Amid the nostalgia of backroom arcades, Bishoujo Battle Cyber Panic! pays homage to 90s Japanese lewd-arcade games. Developers eastasiasoft and Zoo Corporation have spun their own version of the widely popular 1981 arcade game Qix, where players section off areas of a gameboard with their cursor while dodging around hazards threatening to end their lines, into a silhouette revealer where claimed areas on the gameboard expose drawings of anime women.
At a price point of $5 USD for the Nintendo Switch version, Bishoujo Battle Cyber Panic! is a simple flash game with a singular purpose: turn the instant gratification of looking at sexually-drawn characters into a delayed gratification through an addictive game.
Does it Tittilate or Frustrate?
Right off the bat, the game element of Bishoujo Battle Cyber Panic! plays well. The core mechanics brought over from Qix are so seamlessly self-teaching that there is no lag time between picking up the game and enjoying it. And while there are no scoring variations derived from different speed cursors like there are in Qix, there at least is a challenge mode where more hazards are thrown at you.
The strategic decision facing is the same every playthough: do I play it safe and take small chunks bit-by-bit, or do I risk it and try to take larger sections for more points and faster completion?
In terms of aesthetics, you should already probably know if this art style suits your tastes. Regardless of preference, the gameplay of revealing a silhouetted figure is enjoyable and replayable.
During my playthroughs, I was reminiscing on days when my dog used to be a puppy and we would hide treats that could only be accessed partially inside of a rubber ball. He would get just as excited as if we were giving him treats, but instead of that excitement lasting only as long as it takes to eat the treat, the ball-trap allowed us the stretch out that excitement by giving each reward in piecemeal. In a similar sense, Bishoujo Battle Cyber Panic! turns semi-adult entertainment into a rubber-ball-treat-trap.
Does it Pack a Punch?
Since the core mission of Bishoujo Battle Cyber Panic! is readily accomplished by its gameplay loops, we must then look at how much worth is packed into this $5 USD title. Content-wise there are over 50 stages to complete, each with variable challenges and its own woman to uncover. Leaderboards are also provided, so competing for high-scores or playing for completionism is supported.
There’s some variety in the anime women, though not exhaustive of all of their typical genres. Mainly there are army-girls and demon-girls, and then of course there are army-demon-girls, but no sight of the often depicted cat-girl or school-girl (apparently they are less apt for battling).
Joking aside, this game is absolutely not my cup of tea. I’d rather spend my time playing games that don’t rely upon cheap thrills, mindless game loops, and objectification so I won’t be keeping this on my Switch for very long.
Conclusion
I can recommend Bishoujo Battle Cyber Panic! to anyone who has nostalgia for old-school arcade games given new life or for those looking for a gamified way to look at anime women. Bishoujo Battle Cyber Panic!’s polarizing nature is played into, so you probably know already if this is the right type of game for you.
Check Out the Bishoujo Battle Cyber Panic! Trailer:
For more information, please visit: https://www.eastasiasoft.com/games/Bishoujo-Battle-Cyber-Panic
Recent Michigan State University grad and current Game Studies researcher who plays fantasy RPG's to escape, Smash to compete, and Stardew to chill. Also have a +1 to rage/toxicity resistance due to the many hours sunk into WoW, R6, and LoL.
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