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Caligula PS Vita Game's Video Outlines Basic Gameplay

Game developer FuRyu began streaming a gameplay video for its upcoming Caligula PlayStation Vita role-playing game on Thursday. The video previews the game's "imaginary chain" battle system that allows players to chain together attacks with multiple party members using the "daydream vision" mechanic, which lets players see the effects of each character's action before deciding on the next attack in the chain.

The game's official website describes "imaginary chain" as a system that utilizes combos and the "power of imagination."

Caligula will ship in Japan for the PlayStation Vita on June 23. The regular edition will cost 6,980 yen (about US$61) and the download edition will cost 6,389 yen (about US$51).

Pre-order bonuses include a soundtrack CD, visual booklet, swimsuit DLC, and an application to participate in a fan event.

In the story, μ, a virtual idol who performs user-inputted songs, gains self-awareness through exposure to users' bitter feelings and dissatisfaction toward reality. Wanting to save humanity — which she believes is continuously suffering — she lures people to a virtual reality world called Mobius with her songs. She then imprisons them in Mobius, thinking they will be free from the suffering of reality and that all their wishes will come true. The game follows the nine members of the "Going Home Club," a club that was formed because the characters want to escape from Mobius and go home.

The gameplay fuses strategy and beat-'em-up elements. The in-game composer characters are represented by real independent music composers, including 40mP (KagiP), OSTER PROJECT (Sweet P), Polyphonic Branch (Shonen Doll), CyoucyoP (Mirei), Asa (IkeP), 164 (Shadow Knife), and cosMo@BosoP (Sone). In addition, composers YM and MikitoP will provide the songs for two unannounced characters.

The game's cast is as follows:

• Chiharu Sawashiro as the protagonist
• Rie Murakawa as Kotono Kashiwaba
• Shunsuke Takeuchi as Shogo Satake
• Rie Takahashi as Mihue Sonohara
• Yoshimasa Hosoya as Kotarō Tomoe
• Minami Tanaka as Suzuna Kagura
• Yūichirō Umehara as Izuru Minezawa
• Ari Ozawa as Naruko Morita
• Shōta Aoi as Kensuke Hibiki and KagiP
• Reina Ueda as μ
• Eriko Nakamura as Mirei
• Emi Nitta as SweetP
• Sōma Saitō as IkeP
• Yumiri Hanamori as Shonen Doll
• Yūma Uchida as Shadow Knife
• Yuka Ōtsubo as Thorn
• Asami Shimoda as Aria

Famitsu.com describes the game as a "next-generation school juvenile RPG," focused on themes of modern pathology and trauma. The game's title refers to the "Caligula Effect," which is a pattern of behavior where one wants to see or do something more if it is denied to them.

Director Takuya Yamanaka, scenario writer Tadashi Satomi (Shin Megami Tensei: Persona, Persona 2: Innocent Sin, Persona 2: Eternal Punishment), and illustrator Oguchi are on board for the game. Tsukasa Masuko is in charge of sound.