Cosplay Club Reviews

Pros: - Compelling concept, executed stylishly. - The cosplay design and building systems are incredibly robust and interesting, and definitely a highlight - Art direction is incredible. Cons: Alright, so the progression past hour two is a nightmare. It would seem like the game wants you to attend events to battle low-level cosplayers to get money and materials to build stronger cosplay, which leads into fighting quest/story bosses, and repeating that cycle. You would be wrong, for one simple reason: this game's handle on perceivable consequence is all messed up. 1. Fights in this game really lack a pathway for strategy to matter. Enemy AI is not easily predictable, and more often than not, you're surviving fights by the skin of your teeth (and not in a satisfying way). Cosplay tags, while useful for quests, don't communicate anything about their utility in fights (if there is any). If often feels like that no matter how well you plan, it won't matter. 2. The prior point wouldn't matter so much if the ability to build up in-game power through stat boosts (to brute force fights) wasn't also kneecapped. You could, like I did, go through several hours of fighting the same low-level mobs, only to get the same materials and credits to buy the same quality of materials. If the game does not communicate how to effectively strategize nor let you brute force your way through it's challenges, then it erodes the players agency. 3. Both of these problems because agonizing as certain question progressions are seemingly locked to specific conventions, meaning that quest logs blare at you while your only real option is to fight low-level mobs then leave. For several days at a time. That communicates that most of the gameplay loop is a waste of time. 4. The inability to change cosplay during a convention really brings it all together. The effective game play loop becomes fight low-level mobs → build better gear to fight bosses → realize that your gear is inadequate → Try to fight boss to understand what you need to build → waste several in game days waiting for another chance to fight the boss → Find out your assumptions on complicated mechanics are wrong → waste more days to try something else → repeat. All said, it really makes a game that seemingly loves creativity and expression (both visual and gameplay) start to slowly devolve into a desire for the devs to just tell you how to beat it. Also, there's no ability to delete cosplay designs/built cosplays, which is just sloppy craft.

Sad to say this game has bugs in it which makes it frustrating to play. The biggest issue is that the mouse cursor will disappear and just not reappear again. The mouse is working, but you don't know where the invisible cursor is. And that was happening right away in the game, and nothing I did would prevent it. Looked like a interesting game - if a bit basic - but fun idea. The issue is, it was impossible to play after it reloaded a new scene.