When Sony settled on the slogan “that is residing”, we expect it could have had Venus Trip Prism: Useless or Alive Xtreme in thoughts.
This eye-poppingly offered PS5 courting recreation might look like an oddball outing, however Koei Tecmo has been working in direction of it for eons.
These of you with robust reminiscences might recall Useless or Alive Xtreme on the unique Xbox, a spin-off sports activities recreation that includes the preventing franchise’s buxom beauties in varied states of undress.
A sequel was launched in 2006 on the Xbox 360, which was later ported to the PSP as Useless or Alive Paradise. A 3rd recreation, subtitled in another way relying on the system you performed it on, launched in Japan and Asia solely in 2016 – an indication of the instances.
This new title – which sees you assume the function of an unnamed supervisor of the idyllic Venus Islands – does away with the minigames of more moderen instalments, as a substitute selecting a courting format not too dissimilar to Chinese language FMV efforts like Love Is All Round.
The narrative is thinner than among the recreation’s unlockable underwear, however the premise is that you simply’re overseeing a volleyball match often called the Venus Pageant, and you will need to woo a bunch of barely legals to your vacation hotspot with the intention to assault them along with your eyes.
Whereas it could appear controversial, the content material is basically fairly tame – assuming you possibly can look past the sheer variety of immaculately rendered pores and skin shaders on show.
With all six of the featured women very a lot in Leonardo DiCaprio’s courting vary, they’re principally extra bashful than the type of consideration seekers you’ll discover effervescent to the highest of each X thread.
Misaki, for instance, is a shy 18-year-old assistant who’s by no means even thought-about the chance she might be a Venus – regardless of her heaving cleavage and crystal-clear pores and skin.
Then there’s Honoka, whose bazookas are so massive she makes her aforementioned ally appear like roadkill. She bristles on the very thought of being thought-about horny, preferring to be complimented with cutesy remarks.
Every forged member fills a unique trope, with the bossy Tamaki ticking the tsundere field, whereas Fiona is after all a former princess who’s extra Disney than Daddy 4K Dot Com.
The remaining forged members embody Nanami, together with her intoxicating cat-like eyes, and Elise, probably the most mature character within the recreation. She’s 22-years-old.
Gameplay revolves round deciding on totally different dialogue choices, with every selection influencing every lady’s notion of you. By default, they’re putty, however inform them they’re sizzling and so they might bitter to your advances. Rizzers hardly ever go full perv.
The presentation is extraordinary, with every of the women animating in an exaggerated albeit participating approach. Whereas that is bigger than life in each sense of the world, the colourful oversaturated graphics and chunky character fashions are undeniably spectacular.
There’s not plenty of meat on this launch’s bones, although – extra silicone, we suppose, however that ruins our metaphor. Exterior of choosing dialogue choices, you’ll spend most of your time photographing the women, with every chapter outlining some imprecise targets so that you can fulfil.
For instance, chances are you’ll have to seize one of many women smiling, or in a particular location. Take the appropriate pictures and also you’ll be scored accordingly, including “followers” to your topic’s whole, thus unlocking new outfits.
Generally the story branches, so you possibly can select which lady you need to hang around with. This could result in not possible choices in case you’re attempting to play the sphere, however that serves you proper for attempting to have your saccharine candy cake and eat it too. You may replay situations to see different pathways via the story.
And that’s just about it.
Often the women will need to train with you, triggering some offensively simplistic minigames the place their garments flip clear whereas they sweat. Sometimes, you’ll simply be timing button presses to finish these, though as soon as once more they’re impeccably animated.
We’d be remiss to not point out the soundtrack, which is stuffed with every kind of twee 90s bops the place sultry singers croon about their heaving chests. You may’t assist however respect developer Group Ninja’s dedication to its imaginative and prescient right here.
Conclusion
A visible novel that cares extra about its presentation than its writing, Venus Trip Prism: Useless or Alive Xtreme is about as shallow as a actuality tv present – however it by no means pretends to be anything. No matter your private urge for food for underdressed 18-year-olds, that is a formidable trying recreation, with vivid oversaturated visuals and a few sensible animations. It’s quite a bit tamer than its screenshots might indicate, however with out the minigame hooks of its predecessors, it feels a bit light-weight as a consequence.
