Ichigeki Sacchuu!! HoiHoi-San

"Addictingly fun!"

Call me a sucker for cute things. I found this game absolutely adorable.

For those curious as to what the hell this game is, the basic premise is, you go to a store, and pick up an automated maid-doll (which apparently doesn't sell very well). You customize it, and control it, using weapons to destroy nasty house pests.

Sounds weird? It's a mix between an action platformer and a dress-up doll game. Each mission provides you with money, which you buy accessories and weapons for your little Hoi Hoi-san.

Gameplay - 7.5/10
It's your standard platform game, sure. But the collision detection definitely could have used some improvement. Sometimes I'll have to hit RIGHT next to the insect to kill them, other times, I could have a good foot or two, and still kill them with the same weapon. Plus, it's hard to dodge enemies when they're RIGHT in front of you, but you can't see. Another bad aspect is that you can't change perspectives, you're always stuck looking at Hoi-Hoi's behind. But the elements of the game make up for it. Come on, when's the last time you get to bash a roach with a mace, while listening to Hoi Hoi giggle like a little girl?

Story - 6/10
It's about as bizarre and typical of a Japanese game as you can get. I can't really describe it but, well...it's like a typical anime. The owner gets a bit creeped out sometimes, you know, the sweat drop effect. Then other people call upon Hoi-Hoi's services to help them de-bug their place. This and that. Nothing too big.

Graphics/Sound - 7/10
It's definitely NOT the most splendid graphics in 3D technology. But it does get the job done. It's pretty clean, but there is a MAJOR aliasing issue with some of the sprites (like in the Status screen with Hoi Hoi, she looks like she got hit with a major case of the jaggies). Otherwise, there's a lot of 2D anime-style movies and scenes, which are pretty decently well done (in other words, I've seen far far worse, this is pretty much your average run-of-the-mill animation). The sounds thought are VERY catchy. The music and the voices are well done, and...well IMHO, it's the next best feature in the game.

Playtime/Replay value - 7/10
This is a Japanese game. It is hard. It's also a lot longer than I thought it would take. Plus earning money is a bit too realistic; it'll take a lot of repeating missions to buy the weapons you need. Plus there's so many ways to customize your Hoi Hoi, combinations can take a while.

Overall - 7.5/10
This isn't game-of-the-year material, but if you're an importer, and you need something unique and fun, I do suggest this game. This does take a decent amount of Japanese to figure out everything, but my non-Japanese reading friends were able to figure their way around the game without any knowledge of the language. So don't worry too much.

On a side note, Konami does sell Hoi Hoi-san dolls; I need to pick one up. Badly.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 03/12/04