AKIBA’S TRIP: Undead and Undressed Switch Review

AKIBA’S TRIP: Undead and Undressed is XSEED Games’ sequel to Akiba’s Trip. Developed by Acquire, the game first launched back in 2013 for the PlayStation Vita, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, and PC. Ten years later, the publisher has released the definitive and complete edition of the game titled AKIBA’S TRIP: Undead and Undressed Director’s Cut for the Nintendo Switch. It includes all previously released DLCs for the game and the newly released “Kati’s Route” DLC. After playing the game and experiencing all it has to offer, I now can say that it provides an entertaining experience but in a flawed package.

AKIBA’S TRIP: Undead and Undressed Director’s Cut follows Nanashi, a questionable otaku who, one day, is mysteriously kidnapped and transformed into a vampire as part of a grand, evil plot. He’s then thrust into a conspiracy of “Synthisters,” vampire-like creatures who roam Akiba causing havoc. It’s up to Nanashi and his colorful cast of friends known as the “Akiba Freedom Fighters” to stop the Synthisters via their one weakness, sunlight, which they’ll exploit by stripping them of their clothes

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Any player who boots up Akiba’s Trip and plays for at least an hour will know how ridiculous the game and its concept are. It does a great job of informing the player right from the get-go that it doesn’t take itself seriously, and nor should they. The story is essentially a light-hearted take on the highly overused vampire story trope, but this time, instead of shooting and stabbing the undead, you’re tearing off otaku’s clothes in the streets. The game even goes further by including every cringe anime otaku trope, from streets filled with high school girls, gyarus, and geeks to using figures and anime paraphernalia as weapons and having bizarre outfits that are borderline cosplay for DLCs. Akiba’s Trip also features a cast of colorful characters, many of whom act like the worst stereotype of an anime lover but are also admittedly entertaining in their own way with their many odd quirks. Lastly, the game also has players select their dialogue choices, making the interactions with the characters extremely goofy.

As a result, it’s fair to say that the game doesn’t have a lot of depth, so if you’re going into it for an intricate, deep story, you’ll be left disappointed. However, if you want a funny and goofy narrative, then this game’s for you. Additionally, despite the type of story the game features, players will still have to worry about their choices. Akiba’s trip sports several endings, some good, some bad, some weird, and the Director’s edition adds a new “true” ending focused on one of the characters.

Simple but Functional

In terms of gameplay, AKIBA’S TRIP: Undead and Undressed is functional but nothing more. Players will scour the streets of Akihabara between missions and fight vampire-like enemies. To defeat them, they must attack individual body parts to damage their clothing, then rip them off once damaged enough. Do this enough, and you’ll tear all their clothes off, instantly killing them.

If players successfully dispatch enough pieces of clothing in a row, they can execute a combo, potentially knocking out all enemies at once. However, players can still be subjected to the same fate and will have to avoid receiving too many attacks. Other than that, players can also acquire various weapons, some more effective and bizarre than others. While combat is straightforward, it isn’t engaging, especially after the first few hours. Once you learn how combat works, players can easily mow through enemies with ease, as there isn’t much depth to the gameplay mechanics, and it gets pretty repetitive very quickly.

Visually, AKIBA’S TRIP is also middling. While the game is far from an eye-sore, as it has decent illustrations and an art direction that is incredibly faithful to the real Akihabara, the character models are sorely lacking in detail. The game’s general art style is also bog-standard and not at all eye-catching. However, despite all this, the game still provides tons of fun for players to enjoy, now more than ever, as the Director’s Cut features all DLC for the game, providing even more wacky hijinks.

Final Thoughts

Overall, AKIBA’S TRIP: Undead and Undressed is a fun but flawed collection and experience. Despite its issues, it’s still a game that can be enjoyed by both weebs and Japanophiles alike, providing they lower their standards a bit.

Have you played this game or are you interested in it? What do you think about our review? Let us know in the comments section below.

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