Curry - it's hot, it's spicy and it tastes great. So great in fact, that a young sorceress by the name of Pupuru is willing to journey through miles upon miles of dangerous dungeons just to save her local restaurant. Recently suspended from magic school, and seemingly with little else to occupy her time, she's on a mission to gather the legendary ingredients to brew the Ultimate Curry and save her beloved Smile Curry house from it's financial troubles. A refreshingly unusual tale for a game and as light-hearted as it gets, Sorcery Saga: Curse of the Great Curry God for the PS Vita proves saving the world isn't always a requirement in a game.
Truer words were never spoken...
A dungeon-crawler at it's heart, Sorcery Saga takes it's cues from the likes of Pokemon Mystery Dungeon, only with more spices and less cuddly animals. As you explore humongous labyrinths which have been packed with enemies and treasure in equal measure, with each step you take, the bad guys also move - stand still, and your enemies also stay put, giving you time to think about your next move. But engage one in battle, and you and your opponent shift to taking it in turns to attack, in much the same way as in your average Pokemon, Final Fantasy or Dragon Quest game. Be wary though - despite the game's cutesy exterior, Japanese rogue-likes as they're called tend to be pretty hardcore, requiring some repeated levelling, dying and grinding to get anywhere, although how typical for the genre Curry God may be, we don't know yet.
Difficulty concerns aside though, the game boasts it's own spicy cooking system, which lets you concoct your own curries while on the move - presumably for healing, temporarily upping your attack and the like. But what sounds even more awesome is your grumpy little bunny/Chansey-like companion, Kuu, who's blessed with a near insatiable appetite. Willing to eat pretty much all of the unwanted items you amass during your quest, he levels up and learns new abilities as he scoffs, each coming in handy during your long slog for the legendary curry constituents. And what a slog it sounds like, with the folks behind the game declaring "over 100 hours of delicious gameplay await you!".
Sorcery Saga: Curse of the Great Curry God hits the PS Vita later this month, on the 21st February, bringing with it the aptly named 'Phaal Bundle' - a downloadable pack stuffed with ten tasty costumes, available from launch (or should that be lunch?). For fans of spicy food, kooky role-playing games or just WTF games, it's one to keep an eye out for:
