Developer: Atlus
Rrp: £14.99 (Humblebundle and Steam)
This is a bit of a strange one for me. I really liked this game when I got to actually ‘play’ the game, but for much of it I was given animated video sequences (admittedly very well animated ones) that lasted far too long for my liking. After this they gave me the player character, Vincent, and I have to say I absolutely hated him as a person. I suppose you could call that a triumph of the writing but it added yet another reason for me to begin to lose my patience. I think the moment that my mild distaste for Vincent grew into a full on hatred was right after he cheated on his long term girlfriend. Not because of the act of cheating but because of the line “…she forced herself onto me.” Gotta’ admit, yes, yes she did. She forced you into a kiss… and then you reciprocated and then woke up the next day after having drunkenly fucked her. The comedian Drew Michael put it “You can’t say cheating is ‘one’ mistake, it’s a series of mistakes you made in succession…” and I have to agree. So hearing that line made me instantly hate Vincent.
The gameplay itself is actually a lot of fun, putting it simply you’re trying to climb to the top of a floating tower as the base of the tower keeps crumbling away. You can move blocks and collect items to assist you in your ascent and if you fall you die. Pretty simple mechanically but very fun. Of course that isn’t all the gameplay, it’s the major part of it. You see you also have to try and maintain your relationship with your girlfriend (or not if you so choose) and depending on how you do the game will change. This maintenance is achieved through conversations and texts not just with your girlfriend but other characters too, because as you speak to other characters your responses, and their reactions, will change your mood this in turn gives you more answers to give when you’re in a text conversation with your girlfriend. I have to admit I like that aspect… but it still doesn’t change my severe dislike for the protagonist.
If I were basing my opinion solely on the gameplay I advise giving this game a look, however I have to look at the overall picture and doing that I honestly can’t recommend it. My distaste of Vincent became too great for me to continue playing as him as I didn’t want to even look at him after a while. If you do decide to play this game be warned this game is about relationships and sex, which means you should expect that to be a major feature. It’s not anything that bothers me but I know some people prefer to avoid that kind of thing.
