The Otaku’s Study has always had a stance of that even if some content must be cut to make a title viable in the west, that publishers should make every attempt to make a game available in the western market. One game I was not expecting to see ever released internationally however was Criminal Girls or its PlayStation Vita port Criminal Girls: Invitation.
Despite the unlikeness of the game ever being published by NIS America due to its heavy emphasis on spanking and “punishing” the cast members for stat boosts, the company have today announced at Anime Expo 2014 that they will be localizing and distributing it under the title Criminal Girls: Invite Only later this year.
Explore the depths of Hell as you lead a female gang of delinquents on their quest to absolve themselves of their sins and be reborn on Earth. But be careful, leading a crew of delinquents to battle and discovery isn’t as easy as it sounds. Wrestle with the girls’ conflicting battle plans, spend some one-on-one time keeping the girls motivated to be their better selves, and uncover their deepest, darkest secrets on the way to reforming them into not just upstanding citizens, but a cohesive, and effective battle group.
Seven delinquents, seven sins, and only one way out. Just hired for a new, mysterious job, you soon discover that this isn’t your normal prison gig. You’ve been entrusted with the care of a crew of girls whose sins have damned their souls to Hell and an eternity of punishment… Their only hope of salvation is for you to recognize their unique histories, and to guide them along the path to redemption. Navigate through the four trials of the Redemption Program, and motivate your crew of delinquents to learn the skills to redeem themselves, or leave them to their fate.
Some promoted features of this game include:
Mind Your Manners: These girls aren’t your typical RPG team – they have minds of their own! To defeat the convicts doing their time in Hell’s dungeons, you’ll need to listen to your team’s desires, and choose your path to victory from the ever-evolving repertoire of skills, spells, and combo attacks that they want to use.
Touching Gameplay: Connect with the girls, and uncover each of their unique personalities through one-on-one motivational sessions with a unique use of the front touchscreen and rear touchpad, and fulfill the girls’ special requests to discover more about their interesting, and often dark pasts.
Criminal Girls, Reborn: This Playstation Vita update will mark the first time a Criminal Girls game makes its way to the US, and with English text! The update also brings previously unplayable characters into the fray—Miu and Himekami—and includes brand new scenarios and levels to challenge your prison smarts. It also revamps the much lauded motivational gameplay with updated artwork, and brand new Live2D graphics and effects.
The Japanese edition of Criminal Girls: Invitation also featured PlayStation TV support, meaning the same support could be available in Western markets. It will however be censored in order to “bring this title to as many fans as possible in both North America and Europe”.
