Wistful coming-of-age RPG Loop8: Summer of Gods has received a new gameplay walkthrough video. In the video, publisher Xseed goes into detail regarding some of the mechanics and systems you can expect to find in the game, as well as the characters you'll meet and more.
The new trailer is narrated by Xseed's marketing coordinator Philip Roper, and it shows off around 7 minutes of gameplay from Loop8, which is set to release in the West in June. The video takes place a few days into the game's main storyline and begins as the player prepares to take on the first major boss, Kukunoichi. You can take a look at the trailer right here.
As Roper says in the gameplay walkthrough, characters in Loop8: Summer of Gods don't level up in a traditional sense. Rather, your relationship with them dictates their strength. There are three major relationship ratings in Loop8: friendship, affection, and hate. Characters will have stats for each of these ratings not only with protagonist Nini, but also with each other, and the ratings will have a direct impact on characters' combat strength.
According to the devs, Loop8: Summer of Gods will use an emotion-driven AI system, which will in turn dictate characters' actions and moods. You'll need to get to know the AI and the game's characters if you want to maximize your relationships. Nini's Demon Sight will give you greater insight into what the AI is currently doing and thinking, though, so you're not totally alone.
The dungeon-crawling element of Loop8 takes place in the Underworld, where you'll face trials and work your way towards a boss. Trials can have different effects; you might face a combat scenario, for instance, or have your energy drained. Trials grant magatama, which you'll then use to access boss fights.
Bosses, meanwhile, are affected by the same emotional system as the characters; taking a character a boss hates into a fight will give the boss more powerful area-of-effect attacks, for example, while taking characters with positive relationships will cause the boss to weaken. You can also charge your attacks with one of the three emotional ratings, which will give each attack a unique and different effect.
If you mess any of this up, don't worry; Loop8: Summer of Gods' titular "loop" mechanic will also allow you to return to the beginning of August, where you'll be able to do everything all over again, Majora's Mask-style. You can use this system to try and build relationships the way you want them.
Loop8: Summer of Gods is set to launch on June 6th for PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. Stay tuned for more info on this intriguing-looking JRPG.
