Gakuin Makyo ~High School Crisis~

Got this game for free via Keymailer, they did not disclose game used AI on their Keymailer page. AI garbage needs to be removed! Also scummy how the AI disclaimer is hidden at the bottom of the Steam store page.

I'm really not a fan of combining timed parry minigames and grandia turn interrupts. Generally it feels like some sound effects are either mixed incorrectly or missing. This game is really puzzling to me because it isn't like it's entirely without any effort, it's just that the effort and emphasis wasn't put on the things that are front and center to people. I don't understand some of the thought process of the creator. But I don't think this one works for me... It feels like there's a pretty ok game in here that needs to be excavated by cutting out bad parts and polishing up others. But that's obviously not going to happen...

I got this game for free. I'm a Youtube content creator and requested it because it looked like a Famicom Shin Megami Tensei game, specifically SMT IF. I did click recommend, but honestly only because I feel like there IS a fanbase for this game...somewhere. Getting the AI stuff out of the way.... the characters and demons are all lazily generated characters and while they serve their purpose it really doesn't have a lot of meaningful appeal and feels generic and lifeless compared to something like SMT where demons are based off of actually IRL lore and they all have a feeling of having a personality. In this game it's just all very cookie cutter. With that addressed I want to talk about the game. I've put 11 hours into it and I'm in the third major city currently. I actually like a lot of the overall feeling this game put outs. In a lot of ways it's highly nostalgic feeling and I know there's people out there somewhere who will feel the same, most likely people who like Famicom dungeon crawlers, with all their frustrations and flaws. Despite being made in 2024 this game feels like a fan project from the 90's. It's pretty clunky, the combat is basic and repetitive, and wow...doe…

Gakuin Makyo ~High School Crisis~, developed by PISOFT Co., Ltd. and published by CFK Co.,Ltd, is a dungeon-crawling RPG that blends a familiar school-life setup with a sudden plunge into supernatural danger. The story begins in a relatively ordinary setting, following a group of students going about their daily routine, but that normalcy is quickly shattered when a catastrophic event transforms their school into a hostile, otherworldly labyrinth. From that point onward, the game shifts into survival mode, with the characters forced to navigate an environment filled with monsters, traps, and unanswered questions about what has happened to their world. The premise itself is one of the game’s more engaging elements, as it creates an immediate contrast between the familiarity of a school setting and the unpredictability of a dungeon crawler. This juxtaposition gives the early stages a sense of urgency and intrigue, as players explore environments that feel both recognizable and distorted. While the narrative remains relatively straightforward, it maintains a steady thread of mystery, encouraging players to push forward in search of answers while keeping the focus on the group’s strug…

I did want to put up a review for this one because a lot of what I see here is disingenuous as best, and flat out dishonest at worst. Unlike AAA developers, this dev actually announced the use of GenerativeAI on the store page. If this game gets a thumbs down, it should be for valid, fair reasons. So I'm going to go deep into everything so that next time someone like me is on this page, they actually know what they're paying for. Here's the thing, this game reminds me entirely of "Shin Megami Tensei: IF". I described it as "The single worst designed and most painful dungeon crawl experience of my life... that I loved." It features unique, thematic dungeon gimmicks that I've never seen before... that conceptually are interesting. But in action, they really sucked the life out of me. That's this game, I love the feeling of playing it... but it's painful. The map design is playable so long as you enjoy the old-school mazes, I do. There's usually plenty of twists and turns, gimmicks (Teleporters, drops, keys), NPCs. Enemies spawn onto the map in real-time allowing you to often navigate around them. (One particular dungeon concept I really liked is a Demon Lady holds parties all…

The game isn't perfect and FYI there is a lot of AI Involvement. Most of the Assets: AI English Translation: AI So then why do I recommend this? It's enjoyable, plan and simple it was a fun time.