Make no mistake that, while this game serves as the capstone to the Heavenly Host arc of Corpse Party and does include the survivors of the previous games, this is Ayumi’s story first and foremost. Thus, a lot of your enjoyment for the story is going to be derived from how much you like her. I am not a fan of Ayumi, and this game hasn’t changed my mind on this. That being said, the story is just as top notch as the previous two entries, and I thoroughly enjoyed all of its twists and turns. A good example of this is that we are introduced to several new characters who each get fleshed out, and I grew quite attached to them, caring for many of them just as much as those who died in the original game. So, are there any problems with the narrative? Well, one major one is that it feels really unnecessary and takes the whole arc in a bizarre direction.
The first Corpse Party was almost a perfect story. You wanted to know more, but, at the same time, you could have left it at that and been satisfied. Book of Shadows opened the door for the plot of Blood Drive and, while it’s a good plot that answers many questions, it also gets to be too big for its own good. In short, it feels more like a supernatural anime at times rather than Corpse Party. Without giving anything away, take a look at Magari’s character design above and you’ll see what I mean. That’s not to say she’s a bad character at all (I actually like her quite a bit), but that’s not the first thing I think of when I think Corpse Party. Also one minor thing I want to note is that there’s a lot more swearing in this one compared to either of the two previous games. I realize that’s a very odd nitpick, but I bring it up only because it feels somewhat out of place. I’m not sure if this is a closer translation to the original Japanese than the previous two games, or if this was a localization decision, but it is a noticeable change compared to the previous two games. Finally, in regards to narrative, the later EX Chapters are barely noteworthy. The first couple are lengthy and are a good read while the latter half just really short and could have been included somewhere in the main game I’d think. So, after all this, what are my final thoughts?
Some of you may assume I dislike this game for some reason, which couldn’t be further from the truth. I actually greatly enjoyed my time with Blood Drive and I do recommend it to anyone who’s a fan of the Corpse Party series, if only to wrap up an amazing story and finally see what happens to the survivors of class 2-9. Critically speaking, however, the game has issues as I’ve laid out here. From a technical standpoint, it is the weakest of the three games that comprise the Heavenly Host trilogy. While there are many new and interesting ideas and gameplay concepts introduced, simple things like frame rate issues and difficulty curve really make this a chore to play at times. Narrative-wise, it’s quite possibly the most complex, with the ending in particular raising some interesting ethical questions if you stop to ponder it. Then, consider the price and length. I was able to critical path all 11 chapters and the eight EX chapters in just over 20 hours. If you want to get all the Wrong Ends and shoot for the Platinum for this one, you can probably tack on at least another five hours. In regards to price, the game will run you $40 on PSN while the physical “Everafter Edition” will run you $50. It’s not a bad value, but I’d feel more comfortable with waiting till the digital version is $30 if you’re not interested in the Everafter Edition. While I once again strongly recommend playing the first two games, if you do decide to delve into this as your first Corpse Party title, just know that the previous two parts do have a slightly more serious and less fantastical feel to them. Even so, don’t mistake this title as lighthearted in the slightest. People will die and horrible things will happen. Either way, if you’re willing take the plunge, then allow me to welcome you back to Heavenly Host Elementary, and formally invite you, once again, to the Corpse Party.
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Review copy was provided by the publisher and was played using a Sony PlayStation TV
