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[b]Reverse Collapse: Code Name Bakery[/b]
Developer: Sunborn Network Technology (MICA Team)
Publisher: XD
[h1]Intro:[/h1]
Mendo, a soldier of the Antarctic Union, is tasked to find and recover Codename: Bakery with support from AU's Tactical Air Shock Army (TASA). Upon getting ambushed by Union of Rossartrist Nations Coalition (URNC) forces, a mysterious girl saves Mendo. She doesn't fit in at all. Her clothes are old and tattered, she has no pants or shoes in the harsh freezing temperatures, and she's an excellent shot; she is certainly Bakery. Her name is Jefuty, and Mendo has to take her back to the AU, but Jefuty has one condition: save her sister, Lige. On their journey to save Lige, they learn more about the connection between them, and the horrors hiding within the GAVIRUL project.
[h1]Pros:[/h1]
[b]1.[/b]
The story is absolutely astounding. Understandably, I do have my bias towards [i]Girls' Frontline[/i], but I will point out flaws if I must. The story uses romance, military action, and politics to its highest potential. The beginning of the game and a good chunk of later chapters, Mendo is your primary protagonist. You execute missions through his point of view and take things at a surface level with Jefuty, along with encountering Shrike Cells/Shrikes. Mendo tries to help Jefuty rescue Lige and claim a Neural Inhibitor that will greatly help, but they're constantly pursued by overwhelming amounts of URNC forces and a fearsome foe named Sugar. If you do not want spoilers, I will just say this is an excellent story that goes much deeper than you think, and you will love the characters, the world-building, and twists. Definitely a shining gem among MICA Team's releases. [spoiler] The story is linear until the beginning of chapter 4, chapter 3 ends with TASA being wiped out, Mendo and party engage hand-to-hand combat with Sugar. After Jefuty incapacitates Sugar, she checks on Mendo who has died and Lige who is unable to stabilize from calls from the Shrike Progenitor (Sugar). After realizing that there is no choice, Jefuty kills herself which transfers important memories to another Jefuty in another time. Simply a Reverse Collapse via Nirvana. This is where Chapter 4 comes in with the first level being Divergence Point; this is where you can choose your outcome in order to change your timeline, a chance to fix mistakes. You have lots of decisions to make per mission, and not all of them will lead to a good outcome. You will lose, but those losses will build you up. In the linear timeline, Jefuty couldn't get the Neural Inhibitor for Lige, with the new timeline, Jefuty has the information to do so, but it will require trial and effort. Through and through, at the end of chapter 4, Jefuty and Lige have been secured and extracted. DID YOU WIN THOUGH? No, that's where the documents come in. You must collect all documents in order to reach Chapter 5. Once you do so, you will understand Jefuty much more and what GAVIRUL is. You will get to know who Lusica is, and all these other timelines and outcomes. Jefuty may run as she likes, but she can't outrun her fate. She can enjoy her happy days with Mendo, but it will always end. Understanding this, Jefuty MUST face it, she MUST end it. Chapter 5 begins with taking control of URNC's Colonel Beria and Kirill to rebel against the usage of Shrike cells as vengeance for the [url=https://iopwiki.com/wiki/Shrike#Warszawa_Incident]Warszawa Incident[/url]. After Beria's Rebels fall, we return to the main party and defend against Sugar and Oleg. The final fight in Mineral Water City's airstrip is where Sugar's final form comes to play.[/spoiler] There is definitely a lot more, but the story can look extremely complex, but it is written wonderfully. It utilizes its rich lore to its best to tell an excellent story of love, suffering, and sacrifice.
[b]2.[/b]
The characters are all written beautifully. The relationship between Jefuty and Mendo that spans from childhood is adorable. Mendo being an unyielding optimist brings up everyones spirits and is an excellent counter to Jefuty's bluntness. Jefuty starting out emotionally detached due to her memories and objectives to do the right thing, but gradually becomes more emotive as time goes on [spoiler](and with multiple failures).[/spoiler] The camaraderie of TASA and Mendo is like looking at a family and the eventual trusting of Jefuty and Lige is great to see. The antagonists are also written with care. Beria being persistent with his personal vendettas [spoiler] against the Shrikes [/spoiler] is a strong motivator, the same goes for Kirill. Both are not on your side, but they are both honorable soldiers. As for other URNC units, Oleg is ruthless, powerful, and his presence beckons respect. His team of Werewolves is a force to be reckoned with and you will repeatedly encounter them, they will not stop hunting. Sugar is also part of the URNC Werewolves, she is unhinged and treats humans like nothing. She doesn't care how many die, as long as she gets Jefuty.
[b]3.[/b]
The visual novel portions art is wonderful with the characters having extremely detailed designs along with alternate outfits and a plethora of CG art that enhances the experience greatly. The sprite art possesses basic animation and lip syncing with voice lines. The in-game sprites are extremely detailed with buttery smooth animations. As for more general art, the Shrikes are disgusting. They're meaty, gory, and are (literally) man-made horrors beyond comprehension. It's disgustingly beautiful. Environments are great with the snowy Caucasus mountains, to technological military bases, to abandoned towns, and [spoiler]Shrike Cell corrupted landscapes. [/spoiler]
[b]4.[/b]
The gameplay is a solid tactical RPG. I enjoy the gunplay with the various weapons specific to each character with specific uses, along with the multiple attachments, but I will explain some bits about that later. Each character has their selection of skills that are all fun to use with a pleasant upgrade system and the ability to switch out to properly fit the operation. I appreciate the multiple items you can purchase or synthesize, some are also only available through killing specific enemies or finding it. The balancing feels good as some items can change the battle greatly, but are expensive.
[b]5.[/b]
Music and anything MICA Team releases are synonymous. The music by G.K. (Luminium Studio) is excellent and fits well with the game's dire atmosphere but also the somber moments. Some have second variants to fit in with transitions to boss fights or second phase preparations. My personal favorites are Schizophrenia, Dismal, Examination, and the Outbreak Phases.
[b]6.[/b]
The voice acting is excellent and is almost fully voiced.
[b]7.[/b]
Small thing, but you don't need to play [url=https://gf.sunborngame.com/]Girls' Frontline[/url] to play [i]Reverse Collapse: Code Name Bakery[/i]. It works well as a standalone. It has its built in glossary to help with lore and some recognizable characters, but overall you don't need experience. If you are a fan, then playing this is ESSENTIAL to the story of Girls' Frontline 2: Exilium.
[h1]Cons:[/h1]
[b]1.[/b]
Stealth portions do get tedious and you have extremely limited actions. It becomes a little better with Mendo's stealth skill where he can guarantee kill an enemy depending on their HP. You do have items to utilize such as soporific darts, drones to scout, scanners, or distractions, but it does get a bit tiring. That's also where I'd like to talk about weapon attachments. Suppressors only buff your weapon, but doesn't stop from enemies being alerted.
[h1]Conclusion:[/h1]
Great story, characters, and art. A gem among Sunborn's releases.
[b]Score[/b] 9/10 OUTSTANDING
