NAMCO HIGH

[Loyal]

"ADOLESCENCE IS A HORRIFYING COCKTAIL OF HIGHS AND LOWS."

Namco High is a fanservice dating sim put together by ShiftyLook, directed by Andrew Hussie, and featuring lots of characters from lots of Namco IPs. Also guest starting Hussie's own Terezi Pyrope, Jane Crocker, and Davesprite.

You play as the young and aspiring, but no less destructive, cousin of the Prince from Katamari, stuck in detention with a bunch of other weirdos after getting a bit carried away and rolling up the entire school in a ball. Perhaps if you make friends with one of them you can get out on good behavior?

Such is the basic concept of Namco High. It's fluffy and delightfully saccharine, a nice break from whatever stresses you're feeling at the moment. There's a character of every disposition, each with their own story rife with callbacks to their homeworld, and people who knew these characters growing up are sure to be pleased.

Hussie's influence shines through here, most of all with his own characters, but also with the others as every trope that makes a dating sim what it is gets sampled lovingly and liberally as you explore the characters' motivations and learn how they got in this mess in the first place. Usually this is for the better, but sometimes the characters can't help but remind you that yes, this is a game you are playing, yes it's a dating sim for Namco characters, and yes, you are thinking about romancing the ship from Galaga.

Unfortunately, Namco High is short. Like, really short. While getting through all the content will take several hours, a given playthrough can easily be finished in 20-30 minutes without missing anything of importance. Beyond the initial branching, it's very linear, and in some ways feels unfinished. Beyond the plotline of whichever character you've chosen to romance, nothing of consequence comes from any of your interactions with the others. I'm not sure if it's possible to even fail to end up with one and exactly one person.

Still, it's worth looking into. The main game and the stories of six characters are free, but most of the characters are locked behind a paywall and you won't be able to do anything with them past the first day unless you unlock them. You can purchase them one at a time, in groups of three, or all at once for 15 dollars - and if you're interested in the Homestuck characters, the last one is the only option you have.

[Flarecobra]

You forgot that a certain someone by the name of Brian Clevinger also wrote for this.

[Overcast]

Shh, we dare not speak the name. Lest he remember we exist

[Overcast]

Yeah so I shelled out the $15, because davesprite. And in true Hussie fashion it is present, meta, and hard on the heart.

[Aquillion]

Do we know who wrote what part? Now I'm curious.

[Overcast]

Not absolutely. Art credits were specific, writing credits were more ambiguous. If I remember correctly during the credits. You know past my tears.