XSEED and Marvelous are adding to their 2018 catalog by publishing four more third-party games, including their first VR title. The titles range from an action-RPG Touhou game to an alien-blasting music game, and all look to broaden XSEED's appeal. There's a lot to sift through, but you can view brief trailers for each of the games below in one large video.
First up on our list is Corpse Party 2: Dead Patient. The sequel to the 1996 original, Corpse Party 2 is an episodic release with a new setting, but the same creepy atmosphere that is a hallmark of the Corpse Party series. Now set within an abandoned hospital, you must guide the teenaged Ayame past shambling zombies, vengeful spirits, and all other sorts of supernatural creatures. Each Corpse Party game is intertwined with one another, and Dead Patient directly ties into the main series, with a few characters making their appearance.
Marvelous USA/XSEED have been the publisher for all the English releases of Corpse Party so far, and this partnership looks as though it will continue. The same team responsible for the PC port of the first game will be handling the port of Corpse Party 2. Corpse Party 2 also comes with additional scenarios for you to get spooked in. With 360-degree movement, as well as improved lighting and a moody soundtrack, Corpse Party 2 will be scaring you on Windows sometime later this year.
Next is XSEED's first published VR title: Gungrave VR. Released for PSVR late last year, Gungrave VR is the first Gungrave game in 13 years and serves as a prequel to the upcoming Gungrave: G.O.R.E. Bringing back original character designer Yasuhiro Nightow, Gungrave VR is Red Entertainment's chance to update the character designs, while still staying true to the action of the original. Gungrave VR features both third and first-person modes, as well as three levels of scaling difficulty. Gungrave VR launched to modest reviews and should be available sometime later this year.
Remember music games? More specifically, how they used to be ubiquitous, before disappearing entirely? XSEED is hoping to recapture some of that magic with Gal Metal, a rhythm game for the Switch. Here, instead of playing along via guitar, you're creating your own drumlines to different songs. Form a band with your schoolmates and practice, before putting on concerts in order to blast away aliens with the power of music. Beyond saving the planet from an alien menace, you've also got classes to attend and friendships to forge. You can take on part-time jobs, or just relax in your club room, jamming with your bandmates.
With cel-shaded aesthetics and story episodes that are told through manga-styled layouts, Gal Metal is a uniquely Japanese take on the band/rhythm game. Gal Metal reviewed positively but sold very poorly, but we'll be able to test our mettle later this year when it releases on the Switch.
The last game added to XSEED's 2018 catalog is Touhou: Scarlet Curiosity. An action RPG that saw a release on the PS4 a few years ago, it's now making its way to the PC, with some improvements. 4K resolution is now supported, as well as a new "Bullet Hell" mode for both newcomers and experienced veterans alike. In Scarlet Curiosity, you play as either the titular vampire Remilia Scarlet or her maid retainer, Sakuya Izayoi. Each offers different ways to play through the various levels and bosses.
Even though Scarlet Curiosity may seem like just another sidescrolling action RPG, but make no mistake, it's still packed with the same bullet hell bosses the Touhou series is known for. We found Scarlet Curiosity to offer satisfying combat and tight controls, but it was hampered by its short length. You can expect to play Touhou: Scarlet Curiosity later this year on Steam.
This adds to XSEED's release of Bullet Witch earlier this year, as well as Senran Kagura Reflexions, Senran Kagura Burst and Fate/Extella Link set to come later this year. One notable omission was Trails in the Sky: Cold Steel 3. Cold Steel 3 is slated to be localized sometime in the future, but it's more a question of who (XSEED vs. NISA) rather than when. With any luck, XSEED may yet surprise us later this year. Until then, there's quite the catalog to pick from.
