Previews

Published on June 8th, 2012 | by Davis Fan

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[E3 2012] Mugen Souls Preview

I’d like to think that gamers have developed somewhat of a thick skin, especially over the years as video games have become more accepted and any prejudiced statements towards gamers are viewed as exactly that. However, every once in a while we’re met with a game that embarrasses us to our core to ever play in public. Idea Factory’s Mugen Souls is exactly that game – despite the fear of potentially critical glances, I couldn’t help but enjoy myself playing the game.

Seeing as how this is an Idea Factory release, players can expect to see an abundant amount of fan service; right as the game begins, we see the two main heroine dancing to a song as idols would, after which they shower and very little is left to players imagination. Don’t mind that the both of them don’t even look like they understand consent yet. However, underneath that fan service and cutesy visuals, which are likely to drive away fans, lies a game that can somehow be both quirky and deep at the same time.

Rather than focusing on elements, the game determines a character’s weaknesses and strengths on different personality types, which could range from things like sadist and masochist to other culturally Japanese personality types that would take far too long to describe. These play a primary role in the game’s “moe kills,” which has characters engaging in one of several actions, such as scolding or glaring at the enemy, in order to gain their affection; failure to do so will enrage them, making them stronger and the battle tougher. If successful, players will turn enemies into “shampuru,” which are the protagonists’ spaceship’s primary source of ammo. Sadly, the demo was not completely translated and these segments were an unsolvable riddle without the help of an NIS translator. However, the possibilities already had me giggling with the choices I will make.

In between worlds, players will engage in spaceship battles, which play out like a game of rock-paper-scissor. Players can either choose to shoot normal shampuru, which would either be reflected by shields or simply collide head on with the other ship’s shampuru until the stronger one penetrates, piercing shampuru, which would go through shields but lose to the quicker normal shampuru, or put up a shield, which already has had both possible scenarios worked out for it. The ammunition is strongly dependant on the type of shampuru players will acquire during their battles, further motivating players to go with a moe kill. In addition, fans of Disgaea‘s item worlds will be happy to know that the game will feature its own take on the concept, which will include an infinite amount of spaceship battles as opposed to the seven that will take place in the main story.

The game will likely face opposition from gamers who are unfamiliar with Japanese culture, but there is a genuinely fun game to be played here. Keep an open mind, gamers, for the game’s release this upcoming fall.