Overview – developed by Yume Game Studio and published by Eastasiasoft, Moe Waifu H Fantasy is a casual arcade style rhythm puzzler with simple to pick up gameplay mechanics. Play through 15 stages, split between 5 fantasy girls with anime style visuals to get the highest score possible. This title is available for PlayStation and Nintendo Switch, with a link to all versions of the game at the bottom of this review.
Disclaimer: before I get into the review, I would like to thank Eastasiasoft for providing the copy of Moe Waifu H Fantasy that was used for this piece. The provision of this software has not influenced the contents of this review, all thoughts and opinions contained within are my own. Please be aware, there is no planned release for western territories on the Nintendo Switch at this time, meaning a Hong Kong account will be required to buy and play.
Now with the introductions out of the way, let’s get into the review. There is a lack of any plot for this release, so I will be moving directly into discussing the gameplay section for this release.
Gameplay – this title is a relatively simple to pick up rhythm action game, with arcade style gameplay that lets anyone get straight into it. There are 5 girls to impress, with three stages each to clear. The gameplay loop is pretty simple, with symbols moving across the screen. These symbols match up with markers on screen, which the player can press the corresponding button to capture the icon and earn points.
During each of the stages, music will play in the background, giving the game a traditional rhythm action feel. However, there is a disjointed feeling between the music that plays and the symbols on screen. This can make it feel less like a music game and more like a basic puzzle match game. There is also a lack of real feedback when hitting the icons, but there is a sound that plays with each successful hit, although it does blur with the music.
When playing a stage, the player must make sure not to miss any of the icons, as they will lose a life each time they miss. When all lives are lost the stage ends, giving the player a game over and making them start the stage again. There is also an item system, which will increase the score that the player can earn. A pop up will appear in the corner of the screen, which can be activated with a button press, lasting for a limited time.
Later in the game, there will be a hazard introduced, which are skulls that must be avoided in order to succeed. This does add an extra wrinkle to the gameplay, but aside from that, there is not that much in terms of challenge within these stages. If the player manages to hit all of the notes, they will get a bonus to the final score. The max combo will also be recorded alongside the highest score earned during the stage.
At the end of the stage, the player will unlock the next song and outfit for the girl they are playing. The cleared stages can be challenges again, allowing players to get better scores, this doesn’t have much of an impact aside from setting new score records. After clearing all of the stages for the selected girl, the next set of stages will be available. Each of the stages has a unique piece of music, which is added to the jukebox when unlocked.
The girls also have three different outfits, with some of them being more risqué than others. These outfits can be viewed in the gallery mode, although this feature doesn’t really add much to the gameplay experience. This is due to the gallery being functionally identical to the character select menu, with the only difference being the images that appear. There is a very basic help menu, with very limited detail about the controls for play.
Now with the gameplay covered, it is time to cover the other aspects of this release, starting with the controls.
Controls – the control system for this game is as basic as you can get, the four shoulder/trigger buttons are used for the music notes, with the B button for the score booster. This works well enough but the general gameplay experience would benefit from more options, especially as the Switch has touch screen options. Aside from this gripe, the game controls are competent, but the ability to remap inputs would have been nice.
Difficulty – there is little in terms of difficulty with this game, but for those who play rhythm games regularly, it will be jarring due to the music not matching on screen prompts. This is a rather bland game in terms of challenge, with the only real thing that keeps it interesting is the introduction of skulls. These did make it a little more difficult, but not by much as I was able to clear it in a single session, and I am unsure if I will return.
Presentation – the game does have a pretty simple anime style to the look, which is the best part of the visual look. The backgrounds are rather basic, along with the HUD elements and icons. This is not a deal breaker as it is a budget title, which is what the Moe Waifu series excels at. The sound is unfortunately mediocre, lacking any real impact during the gameplay experience. There is also some voice work in the game, but it is limited and gets repetitive quickly.
Final Thoughts – I have played many of the games in the cute anime girl genre of puzzle/action games. I went into it expecting something a little more, but was disappointed by how mediocre it was which was unfortunate, as the games are more often than not pretty solid. Sadly I don’t think I will be able to recommend this game, as the gameplay is dull, the music doesn’t match on screen and there is no real replay value. The game is sadly a one and done.
In the end, I give Moe Waifu H Fantasy a final score of 2.25/5. This is an unfortunately bland and mediocre attempt at a rhythm action game, which unfortunately fails at providing a fun experience, with the only positive being the price point. There was even a song that just ends while icons are still moving on screen. if you do want to check this game out for yourself, a link to the different versions of the game will be below.
Link to Nintendo Switch version (HERE) – Hong Kong account required
Link to PlayStation version (HERE)
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