With this being the current Xbox 'Games with Gold' title and there being absolutely no reviews or even ratings here, I thought I'd dig in hoping for a diamond in the rough.

Rough.... Yeah thats more what I would describe the game with. Its just so slow and ploddy despite it also managing to be pretty short. Its biggest problem is its main gameplay mechanic of swapping between the girl and cat characters to move around, solve puzzles and find things. It saps so much life from the game because you're often redoing the same few parts over and over again and tracking across the same locations as neither character auto-moves.

The main gimmick of the character swapping is the girl can barely see around her and only has visibility from sound... Oh and she also moves VERY slowly unless near the cat character. The cat meanwhile has no such issues regarding speed and visibility and its this character/form you'll be using most of the time. Unfortunately with that comes platforming sections and while its fairly simple platforming, it feels really sticky and clumsy as the cat flails across every surface possible.

Ultimately all this, along with some rather ho-hum graphics and sound design, basic and dull puzzles and some rather tedious plotting. It just all makes for a rather dull game with very little going for it.

I know a lot of people give it shit for it's combat but it's genuinely one of my favorites in the series. Okinawa is fun and a great setting, Kiryu opening up his own orphanage is comfy, Rikiya is the best bro of the series discounting Kaito from Judgment, Fly is the best opening theme of the series barring Judgment and Lost Judgment's openings and the Antagonist is great. the plot can get pretty corny, especially with twists and a few comical characters but honestly that's what makes it a great and fun experience.