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[hersheyfan]

Its recommend that even if you don't play the games (which can't be helped if you can't get to it) read it somewhere because alot of the points in Blood Drive lose their umph or point if you don't know the previous story.

The plot will make no sense. The game starts off mid-scene from the cliffhanger the second game ended on.

There's really no reason to jump into this one if you haven't played the other 2. Not sure why you wouldn't either since they're arguably stronger than Blood Drive.

Ok then, thanks for the feedback... Much appreciated! Was in the mood for something horror-ish in time for Halloween, but having to play two games in succession to understand even the basics of what's going on is gonna cost me too much time.

Plus, I'd have to re-wipe my PSTV and boot my R1 account just to buy 'em... I figure I'll just watch a YT summary after the holidays. I know it wont be the same, but best I can manage I guess.

 

[Dugna]

Ohhh hey Ubertag the OT images have gone dead.

 

[Wario64]

look whos popular

 

[Akibared]

Just started book of shadows and finished chapter 1.

All I gotta say is:

Spoiler

FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK.........

You can do it Naomi..you can save....OH GOD!

Spoiler

That's what happens when you friend zone someone!

 

[UberTag]

Ohhh hey Ubertag the OT images have gone dead.

Thanks for the heads up.
That's what I get for taking on multiple bandwidth-chewing OTs simultaneously.

Should be good going forward.

 

[cj_iwakura]

Chapter 4's

Spoiler

ice cream spiral

was not fun at all, that's for sure.

 

[Dugna]

Chapter 4's

Spoiler

ice cream spiral

was not fun at all, that's for sure.

I just sprinted on the edge the whole way, tapping the sprint like I would in GTA or something. Made it on my first try.

 

[cj_iwakura]

I just sprinted on the edge the whole way, tapping the sprint like I would in GTA or something. Made it on my first try.

I didn't realize it was the outer end until like my seventh death.

 

[Dugna]

I didn't realize it was the outer end until like my seventh death.

yeah

Spoiler

basic trap

for these kinds of games.

 

[Akibared]

Chapter 4's

Spoiler

ice cream spiral

was not fun at all, that's for sure.

I never want to hear the song that was blasting during that ever again!

 

[UberTag]

I never want to hear the song that was blasting during that ever again!

That might well be my favorite track in the whole game.
If only because I get a perverse enjoyment out of watching other people react to it.

 

[h0tp0ck3t]

I never want to hear the song that was blasting during that ever again!

Me Listening to song on the OST: Man this song is stupid
Plays segment of game where song plays: Man this song is creepy as hell

 

[Dugna]

That might well be my favorite track in the whole game.
If only because I get a perverse enjoyment out of watching other people react to it.

I started humming it and singing it some while playing , it was alittle loud glad I wasn't wearing headphones then.

 

[cj_iwakura]

Wow, that bad end at the end of Chapter 5... daaaaaaaaamn. That might be the bleakest thing ever.

 

[Prelude.]

Just finished chapter 4 and I didn't get any crashes or other issues so far. From reading here it seemed like it was the buggiest game ever.
The audio's not great though, I think I have BGM and SFX at 40/50 and voices at 100.

Wow, that bad end at the end of Chapter 5... daaaaaaaaamn. That might be the bleakest thing ever.

Well, that's reassuring. I think I did like 3 bad ends so far just to see what happens and they were all basically just a game over screen.

 

[ss_lemonade]

Just beat the game earlier but man, there's a ton of stuff I do not get at all.

Spoiler

1. Why does Naho not fade from existence, despite knowing that she died in the school?
2. Did the Niwa sisters exist before you first entered the Heavenly Host school in the previous games? Is this just an alternate timeline where Kuon Niwa is all of a sudden your teacher?
3. Like #1, why did Kuon not cease to exist in the hot springs photo?
4. Are both Ayumi and Yoshiki inside the Nirvana in the ending, or are they alive in another timeline/dimension?

I have yet to play any of the EX chapters so I apologize if these get explained there.

 

[Dugna]

Just beat the game earlier but man, there's a ton of stuff I do not get at all.

Spoiler

1. Why does Naho not fade from existence, despite knowing that she died in the school?
2. Did the Niwa sisters exist before you first entered the Heavenly Host school in the previous games? Is this just an alternate timeline where Kuon Niwa is all of a sudden your teacher?
3. Like #1, why did Kuon not cease to exist in the hot springs photo?
4. Are both Ayumi and Yoshiki inside the Nirvana in the ending, or are they alive in another timeline/dimension?

I have yet to play any of the EX chapters so I apologize if these get explained there.

Spoiler

1. Naho and the related people all had tons of spiritual power attached to them which let them proceed to exist even after the nirvana slowly erased their existence.
2. Aiko Niwa existed before they entered Heavenly Host the 1st time but Kuon didn't.
3. Because even though Kuon existed in that timeline her and others spiritual power made it so her memory and image existed and persists even after that, also the Nirvana's power to erase somebodies existence stopped working.
4. Ayumi and Yoshiki still are in the same world as the others but their existence is just gone, what Ayumi was swallow the Nirvana like Sachiko did in the past and as we seen with Sachiko she was still around afterwards only difference is that Ayumi didn't have as much spiritual power as Sachiko so she had to sacrifice her existence to swallow the Nirvana.

The one thing I'm really wondering is though

Spoiler

once Ayumi dies won't this shit just happen all over again? I hope the people with strong spiritual power make a plan to finally stop this from repeating.

 

[h0tp0ck3t]

The one thing I'm really wondering is though

Spoiler

once Ayumi dies won't this shit just happen all over again? I hope the people with strong spiritual power make a plan to finally stop this from repeating.

Maybe it'll be like

Spoiler

She passes it on to her children, keeping the cursed Shinozaki bloodline in tact. This is assuming that Yoshiki is finally able to hook up with her. I mean he's basically dedicating the rest of his life to take care of her let the poor guy catch a break

 

[cj_iwakura]

Surprised people are saying this isn't a horror game, chapter 7 makes VLR look like sunshine and lollipops.

 

[UberTag]

Just a quick heads up that Blood Drive now has 11 reviews published for it... currently averaging just a smidge over 63%.

Digitally Downloaded - 8/10
COG Connected - 7.5/10
Attack of the Fanboy - 7/10
DarkZero - 7/10
RPG Site - 7/10
PlayStation LifeStyle - 6.5/10
ZTGD - 6.5/10
EGM - 6/10
Hardcore Gamer - 6/10
Push Square - 4/10
We Got This Covered - 4/10

 

[ss_lemonade]

Spoiler

1. Naho and the related people all had tons of spiritual power attached to them which let them proceed to exist even after the nirvana slowly erased their existence.
2. Aiko Niwa existed before they entered Heavenly Host the 1st time but Kuon didn't.
3. Because even though Kuon existed in that timeline her and others spiritual power made it so her memory and image existed and persists even after that, also the Nirvana's power to erase somebodies existence stopped working.
4. Ayumi and Yoshiki still are in the same world as the others but their existence is just gone, what Ayumi was swallow the Nirvana like Sachiko did in the past and as we seen with Sachiko she was still around afterwards only difference is that Ayumi didn't have as much spiritual power as Sachiko so she had to sacrifice her existence to swallow the Nirvana.

Interesting.

Spoiler

I guess that explains why Sachiko is alive.

So how does Yoshiki and Ayumi existing work out? Everybody they know just doesn't know who they are? What happened to Ayumi's parents? Wasn't that their house at the end?

Surprised people are saying this isn't a horror game, chapter 7 makes VLR look like sunshine and lollipops.

I thought the previous games were scarier. Instead of seeing the horror elements, I ended up focusing more on the frustrating loading, running mechanics and random spikes and traps littered throughout.

 

[Dugna]

Interesting.

Spoiler

I guess that explains why Sachiko is alive.

So how does Yoshiki and Ayumi existing work out? Everybody they know just doesn't know who they are? What happened to Ayumi's parents? Wasn't that their house at the end?

Spoiler

Sachiko did finally disappear after she used the rest of her massive spiritual power reversing time inside the Nirvana

Also yes they just forgot Ayumi's and yoshiki's existence but their bodies still physically exist. Ayumi was basically in a comma because of the Nirvana but I'm not sure if Yoshiki remembered Ayumi because he was inside the nirvana at the time.

That house wasn't Ayumi's parents by the way I think it was just a normal house.

 

[ss_lemonade]

Spoiler

That house wasn't Ayumi's parents by the way I think it was just a normal house.

Spoiler

I'm pretty sure it was their house. I believe she was in her sister's room.

 

[Akibared]

Surprised people are saying this isn't a horror game, chapter 7 makes VLR look like sunshine and lollipops.

It was pretty good but

Spoiler

I wish more time was spent in the real world. Little teases of the fucked up shit that's going on outside and then time to fly to heavenly host!

 

[Dugna]

Spoiler

I'm pretty sure it was their house. I believe she was in her sister's room.

Blood Drive ending spoilers below don't click if you're not finished.

Spoiler

Hinoe's room with her in it, one of the few times we see a view that isn't just her bed.

Ayumi at the end of Blood Drive in her coma.

Yoshiki and Ayumi in the same building years later.

So yeah I don't think it was ayumi's house, because remember Ayumi's existence is gone which means she never even existed to her parents either. Its basically a random house she ended up in.

 

[h0tp0ck3t]

Spoiler

So yeah I don't think it was ayumi's house, because remember Ayumi's existence is gone which means she never even existed to her parents either. Its basically a random house she ended up in.

Also if it really was

Spoiler

Ayumi's parents house I don't think Yoshiki would have had such a hard time tracking her down

 

[Dugna]

Also if it really was

Spoiler

Ayumi's parents house I don't think Yoshiki would have had such a hard time tracking her down

Yep,

Spoiler

because Ayumi's existence disappeared not her parent's existence.

 

[ClearData]

I have to say the mechanic for the chapter 10 battle was annoying as all hell.

I want to post some in depth impressions but I need some time to parse my thoughts. I just finished the game today.

 

[Akibared]

I have to say the mechanic for the chapter 10 battle was annoying as all hell.

I want to post some in depth impressions but I need some time to parse my thoughts. I just finished the game today.

I used a guide I didn't understand what was going on.

 

[wyrdwad]

I used a guide I didn't understand what was going on.

It's a very specific puzzle with a very specific solution that was... not easy to localize effectively in the space given, to put it lightly.

Spoiler

You need to find the Futhark Documents in the school's reading room and pay careful attention to the relationships among all the terms listed within them.

I kinda like it, but at the same time, I could tell even going into it that it was waaaaaaay too hard for most people to solve without just using trial and error. (And the Japanese was even a little tougher, as the connections were less clear!)

Oh, as an aside, though, since I doubt anyone even found these:

Spoiler

There are puzzle hints for pretty much the entire game in chapter 1. When you're outside as Ayumi, trying to find the Everafter Stones on the street outside Yoshiki's apartment building, take some time to examine all the doors and walls in the neighborhood, even though it... makes absolutely no sense to do so.

-Tom

 

[Dugna]

It's a very specific puzzle with a very specific solution that was... not easy to localize effectively in the space given, to put it lightly.

Spoiler

You need to find the Futhark Documents in the school's reading room and pay careful attention to the relationships among all the terms listed within them.

I kinda like it, but at the same time, I could tell even going into it that it was waaaaaaay too hard for most people to solve without just using trial and error. (And the Japanese was even a little tougher, as the connections were less clear!)

Oh, as an aside, though, since I doubt anyone even found these:

Spoiler

There are puzzle hints for pretty much the entire game in chapter 1. When you're outside as Ayumi, trying to find the Everafter Stones on the street outside Yoshiki's apartment building, take some time to examine all the doors and walls in the neighborhood, even though it... makes absolutely no sense to do so.

-Tom

I sorta got lucky and

Spoiler

found the exact runes that counteracted each other.

so I got through it fine actually.

 

[Akibared]

Spoiler

There are puzzle hints for pretty much the entire game in chapter 1. When you're outside as Ayumi, trying to find the Everafter Stones on the street outside Yoshiki's apartment building, take some time to examine all the doors and walls in the neighborhood, even though it... makes absolutely no sense to do so.

-Tom

Thanks for making that puzzle a bit easier for us! I'm going to have to check this out when I play the game again for my friends I love stuff like this.

 

[cj_iwakura]

Heh, I had fun with the final battle.

Spoiler

I screencapped all the items, then switched back to them using the Vita's screenshots as reference.

Enjoyed the ending, far happier than I expected.

Spoiler

I've seen that image from Dead Patient, so I had a feeling where it was going, but damn. To think she stays like that for years.

One thing about CP, they never show any mercy with the aftermath of events. In any other game, the real world would've been made all better. Not here, nope. Still lots of destruction and death, deal with it.

I totally expected Aiko to die a horrible death since she escaped her fate, but I guess not.

 

[UberTag]

I totally expected Aiko to die a horrible death since she escaped her fate, but I guess not.[/spoiler]

Spoiler

Aiko must be an immortal or something. She easily has more than the 9 lives of a cat. Getting mauled and battered by a darkened Haruyuki. Set ablaze by Sachi. Having her head munched by a flying fishlips. Only to emerge relatively unscathed.

She would easily be the most annoying character in a Final Destination movie.

 

[cj_iwakura]

Spoiler

Aiko must be an immortal or something. She easily has more than the 9 lives of a cat. Getting mauled and battered by a darkened Haruyuki. Set ablaze by Sachi. Having her head munched by a flying fishlips. Only to emerge relatively unscathed.

She would easily be the most annoying character in a Final Destination movie.

Aiko was responsible for the most legit unsettling moment in the whole game, so there's that.

Spoiler

When she shows up and drops the bomb about the thoughtogram's purpose, then begging Ayumi to go back and finding out she can't leave.

 

[Prelude.]

Just got the plat so I can post a few things.

Holy shit, they banned Tom. Hopefully he'll come back.

I didn't get a single crash throughout the whole game. Some people made it look like a Ubisoft game so that was a relief. The only bug I found was that sometimes I couldn't scroll through the inventory, it happened probably 3-4 times and it was kinda annoying considering that it happened when I was supposed to

Spoiler

read the runes or use the axes for the hanged corpses.

Performance were also good, framerate is pretty smooth and even with the flashlight on it's not "that" bad. I didn't use the flashlight cheat so I turned it on only when I needed it.
The only real (and sporadic, thankfully) performance issue was the game almost freezing for a split second when loading something in the scene, which was somewhat understandable for enemies but sounds? I mean, the biggest one is probably the fly sound near the bucket in front of 1-B, that shouldn't make the game hang, come on.
And speaking of sounds, the audio's pretty bad, yeah. The mixing is fucked, everything suffers from it and the whole audio package isn't as polished as in BoS. I wish they spent more time (and budget) on that, even re-using SFXs from the previous games would have been fine.

I'm also glad the VA comments were still in, they're amazing and every game should have them. My only gripe is that Miyuki Sawashiro wrapped things up in like 20 seconds. orz
Satomi Arai being Satomi Arai made up for it, though.

So now for the plot-related stuff.

Spoiler

1 - What's up with one of the bad ends in (I think) chapter 4, when Ayumi is in front of the mirror and has use the Argus Cube? Is there a reason why Naomi does that? Is it a reference from the previous games that I can't recall?

2 - The three hanged corpses, what's the solution to that puzzle? I read the stuff on the floor, didn't understand it and "solved" it.

3 - If now both Kuon and Yui existed in that world, how does that work memories-wise? They were the same teacher.
And what about the restored memories of Seiko & co? How do peope think they died? And the world's explanation to what happened with the pillars and stuff? Is there even an answer to that "somewhere" in the series?

4 - I need a translation, lol.

 

[CrimsonFist]

4 - I need a translation, lol.

Spoiler

It's a hint for the hanged corpses puzzle:

Spoiler

The words below the numbers describe the bodies
The numbers above the words represent letters of the alphabet
The numbers spell out what the words below might reference
if one of those words were changed by one letter
With that change the words would describe only one of the bodies
Do not drop that body

 

[Prelude.]

Spoiler

It's a hint for the hanged corpses puzzle:

Spoiler

The words below the numbers describe the bodies
The numbers above the words represent letters of the alphabet
The numbers spell out what the words below might reference
if one of those words were changed by one letter
With that change the words would describe only one of the bodies
Do not drop that body

Spoiler

Oh wow. Did XSEED add it?
It's kinda weird having a hint that you can hardly read only after basically beating the game.

 

[CrimsonFist]

Spoiler

Oh wow. Did XSEED add it?
It's kinda weird having a hint that you can hardly read only after basically beating the game.

Spoiler

Not sure if they added it to the game itself, but they put it on their website too.

 

[Prelude.]

Spoiler

Not sure if they added it to the game itself, but they put it on their website too.

Spoiler

It's in the manual, but I mean, was it in the japanese release too?

 

[h0tp0ck3t]

So now for the plot-related stuff.

Spoiler

What's up with one of the bad ends in (I think) chapter 4, when Ayumi is in front of the mirror and has use the Argus Cube? Is there a reason why Naomi does that? Is it a reference from the previous games that I can't recall?

I'm not sure but I took it as a reference to

Spoiler

The bad ending in the first game where Ayumi beats Naomi to death to get her doll scrap. Naomi getting some payback

 

[Prelude.]

I'm not sure but I took it as a reference to

Spoiler

The bad ending in the first game where Ayumi beats Naomi to death to get her doll scrap. Naomi getting some payback

It might be that, then. I don't remember it at all.

 

[h0tp0ck3t]

It might be that, then. I don't remember it at all.

It happens when either

Spoiler

Yoshiki chooses not to go back after he and Ayumi escape or Yuka get's caught by Kizami at the start of Chapter 5. Essentially Ayumi loses her paper scrap when Yui pulls her from out of the trap. She finds Yoshiki who died from Darkening after not being able to find Ayumi again, finds Naomi and beats the shit out of her and takes her scrap so she can escape alone with Satoshi, only Satoshi dies from Darkening after finding out Yuka is dead. Ayumi is trapped alone now with no one to perform the ritual with to escape

 

[Prelude.]

https://twitter.com/XSEEDGames/status/667148241503428613

It happens when either

Spoiler

Yoshiki chooses not to go back after he and Ayumi escape or Yuka get's caught by Kizami at the start of Chapter 5. Essentially Ayumi loses her paper scrap when Yui pulls her from out of the trap. She finds Yoshiki who died from Darkening after not being able to find Ayumi again, finds Naomi and beats the shit out of her and takes her scrap so she can escape alone with Satoshi, only Satoshi dies from Darkening after finding out Yuka is dead. Ayumi is trapped alone now with no one to perform the ritual with to escape

Yeah, now I think I'm starting to remember that episode, thanks.

 

[CielTynave]

These dual blades in chapter 9 can fuck right off.

 

[XxSlasherMcGirkxX]

I just got the plat the other day for this game. I really like this series. It's not perfect but it certainly delivers. I thought that Blood Drive was an excellent conclusion to the original saga.

Side question is the Corpse Party live action movie any good? Should I bother?

 

[cj_iwakura]

I just got the plat the other day for this game. I really like this series. It's not perfect but it certainly delivers. I thought that Blood Drive was an excellent conclusion to the original saga.

Side question is the Corpse Party live action movie any good? Should I bother?

I haven't seen it, but the trailer looked fantastic.

 

[XxSlasherMcGirkxX]

I haven't seen it, but the trailer looked fantastic.

I think an unrated cut with added gore was released on dvd just a couple of days ago but I haven't heard anything about it or where I could watch it.

 

[cj_iwakura]

I think an unrated cut with added gore was released on dvd just a couple of days ago but I haven't heard anything about it or where I could watch it.

That makes two of us, but I'd rather it had less gore. The OAV looked way, way too gruesome. The best horror is psychological. See: It Follows.

 

[XxSlasherMcGirkxX]

That makes two of us, but I'd rather it had less gore. The OAV looked way, way too gruesome. The best horror is psychological. See: It Follows.

Yes but I'm not sure how it is in Japanese theaters when it comes to watering down a picture to appeal to a bigger demographic, so if they are adding in what should have been in there then I would be happy. I'm hopping for not Evil Dead levels of blood.