Alice Gear Aegis CS Concerto of Simulatrix review

The sword gets revenge on the pen and even the gun. Alice Gear Aegis’ mechanized maidens wield overpowered melee weapons undermining the virtues of battle and banter in CS Concerto of Simulatrix.

Gacha game spin-offs have a decidedly mixed track record. Sure, Granblue Fantasy Versus flourished thanks to Arc Systems Works’ fighting game proficiency. But Azur Lane Crosswave and Seven Knights -Time Wanderer- fared far worse. Fundamentally, developers have found a way to adapt eye candy onto consoles. But the creation of engrossing gameplay often eludes.

The latest mobile-to-console adaptation, Alice Gear Aegis CS Concerto of Simulatrix is neither a rousing success nor an embarrassing cash grab. As an extension of Shinjuku-based Pyramid’s mobile game, the property probably won’t enjoy much name recognition in the West. Not only is the mobile game not available outside of Japan, but the accompanying OVA, Alice Gear Aegis: Doki! Actress Darake no Mermaid Grand Prix, hasn’t been licensed. However, next month bring brings an anime series set to steam on Hidive.

An Inventory of Best Actresses

While characters and context might be unfamiliar, the concept is quite recognizable. Alice Gear Aegis imagines a world where aliens known as the Vice took over earth, forcing humankind to flee into the cosmos. The protectors of these fragmented worlds are called ‘actresses’. Each has two things in common: 1) they can all harness some enigmatic resource known as Emission Energy that allows them to wear Alice Gear armor and 2) they are all conspicuously adorable.

Instead of fighting the Vice directly, Concerto of Simulatrix sees its mechanized maidens square off against each other in a succession of simulated fights. While there’s interest in winning prize money, the real allure seems to be the reward of becoming a poster girl. It’s hard not to appreciate a scenario where the earth has been conquered and the moon destroyed, but the pursuit of popularity still rages on.

Busou Shinki for the Influencer Era

While Simulatrix isn’t overt about it, occasionally the script flirts with the satirical. One of the main defense contractors has a ganguro CEO who peppers her dialog with slang while another actress is an aspiring rapper who always replies in rhyme. Sure, the dialog isn’t quite as lively as it should be, but each actresses’ has a unique script and their personal ambitions. Whether you have a partiality for a bookish type or a prickly fashionista, Alice Gear Aegis probably has a waifu for you.

The game’s core campaign takes place on a hex-based calendar representing a three-week tournament leading up to the finals. You’ll move across a character-specific succession of adjacent hexes, with the sporadic opportunity to warp onto another pathway. Each route is filled with one-on-one clashes and well as three-on-three tag-team matches, as well as the occasional reward. While Simulatrix’s showdowns evoke the pugnacious spirit of fighting games, there’s a notable shortage of buildup before each battle. I wanted to see each actress deliver some verbal jabs before taking arms. All you get are generic warm-up animations.

Lock and (Un)Load

If you’ve played any of the games in SEGA’s Cyber Troopers Virtual-On series, you’ll have a good idea of what to expect from combat. The actresses float around each arena freely and the camera is constantly locked onto your opponent. There’s a moderately sophisticated combat system in place, with combatants having access to melee and long-ranged weapons, as well as torso and leg skills mapped to the triggers. The right stick is used to activate everything from assists to specials, extending each girl’s distinct load-out. Simulatrix lacks a guided tutorial but this is a training component where you’ll get to investigate the best ranges for each different type of attack.

Defensively, each actress has access to shielding as well as the ability to evasive boosting. Simulatrix provides plenty of forewarning of enemy attacks, making a dodge or activating your protective sphere quite intuitive. Actresses can be knocked down in battle, but a single button press can put them back in the fight. Enjoyably, meters tend to recharge quickly enough that you won’t have to rely on defensive maneuvering too much.

Expectedly, these gauges and ammo counts are used to prohibit over-spamming your most powerful attacks. But Simulatrix’s skirmishes are undermined by completely overpowered melee attacks. These strikes are so powerful, I had to restrain myself from using them. A quick combo is capable of quickly decimating enemy health gauges. They ruin any ambition for a sense of balance, effectively spoiling the game’s battles, which is a real shame.

Thighs, Fries, and Pies

With combat lacking challenge, fighting in Alice Gear Aegis CS can capture the tedium of a gacha game. Similarly, this kind of monotony is balanced by the ability to spend in-game money. Head into the store and Simulatrix offers perks like Santa suits, bikinis, and Anna Miller-influenced uniforms as well as accessories that range from cat ears to a hairpin that looks like sweet potato fries. Once you’ve got your actress looking the part, there’s also an inventory of Skill Modules that can augment each girl’s stats.

The one issue is that some of the costumes and accessories are character specific, goading players to complete the campaign multiple times. After beating the storyline seven times, I feel I had experienced enough of the game. Concerto of Simulatrix isn’t bad and might even captivate completionists. But as charming as these aspiring poster girls are, their fighting probably won’t sustain your interest for long.

Alice Gear Aegis CS Concerto of Simulatrix was played
on Switch with review code provided by the publisher.