Opus: Prism Peak is an upcoming Japanese narrative adventure game where you snap photos of ghosts to navigate your way through an unfamiliar ethereal world, and I think it might just solve all of my problems in life.
OK, realistically, Opus: Prism Peak isn’t going to make sure I have enough money in retirement or cure my chronic migraines, but it sure looks like it’ll make living with those situations a lot more tolerable. The first thing I noticed is how it looks like the prettiest anime I’ve ever seen, with gorgeous lighting effects, colors, and depictions of nature and human emotion. I mean, just look at this thing:
Capture the moment, then learn to let go.SIGONO x SHUEISHA GAMES”OPUS: Prism Peak” is a narrative adventure where your choices lead to divergent endings.Play as a photographer lost in an ethereal realm, and unveil its mysteries with your camera to find a way home.#PrismPeakAugust 20, 2024
Narratively, I just know this one’s going to pack an emotional punch, and frankly I’m ready to be taught some hard lessons. It’s about a photojournalist whose many failures in life have beaten him down into a bad place, and who ends up stumbling into an ethereal realm while returning to his hometown. It’s in this spirit realm that he meets a mysterious girl willing to help him find his way home, which she believes can only be accessed via a far-away cabin. “Where do grownups go when they’ve lost their way?” is the tagline from the trailer.
Gameplay looks like it takes from cues from camera-based games like Pokemon Snap or, perhaps more fittingly, Fatal Frame. See, you don’t just have a camera and can take pictures; photography is at the heart of the game. “Photography in OPUS: Prism Peak reflects how deeply the protagonist perceives the world,” says Taiwan-based developer Sigono Inc. “To take the best shots, players must understand each spirit’s true desire, and capture the landscape within their subject’s heart.”
Prism Peak is actually the fourth entry in the acclaimed Opus series of visual novels, although it seems like more of a traditional narrative-driven adventure game. There’s no release date yet, but when I know more, you’ll know more.
In the meantime, embark on a new adventure with our guide to the best JRPGs.
