Undead Darlings Review (NSW)

Written by Anthony L. Cuaycong

Title: Undead Darlings ~no cure for love~
Developer: Mr. Tired Media
Publisher: Sekai Games
Genre: Adventure, RPG
Price: $29.99

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A look at the history of Undead Darlings ~no cure for love~ is all gamers need to know that it’s a labor of love. Not even a couple of failed Kickstarter campaigns managed to deter developer Mr. Tired Media from completing a project its founders, formerly of Nippon Ichi Software America, first conceived in a Sta. Ana, California, café eight years ago. For all the setbacks, Ry-guy and NickyD were propelled by self- belief and persevered, and, upon their transfer to Seattle, Washington, found others who shared in their goals. Full-scale development followed, and was rewarded by Valve’s support for a prospective release on the personal computer via Steam.

Considering the road Undead Darlings ~no cure for love~ trekked, it’s not without irony that the Nintendo Switch version wound up being offered ahead of any other adaptation. That said, the good news is that Mr. Tired Media has proven true to its East-meets-West vision with an outstanding presentation that is in equal parts a visual novel, a dungeon crawler, and a role-playing game. It has gamers invested in the efforts of Reginald “Reggie” P. Happenstahnce to keep safe the cure for a zombie pandemic plaguing the world. As he tries to find a way to mass-produce the cure his scientist father concocted, he leans on the assistance of longtime friend Pearl and a handful of other undead women whose sense, sentience, and sensibilities likewise remain intact.

What follows is a delightful romp that mixes VN and RPG elements with style. Striking hand-drawn visuals complement the excellent writing in Undead Darlings ~no cure for love~. And amid the humor that pervades the narrative, gamers are tasked to invest in relationship-building while exploring dungeons and engaging in combat. They’re all intertwined, as the characters have unique attributes that shine and help maximize turns in battles. And, make no mistake, the formation of the right parties for the right occasions is crucial; enemies are hard to beat, even early on, so proper knowledge is essential to victory.

Needless to say, gamers will find most of their time spent traversing floor after floor in typical dungeon-crawling fashion. Thankfully, Undead Darlings ~no cure for love~ features a healthy variety of locations, as well as of psychedelic enemies, so there’s no danger of ennui setting in. Meanwhile, the story progresses quite nicely, with Reggie learning more about, and getting closer to, his companions. In the process, he winds up coping with the challenges more efficiently, unlocking combo skills and making better use of the Exponential Exploitation mechanic in combat.

All told, Undead Darlings ~no cure for love~ proves well worth its $29.99 price tag. Available as a digital download on the eShop, it comes in at 3.2 gigabytes, hefty by the standards of independent titles. The file size is put to excellent use, and replay value comes in the form of multiple endings and, for completists, of collectible items. It’s quirky and fun, and figures to provide hours upon hours of enjoyment that roudly show off Mr. Tired Media’s efforts.

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THE GOOD

• Well-written storyline and dialogue
• Visually appealing
• Colorful characters of substance
• Deep combat mechanics

THE BAD

• Uneven voice acting
• Battles already difficult from the outset
• Quality of Life issues

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RATING: 9/10

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