Loop8 plays as a story-heavy JRPG with turn-based battles.[1][2] The story is advanced through reading text and selecting response options through a dialogue tree.[1] Multiple paths and endings occur based on said choices.[1]Time management is also an aspect of gameplay - the game plays out on a calendar system, with various actions and choices taking up units of time.[2] Character's moods and reactions vary based on when in the story they are addressed by the player.[2]
Story
The game takes place in the fictional Japanese town of Ashihara in 1983 in an alternate reality where humanity is fighting for its survival against demons called Kegai.[3][4] The game follows the main character Nini, a male teenager who grew up in a space station that was destroyed by the Kegai. He is the sole survivor, and after it, becomes gifted with the special ability "demon sight", the ability to see what other characters are thinking and how they are feeling. Nini can also reset events and try them again, either by failing to save the world, or manually resetting by speaking to a certain character. Nini finds refuge in Ashihara in August, and spends his time making connections in the town in efforts to find the Kegai before they destroy Ashihara as well.[5] The game's title of Loop8 refers to its premise, as Nini continually relives ("loops") his time in the month of August (the eighth month) to find and eliminate the Kegai.[5][1]
Development and release
Loop8 was first announced for the Nintendo Switch in a Japanese Nintendo Direct in February 2022.[6] It was later revealed to be coming to the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Windows platforms as well.[7] The game is being developed by Sieg Games and published by XSeed Games and Marvelous Entertainment.[8] The game is being produced by Yoichi Miyaji, who previously worked on entries in the Lunar and Grandia games.[8] The game's designer and scenario writer, Yuri Shibamura, went to great lengths to capture the nostalgic and iconic aspects of Japan and its culture, particularly from the 1980s.[3]Loop8 is considered a spiritual successor to Shibamura's previous game for the PlayStationGunparade March.[9][10] The game's soundtrack, along with theme song, "Love's Sweet Sorrow", was composed by music veteran Noriyuki Iwadare.[3]
Originally, the game was only announced only for a late 2022 release in Japan.[5] It was later delayed into March 2023, and then another time to June 1, 2023.[5] An English version of the game was later announced, and is scheduled to release days later on June 6, 2023.[3][5] The delays were to add extra time to polish gameplay.[11]
Ten Loop8-related web novels were published on the game's Japanese website to promote the game.[12]
According to review aggregator Metacritic, Loop8 received "generally unfavourable" reviews for both the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 versions.[17][14] Destructoid favorably compared Loop8 to the Persona series of video games prior to release.[18] Scott Adams of The OuterHaven who reviewed the full game described it as fantastic, praising the visuals, sound, and relationship mechanic, despite some issues with the game design.[19]
Several other publications were less positive, with Cullen Black of RPG Site describing it as full of great ideas that never come together.[20] George Yang of Nintendo Life's view was that that it fails to leave an emotional impact towards the end and is repetitive and frustrating.[21] Thomas Knight of NookGaming and Jenny Jones of Push Square echoed the criticism of its repetitive nature, mentioning going over the same conversations repeatedly. Thomas Knight also mentioned issues with inconsistency in conversations too, with events happening earlier than they should or in the wrong order.[22][23]
The Nintendo Switch version of Loop8: Summer of Gods was the ninth bestselling retail game during its first week of release in Japan, with 5,796 physical copies being sold. The PlayStation 4 version was the sixteenth bestselling retail game in Japan throughout the same week, selling 2,775 physical copies.[24]
