A quick read through the manual seems to indicate that the gameplay is similar to the Shin Megami Tensei series. But then again, I only have a limited knowledge of that series.
Oh boy. There's apparently DLC...
So there's some DLC dungeons for grinding, some as bonus challenges, and a costume pack based off of other Atlus franchises. I'm kinda interested in that last one because it has Etrian Odyssey costumes and I do love me some Etrian Odyssey. Give us EOV already Atlus!
Edit: They gave us Etrian Odyssey V! Fuck yeah!
So when starting a new game it lets you choose the difficulty before hand. This only affects the battles and has no impact on the story.
You know what they say. No guts, no glory! It's time for hard mode, bitches!
The opening cutscene is animated and takes place in a theatre. An orchestrated version of the Fire Emblem overture is playing.
Oh. The main female in the play just vanished. I haven't even started playing and people are already dying. Possibly.
Holy crap! Everybody is vanishing! Not good!
And the little girl who actually had a face (Spoiler: She's gonna be a main character.) was protected by a magical barrier.
Well isn't that just a cheery opening. A little girl is the sole survivor of a supernatural attack.
5 year time skip and we finally start entering the opening credits. Here comes the high school setting!
It's pretty obvious as to who's going to be an important character in the game by watching these opening credits. They're not silhouettes of colour.
Prologue
Reincarnation
And the game no starts off at some hall or music shop. I'm not entirely sure. Anyway, our protagonist, Itsuki, is waiting for his friend Touma
who just so happens to be that girl from the opening cutscene. I was wrong. It's his other friend.
Oh. The Wii U acts as Itsuki's phone. Actually the game calls his device a Topic but the vibration reminds me more of a phone that just got a text.
Oooh. We get the choice of being a dick to Touma (who I'm being informed is a guy. Whoops.) for being late.
Text messages. Lots and lots of text messages. The true high schooler experience. XD
And now I finally get to move around.
Itsuki sees somebody familiar...
There's posters of Tiki who's totally not a Vocaloid expy. Nope. Not at all.
And thus we are properly introduced to the girl from the into. Her name is Tsubasa.
I'm getting VN vibes from this conversation screen.
Bwahahaha! The protag isn't all that interested in his friend's love over this pop idol. XD
"If you don't listen to Kira... We're getting parfait, your treat! Make it extra large!"
The blackmail is strong with this one. I just might end up liking her character.
Itsuki prefers buying Tsubasa a parfait instead of listening to Kira's music. I think I'm gonna like this guy. XD
She's hiding something... Time to pester her about it!
Tsubasa, exit stage left pursued by the need to hide the fact that she wants to be an idol singer.
Ooooh. Spooky. I'm being followed by a spirit of some sort.
Time to watch some idol auditions... I don't think I've mentioned this but Japan's thing for pop idols really does not interest me at all.
Time for Tsubasa's performance. This ought to be interesting...
She's got the wide eye thing going and is speaking awkwardly. Chances of her beefing it: Very high.
Oh. There's a spirit behind her. This suddenly took a way more interesting turn.
"And just what motivated you to want to be that kind of idol? We're just dying to know, aren't we folks?"
The presence of those weird spirits might just make you words more real then you wanted MC.
"Is it maybe something to do with your sister?"
This MC knows way more then he should. I get the feeling that bad shit is about to go down real soon.
Ah. Her sister is that chick on the stage who disappeared in the opening cutscene. Man, this girl does not have a happy backstory. The fact that they're asking her about her sister when she's trying to prove herself as an idol probably isn't going to help her anytime soon.
This MC is really trying to dig into Tsubasa's traumatic experiences. I think I found the first villain of the game!
The BGM stopped. That's never a good sign.
"Tsubasa. For your incredible talent, I could let you see your beloved sister again... How about it?"
Creepy smile, camera focusing Goujin's (the MC) face, knows quite a bit about Tsubasa, no BGM, weird spirits were seen earlier. Yeah, shit is about to go pear shaped really fast.
Awww snap! That crowd went down really quickly! I thought we were going to get way sugary idol stuff before things went bad. Consider me to be pleasantly surprised!
Whelp. Tsubasa got dragged into another dimension. It took 5 years but they finally got her. Game over man...
Time to be a hero then.
So that's why the random background people were all different colours. When they have what I assume is their souls pulled out they just turn a lifeless grey.
Hell, the whole room has gone dark and gloomy.
First dungeon is a-go!
By the way, this dungeon is giving me major deja-vu of the witches labyrinths from Puella Magi Madoka Magica. That is never a good sign.
Tiki? What are you doing here?
Tiki seems to know what's happening. Guess I have to follow her into the depths of this labyrinth.
Oh goody. There's lifeless bodies in this dungeon. Just what I needed to motivate me to not fuck up.
Touma is texting me. Looks like people are already aware that shit has gone wrong.
Touma knows something about this dungeon I'm in and he's telling Itsuki to haul arse out of there. That ain't a positive sign.
