Akiba's Trip: Hellbound & Debriefed
- July 20, 2021
- ACQUIRE Corp.
"Akiba's Trip: Hellbound & Debriefed - 10th Anniversary Edition" is a remastered version of the original "Strip Action RPG" set in a 2011 recreation of Akihabara, Japan. Players uncover and fight vampiric creatures called Shadow Souls by liberating them of their clothes in sunlight. This edition brings back the beat-'em-up, strip-'em-down gameplay in a rich HD setting, based on the famous geek paradise.
Nintendo Switch
PC
Playstation 4
PlayStation
Reviews
- The game features enhanced graphics and improved gameplay mechanics, making it a fun and engaging experience.
- The attention to detail in recreating Akihabara provides an immersive environment for players.
- The collector's edition includes a nice art book and soundtrack, adding value for fans of the series.
- The game suffers from outdated graphics and gameplay mechanics that have not aged well since the original PSP release.
- Many side missions are frustrating and poorly designed, detracting from the overall experience.
- The remaster feels lazy, with bugs and control issues that hinder gameplay enjoyment.
- story9 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The story is criticized for its frustrating side missions, particularly the "apologize" quests that involve tedious multi-choice dialogues and constant interruptions from enemies, leading to a repetitive and unenjoyable experience. While some players appreciate the overall narrative and its break from lengthy modern games, the execution is marred by bugs, poor design choices, and a lack of engaging content, making it difficult to take the story seriously. Overall, the narrative struggles to leave a positive impression amidst the gameplay issues.
“But overall, minus a few caveats, the gameplay and story are nice to run through when you're taking a break from all the modern 80+ hour games.”
“Just don't take the game's story too seriously.”
“I like that you can see your local time in game via cellphone.”
“Secondly, some of the most horrendous game design choices are still present, such as the hugely frustrating side quests, especially the apologize side quests which force you to wear the talisman of regret and having to talk to an NPC through a multi-choice menu that you must pick the correct answer each time. If you pick the remotely wrong answers, you fail the mission. You keep getting attacked by soul shadows constantly and you cannot attack them back. You can be killed or arrested by cops since you are forced into wearing nothing but a talisman of regret. The soul shadows can literally knock you out of the zone, forcing you to retry again. It's really bad.”
“The early reviews are not good, with average scores ranging from 40% to 50%, some even lower. I was looking forward to this game, but after wasting an hour on trying to complete these side missions, I just want to return the game; it's that bad.”
“It’s buggy, hard to control, and the story is awfully repetitive.”
- gameplay7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by fast-paced, engaging mechanics that allow players to showcase their fighting skills, complemented by enhanced graphics and a new English dub. While it includes a dating sim-like feature for character interactions, some players noted stiffness in the controls and subpar audio quality. Overall, it offers a fun and charming experience, making it a refreshing break from longer modern games.
“The gameplay itself is fast-paced and fun, with plenty of opportunities to show off your fighting skills.”
“I was hooked on the beat 'em up gameplay and over-the-top plot, as it has that weird charm that most Japanese games have.”
“But overall, minus a few caveats, the gameplay and story are nice to run through when you're taking a break from all the modern 80+ hour games.”
“There is some stiffness in the gameplay, and the audio quality is kind of weak by modern standards.”
- music5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it forgettable and noting a decrease in the number of songs compared to previous installments. While the 10th anniversary edition includes an official soundtrack, the overall quality and impact of the music seem to have diminished, leading to disappointment among fans. Additionally, there are complaints about the lack of audio options for toggling voice and music in the main menu.
“The 10th anniversary edition also includes a limited edition box with an art book, official soundtrack, and a special collector's box.”
“Game, art book and music disc all in great shape and wrapped as new.”
“The music at this point is forgettable.”
“There are less songs/music compared to the previous game.”
“There is no voice/music audio toggle in the main menu.”
- graphics4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -25 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with some praising the enhanced visuals and cool effects, while others criticize them as dated and not significantly improved from the original PSP version. Players noted issues such as poor adaptation for larger screens, visible retouching mistakes on character portraits, and a primitive design compared to the first game. Overall, while there are some appealing elements, many feel the graphics fall short of expectations.
“It features enhanced graphics, improved gameplay mechanics, and a new English dub for the ultimate gaming experience.”
“Despite the graphics looking cool, I prefer the first game's.”
“The graphics are impressive and really bring the game world to life.”
“Games graphics are dated, but that is to be expected since it is a PSP game.”
“Visually, it is also very disappointing: graphics were not improved from the original PSP release, the layout was not adapted for bigger screens, and some character portraits have visible retouching mistakes.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is criticized for being poor, with users reporting numerous bugs and difficult controls, which contribute to a frustrating experience. Additionally, the repetitive story further detracts from overall enjoyment.
“Lazy and buggy remaster.”
“It's buggy, hard to control, and the story is awfully repetitive.”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its unique combination of action and humor, along with appealing fan service, making it an enjoyable and engaging experience for players.
“The game's unique blend of action, humor, and fan service makes it a must-play for anyone looking for a fun and engaging gaming experience.”
“The witty dialogue and hilarious character interactions kept me laughing throughout the entire game.”
“I love how the game doesn't take itself too seriously, with its clever jokes and absurd situations that always catch me off guard.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional impact of the game is undermined by disappointing visuals, including unrefined graphics from the original PSP release and poorly adapted layouts for larger screens, which detract from character engagement and immersion.
