The six days that I spent in Seattle live rent-free in my memory. I was terribly excited knowing that I would be meeting the companies that I had worked with for a decade. The list is long and we’ll get into my time at NIS America’s booth. This specific piece is dedicated to XSeed. They had a strong presence at PAX West. It initially felt overwhelming before I settled in. By then, I was drooling at the selection of demos and as I tried a couple, my inner child flipped with glee. It’s a dream come true and made my inner child flip with pure joy. Their upcoming catalog has me chuffed as nuts - it all rocks and I’m going to fill you in on precisely why that is.
SLITTERHEAD!
It would be easier to call Slitterhead incredible and move on. The truth is that it isn’t going to be a walk in the park articulating what I thought. I’ll try, though, and I’ll begin by saying the combat system is rather delightful. I love how it’s action-oriented with a tinge of strategy. See, a core mechanic is possession - I can take control of NPCs. It functions as a type of evasion which I found awesome. Yeah, I can do the traditional tumble but this method has a pair of benefits. Firstly, as I’ve said, switching bodies lets me dodge, turning my old fleshy home into a decoy that allows me to, secondly, counterattack.
The reason I’m clamouring over this aspect is simply due to how entertaining it is. In a strange way, it also acts as a quality-of-life feature. For example, If I have to go to a rooftop, I can just string together whoever is close to go up. Sure, it’s limiting in the sense of me having to ensure there are people to use like a ladder, but I found there typically will be - it’s like fast travel. Another facet that I’m smitten over are these unique humans known as "a Rarity" and by consuming their soul, it turns them into a super warrior armed with an exaggerated weapon, increasing lethality while I’m in battles.
There’s parrying, too, and the implementation of it is great from an accessibility stance. Every swipe from a foe can come at me from anywhere. It fully utilizes the 3D space and for a successful parry, I have to tilt the right joystick in the direction it’s coming from. In most games, I would levy a complaint at it because of a need for fast reflexes. However, the allotted window is quite generous. Granted, I still can’t be a snail but I didn’t have to be a rabbit either. It does help that the buttons are responsive, too - they’re intuitive to tap. I came out of my appointment so thrilled by this Siren-inspired horror.
CORSPE PARTY 2: DARKNESS DISTORTION!
Finally, an actual sequel is being released, but it has nothing to do with the original. Hell, the XSeed rep I had stressed that Corpse Party 2 is standalone. Yeah, there are references players may miss if they go right in without the first but it won’t be detrimental or take from the journey. I was also notified how it'll get really gruesome. I was purposely warned that I’m to expect some disgusting outcomes for our protagonists - I’m hyped by that. Given the 3D graphics, it’s going to be gross, made more so thanks to being able to hop into a first-person view.
From these screenshots, it’s obvious that the anime aesthetic takes center stage. What accompanies that is usually a lighthearted script full of silliness. Well, it definitely won’t be lighthearted by any stretch of the imagination. It will be dark but I’ve got to say, levity is a thing. I smiled at the ridiculous shit being said like the streamer excitedly exclaiming how she can’t wait to venture into the decayed boy’s bathroom to see what it’s like. The rep also told me I had to be diligent in searching in order to solve the puzzles and unravel the lore further.
POTIONOMICS: MASTERWORK EDITION!
Words can’t begin to tell y’all how anxious I am to get this title. Potionomics came to PC a year or so ago. It was heartbreaking because what I saw from all of the press releases made it evident that it was my kind of romp. Now, fast forward to the console version finally being announced and I’m counting down when I’ll be playing. The Masterwork Edition comes with a ton of additions like voice-acting. I got a short glimpse of it during my demo and it’s pretty stellar. The delivery is promising and the inflection during some situations, like when being sarcastic, is nailed. It heightened my eagerness for it.
The gameplay is split into RPG and Visual Novel sections. In terms of the former, I’m shocked to see it’s classic turn-based. Because I’m running a potion shop, there is haggling. I’m attempting to upsell my wares and I’ll do it by utilizing cards that have a variety of effects to tip the scales. I can raise a customer's interest or I can lower my stress level - letting it get too high has a few consequences. I have to balance my persuasive skills, as well, because they have a patience meter that will communicate when they’ve had enough of my crap. I was engaged the whole demo as I’d concentrate on what’s happening - that challenge felt invigorating to me.
As for the VN side, I’m encouraged to make friends. I’m told the characters are varied in personality but I only got to converse with Saffron in my demo. She is the epitome of relaxation and has me curious about the others. If you’re wondering, she can be romanced as is the norm with the genre. What’s nifty is that flirting and building our bond actually unlocks newer cards. They’ll align with the demeanour of the person, so in Saffron’s case, expect buffs that will relieve stress. It’s a nice incentive to mingle with the singles. Listen, my session ended fast and when it did, I felt legitimately bummed.
YS MEMOIRE: THE OATH IN FELGHANA!
The YS franchise is full of that charisma of old-school JRPGs. That couldn’t be truer with this remake of an oldie but goodie. It retains the nostalgia that had me feeling like a child. The hacking and the slashing are as frenetic as I remember. If you’ve indulged in Origins, it’ll feel right at home. It’s familiar, holding tightly to that bone-crunching difficulty. I mean, I died, and I’d die a fair bit. It got to the point that the rep began to reassure me that I didn’t just suck. I appreciate the ego soothing but the fact is that it’s tough. It has you memorizing attack patterns and perfecting timing to avoid being hit, thus introducing trial and error to the mix.
There have been changes made to this remake of YS Memoire. Probably the biggest is that Adol found his voice. If you’re coming from VIII or IX, that familiarity will ease you in. On the other end of the audio realm, the OST has been revamped. I only heard snippets of it but I adored the instrumental takes as opposed to the chiptune musings. If you, however, want to revisit the sounds of a bygone era, the original tracks are intact for your hearing pleasure. It’s just a quick toggle flick away. Frankly, I think both previous and fresh fans will be pleased.
CUISINEER!
Ever since Cuisineer was announced for PC, I had this hint of jealousy in my heart. It looks so adorable and during my brief time with it, I can confidently say that it’s, indeed, so damn adorable. We’re left in charge of our family restaurant since the protagonist’s parents have gone off, leaving you with nothing. After you’ve decided to reopen the business they left behind, you are responsible for foraging in the dungeons, getting ingredients, and furnishing the place while preparing to open. I have to follow family recipes as I fill up the stomachs of the locals.
When I was younger, I threw myself into those mobile management games. There’s a weird addictiveness to running an establishment. It certainly helps when the dialogue in Cuisineer is wholesome as hell. I liked the banter between friends and the coziness behind the conversations with villagers. When I’m not talking to anyone, I can enter dungeons, fending off enemies with my sword. It never posed much trouble for me as I easily dispatched all. My survivability is high, but I can’t say if that’s due to the developers making this journey a breeze, or if there will be difficulty settings I can adjust.
IN CONCLUSION…
XSeed had a variety of genres to get lost in. It was a buffet of choice that satiated my hunger tenfold and I want more. It also highlighted my gripe of not being able to truly sink my teeth into the goodness. I had a limit, and while I know it was to provide the opportunity to everyone, I selfishly wished I could’ve stayed forever. I don’t even think there’s one game from XSeed that I’m not ecstatic to get my grubby hands on. They all scratch distinct itches and are fun in their own right. I can’t wait to write about them and go in-depth on the inner workings. Until that day comes, Part 3 touches on NIS America and others.
Oh my gosh, basket random is so much fun! The gameplay is fast, dramatic, and full of surprises that I can't take my eyes off.