If anything, she just likes to throw chaos upon the rigid nobility and see what happens next.
Reuben Jeridar voiced by Jacob Anderson
Reuben “Jeridar”
A frequent wanderer of Castle Krondolee hallways, Reuben claims to be the bastard son of Tristan Jeridar, and thus King Kallias’s very own brother. Unfortunately, no one seems to believe him.
Reuben puts on a good act as a friendly and charming fellow, so King Kallias and other nobles of Krondolee tolerate his presence. But in truth, Reuben is ready to seize any and every opportunity to gain power.
Jezu Grandil voiced by Jarvis Bailey
Jezu Grandil
Jezu Grandil is the General of the Royal Guard and he takes this role very seriously. His father died on duty when Jezu was very young. Jezu now wants to continue his family’s military tradition, but he wants to win and survive. This can lead to Jezu being cold, ruthless, and unforgiving on the outside. But underneath his harsh demeanor, he has a fragile heart that never wants to see his loved ones suffer.
Kallias Jeridar voiced by Tom Laflin
Kallias Jeridar
Made King of Darzia at a young age, Kallias always intended to do what was best for the kingdom. But his idea of “what’s best” is flooding the kingdom with gold at the expense of everything else: including food, shelter, and all the things one would usually spend gold to obtain. Kallias descends from Mallion, the god of greed, and his personal greed for gold is insatiable. So he remains blind to his country’s starvation while he tirelessly works to acquire more gold.
Beyond his greed and kingly pride, Kallias still possesses a child-like personality that never quite grew up. He’s quick to throw a tantrum or chase after a promising prize. He can be playful, friendly, and humorous–when he’s not busy starving the country.
Xavier Wolven voiced by Chris Heim
Xavier Wolven
Descended from Belazar, god of wrath, Xavier is a devoted Wolven assassin. His passion is to kill and he’s very damn good at it. He’s not exactly the type of person you invite to a party–unless you want someone dead.
Xavier is not always just a hired hand, of course. He has his own needs, desires, and grievances. Right now, his desire is to kill Arken Jeridar. He thinks Arken destroyed the best chance of love he ever had with a woman named Vivian Trell. That was 18 years ago… but Xavier’s not the type to let go of a grudge.
Belatrix Grandil voiced by Blair Greene-Osako
Belatrix Grandil
Belatrix is the Commander of the Royal Guard and she’s good at her job. Like her younger brother Jezu, she takes her role seriously and works to maintain the noble military traditions of House Grandil. Unlike Jezu, however, she harbors some doubts about the current structure of Castle Krondolee. She is a personal friend of King Kallias, but as such, she also questions his ability to rule the country. Most of the time, she keeps her doubts silent, and leads the army ruthlessly under Kallias’s supervision. But if she sees a chance to change the world for the better, she might take it.
Kaifu Terrace voiced by Malcolm Pierce
Kaifu Terrace
Kaifu Terrace is the humble custodian of the grand library of Castle Krondolee. Descended from both the gods of joy and sorrow, Kaifu’s personality changes quite drastically depending on their mood. Frequently prone to bouts of depression, Kaifu can get quite excited and hyper when inspired to take action. Kaifu is passionate about maintaining order and balance in the world, because without it, they don’t know how to navigate the pandemonium of life.