You know you messed up when you shoehorn a new character so badly, it stops a newcomer from playing and makes them want to play the original instead.
I dont know why, but I liked it. Its weird and strange, but a fun game overall
This review contains spoilers
(NOTE: played the game on Hard Remix (beat most levels on my own but did look up the solutions for a good few), got the Rin True Ending)
I have conflicting feelings on this game. I really think that the gameplay is massively improved, even though Classic's was by no means bad in any way shape or form. The formula is just really perfected and well made, as the new remix mode made replaying the game really fun with new layouts and changes, and the overhaul of some of the core features I felt made the gameplay all the better. For a true gameplay experience, Catherine Full Body is the definitive experience of experiencing this game.
However with that said, the story of this game goes off the rails at the end, and I believe to this game's detriment. Rin is a really interesting character, and aims to tackles the aspect of sexuality which was something (for the most part) unexplored in Classic. However the alien shit just made this game really fucking weird and confusing at the end. I think the last few levels of the game were some of the most fun I've had in my 35 or so hours playing Catherine, but afterwards the story just becomes goofy for no real good reason and ruins the more grounded and real aspects of the story. Classic's narrative was by no means completely grounded, but it at least walked a line between being batshit insane and still able to tackle mostly unexplored themes in games (especially for it's time) in a realistic and mature way. FB just says fuck it and takes a nose dive into the absurd, which my only real reaction from was just laughter at the weird turn this game took, but I just don't think was needed from this game.
Another thing I didn't really like about this game was admittedly a minor nitpick but still I believe substancial and important to the discussion of Atlus's games as a whole. The jukebox added in a lot of new songs, including some from 2 of my favorite games of all time, P4G and P5R. However, Atlus chose to only include songs from Persona 3, 4 and 5. I think this choice furthers a narrative that I've seen from Atlus and the persona community as a whole, which is that Atlus as the years goes on is slowly ignoring Persona 1 and the 2 duology. While the recent leaks by Midori of a Persona 2 remake has definitely disproved this common thought I've seen in the persona community, I feel like for the time this game released, this decision by Atlus really set in stone this belief that people in the Persona community hold that the first 3 persona games don't really matter that much to experience.
Overall while I feel like the gameplay in Full Body is essential to experience, especially to fans of Classic, I feel like the story decisions with the Rin Route and the minor point I have with the jukebox really harms this game for me, and I feel like as a full experience Classic is just better in my eyes. I will definitely be coming back to this game and Classic to explore more of the possible routes you can take, and also to maybe attempt Babel, but for me at least, Catherine Full Body is one step forward, two steps back from the original
I have conflicting feelings on this game. I really think that the gameplay is massively improved, even though Classic's was by no means bad in any way shape or form. The formula is just really perfected and well made, as the new remix mode made replaying the game really fun with new layouts and changes, and the overhaul of some of the core features I felt made the gameplay all the better. For a true gameplay experience, Catherine Full Body is the definitive experience of experiencing this game.
However with that said, the story of this game goes off the rails at the end, and I believe to this game's detriment. Rin is a really interesting character, and aims to tackles the aspect of sexuality which was something (for the most part) unexplored in Classic. However the alien shit just made this game really fucking weird and confusing at the end. I think the last few levels of the game were some of the most fun I've had in my 35 or so hours playing Catherine, but afterwards the story just becomes goofy for no real good reason and ruins the more grounded and real aspects of the story. Classic's narrative was by no means completely grounded, but it at least walked a line between being batshit insane and still able to tackle mostly unexplored themes in games (especially for it's time) in a realistic and mature way. FB just says fuck it and takes a nose dive into the absurd, which my only real reaction from was just laughter at the weird turn this game took, but I just don't think was needed from this game.
Another thing I didn't really like about this game was admittedly a minor nitpick but still I believe substancial and important to the discussion of Atlus's games as a whole. The jukebox added in a lot of new songs, including some from 2 of my favorite games of all time, P4G and P5R. However, Atlus chose to only include songs from Persona 3, 4 and 5. I think this choice furthers a narrative that I've seen from Atlus and the persona community as a whole, which is that Atlus as the years goes on is slowly ignoring Persona 1 and the 2 duology. While the recent leaks by Midori of a Persona 2 remake has definitely disproved this common thought I've seen in the persona community, I feel like for the time this game released, this decision by Atlus really set in stone this belief that people in the Persona community hold that the first 3 persona games don't really matter that much to experience.
Overall while I feel like the gameplay in Full Body is essential to experience, especially to fans of Classic, I feel like the story decisions with the Rin Route and the minor point I have with the jukebox really harms this game for me, and I feel like as a full experience Classic is just better in my eyes. I will definitely be coming back to this game and Classic to explore more of the possible routes you can take, and also to maybe attempt Babel, but for me at least, Catherine Full Body is one step forward, two steps back from the original
Tbh, i can say nothing more then just jump into this game. its not remotely what it looks like and its a blast from the start to finish.
This review contains spoilers
Outside of the typical, canon ending for this, there's endings where you become the king of hell, go broke after betting and losing all your money on women's professional wrestling, become an astronaut in a futuristic space colony and attend an alien concert with your homies. Truly, Atlus dug deep and discovered the innermost desires of me and every man I've ever met.
My first experience with Catherine was back in 2011 when I somehow convinced my mom to allow me to rent it off of Gamefly (I was 14). At that time in my life, I had next to no idea who Atlus was and can only assume I was drawn to this game due to my eyes cartoonishly popping out of my head while I screamed 'AWOOGA' upon my viewing of the cover art. I remember being quite disappointed upon playing it and learning it was a puzzle game, quickly tossing it aside and getting back to whatever online multiplayer shooter I was into at the time.
Over the years since then, I have become increasingly familiar with Atlus' catalog to the extent that they are now responsible for a decent number of my favorite video games (Shin Megami Tensei 1, Nocturne, Persona 3, etc) and I always meant to get back to Catherine as an adult in order to finally get the proper experience. Well, that finally happened and I had a blast with it. The puzzle gameplay seems simple on the surface but is surprisingly deep and provides a huge amount of room for improvisation and personal expression. I love how you can feel yourself become increasingly competent as the game progresses despite there being no progression system in place; it's all just internalized knowledge that was accumulated through familiarizing yourself with the mechanics.
As for the story and characters, there is a lot to love here. What starts as a cautionary tale of infidelity evolves pretty quickly into a more nuanced journey focusing on how much of the human experience is dictated by expectations preconceived by others and how it can be both positive and negative to simply 'go with the flow' rather than identifying and seeking the path your heart truly yearns for. Luckily, this existential journey is not one trodden alone; I loved throwing back drinks with Vincent's buddies while they tried their best to support him and it was always fun wandering around the bar in a stupor talking to whatever new characters decided to stop by for a drink that night. The best dialogue likely comes from your fellow sheep during the nightmares though, especially those who are recurring and all have miniature arcs of their own.
When it comes to the romance/relationship aspect of the game, I definitely had a good time following along with Vincent's exploits, only occasionally getting frustrated by his complete inability to hold a conversation but this flaw serves as a pretty vital plot device so its understandable. On my playthrough of the game I achieved the True Katherine ending which certainly seems to be the canon in my mind and the one that felt the most fulfilling after viewing the rest of them online. I wouldn't blame anyone for feeling the same about several of the other endings though.
Over the years since then, I have become increasingly familiar with Atlus' catalog to the extent that they are now responsible for a decent number of my favorite video games (Shin Megami Tensei 1, Nocturne, Persona 3, etc) and I always meant to get back to Catherine as an adult in order to finally get the proper experience. Well, that finally happened and I had a blast with it. The puzzle gameplay seems simple on the surface but is surprisingly deep and provides a huge amount of room for improvisation and personal expression. I love how you can feel yourself become increasingly competent as the game progresses despite there being no progression system in place; it's all just internalized knowledge that was accumulated through familiarizing yourself with the mechanics.
As for the story and characters, there is a lot to love here. What starts as a cautionary tale of infidelity evolves pretty quickly into a more nuanced journey focusing on how much of the human experience is dictated by expectations preconceived by others and how it can be both positive and negative to simply 'go with the flow' rather than identifying and seeking the path your heart truly yearns for. Luckily, this existential journey is not one trodden alone; I loved throwing back drinks with Vincent's buddies while they tried their best to support him and it was always fun wandering around the bar in a stupor talking to whatever new characters decided to stop by for a drink that night. The best dialogue likely comes from your fellow sheep during the nightmares though, especially those who are recurring and all have miniature arcs of their own.
When it comes to the romance/relationship aspect of the game, I definitely had a good time following along with Vincent's exploits, only occasionally getting frustrated by his complete inability to hold a conversation but this flaw serves as a pretty vital plot device so its understandable. On my playthrough of the game I achieved the True Katherine ending which certainly seems to be the canon in my mind and the one that felt the most fulfilling after viewing the rest of them online. I wouldn't blame anyone for feeling the same about several of the other endings though.
Se eu pudesse definir Catherine em uma palavra, seria "satisfatório". A gameplay é bem simples, puxar e empurrar blocos, mas a satisfação que causa com cada movimento é impressionante, desde os efeitos sonoros até os efeitos visuais, tudo dá uma sensação muito boa. A história é bem interessante, ainda mais se fizer todos os finais, pois cada final dá um contexto para cada garota, o que elas são, como se sentem e afins. Meus finais favoritos foram "A World for Two" e "A Dangerous Pair". Eu até planejava platinar o jogo mas no momento deu uma enjoada e a platina é bem cansativa. Mesmo assim, um jogão que eu amei demais.
Been wanting to play this game since it came out and I finally got it.
Really loved the story and the twists did catch me off guard
Got one of the Katherine endings and I might go back and do the other 10 endings
Really loved the story and the twists did catch me off guard
Got one of the Katherine endings and I might go back and do the other 10 endings
this game is as bizarre as you'd think and i love it! the gameplay is fun but can get a little frustrating towards the end, the soundtrack is as good as you'd expect from atlus, the graphics are great for atlus' first jump to the ps3, and the characters are great too! just be warned that this game doesn't hold back, would recommend!
casi lo mismo que el original es como un royal pero del catherine xd me gusta que no sea tan transfobico se rescataron creo o por la ruta que elegi es asi ajskda es todo lo mismo aunque sea cambiaron los puzzles, tendrian que ver los nuevos finales, lo paja que desbloquear dl nuevo personaje rin es muy especifico tendria que ver una guia si no es medio facil si acertas bien es interesante la ruta que tomaron con rin y vicent talvez es cosa mia que le agarre afecto a esta saga pq la jugue mientras estaba internada
didnt care at all for the characters except for katherine and the gameplay was the only thing i liked about this game
im very good at not cheating on my wife and doing puzzles
Veredito: Maduro e fácil de empatizar, mas todas as rotas são iguais.
Tematicamente, Catherine é exatamente o que eu esperava. Não um jogo erótico, não um hentaizão cheio de sexo, e sim um jogo sobre sexo. Um jogo sobre relacionamentos românticos, sexuais, e tudo o que existe entre essas duas coisas. O visual e todo o estilo do jogo puxam MUITO pro erotismo e romantismo, mas nunca como um pornô, e sim como algo importante pra ajudar a dar o recado.
Todo mundo já sabe a premissa: você é Vincent, está tendo problemas no seu namoro e, quando se dá conta, acorda pelado na cama com uma mulher que acabou de conhecer. Você não se lembra de nada, mas ao que parece tu acabou de meter um chifre na sua namorada de longa data. A partir daí você que se vire pra lidar com a situação.
O dia é praticamente uma visual novel: você conversa com seus amigos, vai pro bar, recebe nudes da sua amante e ligações da sua namorada, e decide o que fazer em cada situação. De noite, você e vários desconhecidos compartilham do mesmo pesadelo: tem que escalar uma torre enorme, e quem cair não acorda mais vivo. Pense num plataforma de labirinto a la Donkey Kong clássico ou Pushmo, só que muito mais complexo e com um limite de tempo no seu pescoço, pronto pra te guilhotinar no menor errinho.
Ao mesmo tempo que não passa pano pro adultério (o texto deixa bem claro que os homens no pesadelo são pessoas horríveis que estão pagando por isso, inclusive você, que fica procurando desculpas pra não resolver o problema que criou) o roteiro se preocupa em mostrar várias outras facetas do problema.
Catherine, que você conhece no bar e que te leva pra cama, não sabe que está sendo uma amante. Katherine, sua namorada, não tem te tratado nada bem ultimamente e não tem facilitado sua vida, chegando a dizer que ela é que vai cuidar da sua conta bancária. Rin, que você conhece logo antes do jogo começar, faz o que pode para ser uma boa pessoa e para ajudar os outros, apesar de estar ela mesma cheia de problemas.
Existe um ótimo trabalho aqui para desenvolver as personagens. Ao longo do jogo você vai vendo como o namoro de Vincent foi amadurecendo e depois desmoronando, como tanto Catherine quanto Katherine lidam com os comportamentos estranhos do rapaz, como Rin vai se recuperando da amnésia que está sofrendo. Todos os homens no pesadelo passam por sentimentos pesados de culpa, e Vincent faz o máximo para ensinar eles a escalar para sobreviver mais uma noite. E se esforça pra aprender a ser uma pessoa melhor a partir dos próprios erros e dos erros dos colegas.
Minha única crítica é que as rotas são uma ilusão muito frágil: basta rejogar. Ao invés de te dar uma única escolha direta, o jogo te dá um milhão de pequenas escolhas que vão preenchendo uma barrinha, e essa barrinha em tese determina o rumo da história e eventualmente o final. Mas as diferenças são ínfimas. Você pode fazer de tudo pra terminar o seu namoro, ou fazer de tudo pra salvar ele, e meio que tanto faz. Os diálogos nunca mudam nada, os cenários vão ser sempre os mesmos. Isso não seria um problema se o jogo não fizesse tanta questão de enfatizar "cuidado com as suas escolhas, heim, elas afetam a história". Afetam porra nenhuma. Tá, o final muda, mas é só isso.
Tematicamente, Catherine é exatamente o que eu esperava. Não um jogo erótico, não um hentaizão cheio de sexo, e sim um jogo sobre sexo. Um jogo sobre relacionamentos românticos, sexuais, e tudo o que existe entre essas duas coisas. O visual e todo o estilo do jogo puxam MUITO pro erotismo e romantismo, mas nunca como um pornô, e sim como algo importante pra ajudar a dar o recado.
Todo mundo já sabe a premissa: você é Vincent, está tendo problemas no seu namoro e, quando se dá conta, acorda pelado na cama com uma mulher que acabou de conhecer. Você não se lembra de nada, mas ao que parece tu acabou de meter um chifre na sua namorada de longa data. A partir daí você que se vire pra lidar com a situação.
O dia é praticamente uma visual novel: você conversa com seus amigos, vai pro bar, recebe nudes da sua amante e ligações da sua namorada, e decide o que fazer em cada situação. De noite, você e vários desconhecidos compartilham do mesmo pesadelo: tem que escalar uma torre enorme, e quem cair não acorda mais vivo. Pense num plataforma de labirinto a la Donkey Kong clássico ou Pushmo, só que muito mais complexo e com um limite de tempo no seu pescoço, pronto pra te guilhotinar no menor errinho.
Ao mesmo tempo que não passa pano pro adultério (o texto deixa bem claro que os homens no pesadelo são pessoas horríveis que estão pagando por isso, inclusive você, que fica procurando desculpas pra não resolver o problema que criou) o roteiro se preocupa em mostrar várias outras facetas do problema.
Catherine, que você conhece no bar e que te leva pra cama, não sabe que está sendo uma amante. Katherine, sua namorada, não tem te tratado nada bem ultimamente e não tem facilitado sua vida, chegando a dizer que ela é que vai cuidar da sua conta bancária. Rin, que você conhece logo antes do jogo começar, faz o que pode para ser uma boa pessoa e para ajudar os outros, apesar de estar ela mesma cheia de problemas.
Existe um ótimo trabalho aqui para desenvolver as personagens. Ao longo do jogo você vai vendo como o namoro de Vincent foi amadurecendo e depois desmoronando, como tanto Catherine quanto Katherine lidam com os comportamentos estranhos do rapaz, como Rin vai se recuperando da amnésia que está sofrendo. Todos os homens no pesadelo passam por sentimentos pesados de culpa, e Vincent faz o máximo para ensinar eles a escalar para sobreviver mais uma noite. E se esforça pra aprender a ser uma pessoa melhor a partir dos próprios erros e dos erros dos colegas.
Minha única crítica é que as rotas são uma ilusão muito frágil: basta rejogar. Ao invés de te dar uma única escolha direta, o jogo te dá um milhão de pequenas escolhas que vão preenchendo uma barrinha, e essa barrinha em tese determina o rumo da história e eventualmente o final. Mas as diferenças são ínfimas. Você pode fazer de tudo pra terminar o seu namoro, ou fazer de tudo pra salvar ele, e meio que tanto faz. Os diálogos nunca mudam nada, os cenários vão ser sempre os mesmos. Isso não seria um problema se o jogo não fizesse tanta questão de enfatizar "cuidado com as suas escolhas, heim, elas afetam a história". Afetam porra nenhuma. Tá, o final muda, mas é só isso.
I never understood how that karma system worked, but yes, moving the cubes is fun.
FINAL COM DUAS PERSONAGENS, MAS FOI SATISFATÓRIO, MELHOR FINAL FOI COM A RIN, EU AMO AQUELA GAROTA DE PAIXÃO, BEM QUE PODERIA SER UMA GAROTA DE FATO, porém ai que tá o charme
The game is fun overall, the block puzzle keeps you engaged.
Sadly, the endings are very obtuse and unclear, which means there's a high chance you'll not get to be with who you want to be without a guide, which is crap.
Sadly, the endings are very obtuse and unclear, which means there's a high chance you'll not get to be with who you want to be without a guide, which is crap.
The puzzle mechanics AND the themes and idea involved in the story really don't do it for me. I just ended up getting stuck on the puzzles. But the atmosphere is alluring enough to keep me until the end.
I started Catherine: FB with low expectations, hoping to just play a simple game with a fun story in my cellphone, to end up liking it more than I'd imagined.
Its simple puzzle gameplay is very fun and the story is quite charming, especially the message behind it. Like I said, I started the game expecting just a easy game to play on my cellphone when I was bored, and I got exactly that, the gameplay is fun and not hard (to play on a cellphone) and saved me from boredom when commuting to my very far away college. One thing about the game that it is very remarkable, is the multiple endings. Of course, this is not new in games, it is actually very overused, but here in Catherine, the multiple endings matches so well with the story and its goal, that for the first time in a game (with choices), I felt that my choices were actually MY choices, since the theme of them were very connected to actual human feelings and thoughts. It was very enjoyable to see the reflections of my feelings, thoughts and opinions taking shape in the ending of the game, so this gained a lot of points with me.
Although Catherine: FB was a quite enjoyable ride, it didn't start that good in my opinion. The beginning was repetitive and a little boring, it took a little to finally take off and get me hooked.
Overall, it was a really great game that surprised me. I'll definitely cherish my memories playing it and recommend it to friends.
Its simple puzzle gameplay is very fun and the story is quite charming, especially the message behind it. Like I said, I started the game expecting just a easy game to play on my cellphone when I was bored, and I got exactly that, the gameplay is fun and not hard (to play on a cellphone) and saved me from boredom when commuting to my very far away college. One thing about the game that it is very remarkable, is the multiple endings. Of course, this is not new in games, it is actually very overused, but here in Catherine, the multiple endings matches so well with the story and its goal, that for the first time in a game (with choices), I felt that my choices were actually MY choices, since the theme of them were very connected to actual human feelings and thoughts. It was very enjoyable to see the reflections of my feelings, thoughts and opinions taking shape in the ending of the game, so this gained a lot of points with me.
Although Catherine: FB was a quite enjoyable ride, it didn't start that good in my opinion. The beginning was repetitive and a little boring, it took a little to finally take off and get me hooked.
Overall, it was a really great game that surprised me. I'll definitely cherish my memories playing it and recommend it to friends.
game made me a homo unironically
big fan of the name Katherine
An enjoyable split between time-sensitive puzzle platforming and a dating sim/visual novel, Catherine: Full Body is definitely a worthwhile game to play in 2024, if purchased on sale. Still portraying the original story about pathetic yet kind-hearted Vincent Brooks, who cheats on his longtime girlfriend Katherine with another girl named Catherine, Full Body continues in Atlus re-release fashion by adding on to the story in the form of another character named Qatherine. This introduces a new route and ending, and a few extra scenes throughout the game.
Looking at the game as a whole, the basic gameplay loops functions through a series of cutscenes that play during "the day" that progress the story after the events of the previous day, followed by giving the player free-reign to move Vincent around the Stray Sheep bar and interact with the other characters and Catherines, and ending with a multi-level platforming segment in Vincent's dreams.
The puzzle/platforming elements are fun and engaging, providing somewhat of a challenge that encourages you to think on your feet. I haven't really played enough platforming games to comment extensively on that part of the gameplay, I personally played on Easy so I could focus on the VN/dating sim aspect of the game.
Now, those elements of the game are also quite good. You can control the outcome of the story through answers to questions between platforming stages, as well as through dialogue options and text messages responses while in the Stray Sheep bar. These all affect a mysterious meter that can sway from "blue" to "red", which have an impact on dialogue prompts in the final days that lead to 1 of 13 endings the player can receive on Day 10.
The characters and their interactions are well written and do a good job of portraying the idea that they are meant to have known each other for many years. The voice acting is very good, with many of the characters being voiced by people who were in Persona 3 and 4.
The game also looks a lot like Persona 5, although not stylistically, just in that the character models and animated cutscenes are quite similar. This makes sense given the developmental overlap between the original versions of these two games.
Overall, I quite enjoyed playing this game. The gameplay is engaging, the story is good, and I like the characters. I got the Reunite with Katherine ending, which was what I was aiming for, and while I probably won't replay it for another ending soon, the possibility is definitely there.
Looking at the game as a whole, the basic gameplay loops functions through a series of cutscenes that play during "the day" that progress the story after the events of the previous day, followed by giving the player free-reign to move Vincent around the Stray Sheep bar and interact with the other characters and Catherines, and ending with a multi-level platforming segment in Vincent's dreams.
The puzzle/platforming elements are fun and engaging, providing somewhat of a challenge that encourages you to think on your feet. I haven't really played enough platforming games to comment extensively on that part of the gameplay, I personally played on Easy so I could focus on the VN/dating sim aspect of the game.
Now, those elements of the game are also quite good. You can control the outcome of the story through answers to questions between platforming stages, as well as through dialogue options and text messages responses while in the Stray Sheep bar. These all affect a mysterious meter that can sway from "blue" to "red", which have an impact on dialogue prompts in the final days that lead to 1 of 13 endings the player can receive on Day 10.
The characters and their interactions are well written and do a good job of portraying the idea that they are meant to have known each other for many years. The voice acting is very good, with many of the characters being voiced by people who were in Persona 3 and 4.
The game also looks a lot like Persona 5, although not stylistically, just in that the character models and animated cutscenes are quite similar. This makes sense given the developmental overlap between the original versions of these two games.
Overall, I quite enjoyed playing this game. The gameplay is engaging, the story is good, and I like the characters. I got the Reunite with Katherine ending, which was what I was aiming for, and while I probably won't replay it for another ending soon, the possibility is definitely there.
Catherine: Full Body, a versão com conteúdo extra e refinado para a geração do ps4 de 'Catherine' tenta trazer algumas temáticas pertinentes sobre relações sociais, relações amorosas, liberdade na vida adulta e responsabilidades advindas com a idade.
Mas vamos por partes.
Não irei resumir a história do jogo, mas para o melhor entendimento de alguns pontos chaves da mensagem jogo irei citar alguns momentos para os comentários serem mais pertinentes.
O jogo busca mostrar por meio das 3 personagens (Catherine, Katherine, Qatherine/Rin) assuntos tabus na sociedade japonesa, e até certo grau a ocidental também, A responsabilidade amorosa (Katherine) que vai incluir algumas "correntes" que "prendem" quem ser acorrentado por elas: Casamento, desistência de alguns sonhos, visar um futuro que seja benéfico para a família não só próprio e o comprometimento com as outras partes. A liberdade (Catherine) : Relacionamentos superficiais, realização própria a cima de todas as outras coisas, rejeição da visão de outrem sobre sua pessoa. E a aceitação (Rin): transição (gênero), autoaceitação, o que/ para que são os tabus da sociedade e você como individuo dentro de uma sociedade com tantos outros 'indivíduos'
Por mas que isso pareça excepcionalmente bom, afinal uma carga criativa dessas não é de se ignorar, você só consegue passar por essas rotas se ativamente se esforçar a entrar nas "rotas" das personagens. Como assim? Se vc for uma pessoa de caráter mínimo não há razão NENHUMA de continuar traindo a Katherine, oq vai ocasionar em não ver nenhum tema das outras personagens nem que seja superficialmente. Não há eventos que promovam vc a fazer essas rotas ou algo parecido. O que em primeira vista, me frustrou um pq me fez ter um fator replay "forçado" se eu quisesse aproveitar mais o game.
Em questão da gamplay do mundo dos sonhos (A real gameplay do jogo) nada de MUITO destaque. Os mundos são legais, as mecânicas quanto mais avança vão ficando criativas, unica coisa a se dizer tá mais para os controles responderem meio mal/contra intuitivo quando se altera a perspectiva, mas nada que acabe com sua jogatina.
Finalizando, um jogo incrível com temáticas bem maduras e gameplay muito criativa com os puzzles. Mas, sofre de uma falta de incentivo para com as rotas do jogo, sendo elas como um todo um pilar fundamental para a mensagem completa do jogo.
Mas vamos por partes.
Não irei resumir a história do jogo, mas para o melhor entendimento de alguns pontos chaves da mensagem jogo irei citar alguns momentos para os comentários serem mais pertinentes.
O jogo busca mostrar por meio das 3 personagens (Catherine, Katherine, Qatherine/Rin) assuntos tabus na sociedade japonesa, e até certo grau a ocidental também, A responsabilidade amorosa (Katherine) que vai incluir algumas "correntes" que "prendem" quem ser acorrentado por elas: Casamento, desistência de alguns sonhos, visar um futuro que seja benéfico para a família não só próprio e o comprometimento com as outras partes. A liberdade (Catherine) : Relacionamentos superficiais, realização própria a cima de todas as outras coisas, rejeição da visão de outrem sobre sua pessoa. E a aceitação (Rin): transição (gênero), autoaceitação, o que/ para que são os tabus da sociedade e você como individuo dentro de uma sociedade com tantos outros 'indivíduos'
Por mas que isso pareça excepcionalmente bom, afinal uma carga criativa dessas não é de se ignorar, você só consegue passar por essas rotas se ativamente se esforçar a entrar nas "rotas" das personagens. Como assim? Se vc for uma pessoa de caráter mínimo não há razão NENHUMA de continuar traindo a Katherine, oq vai ocasionar em não ver nenhum tema das outras personagens nem que seja superficialmente. Não há eventos que promovam vc a fazer essas rotas ou algo parecido. O que em primeira vista, me frustrou um pq me fez ter um fator replay "forçado" se eu quisesse aproveitar mais o game.
Em questão da gamplay do mundo dos sonhos (A real gameplay do jogo) nada de MUITO destaque. Os mundos são legais, as mecânicas quanto mais avança vão ficando criativas, unica coisa a se dizer tá mais para os controles responderem meio mal/contra intuitivo quando se altera a perspectiva, mas nada que acabe com sua jogatina.
Finalizando, um jogo incrível com temáticas bem maduras e gameplay muito criativa com os puzzles. Mas, sofre de uma falta de incentivo para com as rotas do jogo, sendo elas como um todo um pilar fundamental para a mensagem completa do jogo.
gorgeous and great music but I don’t like anyone and I guess that’s the point but I cba
rin is the best
This game is something of a guilty pleasure for me.
The story is actually a decent story overall with some genuinely funny interactions, but also some deep messages and themes.
I really enjoyed the gameplay, it might look simple in the beginning but things get serious later on, with the last 2-3 dungeons being somewhat more challenging than the rest. The only downside to it is that it's quite repetitive, not only the puzzles but even hanging out at the bar, unfortunately the things you can do in the game aren't that many, it's very linear.
As for the soundtrack, it's so good! Very unique and charming, adds a lot of personality to the game's atmosphere and vibe.
Lastly, there's a decent amount of content, the various challenges and even the multiplayer mode, which is more than enough for a game like this.
However, I do think that the game is outdated in some ways, the character's movement feels clunky, the 2D animation is choppy and the facial expressions are strange to say the least.
I finished this game in one sitting with no breaks, and it took me 14 hours. It was very fun from start to finish, which is a very big compliment considering how I've never played a game similar to Catherine before, it truly is a very one-of-a-kind game.
Final Rating: "Great" ~ 8/10.
The story is actually a decent story overall with some genuinely funny interactions, but also some deep messages and themes.
I really enjoyed the gameplay, it might look simple in the beginning but things get serious later on, with the last 2-3 dungeons being somewhat more challenging than the rest. The only downside to it is that it's quite repetitive, not only the puzzles but even hanging out at the bar, unfortunately the things you can do in the game aren't that many, it's very linear.
As for the soundtrack, it's so good! Very unique and charming, adds a lot of personality to the game's atmosphere and vibe.
Lastly, there's a decent amount of content, the various challenges and even the multiplayer mode, which is more than enough for a game like this.
However, I do think that the game is outdated in some ways, the character's movement feels clunky, the 2D animation is choppy and the facial expressions are strange to say the least.
I finished this game in one sitting with no breaks, and it took me 14 hours. It was very fun from start to finish, which is a very big compliment considering how I've never played a game similar to Catherine before, it truly is a very one-of-a-kind game.
Final Rating: "Great" ~ 8/10.
im generally not a fan of puzzle games but this game was really fun to play, the vibe of the game is just great too, the jazz bar music is such a vibe i can't help but love it, drinking actually gives you a random fact about said drink, the choices you can make while finishing a level, it's all great.
unironically atlus best game and it's not even from the megaten series...
unironically atlus best game and it's not even from the megaten series...
This review contains spoilers
I should’ve known that Atlus would release an expanded version of Catherine as they tend to do with each of the Persona titles. Still, an eight-year gap between Full Body and the original Catherine was a long enough duration for a sizable percentage of new players to experience Atlus’ most unconventional IP for the first time as opposed to veterans squeezing more juice out of the potential content to total satisfaction. While a whole gaming generation of time passing caused Catherine to become a fainter recollection in our memory banks, perhaps forgetting its finer details is a fortuitous circumstance for the developers to rework some of the game’s questionable decisions.
Naturally, to get the money’s worth for all returnees to Catherine, Atlus has compiled a plethora of additional content that wasn’t available in the original. Upon selecting Catherine’s story mode, the player has the option to choose “remix mode” which shuffles the placements of blocks in the levels as well as injecting some unseen blocks with new mechanics into the mix. Quality of life enhancements have been implemented to make the already nightmarishly (no pun intended) challenging levels less of a grueling excursion. Dying due to either falling or being slain by a pursuing machination of Vincent’s psyche will not result in a game over. Rather, the developers have shifted these fatal occurrences into the “undo” mechanic, reverting Vincent back to the previous spot to his last maneuver. The developers have also done away with the limited continues, so Vincent is free to fuck up as many times as necessary. Anything to alleviate the binding duress of Catherine’s strict difficulty is much appreciated. The “Babel” and “Colosseum” challenge modes are unlocked without any conditions, so you and a friend can tackle these steep, formidable climbs immediately.
Really, I think the focal point of Full Body is the addition of Rin as Catherine’s character that Atlus shoehorns into the story as another reason to justify rereleasing the same game at full price. Forgive my cynicism, but it’s not as if Marie was a highlight of Persona 4: Golden that made it radiate brighter than the original. Rin’s placement among the plot points is awkward for those who experienced the original game as expected, but she isn’t a waste of space. The game establishes her as early as the first cutscene even before Vincent goes to bed for the first time as she’s being pursued by a stalker the size of an ogre. After getting perhaps too acquainted with her, Vincent helps the frangible, pink-haired girl get back on her feet as she is debilitated by an amnesiac stupor. Vincent houses her in the apartment next door where she decorates her living space with frilly girl things like stuffed animals galore. Vincent also sets her up with a gig playing piano at the Stray Sheep. She isn’t exactly Arthur Rubenstein, but all of the bar patrons appreciate her efforts nonetheless. What is even stranger is that Rin’s job extends to Vincent's nightmares as she slackens the rate of erosion whenever she feels Vincent it could be gaining on him. This is a relief to everyone involved in the nightmare, especially the player, but Rin’s inclusion goes beyond a glorified quality of life enhancement. Seeing Vincent take care of Rin like an older brother makes him a more likable protagonist, giving him a responsibility that forces him to shed the usual pathetic worrywart persona that makes everyone pity him.
But a sibling relationship is not the type of bond Vincent is intended to have with Rin. Once it’s revealed that Rin’s full name is Qatherine, the absolute last consonant to fit as the beginning syllable sound for the name, we realize that she’s also another potential love interest. While a vocal handful of people complain that her presence disrupts the organized love triangle because a love square isn’t as contextually shapely, her inclusion might present another facet of what happens when a man is discontented with his love life: sexual experimentation. Vincent busts into Rin’s room after a disturbance finding her lying on the floor in nothing but a towel. After the towel falls off, let’s just say that now Vincent knows everything there is to know about the crying game. Yes, the big reveal behind her character is that Rin is a trans woman, or at least she’s a gender-fluid, femme-passing person with male anatomy (it’s complicated). Because Vincent is attracted to Rin in some capacity, this revelation makes him frantically question his sexuality as he lashes out at Rin out of complete shock. Of course, I did say that Rin is still a viable romance option so if the player feels inclined to pursue Rin even further, Vincent will have to apologize up and down to her for forgiveness. Once Vincent puts himself on the Rin route, more is revealed revolving around her origin as a supernatural being similar to the yandere blonde bimbo of the same name, hence why she can enter the nightmare to serenade the sheep with her piano playing. Vincent defeats her Archangel older brother as the game’s “final boss,” who then splits into a group of pink aliens that resemble those from Toy Story with a swapped color palette. Vincent marries Rin and becomes her music producer as they travel through space in her rightful saucer. As dumb as the good ending result is, it’s rather sweet of Vincent to pursue his true feelings for Rin regardless of her gender identity.
In reality, the more likely reason the game’s one additional story character is trans is to backpedal from the grievous mistake the original made with this topic. I omitted this detail from my review of the original game but once Toby loses his virginity to Erika, it’s revealed that Erika used to be a high school friend of Vincent and the others named Eric and has had a sex change. Toby is revulsed beyond belief at Erika’s “duplicity” and Erika is offended at his gall to dispute her gender identity. I glossed over this B-plot because it seemed quite trivial to the overarching story of Catherine and almost like a mean-spirited punchline to Toby. If he’s not old enough to suffer the block tower gauntlet in his dreams, he can still suffer in the real world with his crush having a penis. Yikes, Atlus. If this interaction drew a sizeable bit of ire from the LGBT+ community back in 2011, imagine what kind of backlash Full Body would’ve received in a post-#metoo world. I’m not certain Full Body remedies their mistakes with Erika’s gender identity, rather, makes it more vague when Toby tells Orlando that intercourse with Erika was “weird” instead of having a fit. There is also a scene where the gang discusses same-sex couples, and Erika brings Rin over to voice her opinion who is naturally receptive to the concept. Touche, Atlus, but this level of inclusivity is laughably elementary at best. Truthfully, I don’t think Japan as a culture is as progressive and enlightened on the rights and awareness of LGBT+ rights as the Western world even in modern times. They tried, but their attempts are too shallow to show they now have a profound understanding of the subject matter.
Besides adult sophistication, the “full body” wine parallel in the title alludes to a richer, bolder taste that signifies maturation and complexity. If the parallel means that Catherine has reached its potential, I can’t really agree. Sure, the gameplay is far more agreeable and makes for a smoother experience, but there are still several thematic holes in Catherine that are still leaking because the job to fill them has been half-assed. It’s tolerable at best. Still, I can’t argue that this is the definitive Catherine experience despite the glaring flaws that shine through the solid steel door like bullet holes.
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Attribution: https://erockreviews.blogspot.com
Naturally, to get the money’s worth for all returnees to Catherine, Atlus has compiled a plethora of additional content that wasn’t available in the original. Upon selecting Catherine’s story mode, the player has the option to choose “remix mode” which shuffles the placements of blocks in the levels as well as injecting some unseen blocks with new mechanics into the mix. Quality of life enhancements have been implemented to make the already nightmarishly (no pun intended) challenging levels less of a grueling excursion. Dying due to either falling or being slain by a pursuing machination of Vincent’s psyche will not result in a game over. Rather, the developers have shifted these fatal occurrences into the “undo” mechanic, reverting Vincent back to the previous spot to his last maneuver. The developers have also done away with the limited continues, so Vincent is free to fuck up as many times as necessary. Anything to alleviate the binding duress of Catherine’s strict difficulty is much appreciated. The “Babel” and “Colosseum” challenge modes are unlocked without any conditions, so you and a friend can tackle these steep, formidable climbs immediately.
Really, I think the focal point of Full Body is the addition of Rin as Catherine’s character that Atlus shoehorns into the story as another reason to justify rereleasing the same game at full price. Forgive my cynicism, but it’s not as if Marie was a highlight of Persona 4: Golden that made it radiate brighter than the original. Rin’s placement among the plot points is awkward for those who experienced the original game as expected, but she isn’t a waste of space. The game establishes her as early as the first cutscene even before Vincent goes to bed for the first time as she’s being pursued by a stalker the size of an ogre. After getting perhaps too acquainted with her, Vincent helps the frangible, pink-haired girl get back on her feet as she is debilitated by an amnesiac stupor. Vincent houses her in the apartment next door where she decorates her living space with frilly girl things like stuffed animals galore. Vincent also sets her up with a gig playing piano at the Stray Sheep. She isn’t exactly Arthur Rubenstein, but all of the bar patrons appreciate her efforts nonetheless. What is even stranger is that Rin’s job extends to Vincent's nightmares as she slackens the rate of erosion whenever she feels Vincent it could be gaining on him. This is a relief to everyone involved in the nightmare, especially the player, but Rin’s inclusion goes beyond a glorified quality of life enhancement. Seeing Vincent take care of Rin like an older brother makes him a more likable protagonist, giving him a responsibility that forces him to shed the usual pathetic worrywart persona that makes everyone pity him.
But a sibling relationship is not the type of bond Vincent is intended to have with Rin. Once it’s revealed that Rin’s full name is Qatherine, the absolute last consonant to fit as the beginning syllable sound for the name, we realize that she’s also another potential love interest. While a vocal handful of people complain that her presence disrupts the organized love triangle because a love square isn’t as contextually shapely, her inclusion might present another facet of what happens when a man is discontented with his love life: sexual experimentation. Vincent busts into Rin’s room after a disturbance finding her lying on the floor in nothing but a towel. After the towel falls off, let’s just say that now Vincent knows everything there is to know about the crying game. Yes, the big reveal behind her character is that Rin is a trans woman, or at least she’s a gender-fluid, femme-passing person with male anatomy (it’s complicated). Because Vincent is attracted to Rin in some capacity, this revelation makes him frantically question his sexuality as he lashes out at Rin out of complete shock. Of course, I did say that Rin is still a viable romance option so if the player feels inclined to pursue Rin even further, Vincent will have to apologize up and down to her for forgiveness. Once Vincent puts himself on the Rin route, more is revealed revolving around her origin as a supernatural being similar to the yandere blonde bimbo of the same name, hence why she can enter the nightmare to serenade the sheep with her piano playing. Vincent defeats her Archangel older brother as the game’s “final boss,” who then splits into a group of pink aliens that resemble those from Toy Story with a swapped color palette. Vincent marries Rin and becomes her music producer as they travel through space in her rightful saucer. As dumb as the good ending result is, it’s rather sweet of Vincent to pursue his true feelings for Rin regardless of her gender identity.
In reality, the more likely reason the game’s one additional story character is trans is to backpedal from the grievous mistake the original made with this topic. I omitted this detail from my review of the original game but once Toby loses his virginity to Erika, it’s revealed that Erika used to be a high school friend of Vincent and the others named Eric and has had a sex change. Toby is revulsed beyond belief at Erika’s “duplicity” and Erika is offended at his gall to dispute her gender identity. I glossed over this B-plot because it seemed quite trivial to the overarching story of Catherine and almost like a mean-spirited punchline to Toby. If he’s not old enough to suffer the block tower gauntlet in his dreams, he can still suffer in the real world with his crush having a penis. Yikes, Atlus. If this interaction drew a sizeable bit of ire from the LGBT+ community back in 2011, imagine what kind of backlash Full Body would’ve received in a post-#metoo world. I’m not certain Full Body remedies their mistakes with Erika’s gender identity, rather, makes it more vague when Toby tells Orlando that intercourse with Erika was “weird” instead of having a fit. There is also a scene where the gang discusses same-sex couples, and Erika brings Rin over to voice her opinion who is naturally receptive to the concept. Touche, Atlus, but this level of inclusivity is laughably elementary at best. Truthfully, I don’t think Japan as a culture is as progressive and enlightened on the rights and awareness of LGBT+ rights as the Western world even in modern times. They tried, but their attempts are too shallow to show they now have a profound understanding of the subject matter.
Besides adult sophistication, the “full body” wine parallel in the title alludes to a richer, bolder taste that signifies maturation and complexity. If the parallel means that Catherine has reached its potential, I can’t really agree. Sure, the gameplay is far more agreeable and makes for a smoother experience, but there are still several thematic holes in Catherine that are still leaking because the job to fill them has been half-assed. It’s tolerable at best. Still, I can’t argue that this is the definitive Catherine experience despite the glaring flaws that shine through the solid steel door like bullet holes.
------
Attribution: https://erockreviews.blogspot.com
I feel like this improved enough on the original to warrant the remake. I still need to go back through and do the alternate level designs.
I absoutely love this game.
The story is super interesting, with a lot of interesting themes that make the player think.
The characters are all great, and all feel well developed. The interactions between the main 4 guys are just perfect. English dub is also really good.
Gameplay is peak. I love the puzzles in this game, and there's so much replay value, like going for the gold trophies and getting different endings.
On top of that, this game is just oozing with personality and uniqueness.
I know some people didn't like the new content with Rin but I liked it.
A great work.
The story is super interesting, with a lot of interesting themes that make the player think.
The characters are all great, and all feel well developed. The interactions between the main 4 guys are just perfect. English dub is also really good.
Gameplay is peak. I love the puzzles in this game, and there's so much replay value, like going for the gold trophies and getting different endings.
On top of that, this game is just oozing with personality and uniqueness.
I know some people didn't like the new content with Rin but I liked it.
A great work.
I really loved Catherine Classic, which is why I decided to grab Full Body on an eShop sale that was just about to end, so I could compare the two releases back-to-back (and since I was eager to see how Rin fits into the story). After beating the game's new route, I'm glad Full Body lived up to my expectations. But now the real question: Is this version the definitive release of Catherine? Probably.
I'll try to not repeat myself on the things I already established in my Catherine Classic review and will be going over the additions in Full Body instead, starting with the rerelease's poster girl - Rin. Since she's advertised as a third possible love interest, I expected her to be a lot more involved into the original storyline than she actually is, but I ended up liking the role they gave her there. Rin never actually interferes with the story events of Classic, the major beats still play out all the same. She's a pretty passive character if you don't actively pursue her route and serves more of a supporting character if you're heading down the Classic Routes. Even as such a supporting character, I believe Rin plays a pretty big role in shifting the tone of the game compared to Catherine Classic. The original game was quite gloomy and Full Body contrasts this by adding her to balance it out, resulting in the game feeling more laid-back overall. This is accomplished with the lighting changes in the bar and a new jazzy rendition of the bar soundtrack. Speaking of the bar soundtrack, many of the Shin Megami Tensei songs on the jukebox were replaced with modern Persona tracks, including some really great ones like Beneath the Mask from Persona 5 or Snowflakes from Persona 4.
As far as gameplay changes go, Full Body doubles the amount of puzzles and adds a mode to skip those entirely (if you're only in for the story). The new Remix mode is a great change of pace (especially if you're coming from Classic), since it adds various kinds of Tetris blocks to the puzzles, changing their solutions from the original game. Some of the smaller gameplay tweaks like the backwards camera or outlines for ledges just make the game more enjoyable to play overall. The undo and retry system has been completely overhauled, the collectable pillows no longer give you a set amount of retries, instead you'll get a singular undo action added to the "undo queue". Like in normal mode you start with 3 undos at the beginning, but if you collect a pillow during a level you can actually undo your actions 4 times in a row until you reach the pedestal. I think it's a pretty good incentive to collect pillows now, since I basically had 99 lives all the time by the end of Classic and there was no real reason to go out of my way to get them anymore. However, the lives system has been removed entirely in Full Body and you can no longer die unless you run out of undos. While this sounds like it entirely trivializes the game, it really doesn't and just lessens your frustration of having to restart a level for a single misinput. I had multiple cases where I had to retry from the start of a level, since I tried some strategy that didn't work out in the end and I had no undos left to return the blocks to their initial state. It's also worth mentioning that the undos can no longer be abused to reset the combo timer, so you'll actually have to watch out for that if you're going for a Golden rating. Overall, I believe those balance changes alone make Full Body better in the gameplay department than Classic (despite Classic feeling so great already) and I could actually enjoy the final boss in this version, since I didn't have keep worrying about some random homing attack, just to die with the pedestal in sight already (yeah that actually happened to me in Classic). Although I must admit that the tension is definitely not on the same heights as the original here, the dread of having to restart the entire level if you took a wrong turn was really something special...
Full Body's narrative is pretty much the same as in Classic (unless you go for Rin's Route), but with new cutscenes and pictures to help the characterization of the original girls. Personally I think it helped Katherine's characterization especially and I found myself looking forward to the flashbacks involving her and Vincent each time. Sure, that's pretty neat, but Rin's Route is the part that actually impacts how the story plays out. Contrary to popular belief I found the handling of the themes in this route fairly good executed and had a great time with it! There are some really good messages in here. A common complaint is that this route goes a little off the rails in the end and I can see how that's offputting for some, but I found her finale to be some pretty cool stuff, especially in regards to the scenery and stakes there. Not everyone's cup of coffee, but a nice bonus after doing the 'ordinary' routes with Katherine and Catherine.
My main complaint about Classic were the transphobic remarks at times, so I'm glad to see Atlus addressed this in Full Body. Most of the transphobic dialogue has been replaced entirely, except that one exchange in Katherine's True Ending for some reason. But considering Full Body feels more modern and progressive in terms of writing, I'd say Atlus is on the right track with those changes, maybe they just forgot to remove that very specific conversation in that ending. You know the meme that goes "He's a little confused, but he got the spirit"? That's Atlus with this game.
Unfortunately my time with Catherine in general has come to an end (unless I decide to tackle the Babel levels sometime). I wish people were less negative about it online and embraced the positive aspects more - there's so much to love here. Personally I can only recommend Catherine to fans of puzzle games or Atlus games in general, especially the Full Body version (but you can't go wrong with Classic either if you want the vibes™). This review was particularly fun to write, so thanks for reading!
I'll try to not repeat myself on the things I already established in my Catherine Classic review and will be going over the additions in Full Body instead, starting with the rerelease's poster girl - Rin. Since she's advertised as a third possible love interest, I expected her to be a lot more involved into the original storyline than she actually is, but I ended up liking the role they gave her there. Rin never actually interferes with the story events of Classic, the major beats still play out all the same. She's a pretty passive character if you don't actively pursue her route and serves more of a supporting character if you're heading down the Classic Routes. Even as such a supporting character, I believe Rin plays a pretty big role in shifting the tone of the game compared to Catherine Classic. The original game was quite gloomy and Full Body contrasts this by adding her to balance it out, resulting in the game feeling more laid-back overall. This is accomplished with the lighting changes in the bar and a new jazzy rendition of the bar soundtrack. Speaking of the bar soundtrack, many of the Shin Megami Tensei songs on the jukebox were replaced with modern Persona tracks, including some really great ones like Beneath the Mask from Persona 5 or Snowflakes from Persona 4.
As far as gameplay changes go, Full Body doubles the amount of puzzles and adds a mode to skip those entirely (if you're only in for the story). The new Remix mode is a great change of pace (especially if you're coming from Classic), since it adds various kinds of Tetris blocks to the puzzles, changing their solutions from the original game. Some of the smaller gameplay tweaks like the backwards camera or outlines for ledges just make the game more enjoyable to play overall. The undo and retry system has been completely overhauled, the collectable pillows no longer give you a set amount of retries, instead you'll get a singular undo action added to the "undo queue". Like in normal mode you start with 3 undos at the beginning, but if you collect a pillow during a level you can actually undo your actions 4 times in a row until you reach the pedestal. I think it's a pretty good incentive to collect pillows now, since I basically had 99 lives all the time by the end of Classic and there was no real reason to go out of my way to get them anymore. However, the lives system has been removed entirely in Full Body and you can no longer die unless you run out of undos. While this sounds like it entirely trivializes the game, it really doesn't and just lessens your frustration of having to restart a level for a single misinput. I had multiple cases where I had to retry from the start of a level, since I tried some strategy that didn't work out in the end and I had no undos left to return the blocks to their initial state. It's also worth mentioning that the undos can no longer be abused to reset the combo timer, so you'll actually have to watch out for that if you're going for a Golden rating. Overall, I believe those balance changes alone make Full Body better in the gameplay department than Classic (despite Classic feeling so great already) and I could actually enjoy the final boss in this version, since I didn't have keep worrying about some random homing attack, just to die with the pedestal in sight already (yeah that actually happened to me in Classic). Although I must admit that the tension is definitely not on the same heights as the original here, the dread of having to restart the entire level if you took a wrong turn was really something special...
Full Body's narrative is pretty much the same as in Classic (unless you go for Rin's Route), but with new cutscenes and pictures to help the characterization of the original girls. Personally I think it helped Katherine's characterization especially and I found myself looking forward to the flashbacks involving her and Vincent each time. Sure, that's pretty neat, but Rin's Route is the part that actually impacts how the story plays out. Contrary to popular belief I found the handling of the themes in this route fairly good executed and had a great time with it! There are some really good messages in here. A common complaint is that this route goes a little off the rails in the end and I can see how that's offputting for some, but I found her finale to be some pretty cool stuff, especially in regards to the scenery and stakes there. Not everyone's cup of coffee, but a nice bonus after doing the 'ordinary' routes with Katherine and Catherine.
My main complaint about Classic were the transphobic remarks at times, so I'm glad to see Atlus addressed this in Full Body. Most of the transphobic dialogue has been replaced entirely, except that one exchange in Katherine's True Ending for some reason. But considering Full Body feels more modern and progressive in terms of writing, I'd say Atlus is on the right track with those changes, maybe they just forgot to remove that very specific conversation in that ending. You know the meme that goes "He's a little confused, but he got the spirit"? That's Atlus with this game.
Unfortunately my time with Catherine in general has come to an end (unless I decide to tackle the Babel levels sometime). I wish people were less negative about it online and embraced the positive aspects more - there's so much to love here. Personally I can only recommend Catherine to fans of puzzle games or Atlus games in general, especially the Full Body version (but you can't go wrong with Classic either if you want the vibes™). This review was particularly fun to write, so thanks for reading!