The Conception series is a weird one, but one that I rather enjoy. Conception+ is a more realized entry in the series and one that shows how good it is. This game is a remaster of the first game in the series and improves upon an already great game. It’s one that even has voice acting, which makes me even happier. Conception + stands out against the other games in the series as the best so far.
Conception + stars a new protagonist and casts twelve different ladies for him to engage with. Each of these women is voiced and based on one of the star signs. They each also have their job in the area and it translates into what they value most. It is interesting to see such an assortment of women who are capable of the Conception right. Like its sequel this game also has a school element. The girls at the school are brought up to know all about the Conception right. Though some know more about it than others.
In Conception + players are told they must make babies. These babies aren’t like normal babies but are in fact magic. Magical babies that will grow and strengthen through the feelings between their mother and father. Each of these babies will have different jobs and be used to complete dungeons and fight bosses so choose wisely. The babies do change a little depending on the parents and their hairstyles will match the mother usually. The player must show affection and say the right things to strengthen his relationships with his partners. He can’t just do as he pleases, because he will need to make his babies as strong as possible. Though it is possible to strengthen only the relationships with the character the player likes. It might make more sense to raise the relationship level with as many of the women as possible. Thus affording the player the most chances to make high-quality babies.
The dating sim portion of the game is strong. Players need to think about their word choices and it might behoove them to keep a quicksave ready. Players can always double back and reload if they didn’t say the right thing. This game suggests players get the most out of every conversation so save-scumming isn’t a bad option. Plus the conversations themselves are often voiced and players do learn a good deal about these women. With dating sims, it’s always nice to learn more about the women the player is chasing after. When the player is ready to conceive with these women they head into a special area. This area is the only place where conception occurs. Here they will pick the character type and appearance. It is important to build a team of different fighting styles. They can all come in handy in a fight. The more balanced the party, the more likely the player will come out on top.
I always end up getting rather attached to these babies. While they don’t die and disappear, it is sad to see them fall in battle. It’s nice to see them win and to see how happy they are not to have disappointed their father. These babies are strong fighters and to see them fight so hard right after birth is quite exciting. Though they are just fully formed, little people. Players originally can only perform the ritual with a single mother, but eventually can mate with two. Mating with one mother increases the relationship level between them so it might be better to do that. Though mating with two mothers will make the child even stronger. It’s all about what the player wants to accomplish, I honestly didn’t do much mating with two mother’s as it didn’t fit my playstyle.
This game progresses through the use of dungeon crawling. Players will walk through dungeons with their babies in tow. They will fight enemies and collect loot. Opening new areas of the dungeon and clearing the way to the boss fight. When the player and their party are high enough level all they have to do is touch the enemy to kill it. This a great boon as sometimes grinding takes too long. With a simple touch of the enemy though this game eliminates that. Since time is of the essence it is nice to have a mechanic like this in the game. I would appreciate if more games took this initiative as some people just don’t have enough time to play through RPG’s like they used to.
The dungeons themselves are different and each has its energy. I appreciate when games work to be different. Each dungeon is based on the different celestial signs. With 12 to get through players are going to need to be diligent. They do get more arduous as the game progresses so grinding up the star children’s levels may not be a bad idea. The voice acting is another excellent part of this game. A good dub is hard to come by sometimes as it can cost quite a bit. But when games go for the dub, I always find myself enjoying the game a little more. A good amount of this game is dubbed and it allows for a little more closeness to the characters. I always wonder what characters sound like so it’s nice that they are all given their voice. The music is also pretty nice throughout the game. I enjoyed the different music in the dungeons and during the star child ritual. Music might not always be a highlight of games, but I always appreciate good music. The battle music is also pretty good and that is important in any game.
Conception Plus is a fantastic game and one that I enjoy playing. I’m a big fan of winning over characters to strengthen bonds and power. This game allows for a good deal of customization too and the star children are super cute. I think that anyone who enjoys dungeon crawling RPG’s is sure to enjoy this one. Our Hero needs to get home will the player help him and his Star Children save the day?
Disclaimer: A review key was provided