While in terms of the TV anime, it is FUNimation Entertainment and not themselves who handle Psycho-Pass in the United States/Canada, Nippon Ichi Software America have announced they will be bringing its visual novel Psycho-Pass: Mandatory Happiness to North American and PAL region markets starting late-2016. Available on both the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita in late-2016, you will be able to pick this title up for yourself via either a local video game store or the digital PlayStation Store. A PC edition will also be available via Steam.
Psycho-Pass: Mandatory Happiness takes place during the timespan of the first season of the anime, and adds backstory and world building to the overall series. This is in addition to presenting new in-depth storylines which can be impacted based on player decisions, and the introduction of brand new characters which will provide new perspectives of the Psycho-Pass universe. You can read more about the storyline in the below synopsis:
In the near future, advanced technological developments have allowed one’s mental state and disposition to be quantified and profiled.
For the public’s welfare, all emotions and thoughts are documented and managed by the Sibyl System. This system measures the quality of each person’s life by what is known as the PsychoPass, a reading of an individual’s mind. Broken down into two main components, the PsychoPass is the system’s omniscient eyes of justice. One of these components is the Hue, which is a visual representation of the Psycho-Pass that conveys a person’s stress level. The other is the Crime Coefficient, which is a numerical value that represents a person’s criminal capacity. This number determines whether an individual requires enforcement by the detectives of the Public Safety Bureau. Detectives are divided into two groups: Enforcers, who are tasked with the investigation of crimes and the apprehension of criminals, and Inspectors, who are charged with managing the Enforcers
In Psycho-Pass, players will choose between two new detectives assigned to the Criminal Investigation Bureau: Nadeshiko Kugatachi, a calm and serious Inspector whose memories were wiped, and Takuma Tsurugi, a hot-headed Enforcer who is searching for his missing childhood friend. Depending on your character selection, new opportunities can emerge, leading to a number of different endings. Depending on your choices as well, hues may deteriorate beyond recovery, cases may be left unsolved and the game may end quicker than expected.
Developed by MAGES, Psycho-Pass: Mandatory Happiness is set for release on the PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita and PC platforms in late 2016.
