A Heavenly Visual Novel from KEMCO
Death is the only certain thing in our lives. Whatever introduction you had, or the years you spent down a career path you love, rich, poor, famous or a nobody, we all ultimately meet the same end. Death doesn’t discriminate and everyone’s time will come.
Yet no one is sure what happens after. You may become lost, without an inkling on where is next in your life. Or what if someone came to guide you to your final destination? The latter is a question which KEMCO’s latest visual novel adventure game, 1f y0u’re a gh0st ca11 me here! decides to tackle.
As the title suggests, this game raises the idea of letting those who’re waiting at death’s doorstep into their next home and leading them to their last resting place… the afterlife. Much like the figure in folklore, the grim reaper, the title given to those who take on this job are called gr1ms. Protagonist Vanitas (who you take control of) begins their first day on the job, and you must learn alongside them as they lead people to the afterlife, becoming a gr1m. That is all I will say about the story as the world is expansive and one that should be experienced, not informed of.
Network of the Departed
The gameplay itself is rather unique, being a system I’ve never encountered something remotely similar to in gaming. It consists of helping gh0sts and people to the afterlife through the use of 3 distinct networks: the S0S network for those in pain, the l0st network for the wandering souls, and finally the p0lice network for those being exorcised.
This simple to understand, yet hard to master system, provides a perfect blend of enjoyment, whilst also pushing the player with a strong desire to improve their skills. Simple, yet addictive.
A Deep and Emotional Narrative
This simple, yet addictive gameplay as I dubbed it, really is the backbone and supporting pillar the rest of the title rests upon to work. It’s what every system in the game, be it dialogue or interactions revolves around, making it integral you understand the main gameplay loop to follow along with the story. That’s not to say the world of 1f y0u’re a gh0st ca11 me here! isn’t something to be in awe of, as the world building was second only to the characters in how detailed it was presented, and how much I genuinely cared.
The world is filled with various distinct characters, all of whom entertain and expand upon the story in a plethora of ways. Whether it be the shy, yet prolific protagonist Vanitas who you control, Ars who takes the form of the guide throughout the game, or the various souls whose story you listen to, be it empathetically or without a care in the world. Without spoiling anything, the narrative and world is rich with mature themes, strong characters, and most of all, an emotional, extremely human story that asks us all to listen and reach out an empathetic hand out more.
Persona-Inspired Visuals
The presentation truly adds so much character and charm to this title, with each gorgeous canvas that showcases dialogue, cutscenes and even gameplay holding many meanings and adding to the immersion this genre needs.
I kept relating the style of the game to the Persona series, specifically Persona 3, due to the art style revolving around sharp edges and the blue colour. This is a gargantuan compliment on behalf of 1f y0u’re a gh0st ca11 me here! due to the revolutionary impact Persona 3 had on the genre.
Dialogue Deluge and Limited Replayability
Whilst all these factors contribute to the game’s overwhelming presence of identity and set the groundwork for a gameplay style that could make for a masterpiece in the future, there are a couple things that drag this title down. As much as I can praise the art style and presentation, it does at times feel as though you’re watching a story rather than playing it, with dialogue taking up more than half of my playtime. Adding to this, despite there being various endings, I didn’t find the game to have much replay value, giving no real incentive to chase these extra endings.
Continuing my comment on the replay value of this game, I found there was not the amount of content I was expecting. It all takes place over a period of several days as you hone your skills as a gr1m, passing gh0sts through to the afterlife. Several days worth of this gameplay could work as a full title in fact, I’d argue during this latest gaming endeavour from KEMCO, it does work to an extent. The issue arises due to how excessive dialogue and exposition is dumped between the gameplay, with the large majority being either things we already know due to previous dialogue, or conversations that are unneeded. The idea that the protagonist was nervous for this job was repeated several times over the first couple of days, leaving me there waiting until I could actually put the new abilities into practice. These criticisms are minor nitpicks I had, and didn’t weigh down heavily on my experience with the title, but an improvement in future projects would work wonders.
A KEMCO Gem with Emotional Resonance
Whether you’re shoving an exorcised soul towards the police, saving injured souls with the S0S network, or simply taking in the immaculate world building, characters and story told, 1f y0u’re a gh0st ca11 me here! may well become your favourite KEMCO game, and one that has something to tell.
Fans of the genre will find much joy during their time as a gr1m, but many may be left craving more from a game that tries to tell a lot in such little time, resulting in a watered down, dialogue heavy entry into KEMCO’s game library.
Important Links
Buy 1f y0u’re a gh0st ca11 me here! on Xbox – https://www.xbox.com/en-gb/games/store/1f-y0ure-a-gh0st-ca11-me-here/9ngw946tfplh
