Corpse Party Review

Corpse Party PSP
Developed By: Team GrisGris
Localized and Published by: XSEED
Date of Release: November 22, 2011
Price: $19.99

The visual novel genre. Very rarely do we see this majestic creature outside it's natural habitat of Japan. When we do however it is often quite a sight to behold, pairing engrossing storytelling with a rich audiovisual experience. Today's subject is one such rare creature, and though it's subject matter is not for the faint of heart, it will definitely satisfy those with a penchant for the macabre. Ladies and Gentlemen, for your approval I offer Corpse Party.




Corpse Party started out as a PC-98 game, which was then ported to PC as Corpse Party Blood Covered. It was then remade for the PSP as Corpse party Repeated Fear, which was localized by XSEED as simply Corpse Party, essentially making it a remake of a remake. In the process it gained an incredible upgrade in artwork fidelity, and some amazingly well-done voicework. Add to that the pulse-pounding score and the masterfully crafted story, and you have an edge-of-your seat experience that will grip you until the very end.




I don't want to spoil a single bit of the story for Corpse Party as it is best experienced first hand, but I will be clear on one fact: the game WILL take you in with the endearing characters, and then beat you about the head mercilessly with their tragic demise. That is not to say that it reaches the level of fan abuse, but I honestly had a few teary moments during my playthrough. Those who have a tendency to develop extreme attachments to characters may want to proceed with caution.




If you've read this far and you still think that Corpse Party sounds like a great experience, then let me tell you that you are correct. It is the perfect game for horror buffs and visual novel fans alike, and the decidedly Japanese setting is a refreshing change from the average cookie cutter thriller. Corpse party is in my humble opinion well worth the $20 price tag, and the replayability is excellent due to the massive number of endings that are available to those who look for them.