Review for The Caligula Effect: Overdose. Game for Nintendo Switch, PC and PlayStation 4, the video game was released on 17/05/2018 The version for PC came out on 12/03/2019 The version for Nintendo Switch came out on 12/03/2019
Many things could be said about The Caligula Effect, a JRPG title released in 2016 in Japan as one of the few exclusives of what was probably the most unfortunate console of the current generation, or PlayStation Vita, but still fertile ground for great titles of the genre that still they are the masters.
The Caligula Effect was in fact presented immediately as the spiritual heir of one of the most famous and exciting series in the last period of ATLUS, or Persona, as Takashi Satomi also participated in the project, who wrote and also played an important role in the making of Persona 2: Innocent Sin and Persona 2: Eternal Punishment. For this reason, thanks to the growing success of the video game genre to which it is part and the high expectations related to the staff of The Caligula Effect, when the game came out it left in most players a certain sense of dissatisfaction, due to its superficial approach. and not very engaging in terms of plot development.
So what can we say about its remastered version, or The Caligula Effect: Overdose? First of all that the need was felt, since although the original game was released only two years earlier, on the one hand the poor distribution due to the release on PlayStation Vita and on the other the need to have to fix certain elements both on a technical and narrative required a new version of the game. However, this remaster manages to resume the formula and improve its weaknesses only up to a certain point.
Imagine you discover that you are forced into a virtual world managed by a virtualdoll, Mu, which to save you from the suffering of the real world prevents you from returning to your real life. A dream? Not for the members of the Go-Home Club, a small number of students who, unlike the vast majority of the inhabitants of the Mobius, as the protagonist have realized the fictitious nature of that world, and that they want to be able to return to their real homes as soon as possible. For this reason, after meeting Aria, another virtualdoll regretting having helped Mu in the past to create this virtual prison, you will decide to join forces to be able to escape from the Mobius.
Despite the excellent premises of the plot and the multitude of possibilities for involving the player within this absurd world and wrapped in the notes of the virtualdoll songs, loved by all the inhabitants of the Mobius, the player will not be faced with a particularly profound narrative and engaging. In the same way, even the adventure companions and all the NPCs that you will have the opportunity to meet will not help to create a more enthralling atmosphere in the game, having been able to present dialogue strips more suited to the different situations that occur. during the Go-Home Club adventure.
Compared to the original version, the remaster has some improvements in terms of plot, inserting some cut-scenes where there was not before and some more dialogue lines, but which are not enough to improve the narrative development. However, it is very interesting the addition of a second new route able to allow the player to join the Ostinato Musicians, or the henchmen of Mu, who unlike the protagonists struggle to be able to stay forever in Mobius.
As for the gameplay, a special mention goes to the combat system, which despite being turn-based still manages to introduce new dynamics that can make it very original. By allowing up to three consecutive attacks in turn, the possibility of being able to preview how and if our attack will hit is very useful, also taking into account the success rate of the action. More, the remaster also adds the ability to perform special attacks very powerful called Overdose, based on the amount of stress collected during battles.
Another appreciated aspect was the soundtrack of the game, especially in the case of the accompanying OSTs of the dungeons, which are one of the few truly engaging elements within the game. Being forced to stay inside the Mobius da Mu, the virtualdoll revered by all, hearing his songs over and over again creates an effect of estrangement and annoyance capable of making the gaming experience and identification with the protagonists much more effective. .
Speaking instead of anything that does not strictly have to do with the main story, we cannot comment in the same enthusiastic way. In fact, the game, in addition to presenting the plot in the two different episodes and some interludes to be able to deepen the companions of the party, does not allow the player to do much else: as previously mentioned there are no great possibilities of interaction with the environment and with the NPCs . Finally, on a technical level, the game still has several problems that have not been solved by the original version, such as the drop in the frame rate during some battles or in certain scenarios.
The game has certainly made huge strides in its remastered version, but that can't be said to be enough yet. In fact, while acknowledging the effective improvements in The Caligula Effect: Overdose, the title still continues to leave a sense of bitterness due to the excellent initial premises which, however, have not been adequately developed. However, thanks to an excellent combat system and interesting new possibilities implemented at the plot level, FuRyu's JRPG will still be able to keep you busy for several hours in front of the console.
► The Caligula Effect: Overdose is a JRPG type game developed by Aquria and published by NIS America for Nintendo Switch, PC and PlayStation 4, the video game was released on 17/05/2018 The version for PC came out on 12/03/2019 The version for Nintendo Switch came out on 12/03/2019
