Varlet Launches: FuRyu’s High-School RPG With a Moral Split Personality

Why Varlet Caught My Eye

FuRyu just dropped Varlet on Switch, PS5, and PC, and I perked up for one reason: the Triad Stats system. Plenty of school RPGs promise meaningful choices, but FuRyu has a habit of swinging for weird, interesting systems-sometimes messy (Monark), sometimes quietly smart (The Alliance Alive, Crystar), always at least daring. Varlet leans into psychology with Light vs. Dark Triad traits shaping dialogue, relationships, and even combat skills. If that’s more than a morality paint job, we might have something special.

Key Takeaways

• Out now (Aug. 27, 2025) on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, and PC (Steam); $59.99 Standard, $79.99 Digital Deluxe.
• Early-purchase cosmetic bonuses through Sept. 27: Winter uniform on PlayStation Store, Autumn uniform on Nintendo eShop.
• Triad Stats (Light/Dark) affect choices, relationships, and combat options-Light boosts allies, Dark unlocks powerful skills.
• Premise riffs on social media pressures via “Johari” VR network, with “Glitches” replacing students-very Caligula Effect energy.

Breaking Down the Announcement

Here are the basics without the fluff. Varlet is a high-school RPG set in Kousei Academy, the first to adopt a cross-reality VR network called “Johari.” Students chase approval points until urban legends turn real: players vanish into “Glitches,” and monsters wear their faces in the real world. You play as a member of the Student Support Services (SSS) trying to protect the school, juggle friendships, and navigate messy relationships that can backfire if you hedge your bets with multiple people.

Pricing lands at $59.99 for the Standard Edition and $79.99 for a Digital Deluxe that bundles an 80-page digital artbook, a 53-track digital album, and a “Monark & The Caligula Effect 2 School Uniform DLC” pack. The early purchase bonus is purely cosmetic—and split by storefront—with PlayStation getting a Winter Color uniform and Nintendo getting an Autumn Color uniform until Sept. 27. ESRB is T on consoles; PC is unrated. A launch trailer featuring “Role Playing” by GIRLS REVOLUTION PROJECT debuts Aug. 28, which fits FuRyu’s long-running J-pop/idol-adjacent soundtrack tendencies.

The Real Story: Will Triad Stats Actually Change Your Run?

This caught my attention because the Light/Dark Triad framing isn’t just “good vs. evil.” In psychology, the “Dark Triad” (Machiavellianism, psychopathy, narcissism) describes manipulative, empathy-light behavior. FuRyu isn’t writing a journal article, but using those traits to branch choices and unlock skills could push you toward distinct playstyles. Light Triad choices supposedly grant support buffs and new scenario options, while Dark Triad choices unlock raw power. If both routes are viable—not just “Dark for damage, Light for flavor text”—Varlet might finally deliver on the promise of role-playing in a modern school setting.

My skepticism: games love dangling “moral builds” but then funnel everyone into the same outcomes. Persona’s social stats often feel like gates rather than identities, while Monark’s edgy theming occasionally outpaced its design. The question for Varlet is whether your Triad composition meaningfully alters encounters, relationship arcs, and combat rhythms. Do Dark-leaning players face social fallout beyond a stern lecture? Can Light-leaning teams win fights efficiently with support synergy, or will high-damage Dark options trivialize bosses? The press info hints at unique choices and skills; the proof will be in how hard the game commits to those forks.

FuRyu’s School-RPG Lineage, For Better and Worse

FuRyu’s modern catalog is a grab bag, but there’s a throughline: stylish mid-budget RPGs that poke at digital identity. The Caligula Effect 2 critiqued social escapism inside a virtual utopia; Monark flirted with psychological stats and authority. Varlet’s “Johari” clearly nods to the Johari Window—the idea that we all have blind spots and public/private selves—which is a perfect lens for a school drama twisted by social media. The “Glitches replace you” hook is deliciously creepy and sets up strong dungeon vibes—just please, let’s not repeat the copy-paste corridors and enemy recycling that have haunted more than a few mid-tier JRPGs.

The relationship warning (“getting too close to multiple people may lead to unexpected consequences”) suggests Varlet wants actual social risk. I’m here for that. If cheating the approval economy in Johari triggers story backlash, it reinforces the theme instead of making it window dressing. Again, execution matters: thoughtful consequences, not melodrama for shock value.

Value Check and the DLC Side-Eye

The Digital Deluxe perks are solid for fans—53 tracks is a meaty album, and FuRyu’s soundtracks often carry their games. The cross-game uniform DLC is cute fanservice if you’ve played Monark and Caligula Effect 2. The early-purchase uniforms being storefront-exclusive is classic FOMO bait, but at least it’s cosmetic. No gameplay is paywalled here, which keeps the field fair.

What I’ll be watching post-launch: performance (Switch ports can wobble), encounter variety, and whether localization nails the psychological tone without sanding it down. Also, the combat system wasn’t deeply detailed in the announcement; we know Triad stats unlock options, but we don’t yet know the pacing and depth of fights. If FuRyu marries a punchy battle loop to genuinely divergent role-play paths, Varlet could be the studio’s most cohesive school RPG yet.

TL;DR

Varlet is out now on Switch, PS5, and PC, pitching a Light/Dark Triad system that could finally make school RPG choices matter. The premise slams social media pressures into a creepy VR urban legend, the Deluxe edition’s soundtrack/artbook look worthwhile, and the early-purchase uniforms are harmless fluff. If the Triad build paths really change combat and relationships—not just dialogue flavor—this one’s worth your attention.