Depersonalization

An adventure game based on the works of H.P. Lovecraft, Depersonalization takes players into some rather twisted adventures featuring everyone’s favorite elder abomination. A title with an amazing amount of freedom for the player, the plot, characters, and story decisions you see in Depersonalization are all influenced by the player.

Though players will have to deal with some rough translation issues here and there, the overall experience is unlike anything else adventure game players have ever seen before. Localization aside, the game is nearly flawless, and a certain must-have for players with an interest in the writings of Lovecraft.

Strange Journeys

Early on in the game, you begin to notice that the central plot of Depersonalization might not be the main focus of the show here. On the contrary: the best stories told in Depersonalization are those the players do themselves, through interactions with other characters and the specs of their custom characters.

Depending on the character they create, players can expect their interactions with the world to vastly differ. As much as players would always like to pick the “correct” answer in every scenario, these dialogue choices are hidden behind the stats of your character, so no being a cool character like the one from Persona 5 just by leveling up your stats, either.

Anime Lovecraft

Fans of anime art styles in their games will be pleased to see what Depersonalization has to offer. Though some of the scenarios can be rather dark in narrative tone, they always come accompanied by cute anime characters to liven up the atmosphere. This works both ways, however, as it lacks some of the severity that games like Danganronpa managed to achieve using the same art style.

Still, character portraits and background elements are all beautifully rendered, giving the game a unique tone that matches most of what the game is going for.

Flexible Battles

The developers of Depersonalization took great care in crafting a battle system that feels as unique and dynamic as the rest of the game's approach to storytelling. The result is a system that changes with every one of the players' decisions, even if the battles are certainly one of the weakest areas of the game.

Still, as long as you can power your way through some questionable translations, Depersonalization is an enjoyable adventure game that should appeal to anyone with even a passing interest in the writings and mythos of H.P. Lovecraft. The storytelling is great – as long as you can understand what's going on – and the gameplay feels rather unique, delivering a gaming experience that should please most fans of the genre.

Pros

• Great setting and intriguing characters
• Satisfying combat system
• Great art and designs

Cons

• Lackluster English localization
• Combat can get some time to get used to
• Some elements of the plot are literally lost in translation