J-Dub Reviews: Corpse Party
J-Dub goes over a game from XSEED and is visited by a girl who is
Corpse Party
Players: 1 Offline Player
Publisher: XSEED Games
Genres: Adventure, Horror
Publisher: XSEED Games
Genres: Adventure, Horror
Release Date: November 22, 2011
Developer: Team GrisGris, 5pb
MSRP: $19.99
Developer: Team GrisGris, 5pb
MSRP: $19.99
Developed in Japan by Team GrisGris and later adapted for the PSP by 5pb, Corpse Party is a chilling title that takes players on a journey of hellish proportions. In Corpse Party, players take control of a group of Japanese high school students who engage in a pagan ritual and find themselves somehow transported into an inescapable echo of a long-since demolished school building where a series of gruesome murders once took place. They must now escape the grasp of the tortured souls who roam the halls of the doomed Heavenly Host Elementary School, lest they join the ranks of the dead themselves.
J-Dub Reviews: Corpse Party
Posted By Justin C. about 1 year, 2 months ago
J-Dub Reviews: Corpse Party, J-Dub goes over a game from XSEED and is visited by a girl who is not all what she seems!
Corpse Party Review
XSEED Games has always been a strong supporter of the PSP through the system’s lifespan, so leave it to them to publish another unique, enjoyable game like Corpse Party.
The Corpse Party Begins Later this Month on PSP
If this is even half as good as Trails in the Sky, then it’s sure to be pure gold.
Downloadable PSP Title Corpse Party Brings Horror Back To 16-Bit Era
Just in time for Halloween, Xseed announces that an entry in the long-running horror game saga Corpse Party will get an English localization for the PSP in the near future. I’m suddenly starting to get quite hungry.
New PSP Title Corpse Party Shows off a Horrid Trailer
Looking for something scary and bloody? Well, look no further than teenagers being killed by ghost children in this horror-filled adventure title brought by XSEED.
Corpse Party Review
XSEED Games has always been a strong supporter of the PSP through the system’s lifespan, so leave it to them to publish another unique, enjoyable game like Corpse Party.
The Corpse Party Begins Later this Month on PSP
If this is even half as good as Trails in the Sky, then it’s sure to be pure gold.
Downloadable PSP Title Corpse Party Brings Horror Back To 16-Bit Era
Just in time for Halloween, Xseed announces that an entry in the long-running horror game saga Corpse Party will get an English localization for the PSP in the near future. I’m suddenly starting to get quite hungry.
New PSP Title Corpse Party Shows off a Horrid Trailer
Looking for something scary and bloody? Well, look no further than teenagers being killed by ghost children in this horror-filled adventure title brought by XSEED.
Corpse Party Review
Posted By Taylor Hoyt about 1 year, 5 months ago
Corpse Party Review
J-Dub Reviews: Corpse Party, 
XSEED Games has always been a strong supporter of the PSP through the system’s lifespan, so leave it to them to publish another unique, enjoyable game like Corpse Party. This is why I love the company. They understand their fans and are willing to takes risks like this to bring us unique and fun games. As one of the last games coming out for the PSP before the PS Vita launches, I can safely say Corpse Party is worth checking out it.
| PROS | Interesting story, Fantastic sound, Original Japanese voice work, Great atmosphere |
| CONS | Very little actual gameplay and 16-bit graphics may turn away certain gamers, Death sequences are WAY too long. |
| WTF?! | The little amount of shame Seiko has. I doubt she has any. |
I grew up playing the SNES as a young gaming lad, but I don’t recall ever seeing a true 16-bit horror game, not one like Corpse Party at least. This truly is a unique gaming experience in an era where we have ultra-saturated genres and copycat franchises. If you’re put off by the dated graphics or the fact that it’s on the PSP, then this game was never for you. However, those looking for something fresh and unique are in for a treat.
Corpse Party centers around a group of high school students that incorrectly perform an occult ritual that has dire consequences. As such, they’re all transported to a haunted elementary school on another plane of existence. The students are trapped there left to solve a mystery surrounding some gruesome murders. Whether you enjoy the story or not is ultimately going to be what makes or breaks the game for you since the gameplay is rather limited. You do you however get the chance to control most of the students at one point or another.
Personally, I really enjoyed switching characters and getting their different outlooks on their situation. There was ample opportunity to learn about the characters and their various back stories. The beginning of each chapter will occasionally show the characters before the incident, so it’s fun to see how they deal with the drastically different situations. All of them feel real and interesting, not simply cookie-cutter. Seiko was my favorite character, mainly for how ridiculous she is, but also for her strong bond to her friends. Each character is interesting though and you’ll most likely enjoy getting to know each one.
Let’s jump down this hole behind me! it looks safe!
As far as gameplay goes, it’s rather limited. It’s a mixture of puzzles and adventuring. Between the story sequences you’ll be exploring the abandoned school for clues, other people, and staying away from ghosts. Despite what it may look like, there aren’t any battles or fights. Most scenarios are as simple as looking for item X that will let you gain access to area Y. Occasionally, you’ll have ghosts or deranged humans chasing you, but the gameplay objectives tend to remain relatively similar.
What’s neat though is there are multiple scenarios concerning which students live or die that add a bit of replay value. Seemingly innocuous conversational choices can turn out to have rather important implications down the road. The game can seem rather simple, but what really helps is the atmosphere. Your feeling of loneliness as you meander the empty halls, accompanied by the eerie soundtrack truly bring out a feeling of horror. Playing in the dark, huddled in my bed truly gave me a sense of fear a few times.
You may not think that the horror aspect would translate well with the game being in 16 bits, but it surprisingly does. The amount of detail the game goes into when describing vile murders, text and sound wise, truly sets a terrifying tone. One other touch given to the game that really makes it shine is the fact that the voice work can only be heard in Japanese, while the text is obviously in English. Many gamers complain about certain Japanese games not having the original voice actors. In Corpse Party, you have no choice. You only have Japanese to listen to, and it’s fantastic.
The game has its highs and lows, but ultimately I enjoyed Corpse Party. Learning about the mystery kept me wanting to play more, I thoroughly enjoyed the characters, and wow that music is good. There are also extra chapters you can unlock through the game that will shed more light on the various characters and the story surrounding the murders. For $20, you’ll absolutely get you money’s worth.
As previously mentioned, XSEED spoils us with cool and different entertainment, and we owe it to them to support their games. Ignore my number score and just look at the recommendation, “Buy It Now.” Seriously, what are you still doing reading this review? Hop on the PlayStation Network right now and download this game. You’ll love it and thank me later.
A copy of this game was provided by the publisher for review purposes. The game was completed in 10 hours and played on the PSP.
Follow me on Twitter, YouTube or email me at Taylor@blisteredthumbs.net. Also, feel free to leave a comment with suggestions about writing style, approach to coverage or anything else that might be on your mind.
7/10
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December 07, 2011 at 01:54pm
This game is HORRIBLE! I’m watching a LP of it and I’m so scared that after 20 hours i ran out of pants. It has been a long time since I have come across something so terrifying. Although the personally I find stereotypical Anime characters to be quite annoying the game is really successful in creating the atmosphere by using words, sounds and gore in the right amount. So yeah, if you like horror games you should definitely give this one a go.
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December 04, 2011 at 07:30am
*sigh* Really really wish this was a physical release. I just refuse to buy DLC only games as long as theres DRM crap in place. Plus i like a physical copy for my stuff. Too bad i really wanted to check this game out =( The manga is messed up. I heard the next Trails in the sky game is probably gonna be DLC only too
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December 05, 2011 at 04:03am
If you want to play it… what’s stopping you? You may not *like* download-only, but it’s not like the game is any less fun when downloaded than it is when played from a disc. The download will also probably last a lot longer than a disc would, *and* can be replaced at no charge if lost (which a physical disc cannot) — and as long as PSN exists, the DRM that’s present on games downloaded from it is very much unobtrusive and, really, a non-issue.
Ultimately, if you choose not to buy the game solely because it’s download-only, you’re only depriving yourself of enjoyment. The game wouldn’t exist in English at all if download-only weren’t an option, either, since there would’ve been no way to justify the costs involved with a physical release of such a niche title — so ultimately, the choice was PSN-only, or no western release of Corpse Party whatsoever. So essentially, electing not to buy the game because it’s PSN-only is not only depriving yourself of enjoyment, but also effectively sending the message that you don’t want other extremely niche titles to be released in English in the future.
It’s pretty much lose-lose.
If you can’t afford the game, or if you’re using custom firmware on your PSP and can’t figure out how to download from PSN with it, those are viable excuses. But saying “I don’t like download-only games or DRM” is just… not a good attitude to have. Take my advice: embrace downloadable games. Even if you don’t like them, they’re the bread and butter of us smaller publishers, and we probably wouldn’t be around for much longer without them.
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December 18, 2011 at 07:13pm
Some people have principles and self control. Some times you need to deprive yourself of something in-order to hold true to your beliefs, in this case, that DLC is not the way to go for console/handheld titles. A belief that I share and have had to pass on games I might be interested in because of that.
The “This sends the message we don’t want niche titles” argument is is severely flawed. If Project Rainfall has taught us anything, sales numbers do not necessarily inspire localization. Heck, even massive consumer demand doesn’t necessarily inspire localization . I believe Mother 3 is a pretty strong example of that. Then on the other side, we get stuff that’s way out of left field, like Cathrine, getting localized and doing really well simply because Atlus took the time and relatively minor investment to get the name out their and build up some interest.
Something that would solve everyone’s problem would be pre-orders, with appropriate pricing, and limited printing. Perhaps even making a “special edition” box set as a pre-order option which would generate even higher revenue per copy than just a normal release. Many people will pay extra to get a physical copy or special box, especially among the people who seek out niche stuff. Then, once the pre-orders have been filled, the downloadable option still exists for people who missed the initial release and don’t want to/can’t hunt down a likely rare and expensive used copy or new copy that someone hoarded to price gouge on or just aren’t willing to spend the extra money.
Lastly, to Kenshindoo, if you did not purchase this game because it was DLC only, I strongly suggest you contact Xseed and, politely and coherently, tell them that. Will it make a difference? No, probably not, but it never hurts to let them know why they’re missing sales. If enough people do so, who knows, it may cause them to reconsider their choices in the future. Not every publisher is as retarded as Nintendo of America.
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December 03, 2011 at 12:07am
16-bit horror eh, looks like you never played Clocktower Taylor.
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December 02, 2011 at 10:52pm
Based on the trailer (and your review), this game kinda reminds me of 999– not in terms of gameplay, of course, but gameplay doesn’t seem to be the main focus of either. It’s the cast of unique and truly interesting characters, the strange and horribly isolated situation they find themselves flung into, the different possible paths and endings, the horrible deaths, and of course the underlying mystery that is never entirely revealed or resolved.
Of course, this is clearly much more of a straight-up horror title than 999. That said, would you agree that this game is similar, or am I off the mark?
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December 02, 2011 at 12:15pm
Cool that you’ve reviewed this title but…
where’s the Fishing Resort review? -
December 02, 2011 at 12:22pm
I don’t have a Wii D:
If you ask Jew Wario nice enough he might be able to do one! -
December 02, 2011 at 07:17am
I would, Taylor. I would have bought it before the review came out, but God and Sony conspire against me. Who knows when the PSN will release it here?
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December 02, 2011 at 12:52pm
You can make an American PSN account on your PS3 and download it from there! Region free for the win
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December 03, 2011 at 12:48am
I actually tried that. I made an American account (that’s how I got the DL size infor for you) but it won’t accept my credit card.
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December 03, 2011 at 03:49pm
Do you have game or electronics stores that sell PSN cards?
Something like this: http://bit.ly/thSYri
I don’t know if that would work, but it’s something else you could try.
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December 03, 2011 at 04:29pm
The card Taylor mentioned will definitely work, but Lowlander, where are you located?
If you’re in any European country, the game will be released on PSN in your part of the world very soon, so you might be better off just waiting. We’ll be announcing the official European release date shortly, and unless something changes drastically, I can tell you now that it’s not particularly far off.
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December 08, 2011 at 10:34pm
FYI, the European PSN launch of the game has been announced. It’s December 14th — next Wednesday! Cost is 14.99 euros.
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December 02, 2011 at 05:32am
I’ve been reading the manga and this is definitely a game I would love to play!
I finally got this game! Awesome! Thanks J!
As soon as I finished watching the review, I went on Media Go and bought the game for my PSP. I got to say, it was definitely worth the shot for me.
In terms of storytelling, it seems that some characters are doing mistakes on purpose (see the horror flick nerd from the Scream movies for pointers), such as leaving one another and end up alone, which almost certainly leads to losing sight and track of the others. I stressed out every time I saw a character leave the room, because I knew the game would do a 180 and take advantage of that, and it sure did.
The most stressful moments were around Yuka, Satoshi’s little sister, the youngest of the main characters. Already was she vulnerable and needy, but you know nothing good will happen to her if she ever ends up alone. I would expect any developers to spare her, but… I was mistaken. Gravely so.
I haven’t played long enough to know each and every endings, but I know some deaths can be inevitable. And some courses of actions led me to discover secret endings that give more character exposition, which is nice, and cruel at the same time.
Also, some chapter endings and cliffhangers had me going “AW come ON!”, both because it keeps me on my toes, and because some were just unfair. But it’s a visual novel, as Justin said.
I think some characters might end up not as likeable as the devs would like us to find them. Seiko, a main character you play as in chapter 1, is definitely questionable, goofy, and definitely over the top.
This game is based on a manga that i read, called Corpse Party
Actually, the manga is based on the game.
I hope to pick this up. I’m a total wimp when it comes to horror games, so I hope to gain a bit of tougher skin.
Good review. I loved this game when I got it two or three months ago.
But I wish you’d touch on the one annoying thing in this game, since you will die a lot the wrong end death scenes can get long and annoying when you play them too much.
Nice George Takei Impersonation, even if you didn’t mean to.For some Reason when you added the special effects of The Spirit fade in and fade out…It creeped me out so much I had to lower the screen when the live action kicked in….I dunno if it was cuz of a storm was going before I saw the review….or if it was the atmosphere of the game, gotta say, nice touch regardless.
My jackass ex sold my PSP without my permission and since I’m broke as a joke, I can’t play the game. Too bad it’s not available for Xbox 360, then I’d try it out.
Good of you to mention the good guy Lordkat with his catch phrase
Haha, I remember I bought this on the PSN because I thought I could play it on the PS3. Yeah… I don’t have a PSP or a Vita. I’m kind of a fucking idiot like that.
Watching this review makes me want to play it soooo badly now. Well, if I DO ever get a PSP or Vita, at least I have the game already.
At the end, did you intend to sound like George Tikai?
That seemed like very intresting game.
I heard Silent Hill, surely a review of the Silent Hill HD Collection must be forthcoming!
Also, good review there J-dub. Glad to see that something originally from RPGMaker found a publisher. :3
I’d like to see you do a lets play of amnesia the dark descent in the dark! lol try to sit threw that game!
Kinda reminded me of the first Silent Hill, actually. Being that that was my favorite game of all time, I think you pretty much just sold me on getting a PSP.
Aww man. I’d love to play this game. But I do not have PSP/Vita nor do I plan to get one ever. Damn…:(
Aww, why not? There are soooo many great PSP games! I bet if you got one, you wouldn’t regret it…
Sounds like an intersting game, but I don’t have a psp, and would probably not get one just for it. Is it available on any other platforms?
::Remembers GTA3:: If Donald Love shows up, I’m outta here!
It must’ve gotten some degree of exposure, J-Dub. When I last checked the PSN store back in February, Corpse Party was STILL the best-selling game for the PSP in the US.
This is one of the few games that I don’t regret having in my collection. I only hope that XSEED will be able to release the sequel, Book of Shadows, out in the West sometime in the future.
I am worried about a game like this only having depressing endings and making me loose any caring for the characters within it. My first ending to the game 999 involved Clover and a death, and I have to say, since your review made it feel like I could of avoided that if I saw it coming, I felt very helpless and even hated the character. It wasn’t until the very end of everything that I was able to forgive her. I just don’t want to play a game of this sort and feel pissed at all the characters for being insane pricks and ending it early.
nice review Justin. this game has the same vibe that the original clock tower had. creepy and scary with not a lot of gore. pretty effective and very hard to pull off.
peace
Have you heard of the game “Ao Oni”?
It is a 16 bit top down japanese rpg like this and
IT IS SCARY AS HELL. *shudders*
just watch a gameplay video and see if it intrests you, trust me, it wont disapoint.
Hey J-dub do you think this will be available for the psvista at some point?
It already is! It’s fully Vita-compatible, and is on the list of supported Vita downloads.
Such a good review that I think I need my pooper medicine.
(Cookie to anyone who gets that joke)
I get it! And Seiko’s friggin disgusting.