Maris
Voices From the Sea is a linear Visual Novel made by Zeiva Inc.
The story follows a boy named Cantus, who is depressed and sees the world through static, except when he is by the seaside. He spends every moment he can at the beach, which is where he meets a girl named Maris. After Cantus doesn't smile at all during their first meeting, Maris decides that she's going to make Cantus smile within a week somehow. The two of them develop a friendship as they spend time together and talk about seashells and other things.
This visual novel is short, and can be played for free online and on Steam. There is also purchasable bonus content.
This story provides examples of:
- All of the Other Reindeer: Cantus used to be made fun of by his classmates because of his interest in seashells.
- Ambiguously Human: Maris appears human, and it's not outright stated what she is. However, it's implied that she's not human.
- Astonishingly Appropriate Appearance: Maris has blue hair resembling the ocean, orange eyes resembling the sun, and a wavy white dress resembling the clouds.
- Blank White Eyes:
- Maris has this along with Blue with Shock when she hears Cano's singing.
- Garrio, several times when he talks with the new transfer student.
- Blue with Shock: This, along with Blank White Eyes is Maris's reaction to Cano's singing.
- Cheerful Child: Maris.She's always so cheerful - obnoxiously so.
- Collection Side Quest: Every day Cantus can collect a seashell. It takes multiple playthroughs to collect them all.
- Cute Ghost Girl: Garrio thinks Maris is one of these.
- Damned by Faint Praise: After hearing Cano's disastrous singing, Maris tries to cheer up by admitting that she's also bad at singing.
- Deadpan Snarker: Cantus has a tendency to be sarcastic.I'm so speechless that I don't know how to react.
- Dreadful Musician: Maris' singing can apparently cause thunder.
- Fantasy Keepsake: The small bottle Maris gives Cantus to hold ocean water acts as proof that she isn't a figment of his imagination that he created out of loneliness.
- Flashback: Cantus has a few of these throughout the game.
- Foil: The energetic Maris is this to the serious Cantus.
- Foreshadowing: Maris and Cano both have orange bracelets, hinting at their former friendship.
- Former Teen Rebel: Cantus's mother says she was once as rebellious as her son.
- Frills of Justice: When Maris puts on a "Magical Girl" costume, Cantus tells her that it needs more frills and ribbons.
- Genki Girl: Cantus wonders where Maris got all her energy.
- The Ghost: Cantus's father is mentioned, but never shown.
- Headphones Equal Isolation: Even though he isn't interested in music, Cantus wears headphones because he notices that less people approach him when he does so.
- Inner Monologue: The player can hear what Cantus thinks.
- Insignificant Little Blue Planet: In a flashback, Cantus thought this after seeing the ocean for the first time.
- Loners Are Freaks: Garrio and All of the Other Reindeer seem to think so about Cantus, at least.
- Luminescent Blush: Maris blushes after she sings.
- Magical Girl: One of Maris' attempts to cheer up Cantus involves dressing up as a magical girl. Unfortunately, all she understood was that they wear disguises and say nonsensical words.
- Magic Wand: When Maris tries to pretend to be a Magical Girl, Cantus tells her that she needs one of these.
- Manic Pixie Dream Girl: Maris tries to be this to Cantus, being an energetic fun girl as a foil to the serious and isolated Cantus.
- Meaningful Name: Maris means 'of the sea'.
- Minimalist Cast: There are no characters aside from the main four with dialogue, Cantus's father, and All of the Other Reindeer in a flashback.
- Must Make Her Laugh: Maris is quite determined to make Cantus smile.
- My Name Is ???: Maris's name is represented as ???? until she tells you what it is.
- Neat Freak: Cano is mentioned to persistently clean.
- No Name Given: Cantus's parents.
- Not So Stoic: Cantus initially shows little emotion or interest in interacting with other people, but he eventually warms up.
- Only Friend: Cantus and Maris are this to each other, although Maris did once have another friend.
- Orange/Blue Contrast: Maris has cyan hair and orange eyes.
- Perpetual Frowner: Maris has lots of trouble getting Cantus to smile. While she does get him to laugh once, they agree that it doesn't count.
- Playing Pictionary: Maris mistakes Cantus's attempts at sandcastles for melted ice cream and poop.
- Pretty Boy: In the bonus storyline, after Garris insults Cantus, Maris defends Cantus by referring to him as a Bishōnen.
- Pride: Garrio insistently says he's the "number one source in school" with "awesome networking skills." Whether or not this is true isn't made clear.
- The Quiet One: According to Garrio, Cantus is this to his school.
- Replay Value: You can't see all the seashell dialogue in one playthrough.
- Seashell Bra: Maris mentions that one of the seashells looks like those that mermaids wear.
- Shout-Out
- If you find a sparkly shell, Maris suggests that it would transform her into a Magical Girl and says that "In the Name of the Moon, I will punish you!"
- If you find the Rainbow Shell, Maris will mention that you can make the Rainbow Sword out of it.
- The Stoic: Cantus is one, showing little emotion or interest in interacting with other people.
- Terrible Artist: Cantus's sandcastles are very bad.
- Third-Person Person: Maris often refers to both herself and Cantus in third person.
- Toilet Humor: If you choose to make a second sandcastle, Maris will mistake it for poop.
- Too Good to Be True: Cantus is worried that his friendship with Maris will end because of this.
- Unnamed Parent: Cantus's father is unnamed. The name of Cantus's mother is revealed to be Cano in the Downloadable Content, however.
- Visible Silence: This happens a lot, usually as Cantus's response to Maris's shenanigans.
- When She Smiles: This is the reason Maris wants Cantus to smile.Maris wants to see you smile.I'm sure Cantus has a pretty smile.
- When You Coming Home, Dad?: Cantus's father hasn't visited him in a year because of his job.
- You Are Not Alone: When Maris reminds Cantus how caring his parents are.
- Your Favorite: Cantus's mother cooks his favorite food, chicken pot pie.
