My Month with Chulip, Part 4

Well, the first month of my "Bye-Bye, Backlog" project is over and done with. How did I do? Not so well if you were hoping I'd actually finish my first selection--that being Natsume's odder-than-odd PS2 title, Chulip.

Still, I gave it my best shot and put a good 12 to 15 hours into this sucker, which is saying a lot when you consider how completely obtuse Chulip tends to be.

'Chulip Fan Sprite' by iamnotapixelartist

Actually, that's the main reason I've yet to finish it. Although I absolutely loved the game when I started playing it, over time it came to feel like a chore--thanks in large part to the fact that getting to its end credits seems to be all but impossible without the use of a guide or FAQ.

Don't get me wrong: I'm usually not against calling on such things. In the case of Chulip, though, it often feels like I'm tethered to them (as in, I have to turn to them over and over again in order to make any real progress), which I can't help but find a bit (or a lot) irksome.

Am I giving up on this title now that January's over? Not at all. Yes, my focus throughout February will be on my second "Bye-Bye, Backlog" selection (which I'll reveal first thing tomorrow), but I'll also continue to spend some time with this one until I've "beaten" it.

So, expect to see a "Great Gaymathon" review of this Punchline-made game sometime between now and the end of the month. In the meantime, look for weekly updates about my February "Bye-Bye, Backlog" selection starting this Sunday.

See also: Previous 'Bye-Bye, Backlog' posts

My Month with Chulip, Parts 2 and 3

I know my previous post about my month-long playthrough of this quirky PS2 game was called "'Bye-Bye, Backlog' diary entry #1: Chulip (PS2)" and, as such, as this one should be titled "'Bye-Bye, Backlog' diary entry #2 and 3: Chulip (PS2)," but I decided late last week that header was a bit too unwieldy and as a result changed it to the one you see above. Anyway, I'm sorry if that confused any of you.

I'm also sorry I didn't publish this post last week as I promised I would at the start of this project. I would have, I swear, but the fact is my lone PS2 memory card decided to give up the ghost shortly after I began playing Chulip earlier this month. Thankfully, I was able to replace it on Tuesday, and I restarted my playthrough the very same day.

Since then, I've spent about 10 hours with this overwhelmingly odd game. The question is: am I still enjoying it? I'd say so, yes, although I'd also say I'm not enjoying it as much as I thought I would after I wrapped up my first hour-long experience with it.

Before I get to why that is, I'd like to mention a few of things that keep me coming back to Chulip despite the fact that I'm feeling a little let down by it at the moment.

* First, I love Chulip's weird-to-the-point-of-being-unsettling character designs. Although I usually prefer games that feature a more uniform art style, I think this one's mix-and-match aesthetic is a perfect fit for its overall "feel" (which, for me, is the video game equivalent of a David Lynch film).

* Speaking of unsettling, does any other word better describe the looping, lo-fi voice snippets that accompany every conversation the game's pint-sized protagonist has with his many (strange-looking) neighbors? I certainly can't think of one. (Don't take that to be a complaint, by the way. I actually find the voice snippets to be pretty funny--albeit a bit creepy, too.)

'Bye-Bye, Backlog' diary entry #1: Chulip

Well, I actually went through with it.

Yesterday, I started playing Chulip, Punchline's weirdo adventure game that Natsume rather quietly released for the North American PlayStation 2 in 2007 (nearly five years after it hit store shelves in Japan).

I didn't play it for very long, unfortunately, as I had too many other things to do. I was able to devote about an hour to it, though, and I plan on putting another hour or so into it today.

As for what I think of it so far:

* I love the art style, which kind of reminds me of the Nintendo 64 version of Mother 3 that never saw the light of day.

* I'm similarly fond of the soundtrack, and even the oddly garbled voices that spew forth whenever you decide to chat up one of your neighbors.

* Speaking of odd, that's about the only word I could use to describe Chulip's localization. Was it intentional, or did the folks at Natsume rush it? I have no idea, but I'm guessing it's the latter, as it's often hard to discern what you're supposed to do next.

* My only real complaint about the game so far: the lovelorn protagonist's walking speed. Would it have been so hard for the crew at Punchline (Chulip's developer) to provide players with a run button à la Animal Crossing? I have a feeling the lack of one is going to grow into a rather sore point as I spend more and more time with this quirky PS2 title.

* Conversely, my favorite aspect of Chulip so far is the animation that's triggered whenever you try to kiss someone who isn't in the mood to be kissed. Sadly, you can't overdo it or you'll find yourself staring at a "Game Over" screen.

Anyway, that's what I think of the game after my admittedly brief first experience with it. Expect to see another round of impressions this time next week. In the meantime, please share your own thoughts and opinions in the comments section below.

See also: 'Bye-bye, backlog'