Info about Corpse Party (2021):

Official game description:
Special Offer
=============
Includes the "Corpse Party Achievements Artbook" (English only) as a special bonus.  
Instructions for opening the Corpse Party Achievements Artbook:  
1\. Go to your Steam library  
2\. Right-click Corpse Party (2021) and go to "Properties"  
3\. Click the "Local Files" tab, then click "Browse"  
4\. The artbook PDF will be in this folder
About the Game
==============
A friendship ritual gone awry transports high school student Ayumi Shinozaki and her friends to an alternate reality version of a tragedy-stricken institution that stood on the site of their own school long ago. As the vengeful spirits of elementary school students threaten their lives and their sanity, their only hope of survival–much less escape–is to uncover the chilling details surrounding the murders of those trapped before them.  
KEY FEATURES
------------
**Atmospheric Retro-Style Graphics**  
Gorgeous 16-bit-style visuals paired with gruesome descriptions and heart-pounding sound design will have your imagination running wild with visions of horror.  
**Every Choice Counts**  
Explore every corner of Heavenly Host Elementary with a cross between point-and-click adventure gameplay and a battleless RPG, making choices that significantly change the course of the story and its characters’ fates.  
**More Content than Ever**  
On top of the original five main story chapters and fourteen Extra Chapters, two new Extra Chapters delve into the relationship between series favorites Ayumi and Yoshiki, as well as introduce Miku Shirayume and Ryoka Iwami, two characters with their own intriguing roles to play in the grisly legend of Heavenly Host Elementary.  
**Another Dimension in Horror**  
Put on headphones to immerse yourself in the fully voiced Japanese audio and bone-crunching sound effects thanks to the binaural 3D recording techniques, creating a simulated surround sound experience that will have you looking over your shoulder at every turn.

Release date: 20 Oct, 2021

Categories: Psychological Horror, Atmospheric Horror, Point-and-click Adventure, Visual Novel, Narrative Adventure, Multiple Endings, Puzzle Solving, Exploration


- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price: No data
- Playtime Metrics: No data
- Time-to-fun: No data
- Player Archetypes: No data


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- Highly Praised Classic Horror (weight 0.93): Players consistently describe the game as a fun, entertaining, and immersive classic, often highlighting its strong atmosphere, engaging story, and overall high quality. Many consider it a masterpiece and the best in its series, offering significant replay value and content for its price.
- Masterful Psychological Horror (weight 0.75): The game is lauded as a masterpiece of psychological horror, effectively creating dread and an unsettling atmosphere without relying on cheap jump scares. Its old-school, top-down style and environmental details contribute significantly to its chilling and immersive horror experience.
- Exceptional Voice Acting (weight 0.44): The full Japanese voice acting is a major highlight, described as amazing, professional, and deeply immersive. It significantly enhances the horror atmosphere, brings characters to life, and contributes to the game's overall emotional impact.
- Improved Remastered Experience (weight 0.31): The 2021 version and other remasters are highly regarded for their significant improvements in graphics, UI, and overall polish compared to original versions. They offer a cleaner, smoother, and more immersive experience, often including additional content and chapters.
- Exceptional Soundtrack (weight 0.13): The game's soundtrack is consistently praised as incredible and a major contributor to the atmosphere of dread. Its catchy BGM and wide variety of tracks effectively set the tone and enhance the overall horror experience.
- Engaging RPG Maker Roots (weight 0.12): Players recognize the game's origins as an RPG Maker title but praise its evolution into a highly produced and definitive horror RPG. It's considered one of the best in the genre, offering more than a typical visual novel experience.
- Superior to Anime Adaptation (weight 0.1): Many players find the game's ending and overall plot to be superior to its anime adaptation. The game offers a more complete and satisfying narrative experience with its multiple endings and extensive content.
- Memorable Characters (weight 0.09): The game features a cast of well-developed and impactful characters, with specific individuals like Seiko, Yui-sensei, Yoshiki, Naomi, and Ayumi frequently mentioned. Their relationships and personalities contribute significantly to the emotional depth and horror.

Common complaints:
- Confusing and Tedious Gameplay (weight 0.79): Players frequently get stuck due to unclear guidance, pixel hunting, and trial-and-error mechanics, leading to repetitive actions and a need for external guides. The lack of autosave and limited save slots exacerbate frustration, forcing players to replay significant portions of the game after mistakes or 'Wrong Ends'.
- Weak and Confusing Story (weight 0.58): The narrative is often criticized for being confusing, having too much filler, and lacking logical progression. Character development is inconsistent, and many plot points feel anticlimactic or only make sense if players have prior knowledge of the series.
- Repetitive and Annoying Dialogue (weight 0.47): Dialogues are often excessively long, filled with crying and heavy breathing, and contain meaningless filler. Some scenes are drawn out, and important plot points are sometimes overshadowed by irrelevant or poorly written conversations, including misplaced romance.
- Problematic Sexual Content (weight 0.39): The game includes unnecessary sexualization of minors, explicit fetish content (including incest and 'watersports'), and inappropriate fanservice moments, which many players found disgusting and detrimental to the horror experience. This content is a significant point of contention and negatively impacts the game's reception.
- Dated Design and Technical Issues (weight 0.36): The game suffers from outdated gameplay mechanics, poor visual presentation (e.g., small screen, terrible borders, black screens), and a lack of modern quality-of-life features like autosave or customizable controls. These issues contribute to an uncomfortable and immersion-breaking experience.
- Lack of Localization (weight 0.22): Many players expressed frustration over the absence of official localization for several languages, including Spanish, Russian, and Chinese. This significantly limits accessibility and enjoyment for a large portion of the potential audience.
- Poor Extra Chapters (weight 0.16): The additional chapters are generally considered short, uninteresting, and lacking in new plot information. Issues like quiet character voices and a lack of progress tracking further detract from their value.
- Insufficient Remaster Content (weight 0.11): Players who owned previous versions (PSP, 3DS) felt the remaster offered insufficient new content to justify a new purchase. The improvements were primarily graphical, with few substantial additions to gameplay or story, making it feel like a rehash.
- High Price for Value (weight 0.05): Several players felt the game's full price was too high given the dated gameplay, technical issues, and perceived lack of new content in the remaster. They believe the cost-effectiveness is low for what is offered.

Gameplay feedback:
- Horror Adventure Gameplay (weight 0.32): Gameplay primarily involves exploration, puzzle-solving, and survival horror elements within a haunted school setting. Players navigate dangerous environments, avoid traps and spirits, and use items to progress, with horror often conveyed through described events rather than frequent jumpscares.
- Multiple Endings & Replayability (weight 0.32): The game features numerous 'Wrong Ends' (brutal deaths) and a 'True End' for each chapter, encouraging players to make careful decisions and replay chapters to discover all outcomes. This system adds challenge and extends playtime.
- Length & Completion Time (weight 0.23): The main story takes approximately 14-15 hours to complete. Achieving 100% completion, including all endings and achievements, can take around 10-20 hours, with guides significantly reducing the time needed.
- Story-Driven Visual Novel Hybrid (weight 0.16): The game is a horror-infused visual novel with 2D adventure elements, focusing on reading dialogues, exploring locations, and solving puzzles. It tells the story of students trapped in a cursed elementary school, with a strong emphasis on narrative and character interactions.
- Remake & Port History (weight 0.15): This version is a remake and enhanced port of the original Corpse Party, specifically based on the PSP and 3DS versions. It reuses existing maps and maintains the core story, with some added content.
- Gore & Disturbing Content (weight 0.09): The game features explicit gore, including bleeding, dismemberment, and descriptions of gruesome deaths. Some players noted the inclusion of potentially meaningless and disgusting elements like incontinence scenes.
- Puzzles & Navigation (weight 0.07): Puzzles are generally simple, though some can be inconsistent or rely on 'moon logic'. Navigation can sometimes lead to aimless wandering, especially in earlier chapters, but guides are readily available.
- Added Content & Extra Chapters (weight 0.06): This version includes additional content, such as EX chapters that provide flashbacks, insights into other characters' activities, and hints for future installments. Some extra chapters introduce new characters.
- Collectibles & Lore (weight 0.06): Players can collect name tags of deceased students, which provide details about their identities, schools, and causes of death. This mechanic adds to the lore and encourages exploration.

Performance notes:
- Excessive loading and wait times (weight 0.05): Players experienced very long loading screens, sometimes lasting over 30 minutes, and slow character movement during text sequences, even when trying to skip, along with significant delays for doors to open.
- Good performance on low-end hardware (weight 0.04): Players report that the game runs smoothly on both Steam Deck and older, less powerful computers, indicating good optimization for a wide range of systems.
- Inconsistent art style (weight 0.04): The game features a basic RPGMaker art style during gameplay, which contrasts with the modern anime portraits used for characters, creating a visual disconnect.

Recommendations:
- Consider Buying on Sale (weight 0.54): While many recommend the game, a significant number of players suggest waiting for a sale, especially if hesitant about the price or not a long-time fan. It's seen as very much worth it at a discounted price.
- Not for the Faint of Heart (weight 0.44): The game contains dark themes, gore, and sensitive subjects, making it unsuitable for players who are easily disturbed or dislike such content. Players should approach with caution if they have trouble with these elements.
- Highly Recommended for Horror Fans (weight 0.34): Many players strongly recommend the game, especially for fans of RPG Maker horror, psychological horror, and Japanese anime horror. It's considered a must-play for those who appreciate a gripping narrative and a certain bloody touch.
- Watch Playthroughs as Alternative (weight 0.29): Some players suggest that watching a YouTube playthrough or the anime can offer a similar experience to playing the game, especially if one is hesitant to buy or play through the more problematic content.
- Best Version for New Players (weight 0.27): This 2021 version is widely regarded as the definitive and best entry point for new players to the Corpse Party series. It offers a polished experience with enhanced story content compared to previous iterations.
- Use Guides for Gameplay (weight 0.1): Players frequently recommend using a guide or walkthrough, particularly to maximize bad endings or if they get stuck. This suggests that some aspects of the game's design might benefit from external assistance.
- Explore Thoroughly for Lore (weight 0.03): To fully understand the game's story and lore, players are advised to explore maps thoroughly and check every detail. This indicates a rich narrative that rewards diligent investigation.
- Remaster Great for Revisit (weight 0.03): The remaster is considered a great way for existing fans to revisit the incredible title, offering an engaging experience despite some minor concerns.
- Sequels are an Option (weight 0.03): Some players express an interest in playing the sequels after completing this game, indicating a desire to continue the story or experience more of the series.
- Subtitles Need Improvement (weight 0.03): There's a suggestion that adding Portuguese subtitles and ensuring existing subtitles match spoken dialogue would significantly enhance the game's quality and recommendation.
- Lacks Playability vs. Peers (weight 0.02): Based on limited feedback, some players feel the game's playability and overall experience are severely lacking when compared to similar games of its era, like 'The Witch's House' and 'Ib'.

Other player notes:
- Fan-Driven Localizations (weight 0.14): While official localizations are limited, a strong community provides fan-made translation patches, particularly for Portuguese and Chinese, making the game accessible to a wider audience.
- Complex Series Lore (weight 0.14): The Corpse Party series has a specific canonical order and various spin-offs, which can be confusing for players. The 2021 version covers only the first five chapters of the main story.
- Minor Technical & QoL Notes (weight 0.04): Players recommend quick saves to avoid overwriting autosaves and note a workaround for a full-screen display issue. An artbook is also available in the game's directory.
- Niche Player Preferences (weight 0.03): Some players have specific, less common preferences, such as a desire for more 'Omorashi' content or a humorous observation about the game's title.

Emotions:
- Satisfaction (weight 0.28): Players are highly satisfied with the game's compelling story, deep lore, and effective psychological horror elements, often highlighting the well-crafted atmosphere, music, and voice acting. The improved quality, enhanced visuals, and additional content in remakes or updated versions significantly contribute to this satisfaction, especially for those fulfilling a long-held wish to play or revisit the game.
- Frustration (weight 0.15): Frustration stems primarily from poor game design choices, such as unclear puzzles, lack of guidance, tedious backtracking, and unforgiving 'Wrong End' conditions that often lead to significant loss of progress due to limited save options. Technical issues like recurring bugs, soft-locks, and slow character movement also contribute to a negative player experience, making the game feel dated or poorly adapted.
- Excitement (weight 0.1): Players express excitement for the game's impactful horror experience, gripping narrative, and the prospect of exploring multiple endings and replayability. The release of remastered or rebooted versions with updated graphics and enhanced content generates significant enthusiasm, particularly for fans of the original or those finally getting to play a highly anticipated title.
- Disappointment (weight 0.09): Disappointment arises from the game not meeting expectations, often due to perceived declines in quality, lack of significant improvements in remasters, or the inclusion of unnecessary fanservice that detracts from the horror experience. Issues like broken save systems, game-breaking bugs, and the absence of desired localizations also contribute to player dissatisfaction.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.04): Players enjoy the game's overall gameplay, interesting story, and well-developed characters, often highlighting the effective horror atmosphere created by the background music and voice acting. The puzzle-solving aspects and the unique exploration elements also contribute to a fun and engaging experience, even for those who are generally fearful.
- Appreciation (weight 0.04): Players appreciate the remake's more organized and smooth experience, noting improvements in UI, CGs, and especially the binaural 3D audio. The game's well-constructed terror, mystery, character development, and its status as a classic horror RPG with an impeccable soundtrack are also highly valued.
- Admiration (weight 0.03): Admiration is directed towards the game's status as a classic and a masterpiece in the horror genre, often citing its strong setting, narrative, atmosphere, and well-developed characters. The game's legacy, influence, and incredible soundtrack are also significant causes of admiration.
- Fear (weight 0.03): Fear is effectively evoked by the game's spooky atmosphere, creepy background music, and descriptive horror elements, which create tension and make players genuinely fear for the characters' lives. The sound design and the constant threat of game over contribute significantly to this unsettling experience.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.02): Nostalgia is strongly felt by players who are revisiting the game from their childhood or high school days, often recalling playing the PSP version. The familiar story, art style, and themes evoke old memories and a sense of melancholy, especially for those who consider it a childhood classic.
- Joy (weight 0.02): Players experience joy from the overall positive experience of the game, particularly when achieving the true ending or enjoying the PC remaster. The game's great replay value with multiple endings also contributes to a sense of fun and enjoyment.
- Discomfort (weight 0.01): Discomfort arises from the game's inclusion of unnecessary fanservice, fetishistic insinuations, and the sexualization of minor characters, including awkward incestuous moments and 'piss fetish' references. These elements are perceived as poorly disguised and detract from the horror experience.
- Recommendation (weight 0.01): Players recommend the game based on their belief in its high quality, its definitive status within its genre, and the superiority of specific versions. Their overall enjoyment of the game also drives them to suggest it to others, especially fans of the genre.
- Amusement (weight 0.01): Amusement is found in the game's more bizarre or darkly humorous aspects, such as the 'pee yourself simulator' element, the depiction of a character's gore fetish, or the devious nature of certain characters. Players also find humor in sharing difficult experiences with friends.
- Affection (weight 0.01): Affection is directed towards specific characters within the game, highlighting their appeal and the emotional connection players form with them. This often includes characters like Seiko, Yui-sensei, Yoshiki, Kizami, and Yuka.
- Annoyance (weight 0.01): Annoyance is caused by continuous bugs, dated feel, and poor game design, particularly regarding path choices. Unnecessary fanservice during serious events and cliche writing with annoying anime voices also contribute to player irritation.
- Love (weight 0.01): Players express deep love for the game, often considering it a long-standing favorite due to the overall game experience. This emotion signifies a strong, enduring positive connection to the title.
- Anger (weight 0.01): Anger stems from perceived wasted time or money, particularly due to the lack of official Chinese localization or questionable writing choices. Players also express frustration with what they see as developer incompetence or attempts to profit from low-quality content.
- Disgust (weight 0.01): Disgust is primarily caused by the sexualization of minors and their gruesome deaths, as well as problematic anime tropes and fetishes present in the game. Specific scenes and dialogue are cited as particularly repulsive.
- Surprise (weight 0.01): Players experience surprise when the game's scares, plot twists, and narrative depth exceed their expectations. The game's ability to deliver unexpected and impactful moments contributes to this emotion.
- Helpfulness (weight 0.01): Players demonstrate helpfulness by providing solutions for common issues, offering tips for achievement hunting, and sharing resources like patches and ending guides. This indicates a desire to assist other players in overcoming challenges.}