The Caligula Effect

The Caligula Effect Game Cover
It’s a rarity these days to see a PlayStation Vita exclusive, five years into the platform’s life, but The Caligula Effect is a game that will speak to its audience.
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Featuring a story written by Persona veteran Tadashi Satomi, The Caligula Effect takes you inside a digital prison filled with brainwashed high school students, evil musicians, and an all-powerful virtual idol.

  • Play​Station
  • Play​station Vita
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

0%
Audience ScoreBased on 0 reviews
graphics2 positive mentions
grinding4 negative mentions
  • Fascinating story with heavy concepts about human suffering and artificial happiness.
  • Unique and flashy battle system that can be satisfying when it clicks.
  • Star-studded soundtrack and aesthetically pleasing art enhance the overall experience.
  • Shallow and unfulfilling social interactions with a tedious friendship system.
  • Technical issues such as poor frame rate and monotonous environments detract from gameplay.
  • Unclear objectives and repetitive elements lead to a frustrating experience.
  • music7 mentions

    The music in the game is highlighted as a standout feature, with a star-studded soundtrack and catchy pop tracks that initially impress, though some players note that the music becomes repetitive over time. While it contributes positively to the overall experience, the limited variety and shallow social systems detract from its potential impact. Overall, the soundtrack is memorable but may not sustain its appeal throughout the game.

    • “The game's flashy graphics, star-studded soundtrack, and solid story help to make up for what the game lacks in a depressingly shallow and unfulfilling social system.”
    • “Thought-provoking story with a diverse and interesting cast of characters, awesome music and voice acting, plenty of content to master.”
    • “The Caligula Effect is an average JRPG with a memorable soundtrack that has some ambitious ideas for mechanics.”
    • “While not nearly as developed or immersive as Persona 5, the game's flashy graphics, star-studded soundtrack, and solid story help to make up for what the game lacks in a depressingly shallow and unfulfilling social system, unclear objectives within dungeons, and a rather tedious battle system.”
    • “Repetitive music and battles, overambitious social system, unnecessarily large, shallow NPC pool.”
    • “Limited music tracks.”
  • story6 mentions

    The Caligula Effect features a thought-provoking and complex narrative that explores themes of human suffering and the pursuit of happiness within a vast virtual world. While it may not reach the immersive depth of Persona 5, the game compensates with its engaging story, diverse characters, and a captivating soundtrack, despite some shortcomings in gameplay mechanics and social systems. Overall, it offers a unique experience that encourages replayability and introspection.

    • “The Caligula Effect offers a fascinating story set within a vast virtual world.”
    • “Filled with heavy concepts, writer Tadashi Satomi weaves a complex narrative about human suffering, artificial happiness, and the lengths people will go to find inner peace.”
    • “A thought-provoking story with a diverse and interesting cast of characters, complemented by awesome music and voice acting, and plenty of content to master.”
    • “While not nearly as developed or immersive as Persona 5, the game's flashy graphics, star-studded soundtrack, and solid story help to make up for what the game lacks in a depressingly shallow and unfulfilling social system, unclear objectives within dungeons, and a rather tedious battle system.”
    • “The Caligula Effect offers a fascinating story inside of a huge virtual world.”
    • “Filled with heavy concepts, writer Tadashi Satomi weaves a complex story about human suffering, artificial happiness, and the lengths people will go to find inner peace.”
  • grinding4 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game is criticized for its shallow social interactions and tedious battle system, which detracts from the overall experience. Players find the dungeon objectives unclear and the environments monotonous, leading to a frustrating grind that may only appeal to dedicated JRPG fans willing to overlook these flaws for some enjoyment.

    • “While not nearly as developed or immersive as Persona 5, the game's flashy graphics, star-studded soundtrack, and solid story help to make up for what the game lacks in a depressingly shallow and unfulfilling social system, unclear objectives within dungeons, and a rather tedious battle system.”
    • “[social interactions are shallow, uninteresting, and unfulfilling; entering battle commands is tedious; unclear objectives with no in-game help; reliant on save points]”
    • “If you're a JRPG fan and can see past its dull dungeon design and grindy friendship system, then there is still fun to be had here, but you'll have to push through layers of tediousness to get to it.”
  • graphics2 mentions

    The game's graphics are described as flashy and aesthetically pleasing, though not as immersive as those in Persona 5. While the visuals contribute positively to the overall experience, they are somewhat overshadowed by shortcomings in the social system, dungeon objectives, and battle mechanics.

    • “The game's flashy graphics, star-studded soundtrack, and solid story help to make up for what it lacks in other areas.”
    • “The aesthetically pleasing art enhances the overall experience.”
    • “While not nearly as developed or immersive as Persona 5, the game's flashy graphics, star-studded soundtrack, and solid story help to make up for what the game lacks in a depressingly shallow and unfulfilling social system, unclear objectives within dungeons, and a rather tedious battle system.”
  • gameplay2 mentions

    The gameplay of The Caligula Effect is characterized by its ambitious mechanics and solid rhythm, but it ultimately falls short in execution, resulting in an average JRPG experience. However, it is enhanced by a memorable soundtrack and a clever narrative.

    • “It reaches a really nice rhythmic cadence with its rock-solid gameplay, complemented by a clever, well-written narrative.”
    • “The Caligula Effect is an average JRPG with a memorable soundtrack that has some ambitious ideas for mechanics, but fails in executing them in a constructive manner.”
  • replayability1 mentions

    Reviewers highlight the game's fascinating premise and well-written story, alongside a vast world and dungeons that enhance replayability. The inclusion of a star-studded soundtrack and a flashy battle system further contributes to the overall experience, encouraging players to revisit the game.

    • “The fascinating premise and well-written story, combined with a huge world and dungeons, offer built-in replayability that keeps me coming back for more.”
    • “The star-studded soundtrack and flashy battle system enhance the experience, making each playthrough feel fresh and exciting.”
    • “With so many choices and paths to explore, the replayability factor is off the charts!”
  • emotional1 mentions

    The game is praised for its emotional depth, offering an endearing and touching experience that resonates with players, despite some minor technical issues. Its rich character development contributes significantly to its heartfelt narrative.

    • “A few technical hiccups try to rain on its parade, but overall it’s an endearing, touching, and surprisingly deep RPG with a ton of character and a bucketload of heart.”
  • optimization1 mentions

    The game's optimization has been widely criticized, with users expressing disappointment in its technical performance.

    • “The game's technical performance is disappointing.”
    • “Optimization issues severely hinder the overall experience.”
    • “Frequent frame drops and stuttering make it hard to enjoy the game.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

61% average critic score

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