Developer: Galapagos RPG
Publisher: Idea Factory International(NA/EU), Compile Heart(JP)
Official website: Here
Genre: JRPG, Idol Simulation
Price: $59.99
Where to buy: PSN, Gamestop, Amazon, Bestbuy, Walmart
A mixture of flashy fan-service and interestingly frantic story Omega Quintet comes in bold. The plot of the game revolves around a group of girls named the Verse Maidens and their battles with a outbreak named “Beep”,or as this version of the game says Blare. Omega Quintet is a hybrid type of game, mixing it up with your standard JRPG, tossing in a Idol Simulation for the social aspect of the characters. The game handles practically like episodic Anime that you may watch in a current market. Every episode ends, showing ending credits, then when the next episode begins you see the intro video, again, and again. Anyway, the Idol Simulation is generally a important aspect to your characters strength, or powers in the game. I will go into the Idol bit within this review, so lets crack into it, shall we?
Omega Quintet’s story plays out over a span of a somewhat deserted city, I am assuming the off-skirts of Japan in the present. You play as the main character of the game named Takuto, who unfortunately gets dragged into this whole pop culture thing, which involves a group of young girls, to women called the Verse Maidens in the states. You are then brought into speed of becoming the manager in training for the five girls you may play as in the game as you go along. I will not spoil anything for you as I myself personally prefer that kind of thing left alone if a game is driven by plot. The city that you happen to be in is driven by the protection of the Verse Maiden Momoka, who has practically ran out of gas, meaning she is losing her powers, she then reluctantly takes in Otoka after a dangerous encounter with Blare. After that point you are brought into speed of how the game works. Then as most will say bobs-ya-uncle. As far as the story in a whole, it is not the games strongest element, other then to push you through. It provides that charm to many people who do not mind the same old story out of these comedy based anime shows. Yes the game handles it self like a episodic show, giving those cliff hangers. I would safely say the DLC that is launched with the game is simply extra bits, not feeling like something that should have completely been in the game at launch. I will admit at points I did chuckle out loud at the awkward erotic points in the scenes.
The game play is actually pretty fun aside from its points of over the top fan-service it tosses at the screen in doses. You have a shift of Game play, decent story presentation in the element of conversations with lively and well animated characters. You also move all over to exploring fields with regenerating monsters (that means they keep respawning) to kill and rank up experience, This game is heavy on the focus of social, then its depth of explore-able fields. This does not mean the combat, or battlefields got left behind, just the environments, felt a bit held back versus everything else. You mostly navigate through narrow locations through paths leading into semi large open fields. Combat for me was the best part of the game. You have so much depth into each character, and their roles, even down to the mic weapon you can allow them to wield. The weapons you may use are Fans(as in a bladed type), Lances, Hammers, Sniper rifles, knuckles/fistcuff gloves, and a Sword which is only unique to one character Takuto, the main character of the game.
Each one of the girls you may use all can use each weapon, and skill attacks that you unlock off of their Discs, which a lot like games such as Path of Exiles, Final Fantasy 10, FF12, so forth. You gain passives, as well as general abilities you can use during combat, and off combat abilities that heal you in between. One aspect is the harmonics that brings some real over the top chain attacks a blast to use. They are a little while into the story. The special command “Harmonics” is a powerful combination attack executed by multiple Song Maidens. 2-5 people can participate in the attacks, and in order to participate the Song Maidens’ turn order needs to occur in succession, and Takuto’s cooperation is also essential. There is a live move where plays a mixed effect on me, sure it has its fun moments, otherwise blah! During Live Mode, the spectators/fans can request for specific actions, such as “defeat the enemy!” or “use an item!” Granting requests means an increase in the Voltage Gauge as well as various benefits. There are no penalties for ignoring them, but the text strongly suggests to use this feature. At points you will notice a clothing bar go down, that means sooner or later you will get a eye-full of panties. Clothing destruction is an entirely negative effect. Getting the clothing destroyed means you lose the properties of the equipment, also getting the clothes destroyed two times in the same battle on the same character activates another negative effect. The clothing status can be monitored by looking at the Clothing gauge. Clothing must be repaired through the shop and can also be enhanced to become more durable, making them tougher to break. I can understand armor breaking and them balancing out how much money money you jiggle around in your pockets. As well as this is made for those who enjoy a little pantie peaking. For me I just simply cap off the bar as much as possible to prevent that awkward video cut scene of the clothes coming off. *Looks on awkwardly*
Soundtracks for me are somewhat important, as those alone can leave a massive lasting impression. If they are not really good, I just mute the game, and or mute the music, and implement my own. I was glad I did not have to resort to those measures. The game features a J-pop sound track be default, however for battles, and or generally exploring the games landscapes, the music is great. As for the other part of the game, you will hear a lot of Japanese Sub’d music, which is not bad at all, just not my thing.
The PVS system is something at first I was curious about so I took a peak inside of it. Basically if you love stage production, all of that kinda thing. Or just love J-pop it might give your heart a skip. For myself I was not as interested in it. So I explored what you could do, and all the insides. For each character you give them a role on stage, for singing, dancing, posing, etc. Then like a music guru you can tweak little details to the performance, and sync it to the music you enjoyed or unlocked. The mode works for what it is, but is merely a small distraction, but also adds to the overall presentation of being a Idol pop star … super heroine, person. A lot of little things make this bit of the game I think anyway appealing for most of those folks who enjoy dancing, as well as music. Many things like cameras, the dance routine, timing, including props are at your disposal in this mode. You may also use your Play station Camera, along with your move controller and interact in the back ground with the performance. If you wanted to bring some friends over and goof around I bet this would be gold. Or if you are a Twitch personality who wants to make some admiring “fans”.
Outfits play more of a mix of cosmetic seemingly, plus resistance slotting in the game. The resistances are named Amps where you make deduct various flavors of elemental, physical, or general damage off of your characters, being the Verse Maidens. I personally liked how they broke up where you make customize your characters status points as you see fit. I am not one for playing doll house, but I played around with some of the hair settings, plus eye colors you may customize among completing Episode 2. This includes a decent selection of hair styles to start off with once you unlock the coin redeeming center. Each character has mostly their own flare to their outfits, however if you wish to make them a matching team, then they have many of the patterns out there in the wilds of exploration the game has to offer. I will leave it to you to find all of them.
In Closing:
Trying to be a hybrid of a few genres at points can clash pretty well, or simply just fall apart, as both sides pull apart at the stitches. Omega Quintet manages to keep both sides together pretty well. Its cast of characters features your stereotypical cast of flavors of girls intermingling with a male counter part is there for that extra aspect of social interaction. Or those folks who are into that sort of thing. As well as a major crisis all falling on top of them. The theme of the game feels very new, mixing your standard JRPG into a music management simulator, of sorts anyway. Not to mention its relationship system that blends together into the role-playing aspect of character progression. Would I say the game stands up on its two legs as a AAA title? The answer would be two sided. You will have a genre clashing game like this that will appeal to two kinds of people, or simply to most Anime fanatics would eat it up. As a JRPG it’s pretty solid and fun, where the idol part could reflect negativity on most. Its game play speaks for itself, having a nice questing system. Giving you plenty to do as you go between segments of the story quests for the episodes. The story telling itself was actually decent, being more or less something I have already seen in most modern Anime did not capture me. As far as the game in it self, t’was great fun. So if you can find it at your local store, pick it up.
Recommended if you are a big time fan of Anime, and/or a solid JRPG experience.
