


We first meet lead character Mai Toyama enduring her father’s abuse. Expertly, Compile Heart’s prologue evokes one of the most unsettling contexts in gaming, vaguely reminiscent of Dario Argento’s horror masterpiece, 1977’s Suspiria. With the port of Death end re Quest 2, those seeking a blend of unsettling exposition and turn-based combat didn’t have to wait long. Although re Quest’s journey was gratifying, it roused a hunger for more horror-themed role-playing experiences. Corpse Party writer Makoto Kedôin compelled players to make apprehension-producing decisions, where an imprudent choice often resulted in an unsettling death. More saliently, re Quest reminded players of the fragility of the human body.
MONSTER MONPIECE VITA ENGLISH PC
Revisit the Switch title (or better yet, the technically superior PC and PlayStation 4 versions) and you’ll find a trek that blurs real and virtual worlds, with a game programmer seemingly trapped inside a perpetually glitching MMO. But, as 2019’s Death end re Questdemonstrated, the Toshima-based studio is just as comfortable tackling darker themes. With playful, pantsu-parading romps like Hyperdimension Neptunia, Monster Monpiece, and Gun Gun Pixies, Compile Heart is often associated with cheeky fan-service. Languages: English, Japanese (voice), English text Platform: Switch, previously on PC, PlayStation 4
