Psycho-Pass: Mandatory Happiness (Japanese: サイコパス 選択なき幸福, Hepburn: Saiko Pasu Sentaku Naki Kōfuku) is a visual novel video game developed by 5pb. It was originally released for the Xbox One in 2015 in Japan, with PlayStation Vita and PlayStation 4 versions following in 2016 in Japan, North America and the PAL region. A Windows version was released on April 24, 2017. The game is based on the 2012 anime series Psycho-Pass.[1][2]
| Psycho-Pass: Mandatory Happiness | |
|---|---|
 European cover art | |
| Developer(s) | 5pb. |
| Publisher(s) |
|
| Director(s) | Makoto Asada Rumie Higashinaka |
| Producer(s) | Makoto Asada |
| Artist(s) | Kyouji Asano |
| Writer(s) | Makoto Fukami Ren Kanan Jinroku Myougaya Hikaru Sakurai Gan Sunaaku |
| Composer(s) | Takeshi Abo |
| Series | Psycho-Pass |
| Platform(s) | Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Windows |
| Release | |
| Genre(s) | Visual novel |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
Plot
editThe story's backdrop is a dystopian future Tokyo where people can be preemptively imprisoned for their propensity to commit crimes, based on a technology-enabled personality scan called a Psycho-Pass. The game takes place in a timeline within the anime's first 12 episodes. The player controls one of two characters: inspector Nadeshiko Kugatachi, who is missing memories of her past, or enforcer Takuma Tsurugi, whose lover is missing. The antagonist is a rogue artificial intelligence named Alpha, whose objective of bringing happiness to individuals through unsanctioned means brings him into conflict with the government. Alpha attempts to provide happiness through chemical control, mass manipulation, and eventually by reducing the human population. The three characters do not appear in the anime series; the story runs parallel to the TV show's.[3]
Release
editThe game was originally released for the Xbox One on May 28, 2015, in Japan; PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita versions followed on March 24, 2016.[4] NIS America released the latter two versions on September 13, 2016, in North America, on September 16, 2016, in Europe,[5] and on September 30, 2016 in Australia. A Windows version of the game was released on Steam on April 24, 2017.[4]
Reception
edit| Aggregator | Score |
|---|---|
| Metacritic | (PS4) 72/100[6] (PC) 70/100[7] (Vita) 64/100[8] |
| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| 4Players | 55%[9] |
| Destructoid | (Vita) 7.5/10[10] |
| Famitsu | (XOne) 32/40[11] |
| GamesMaster | (PS4) 45%[12] |
| Hardcore Gamer | (Vita) 4/5[13] |
| HobbyConsolas | (PS4) 65%[14] |
| Jeuxvideo.com | 10/20[15] |
| MeriStation | 8/10[16] |
| PlayStation Official Magazine – UK | (Vita) 4/10[17] |
| Push Square | (PS4)   [18] |
| RPGFan | (PS4) 80%[19] (Vita) 79%[20] |
| Anime News Network | C+[21] |
The game received "mixed or average reviews" on all platforms according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[6][7][8] In Japan, Famitsu gave the Xbox One version a score of two eights, one seven and one nine for a total of 32 out of 40.[11]
References
edit- ^ Eisenbeis, Richard (May 24, 2016). "Love Psycho-Pass the Anime? You'll Love Psycho-Pass the Game". Kotaku. G/O Media.
- ^ Osborn, Alex (February 27, 2016). "Psycho-Pass: Mandatory Happiness Releasing in the West This Fall". IGN. Ziff Davis.
- ^ Eisenbeis, Richard (April 25, 2016). "The Psycho-Pass Visual Novel Is Messed Up". Kotaku Australia. Pedestrian Group. Archived from the original on April 26, 2016.
- ^ a b Romano, Sal (February 22, 2016). "Psycho-Pass: Mandatory Happiness coming west for PS4, PS Vita, and PC this fall". Gematsu. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
- ^ Romano, Sal (April 11, 2016). "Psycho-Pass: Mandatory Happiness for PS4, PS Vita launches September in the west". Gematsu. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
- ^ a b "Psycho-Pass: Mandatory Happiness for PlayStation 4 Reviews". Metacritic. Fandom. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
- ^ a b "Psycho-Pass: Mandatory Happiness for PC Reviews". Metacritic. Fandom. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
- ^ a b "Psycho-Pass: Mandatory Happiness for PlayStation Vita Reviews". Metacritic. Fandom. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
- ^ Luibl, Jörg (September 9, 2016). "Test: Psycho-Pass: Mandatory Happiness (PS4, Vita)". 4Players (in German). 4Players GmbH. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
- ^ Tolentino, Josh (September 22, 2016). "Review: Psycho-Pass: Mandatory Happiness (PS Vita)". Destructoid. Gamurs. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
- ^ a b Romano, Sal (June 17, 2015). "Famitsu Review Scores: Issue 1385". Gematsu. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
- ^ "Review: Psycho-Pass: Mandatory Happiness (PS4)". GamesMaster. Future plc. November 2016. p. 67.
- ^ Estrada, Marcus (September 10, 2016). "Review: Psycho-Pass: Mandatory Happiness (PS Vita)". Hardcore Gamer. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
- ^ Valdivia, Thais (September 16, 2016). "Psycho-Pass: Mandatory Happiness - Análisis (PS4)". HobbyConsolas (in Spanish). Axel Springer SE. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
- ^ Ayden_ (December 4, 2016). "Test: PSYCHO - PASS : Mandatory Happiness - Un visual novel qui manque d'impact (PS4, Vita)". Jeuxvideo.com (in French). Webedia. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
- ^ Rodríguez, Aarón (September 21, 2016). "Análisis de Psycho-Pass: Mandatory Happiness (PS4, PSV)". MeriStation (in Spanish). Archived from the original on September 24, 2016. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
- ^ "Psycho-Pass: Mandatory Happiness (Vita)". PlayStation Official Magazine – UK. Future plc. December 2016. p. 73.
- ^ McCormick, John Cal (September 9, 2016). "Psycho-Pass: Mandatory Happiness Review (PS4)". Push Square. Gamer Network. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
- ^ Fenner, Robert (September 9, 2016). "Psycho-Pass: Mandatory Happiness (PS4)". RPGFan. Emerald Shield Media LLC. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
- ^ Triezenberg, Peter (September 29, 2016). "Psycho-Pass: Mandatory Happiness (Vita)". RPGFan. Emerald Shield Media LLC. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
- ^ Bailey, Dustin (September 21, 2016). "Psycho-Pass: Mandatory Happiness". Anime News Network. Retrieved May 2, 2023.