It feels like it’s a running joke right now, with me somehow playing a game very reminiscent of Arknightsbecause that’s obviously my only game ever. Today I’m trying it out Path to Nowherecurrently accepts pre-registrations with a limited beta test runs until September 30, 2022, 16:00 UTC +7.
WELCOME TO THE MBCC
The game uses a somewhat more realistic, gritty art direction that already sets it apart from the typical anime-style fare available. The characters definitely give off the more sultry, sexy, dangerous vibes befitting their status as your effective inmates who each have their own incredibly powerful abilities. Also called “sinners”, your strength is the ability to bind them and make them obey you. Spicy power dynamics there.
There’s no option to turn it into an alternate dub if you wanted to now, with everyone in full English in the story beats. They’re actually pretty good too, even if the lyrics don’t always match the voice. I didn’t really notice the soundtrack in the early stages, but it has a jazz, noir feel to it.
Characters have Live2D motion, so it makes them much more lifelike. The overall presentation is quite nice if a little on the dark side. In your inventory, the characters are posed as their mugshots, before you see more details about opening their profile. At the moment I can’t find any artist info or voice acting so I hope this will be updated at launch.
You can choose what your player character looks like between the male and female options. I assume there are more lesbians in store for the female PC (assigned there) to be also male characters).
Besides, you have a little amnesia. Lots of fun.
CHIEF’S COMMAND SEAL
In the core gameplay, you have to pre-bet units of basically your entire roster, so you’re only limited by the actual betting slots. As you might expect, each character has their own skills, traits, and class that are aligned with certain mechanics. The ones with the red gradient would be the more desirable units I feel as they are the ones that can break enemy “cores”.
“Cores” give enemies more stats, and if they break, they become vulnerable and take more damage. Depending on the enemy, you may have to take your time breaking the core as they may not appear right away.
Since your units are pre-deployed, you don’t need to adjust their orientation; so melee characters often have a range of one grid in the cardinal directions, and ranged characters can cover more or less half, if not the entire map, depending on their position. What’s different is that you have a limited number of times to move your units to a valid tile during battle to protect your player character that does appear on the field.
Character growth makes you level up, promote, improve their skills and basically improve their potential through duplicates or tokens. I feel like regular leveling feels extremely expensive, even for the initial level 20 limit, not to mention the materials for later promotions. There is nothing unusual here, except for collecting bonuses for gaining members of certain “factions”.
GACHA
With a 2% rate for SSR characters, this is something I’m used to in games like this. There is an 80 pull “spark” system for the standard banner, although I can’t say if this will carry over to other higher speed banners.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
Trying to be a rougher world of questionable power dynamics and broken systems makes it sound more childish than anything, due to the way the characters swear so much. In addition, the art style is certainly appealing. There is nothing in particular that stands out to me personally, which is highly subjective.
The fully narrated story could be more engaging rather than reading lengthy texts, even if it doesn’t fully capture my interest in the opening. I suppose I’m still a weeb and fully anchored in Arknights to consider something similar, but if anything here interests you, keep an eye out.
Path to Nowhere
Release Date: 2022-08-11
Android, iOS
Welcome to Minos Crisis Management Agency. As Chief, you are required to captivate and control the most vicious bandits – Sinners – to protect the city from traps. Hold on to the light in the darkness and save hope from despair.
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