Venus Vacation PRISM - DEAD OR ALIVE Xtreme - Review

Team Ninja doesn’t need an introduction. They are well recognized for their work on both the Dead or Alive fighting series and the Ninja Gaiden games. Their latest release, Venus Vacation PRISM - DEAD OR ALIVE Xtreme - is a spin-off of the Dead or Alive franchise. Although Dead or Alive first became popular as a 3D fighting game with quick-paced action and technical complexity, the series has not lately concentrated on such aspects. 

Team Ninja has gradually changed their emphasis toward fanservice-heavy experiences, culminating in the Dead or Alive Xtreme titles, which highlight beach volleyball, mini-games, and encounters with bikini-clad people. One of these projects was the mobile gacha game Venus Vacation, which became very famous in Japan. Venus Vacation PRISM is an unusual but interesting continuation of Dead or Alive's more casual side since it brings the gacha components to a more visual novel and simulation-based style.

Venus Vacation PRISM's appeal is basically the same as a fanservice-heavy dating game, so why be shy about it now? That was probably the thought process in the boardroom meeting. But is it a well-made game if it fits the genre you explore? Being a fan of the Dead or Alive franchise, I have a lot to talk about it.

In Venus Vacation PRISM, you take on the role of the resort's manager or boss, where the festivals are hosted. Though the game doesn't really clarify what these festivals are, judging from the games that came before, I'm going to infer that they are some type of volleyball tournament. It is your responsibility to oversee the festivities as well as the Venuses. Once more, the game also doesn't really define what it means to be a Venus, so I'll just go by the previous games and guess that it means a volleyball player or some type of festival representative.

Misaki, who has been assigned the responsibility of being your assistant, is one of the first girls you come into contact with. She gives you instructions on how to search for young women to recruit as Venuses. Within a short period of time, you find and recruit your first Venus, Hanaka, and shortly after that, you ask Misaki to become Venus as well. The plot follows you as you take care of these Venuses and assist them in becoming the best versions of themselves that they can be. Nevertheless, they presumably desire to be more than just the Venus of your festival. You wish!

The story seemed good, really. To be completely honest, it only serves to lay the groundwork for all that is happening. The game ends, so you had better go as close as you can to the Venus of your choice before that.  However, given the goal of the game to be a fanservice-heavy relationship simulator, I do not think it calls for a narrative degree equivalent to that of Shakespeare.

That being said, now that they have an entire game that is supposed to be a romance or dating simulator, the romance elements could do a little bit more than they already do. All the girls in Venus Vacation PRISM just kind of like you for no reason other than the fact that, well, that's what the genre asks for. This is the typical dilemma that arises in these shows. Instead of focusing just on the proximity impact, I would have appreciated it if you had provided a more detailed account of how the girls came to like you.

Considering that I am already familiar with the females from the gacha game, this may be just a problem that I am experiencing; nonetheless, they do not actually elaborate on the girls' stories or backgrounds very much. If this is your first time reading the series, that is perfectly fine; however, if you go into it wanting more depth from them, you could let yourself down a little.

Although it's only a hunch, I have the impression that the market for this game isn't really too concerned about that. Nevertheless, moving on, the gameplay is pretty much what you would anticipate from a visual novel or dating simulation game. There is a lot of conversation, and in between, there are some decisions. The formula is the same as usual.

Your decisions will influence which of the game's branching pathways you choose; therefore, Venus Vacation PRISM consists of multiple paths. Because of this, repeated playthroughs are encouraged, not only to discover what occurs if you make a different choice but also to investigate all of the different romantic paths. 

There is a possibility that you will miss out on dialogue choices during your initial playthrough, even if you are only loyal to one of the girls, because these selections were locked behind an affection meter check. Therefore, you might just want to go back in there and unlock all of them.

Nevertheless, keep in mind that you are also the leader of the islands. It is imperative that you demonstrate the allure of your Venus to the festival attendees, and the photo shoot mode will assist you in accomplishing this goal.

In the course of the chapters, you are permitted to take your camera out and capture pictures of all the Venuses. Each chapter includes instructions on the kind of photographs that should be taken. Your score will increase if you follow these guidelines. One example of these instructions could be anything along the lines of "Take a picture of a Venus using this item" or "Capture a photograph of a Venus who is looking away". 

Imagine that you are taking a picture of Venus with this in the background. If your photo scores are higher, then your Venus will have a greater number of fans. More fans unlock different hairstyles, clothing, and other items. To tell you the truth, I still haven't completely understood the scoring system, but I was pretty much satisfied with just taking shots that I thought looked good.

It would be accurate to say that I am not much of a photographer, and I also do not believe that the grading scheme for the game makes much sense. It was easier to understand how to use the first Pokémon Snap. Because you only received one star rather than two or three, there is not much of an explanation for this. But hey, it's not about the outcome; it's about the journey, right?

To give credit where credit is due, Koei Tecmo is aware of the type of game they are developing and the audience for which they are developing it. They refocused their attention on the most important mode, which is the photo mode. You are provided with a variety of lighting options, controls for exposure and focus, filters, frame options, and more. The remainder of the gameplay, on the other hand, is unimpressive. 

I have a slight desire that they would have incorporated some form of stat management or leveling system, similar to what is found in the volleyball games. There is also the possibility of including elements from more conventional dating simulations, such as mini-games that enhance your abilities as the boss, making you more desirable or competent.

Talk about Venus Vacation PRISM’s graphics—they're just brilliant. I decided to use the Performance Mode, and with the exception of a little pop-in in the backdrop, the girls seem absolutely stunning. The animations are fantastic; there is a slight degree of nuance in their facial emotions, which means that they are not simply frozen in place while posing. It is not always possible to take a picture of someone without first waiting for them to actually smile.

It should come as no surprise that these games place a significant emphasis on a variety of different domains. And yes, they are also incredibly comprehensive in their presentation. It’s completely absurd, but hey, that's what sells, that's what sells.

The audio of Venus Vacation PRISM is decent, although it does not particularly stand out. The music that plays in the background is good enough, and there are a few memorable pieces, but it is mainly in the background. The game, on the other hand, has an outstanding voice cast, which includes Minami Tsuda, Kaede Hondo, and Saori Ōnishi, who are responsible for bringing the Venuses to life. Their voice acting combines conversations with a sense of vitality and leaves an impact that is hard to forget.

This was enjoyable whenever there was a conversation with a Venus. However, I was constantly worried about whether or not someone was watching me while I was playing, even though the game’s activities were very peaceful. And, of course, the unrelenting need to take a shower in the freezing cold. It is not possible to anticipate a spectacular gameplay experience, but the game's visuals are of a high quality, and it features a good variety of genres.

When I play games like this, I always go into them with the intention of being sarcastic and taking the piss, but when I leave, I find myself wondering, do you know what? This is a fascinating topic. It is simply not something that can be found in English in this day and age. In addition, I did, in fact, buy this item myself.

Venus Vacation PRISM is a dating sim/visual novel catered to Venus Vacation gacha fans. And on that basis, it does a fairly good job. Team Ninja tried something new—some things worked, some didn't. But they knew their audience and focused on what mattered: the girls, the photo mode, and, uh… the girls. That said, this game should not cost almost $70. If the story was more polished, the gameplay more substantial, and more girls were included—maybe. But as it stands, for most people, you should probably wait for a sale.