About This Demo

The Wondrous Wedding of Ivan the Bard is a nonlinear visual novel set in medieval Russia, blending historical accuracy with fantasy elements. You don't play as a knight, a bogatyr, or a mercenary.

Your hero is a simple young man with a gusli, so his only weapons are eloquence and music. A single careless word can turn a conversation hostile. One well-chosen reply can set a girl's heart aflutter. Converse, play the gusli, make friends, enemies, and lovers, and lead Ivan to one of several possible endings.

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Novgorod, 13th century. Ivan is a humble gusli player who has come to the city to seek his fortune and find a bride. One day, he falls in love with the prince's daughter and dreams of marrying her, but the dream seems impossible—nothing ever goes Ivan’s way. At his lowest point, fate gives him a chance. Now, Ivan will live through a summer full of adventures in a magical Novgorod, uncover the mysteries of the female heart, win the princess’s love, and gain wealth and fame. But is it possible to have it all? Perhaps the series of choices will lead the hero to a very different destiny.

It is an author's fairy tale for adults, inspired by Russian history and folklore. Start a romantic adventure in realities referring to the medieval Novgorod Republic.

• About an hour of reading. Narrative stylised in Old Russian vernacular. Minimum of detached reasoning, maximum of dialogue!

• 20 characters from different layers of medieval society. Some of them will be meet in the main story as well

• More than 10 colourful backgrounds on which the locations of medieval Novgorod are recreated: streets, manor houses, trading, veche and others. 

• Visual style inspired by the illustrations of Ivan Bilibin. Everything is hand drawn, no AI.

• Lore is rich with references to the real history and culture of Novgorod. Fill up your vocabulary of Old Russian words!

• Seven musical compositions written especially for the game.