Mystic Messenger: Ray (Saeran) route review

Mystic Messenger: Ray (Saeran) route review

After a very angsty and dire story such as V route, which left every gamer miserable because of Ray tragic end, now, with Ray / Saeran‘s own route, Cheritz pulls off its masterpiece. In fact this new story, other than being the most highly anticipated event since Mystic Messenger‘s creation,  is probably the best written  so far, owning the  most balanced mix of romanticism, drama and action.

Mystic Messenger: Ray (Saeran) route review
I totally loved Saeran new outfit in his own route!

If we consider the quality of the script, there’s no doubt the face-off between Saeyoung (the strong brother) and Saeran (the weak one) is won by the latter. 707‘s route used to complete the puzzle of Mystic Messenger‘s original routes but still his story was missing some points: Saeran, Rika and Prime Minister Choi‘s motivations were partially left in the fog and some occurrences seemed too farfetched.

Ray route complete the whole Mint Eye subplot in the best possible way. That’s why, in my opinion, this one is the best Mystic Messenger route ever written and no Saeran fan would be disappointed by it.

Mystic Messenger: Ray (Saeran) route review

Saeran Choi has a split personality and his alter ego Ray is no other than the non-violent, most genuine part of himself. So MC happens to fall in love for sweet and fragile Ray but, because of Rika‘s manipulation, she has to confront also Saeran, brain-washed and full of grudge angainst the world.

In Ray route, the game is pretty tricky and the choices to make in order to get a Good Ending are not so predictable. After all Saeran is a wonderfully complex character and his balance between Good and Evil is always in danger. Anyway, whenever he acts aggressively as Saeran or gently as Ray I think it’s impossible not to fall in love with him.

The whole story, runs along the path of the split personality (it’s not a coincidence that Zen‘s new show is an hommage to “Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde”). Not only Saeran but also 707, Rika and V have a double life.

As Ray, our protagonst is truly a sweet, romantic, charming prince

Mystic Messenger: Ray (Saeran) route review

With Saeran, though, MC happens to live some nice moments of aggressive intimacy

Mystic Messenger: Ray (Saeran) route review

Mystic Messenger: Ray (Saeran) route review

Mystic Messenger: Ray (Saeran) route review

In Ray route, Rika acts less like a psycho-bitch (well… at least less than she does in V’s route) and more like a wounded person. No doubt she is still the real villain of Mystic Messenger universe but I feel like stating she is the best version of herself, in this story. For the firt time ever I felt some compassion toward Rika.

Mystic Messenger: Ray (Saeran) route review
Well Rika, actually you caught me 😛

As for V (Jihyun Kim), I’m not very fond of him in general, but here I found his character less weak, passive and whining than usual. His end, in Ray route, is pretty sad yet I like his taking full responsabilty for his own mistakes.

Getting a Good Ending in Ray Route is pretty hard. While in both classic stories (Casual and Deep) 10 guests are a sufficient number to get to the Good End, in Another Story (V and Ray‘s routes) you need to succesfully invite more than 15 guests. Apparently 16 are enough. So, at first, all I got was a Normal Ending.

Mystic Messenger: Ray (Saeran) route review

Second time, I made sure I invited all of the guests in order to get to the Good End where you can win a nice second kiss CG

Mystic Messenger: Ray (Saeran) route review

As in both Normal and Good Ending Saeran cannot be reunited with his brother Saeyoung because 707 is still MIA while Rika is basically on the run without paying for her guilts, I bet Cheritz will give us (soon?) another Secret Ending just like the one following 707‘s route.

But firts of all, we need to be given V and Saeran‘s After Ending, of course! Let’s hope for a new release soon.

Did you love Saeran‘s route as much as I did? Did anything leave you disappointed? Please, let us know in the comments below. Take a look at Ray route’s first impressions, if you wish to know more aboute him.

Bonus feature: I found this fanart absolutely adorable!

(click for larger view)

Mystic Messenger: Ray (Saeran) route review –>  credits to the artist 

Mystic Messenger: Ray (Saeran) route review

About Bishamon

Basically, a crazy chick

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18 Comments on “Mystic Messenger: Ray (Saeran) route review”

  1. Ok I finished Saeran’s Route and it’s really good, but it’ll be always second because my first and last love will be always 707/Luciel/Saeyoung, I cried real tears while doing his route. With Ray’s route I was a little bit disturbed by Saeran, and I still don’t get it how and why a lot of people like Saeran and say he is a “tsundere”… I think Ray is the “best one” of his split personas… I truly loved the part in the good ending when you could see the pinky promise between the Choi’s brothers, and I was truly devastated by the fact that Seven was MIA (and everyone wasn’t sure if he was still alive or not). I really hope Cheritz will do a Secret ending where Ray and MC will go find him. I’m not that sure if I want or not Rika’s route, because I think she is the psycho bitch and I really don’t want her near MC or the RFA members, since she already destroyed all of them psychologically.

    1. In regards to your comments about a possible Secret Ending (and finding 707/Luciel/Saeyoung) and Rika being a psycho-b*tch… I completely, 150% agree. lol
      If what the author of this article said was true – Rika being her “best self” in Ray’s route – then I still do NOT like her at all. She’s inhumane and evil, and I’m certainly not looking forward to dealing with her in V’s route (or seeing what happens to my poor, sweet Ray!).

      Anyways, I haven’t been able to pick one single character as my #1 favorite yet, but so far, I’m really loving Jumin, 707 and Ray. I loved Jumin cuz he and I actually have some things in common; things that are musts for me to even consider dating a guy in real life. But I loved 707’s route and I am loving Ray’s route because they start out such sad individuals, but you get to make them happy, which is something I love to do and I always try to do whenever I can. ^_^
      But I think I know who my least favorite will be (because he’s such a narcissist, lol). And yet, I even love that guy – from what I’ve seen of his character, anyways.

  2. Ok the first time I played Another Story I was watching the video/intro and crying
    I made Jihyun’s route first ’cause I have a little bit of an obssession for him, u know, just like any other MysMess fan has for its fav character
    Ok ye whatever
    I didn’t rlly suffered about getting more hearts of Saeran than of Jihyun AT THE START
    FROM THE 9TH DAY TO THE END THE THINGS STARTED GOING CRAZY
    I was trying not to kill/hug Saeran for drugging Jihyun/being a cute baby that needs TRUE love
    Anyways the first time I completed Jihyun’s route I got a good ending and I was like ”oh ye cool that u appeared out of the hell after 2 FU**ING YEARS AWAY FROM HERE TURNING INTO A HIPPIE please love me thanks”
    Then I made his route again and got a normal ending, the fire in my ass started going down even tough I was sad because of Saeran
    I also made Saeran’s route but it didn’t gave me stomach flips like Jihyun’s because I am me lol
    AND AT THE END THE ONLY THING I NEED FOR CHRISTMAS
    ITS THE AFTERENDING OF BOTH OF THEM WHERE EVERYONE IS HAPPY INCLUDING MADAM VANDERWOOD ;; (maybe even Rika)
    WHERES THE AFTERENDING CHERITZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
    thats what i’ve got to say
    bai baes

    1. I totally get what you mean, sister. I know the feeling of finding oneself obsessed for one character just out of the blue. MM guys are so well written, so always-in-character that you feel like they are real.
      Your comment is so cute and funny btw 🙂
      I hope Santa Cheritz will listen to our prayers and give us something precious soon <3
      Have a lovely day

  3. Can I just be honest without feeling guilty…? T_T Saeyoung fan here, but I’m so in love with Saeran and I admit his route is my favorite atm. Though it’s devastating that Luciel is missing ;-; I hope there will be secret endings that’ll reunite our precious twins and solve the issues with Rika and the Prime Minister.

    imsogonnaplaybothchoiroutesagainilovethemtoomuch

  4. You nailed the description accurately.
    Ray/Saeran’s route was really made well balanced.
    I cried so much playing 707’s route but I did not in Ray/Saeran.
    It left me with a more natural feeling closely related to reality and that hit me hard in both thoughts and feelings., a feeling that lingers unlike a strong and fleeting one I felt in 7’s route.
    Ray/Saeran is a heavily abused character with his background and struggles, nonetheless the plot for him this time did a flawless justice with his character and mental state.

  5. My favorite route prior to playing this one was Seven’s route. However, after playing this, I’ve come to the decision that Saeran’s route is definitely the best one, and it has also taken the spot as my favorite.

    I loved how every character was portrayed and how complex Saeran was. It had just the right amount of romance, angst, philosophy and morals. I also loved how Zen’s play of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde was a reference to Saeran’s split persona. (Whatever happened to that play, anyway?)

    My favorite CG has to be the one of Saeran and Saeyoung eating ice cream together and pinky promising each other. I love how we can tell their personalities from their body language. Also, the sunset sky is such a beautiful colour, it helps me understand why Saeran loves the sky so much.

    I really wanted the two brothers to be happy together. And after all they have gone through, they definitely deserve it. So I was really sad that Saeyoung was still MIA in the ending. And there were the hints at V’s possible demise as well. Just why can’t Cheritz give us a super happy ending where everyone is safe and happy?

    Maybe they will in a Rika route? It might just be me, but I have this feeling that it was heavily implied in V’s route that we might get a Rika route. I’m also hoping beyond all hope for a Vanderwood route. But yeah, as you said, it would be wonderful if we could get a continued ending for Saeran’s route like we did with Saeyoung’s.

    Unfortunately, I didn’t know that a minimum of 16 guests was required to get the good ending and managed to only invite 14. So I got the normal ending, which was still so beautiful, heartfelt and romantic. I’ll definitely play this route again to get the good ending, but I’ll do so some other time. I don’t think I have it in me to sit through the same chats all over again. I’ll probably play Jaehee’s route next, as it is the only one I haven’t played yet.

    And yeah, I hope Cheritz releases V and Saeran’s After Endings soon!

    It was such an amazing route, and it was a true roller coaster of emotions. I genuinely cared for each character and wanted them to be happy. Cheritz is a genius at weaving stories that play with your heartstrings.

    Lastly, thank you for writing this review! I only wish I had read it sooner so I would have known the minimum number of guests requires to get a Good Ending. ^^’

    1. Hi! I have to thank YOU for sharing your beautiful, deep and passionate opinion about Saeran’s story!
      I’ve heard a lot of suppositions about the release of a Rika’s route which might be the only chance to see Seven, Saeran, V and Rika happy and safe at the end. I’m not sure if and how that would be possible. At present Rika doesn’t appear in Another Story Common route, so Cheritz should create a 4th new story in addition to “Common”, “Deep” and “Another”.
      I must confess I’ve also started wondering which color would Rika’s “hearts” be? Rika’s signature color appears to be yellow/gold but that one is also the color of Jaehee’s hearts. So I thought… what about black? What do you think? Too creepy?
      I’m not yet sure that there’s a chance for Rika’s route to be released. It seems more likely Cheritz gives us another secret ending (about Rika’s redemption and Seven’s comeback).
      As for Vanderwood, I totally agree with you!! He is gorgeous and I’d love to play his own route.
      Does it make sense to imagine a Rika + Vandy special path?
      We’ll see.
      In the meanwhile, enjoy Jaehee’s route! It’s a nice route to play after Another story’s intense routes because Miss Kang’s story is full of good energy and positivity 😉

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