Category Archives: Reviews

Review: Shiftlings (Xbox One)

Score: 7.5 out of 10

Shiftlings is the second game to come out of Sierra Entertainment since Activision reopened it in fall of 2014, the first being Geometry Wars 3. Developed by Rock Pocket Games, Shiftlings is a goofy side scrolling puzzle-platformer.

PulleyYou play as two idiotic alien janitors who are “fixing” machines, while unwitting starring in a reality show. I say fixing but it’s really just turn a value and pull a lever.  One of the aliens that you play drinks the “fizziest soda in the universe” and ends up with a bit of a gas problem; inflating his space suit. Since the both the aliens suits share air through an umbilical cord the “gas” passes through and inflates one or the others suit. Yep the game is just one big fart joke and that’s fine. Farts are funny. That’s also where the main mechanic in the game is, you have to navigate the levels with one alien inflated and having to switch who is inflated to get through obstacles. You also only control one alien at a time. Whichever alien is inflated is also the heaviest for some reason. This can but used to haul the smaller one up on platforms and then he can jump on top of the fat one and use him as a bouncy castle to get to a higher platform. When moving only the fat one can pull the other which can be an issue when you are trying to go up a onto a lift and only one makes it on and the umbilical cord is cut and killing them.

Host/announcer of this wacky reality show would fit right in on a Nickelodeon kids game show. He jokes can be funny at times but can get repetitive quickly, especially if you repeatedly die in the x360-ZJhsame area and have to restart from the checkpoint. In between worlds he has some snarky comment about how dangerous the next world is and how it’ll be very entertaining to watch.

It’s not until about mid-way through when you start to actually come across enemies. They enemy robot that’s wander the levels have saw blades and giant hammers. Who gives a robot a saw blade? That just asking to get killed. You can jump on theirs head to destroy them but only if it’s the big alien. Here’s a little tip: use the small alien to jump above the robot to get the height; then inflate him as he’s coming down to destroy the robot.

Shiftlings does have two player co-op. As you can expect one player controls one alien and the other controls to the second. You can no longer use the B button to switch characters (makes sense, right?). Both players have the ability to inflate and/or deflate the other. That can make for a  back and forth of inflating and deflating both of yshiftlingsou fighting for control. The skill that become the hardest, that I found while testing the co-op, is the one where one has to jump on the other and use the fat one as a trampoline but you also have to walk across the screen at the same time. In single player, you can hold down the Left Bumper and both character move at the same time. Not the case in co-op, obviously. Be sure to watch the video above to see William and I play some of the co-op.

Over all Shiftlings is a pretty ok game. If you really enjoyed games like ‘Splosion Man series then you’ll like this game.

*Code Supplied by Publisher*

Hand of Fate Review (Xbox One)

Score: 8 out of 10

My first thought after hearing the title Hand of Fate was, “they made a Manos Hands of Fate video game?” Nope. Instead, Defiant Development’s Hand of Fate is a card building, tabletop Dungeons and Dragons, with a smeckering of action game tossed in the pot. Is smerckering a cooking term; well it is now.

The Escapists Review (Xbox One)

Score: 7.5 out of 10

The Escapists, the a nutshell, is a game where you escape prison. The Escapists was developed by Mouldy Toof Studios and Published by Team17 Ltd a.k.a the Worms developers. The game was released on Steam and Xbox One on Feb. 13, 2015.

When you are not actively trying to escape prison your character has to live normal prison life. A typical day of a prisoner includes morning and evening roll call, Three meals a day, a period for prison work, exercise time with a shower afterward, free time, and of coarse lights out.

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The game also has a crafting system that allows you to create 100+items you might need to escape or make friendly with your fellow inmates. The crafting system can get a little complicated. Mainly because the only thing you are taught is how to make a sock mace using a sock and a bar of soap. Everything else you are left up to trial and error of what makes what. Some recipes make sense like the sock mace one but others like timber, wire, and a razor is used to make a whip I would have never have thought if someone didn’t tell me.

Other inmates can help or hurt your escape plans. Well when I say hurt I mean they will attack you on sight if you make them angry by picking fights with them. Some inmates will sell items to you as well as ask you to do favors for them for coins. The favors include stuff like cause a ruckus during a mealtime or roll call which involves picking a fight, just plain ol’ knocking either a guard or prisoner out, or taking an item from another inmate. The item that needs to be taken could be on their person, which you need to fight them in order to steal from them or its in their desk in their cell. If they don’t like you they won’t sell to you of course.

You can use the workout equipment to increase your strength which allows you punch people out quicker. It don’t take too long to get strong enough to knock them out in one punch. Increasingss_ec12843a248ba9b0ad59a6e97b678c8f69fcddda.600x338 your strength also increases your health and lets you take more hits from guards and angry inmates. You can run on the treadmill to increase your speed and allows you to outrun everyone. You can use things like the books and computers to raise your intellect. Intellect is needed to create some of the more complicated recipes and do certain jobs around the prison.

Several jobs are available around prison. Jobs are used to better relationships with guards and inmates and scavenging resources. There are currently ten jobs available in the game. Completing the quota for the work period will result in being paid. Performing additional work once the quota has been met will not result in additional money, so you can leave once the quota has been met without the guards becoming aggressive.You can apply for any vacant job at the job board. You don’t have to have a job but they can make getting certain items easier. For example if you have the a job in the laundry you can smuggle out guard uniforms.

ss_a4accc2bae72c80af1c6333233fa3e2c03ceb66c.600x338There are many ways to escape once you’ve gathered everything you need. You can use multiple tools to dig the walls. Be sure to make fake walls so the guards don’t catch on. You can use a screwdriver to get into the overhead vents, fake vents are needed there. You can use molded keys to unlock doors. Use shovels and pickaxes to dig holes in the floor, if you dig long tunnels braces are needed so it doesn’t collapse. If you use guard uniforms you can just walk around when and where you’re not supposed to. You can also just take over the prison by tying up all the guards with rope or duct tape. There are so many ways to escape that I haven’t even thought of yet.ss_a0e3fd800010ea8ec3f64b0f63e2e0a9b9b06b18.600x338

The Escapists is definitely a fun game. Future updates that are planned include multiplayer, I’m looking forward to that. If you like 8 bit simulation games about prison then this game is 10 out of 10 perfect for you, but if you’re a normal person then this game is still good.

*Code Supplied by Publisher*

Roundabout Review (Xbox One)

Score: 8 out of 10.

Driving games have become a huge franchise in the past few years. Roundabout is technically a driving game, but it is much more then that. Roundabout, developed by No Goblin, was released on Steam last September, and is releasing on Xbox One Today or 2-20-2015.

I am horrible at driving games. Driving in video games like GTA, Halo, or many other games are just not enjoyable for me. It may come to shock to see that I am writing a review on a game where you drive a limo. I have been playing this game constantly since receiving a review copy from No Goblin.

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Roundabout is an open world driving game where skills in other driving games doesn’t matter. Roundabout has a unique game mechanic where your limo you are driving spins around constantly. This spinning mechanic adds a timing aspect to the game where you have to time just right in order to get around certain objects such as trees, cars, walls, and other objects. These objects you have to get around will quickly damage and destroy your limo. I have had a lot of issues with the timing and have destroyed a lot of limos. This, however, doesn’t take away from the game. Destroying your limo doesn’t have a huge penalty. There are also a different upgrades such as a slow mode called turtle power, ability to travel on water and more. You can also jump, boost, and use the two in order to jump long distances.

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The story is fun and nothing too deep. You play as Georgio Manos, a female limo driver who is the silent type. The story is explained through Full Motion Video or FMV. Everytime you pick up a passenger the FMV starts. It has a real B-Movie feel to it and it totally works. The game doesn’t take itself serious and I believe that is where the fun truly shines. The story is more enjoyable then one may think because it is a little cheesy and who doesn’t like a little bit of cheese?

screenshot-a1The story missions are mainly get A to B, but there are more then that. There are challenges where you would have to bounce a soccer ball off the limo and keep it going as long as you can. There is also another challenge where cars are falling down and you must avoid the cars as long as possible. These challenges are pretty fun and mixes the game up a bit and give replay-ability. I kept playing a certain challenge over and over again in order to beat a friend’s score. The challenges show the record among you and your friends as well as the world record.

My Great Capture Screenshot 2015-02-18 12-01-48I think Roundabout is a fantastic and fun game. This game has tons of content to do and I just find myself going back to try to score better on challenges, collect the piles of cash that are around the world or just to see what tricks I can do. I would highly recommend this game to anyone who is looking for a fun game to play in between the AAA games that are out there.

 

Anime Review: When Supernatural Battles Became Commonplace

Score: 7.0

Genre:Supernatural, Harem, Comedy

Version: Subbed

Episodes: 12

Where I watched it: Crunchyroll

Chifuyu using stuffed animal to talk while mad at Andou

Chifuyu using stuffed animal to talk while mad at Andou

Synopsis: One normal day, the literature club and the niece of their adviser received supernatural powers. First off you got Sayumi Takanashi with the power of “Root of Origin” which is she can repair and heal anything. Then you have sweet Hatoko Kushikawa with the superpower of “Over Element” or the control of all four elements (air, earth, water, fire) as well as light. Next there’s the aforementioned niece of the adviser Chifuyu Himeki with the “World Create” ability; she can create anything. Next up is Tomoyo Kanzaki’s power of “Closed Clock” is controlling time; only slowing, stopping, and speeding up though, no reversing it. And finally we have the only boy of the group Jurai Andou with the power of “Dark and Dark” which is the ability to produce a, lukewarm, black flame. Andou is what is known as a chuunibyou which is a Japanese slang term which roughly translates to “Middle School 2nd Year Syndrome”. People with chuunibyou either act like a know-it-all adult and look down on real ones, or believe they have special powers unlike others. – Urban Dictionary. He was a chuuni before and after he got superpowers which lead him into these rants that just caused the others to stare at him like an idiot or ignore him completely. He’s also the one to name everyone’s powers.

Which most animes once a character(s) get powers there is then an adversary to fight. While yes there is a enemy to fight they never present themselves to the “Virgin Children”. “Virgin Children” is the name of Andou’s group who know nothing of the Fairy War. The name is given to them by Tomoyo’s older brother who is also a chuunibyou and also has powers, which they don’t know about, and knows everything that is going on. Including why they have powers and who gave it to them, but he keeps them all in the dark.

Because the main cast of characters don’t have anyone to fight most of the anime is just a slice of life, only have occasionally use superpowers.

I would have loved to see her in more than just one episode

I would have loved to see her in more than just one episode

My Thoughts (Spoilers): I thoroughly enjoyed this anime. It was funny and a little bit informative, for instance I learned what a chuunibyou is and realized I went to school with one. I did found it a little bit annoying that none of the girls knew they were in love with Andou until the end, well exempt for Hatoko who knew she was in love all along. I mean I knew in episode two when he gave the student council president, Mirei Kudo, a letter calling her power of stealing other people’s powers “Grateful Robber” which she misread as “Grateful Lover” and thought it was a love letter. When all the girls gave him the silence treatment I knew right then that they all liked Andou.

Originally I had this show at a 9.0 but after episode 8 and you find out all about the Fairy War and F. We meet some interesting characters in this episode and we never see them again. I would have really liked to see more of them. It was almost like this was an episode from another anime all together. In fact I had to stop and check to make sure I wasn’t watching the wrong show. This came right after Hatoko was kidnapped and I thought that the show was going to turn and we were going to see some super battles. Nope. Sayumi does an Ass Pull and can “bring the literature club back to it’s original state” meaning she can use “Root of Origin” to Hatoko, who for all they know has just run away and is missing, to them. They didn’t even know she was kidnapped, so they have no reason to think there’s an enemy out there. Which means they are shocked during the last episode, after all the girls had their one on one dates with Andou, when a possessed Mirei shows up to attack the literature club. Here I thought finally a battle.

Dark and Dark

Dark and Dark

Again, nope. Possessed Mirei used two attacks before she stole Andou’s second level power “Dark and Dark of the End” which is Andou’s black flame only it’s now hot and also burns the user and can’t be put out by anyone. Now comes the talking. Andou convinces the possessor to leave Mirei before finding out who she works for or their goal. So that just leaves Andou and an unpossessed Mirei to now burn until the rest of the “Virgin Children” show up and use Chifuyu to create a guillotine to chop off their hands and Sayumi to restore their hands. A bit brutal. And that’s how the show ends with none of them knowing anything. You can see where I had an issue with the show by now.

If this show gets a second season and the characters find out what is going on my score may go up. As of now since the anime covered all 9 novels that have been released so far I don’t know if that will happen, but since apparently the ending was unique to the anime it may take it’s own path. Cause you know that’s gone over so well in the past *cough* Full Metal Alchemist *cough* Rosario + Vampire. We’ll see.

 

Anime Review: My Mental Choices are Interfering with my School Romance Comedy

 Score: 8.0

 

Genre: Ecchi, Harem, Comedy
Version: Subbed
Episodes: 10
Where I watched it: Crunchyroll

Open up a dirty magazine, found in a park, and inhale or eat a page. Decisions, decisions.

Open up a dirty magazine, found in a park, and inhale or eat a page. Decisions, decisions.

Synopsis: My Mental Choices are Interfering with my School Romance Comedy is about a high school student, named Kanade Amakusa, who has an interesting problem. Every so often a voice in his head gives him a multiple choice task that he has to perform or risk major headaches. These tasks could be anything, from “take off your shirt and oink like a pig while on all fours,” to “a beautiful girl will fall from the sky”. Even if these choices alter reality like turning Kanade into a female or into a drain that will never clog. Usually the choices that he has to choose from are all bad and he just has to better the lesser evil. So when given the option to either flirt with his unattractive neighbor or have a beautiful girl fall from the sky he goes with the obvious and a girl fall from the sky on top of him. She is an angel, sent by God to help him get rid of his Absolute Choice curse. The only problem is that’s all she can remember. Now he’s getting “missions” sent to his phone and once all of these missions are complete the curse will be removed. So now Kanade and Chocolat (the girl who fell from the sky) try to complete the missions which are just as strange as the Absolute Choices themselves.

My Thoughts (Spoilers): This is a pretty QpjviMH good comedy anime. This was also my first simulcast anime to finish. It was definitely a different experience to watch one episode a week instead of the whole series at once.

Some of my favorite scenes where at the end when we saw what would have happened if he picked one of the other choices, like the being turned into a female or being turned into a drain. I thought the females around him were all great. Furano the tsundere of the group, and whenever she talks to herself she sounds a lot sweeter. Ouka is the lovable goofball. Chocolat has the loyalty of a dog and her cowlick even wags like a dog when presented with food. One of my favorite episodes of the series was the episode that Chocolat got her memory back. She was a completely different person and very forward toward Kanade.

There were a couple times where this show was borderline henati. One example that comes to mind is the pool episode where Yuragi and Ayame were having a battle, Yuragi with her Onee legion and Ayame with her “gimps” (I’m calling them that because that’s how they were dressed). Yuragi then pinned Ayame to the ground and processed to titty fuck her with a water pistol. Yes you read that right. Titty fuck with a water pistol. You can’t get much more borderline than that, while still being able to be shown on Japanese TV and still be *PG-13. There are panty shot but since simulcasts show exactly what was shown on Japanese TV they are whited out. (*according to myanimelist.net)

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Having the “hotties” of the school like him, pretty much backfired.

This is one harem anime where a front runner isn’t quite present. For example in Ahh My Goddess the front runner was clearly Belldandy or in Rosario + Vampire it was Moka. They were the ones that you knew the main character would chose in the end. But in this show {Warning Final Episode Spoiler} Kanade is given a Absolute Choice to confess his love to either Chocolat, Furano, or Ouka. And he can’t chose.

I would watch more of this anime because I thought this was a funny show and it is hard to do funny like that and make it cross language barriers. There were a couple of occasions where I had to pause because I was laughing too hard to read the screen. The story did seem to take a bit too long to get through though. Spending 3 episodes to complete one mission was a bit too much, especially considering this anime is only 10 episodes long. I do hope there is a season two.

I would recommend this anime to anyone who doesn’t mind Ecchi Harems. As well to someone who doesn’t mind read subtitles.

Anime Review: Danganronpa: The Animation

Score: 8.5

Genre: Mystery, Thriller
Version: Subbed
Episodes: 13
Where I watched it: Funimation

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So much pink….pink,…pink…it’s everywhere!

Synopsis: Danganronpa: The Animation is based off the game Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc. Makoto Naegi was accepted to a prestigious high school, Hope’s Peak Private Academy. It is a school who only accepts Super-High-Level students in all fields. Naegi was selected out of a lottery of “normal” students, meaning he is the Super-High-Level-Lucky student. But as soon as he takes his first step onto the school grounds he passes out and awakens inside. He finds that all the windows are covered with iron plates and a huge vault-like door blocking the way outside. He meets up with 14 other students who know just about as much as he does.

They are greeted by their witty, maniacal, and teddy bear-like principal Monokuma. He informs them that the only way to graduate and leave the school is to secretly murder the fellow students. After a murder there is then a class trial and if the murder is discovered and found guilty then they are executed but if the murderer gets away with it and the wrong person is accused then everyone but the murderer is executed.

To show that she's crazy. She sticks her tongue out because it's anime and that's what they do.

To show that she’s crazy. She sticks her tongue out because it’s anime and that’s what they do.

My Thoughts (spoilers): I’ve’ve been looking for a good murder mystery anime for a while now. I know there’s Case Closed (Detective Conan is you prefer) but I wanted something else. Don’t get me wrong I like Case Closed; I’ve seen quite a few episodes. Anyway this was what I was looking for and I enjoyed it.

Going into it wasn’t sure I was going to like it but after episode 3, which is after the first murder and first trial I knew I was going to like it. I liked that fact that one episode was dedicated to story then the murder happens and the next episode is the trial. What I did not like was the little time dedicated to them investigating the murder and collecting clues and evidence. After the first murder and trial it there was only 20-30 of investigation then boom trial. So the audience never got the chance to come up with our own hypothesis about the murderer’s identity. Well I guess you have to play the game to really experience that.

I really liked the murderer execution scenes. That sounds creepy, I know, but the art style was pretty cool. It goes into this flat paper like art style. And each execution was suited the one getting executed. For example the Super-High-Level-Baseballer was pelted with baseballs from a pitching machine.  Also the blood in this show wasn’t red; it was like a hot pink. I guess to get lower TV rating or maybe it was hot pink in the game too, I don’t know.

I really liked the art-style during these death scenes.

I really liked the art-style during these death scenes.

The ending didn’t make much sense to me. Well not the ending but how remaining students deduced who the mastermind was. Their explanation on how Naegi figured it was kind of weak and seemed like a bit of a leap. And how the mastermind became the mastermind made no sense whatsoever and they says it two or three times.

This anime wasn’t too short and it wasn’t too long it was right where it needed to be. Now that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t like to see more, because I would. Having never playing or even seen the games I’m going to assume that Danganronpa 2 is a new cast of characters minus Monokuma which is what I would like to see. There was a bit of a teaser after the credits of the last episode of a female Monokuma poking her head out and saying “I would love to meet you” kind of thing. I give this anime a 8.5.

Anime Review: Deadman Wonderland

Score: 8.0

Genre: Action, Thriller, Supernatural
Version: Dubbed
Episodes: 12 + OVA
Where I watched it: Funimation

 

Anime+Logic.+OC+from+Deadman+Wonderland+link+to+episode+youtube.com+watch+v+iqVdev8laYE_15e8d7_3832234Synopsis: Ganta Igarashi was just sitting in class, when a mysterious cloak figure crashes through the 3rd floor window, into his classroom and brutally slaughters his entire class. Just before the attacker left, it shot a blood red crystal bullet into Ganta’s chest. Naturally, as the only survivor and witness he was convicted of the massacre and sent to Deadman Wonderland. Sounds like a theme park of horrors doesn’t it. Well it kind of is, but not for inmates. The inmates work the theme park as the attraction in a gladiatorial like events.

Soon after arriving at the prison Ganta meets a odd girl who seems to know him, named Shiro.Despite her happy-go lucky demeanor, she has the fighting skills of a ninja. She plans to protect Ganta. But Ganta discovers that he now has the power to use his own blood as a weapon. He soon finds out that others have the same power, but each person’s weapon is different. One person’s could be a sword, a projectile, a whip, plus many more. These weapons are called Branches of Sin.

The OVA is the backstory of one of the secondary characters, Crow. It takes place after the Red Hole incident . Which means that some people have Branches of Sin. Crow was a cop before getting locked up. But after meeting someone else with a Branch of Sin his life turns rotten.

Those eyes.....those eyes

Those eyes…..those eyes

My Thoughts (spoilers): I found Deadman Wonderland quite enjoyable. I just wish there were more episodes. The story really felt too short. Now the story didn’t feel rushed, in fact I thought that it dragged a little right before the end. I wish they would have spent more time in certain areas. For instance, we only saw the Dog Race I would have loved to see more games of death that the general public cheering for as inmates die; while thinking that it’s all fake. I would have also liked to see more Carnival Corpse and see more Branches of Sin. And more Hummingbird please; this is my personal opinion but I love insane, bloodthirsty characters in anime. Plus I felt like there could have been more character development from her and her brother.

I also was disappointed that we didn’t get any on who or what Shiro was. She wasn’t human, I don’t think, that or she was a created in a test tube. They only revealed her split personality once and what was that at the end with the Ganta “power transfer?” (That’s what I’m calling whatever it was.) He was all glowy and shit and so was Shiro, why? Maybe it’s answered in the manga. In the end I didn’t end up liking Ganta all that much. He still felt useless and boring. It was everyone around him that was interesting.

My face was the same at the end, Ganta.

My face was the same at the end, Ganta.

I couldn’t help but compare this anime to Future Diary. In both shows the main character are weak and not one to take charge. They are unwillingly thrown into a live or death situation and are unable to protect themselves. The only persons able to protect them are their female friends (girlfriend in the case of Yuno Gasai in Future Diary). Also both animes are quite gory and caulked full of blood. So if you like Future Diary you’ll most likely like Deadman Wonderland.

Now for the OVA. I didn’t really like the OVA at all. I felt like it was a waste. Because since I felt like the show was lacking the number of episodes department, I felt like the time spent on this could have been used better. Plus the OVA itself was subpar compared the rest of the show.

Overall I did enjoy the anime even with it’s major flaws. And would recommend to anyone who likes the hacky, slashy, gory, psychotic animes; like me. I give this one a 8.0.

Anime Review: Valvrave the Liberator (Season 1)

Score: 8.5

Genre: Mecha, Science Fiction, Action
Version: Subbed
Episodes: 12
Where I watched it: Crunchyroll

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Haruto vamping out and attacking L-elf

Synopsis: Valvrave the Liberator is a futuristic, giant robot, body-swapping vampire in space anime. The human race is divided among two superpower countries, ARUS and Dorssia, and a smaller neutral country JIOR. The protagonists of the story are from JIOR. They live on a Dyson sphere. During an attack by the Dorssians, Haruto Tokishima finds a mech and using it to fight off the invaders. In order to use the mech he has to “resign his humanity”; thus becoming immortal and able to possess other people by biting them. After the battle the students of Module 77 discover that both ARUS and Dorssia wish Valvrave for themselves so the students detach themselves from the rest of the Dyson sphere and declare them independent.

Media: This is a one of those cases where the anime came out first. The anime aired in April of 2013 and is ongoing, season two just started. A one-shot manga of the series was released in July as well as a light novel serial. A serialized manga of the backstory of the character Saki Ruckino started in August.

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Valvrave I’s AI? Not really sure what she is just yet

My Thoughts (minor spoilers): as someone who kind of likes those animes where a high school student saves the day with a giant robot (i.e. Linebarrels of Iron, Full Metal Panic, Evangelion, …you get the idea) I liked this one. The love interest part in this was a little different. Normally it’s the two that hate each other through most of the series but in this one they already like one another and it’s the “death” of Shōko Sashinami that throws Haruto into a bit of a rage and vows to kill every Dorssian. Bit different but still some of the same. I was really surprised on who got in the Purple Valvrave in the last episode. I’m not going to say who but it was a person who never even crossed my mind to get in a Valvrave. I am really glad that there is a second season because that was not one of those anime endings where you might think they could just leave it there. No this was a cliff hanger ending. I will defiantly watch the second season as soon as it becomes available for free members of Crunchyroll.

Anime Review: The World Only God Knows

Score: 7.0

Genre: Comedy, Romance, Fantasy
Version: Subbed
Episodes: 36
Where I watched it: Crunchyroll

Katsuragi's head is always buried in his PFP at school

Katsuragi’s head is always buried in his PFP at school

Synopsis: The World God Only Knows is about a high school student name
Keima Katsuragi who is also known by another name, “The God of Conquest”. The God of Conquest is known for being able to seduce any girl… as long as she’s 2D. The 2D part of that is lost on the air-headed, demon, Elsie. She sends him an email asking him to “conquer” a girl and thinking that it means in a game, Katsuragi accepts. This locks him in contract to capture loose souls from hell who inhabit the hearts of people. And of course the only way to get the loose souls out is to make that person fall in love. Katsuragi instantly hates this because he is in no way interested in real girls in the slightest. Well when he entered the contract a device was placed around his neck that will cut off his head and the head of his new buddy Elsie if they fail to capture the loose souls. So now The God of Conquest has to use his dating sim knowledge to get real girls to fall in love with him.

Media: Like most animes, The World God Only Knows started out as a manga in 2008 and is still running with 23 volumes so far. There was a short 3 chapter spin-off called Magical Star Kanon 100%. Yep that’s a Japanese title if I’ve ever heard one. It follows the pop idol Kanon Nekegawa as a magical girl. There were also two light novels, God and the Devil and an Angel and Prayer and Curse and Miracle. The anime has three seasons and two OVAs. The OVAs are unfortunately not on Crunchyroll but all the rest of the anime is.

Six games at once. Notice the Saga Saturn in the top right.

Six games at once. Notice the Saga Saturn in the top right.

My Thoughts (minor spoilers): I liked The World God Only Knows. It was a nice little comedy-lite anime. I call it comedy-lite because it was laugh out loud, going for a joke style of comedy. For example Katsuragi is constantly playing dating sims on his PFP (PSP) even during class. When one of his teachers gets on to him about he says fine I’ll get 100 on all the next tests, and of course he does. Or when Elsie incorporates herself as Katsuragi’s sister she tells his mom that’s she’s Katsuragi’s father’s illegitimate daughter (he’s over seas the entire anime). This makes Katsuragi’s ex-biker mom a little upset let’s say. But she does completely accept Elsie as a daughter. I did need a nice calm anime to bring me down after watching Future Dairies (Note to self: write Future Dairies review 😉 ). I was disappointed that the OVAs were not on Crunchyroll because they take place between seasons 2 and 3 and it assumes you’ve seen them and new characters were added and the series narrative did a brief, enough to let you know that you’ve missed something. But I blame that on Crunchyroll not the series itself.

Like most anime it left me wanting another episode just to see how the characters deal with the aftermath. I would be very surprised if there was another season because how Katsuragi felt at the end unless he plays it off as a moment of madness and denies his feelings. Overall I really thought this was a pretty decent anime.