Name: Dai Akuji (100.00% in 2 votes) Type: SIM Platform: WINDOWS Company: Alicesoft Release date: 2002 Reviewed by: Orochi
Intro:
Dai Akuji is the highly publicised title from AliceSoft announced around the middle of Summer which AliceSoft cite to be the next big release after Kichikuou Rance to be realise early Winter on 30th of November. Well, this title does not disappoint in this case, AliceSoft's staffs really did put their hearts and souls into this big project.
Story:
The story is based on, with a few twist, events of the early to mid 20th century. The far easteren nation of "Nihon" (Japan) had always takes pride in it's male dominiated society and militarism culture. Due to this Women in Nihon are constantly oppressed.
Enter the new nation of "Wime" (A pun on the Japanese pronounciation of "Women") which rise to power early in the turn of 19th century in Europe and propagates the ideas of extrem feminism. Withing 50 years of it's nation building, it had taken over the entire nation of America and then spread their Ideology through out the whole of Europe.
When Wime heard about how their female counterparts are oppressed in Nihon, they naturally did not like it and demand better treatment for Nihon's female. Nihon did not give in and so relation between Nihon and Wime deteoriates.When Nihon decides to invade Papual New Guinea for resources, Wime take the chance to declar war on Nihon.
After a few year of fighting,Wime decides that it's futile to fight on and put the war to an end by dropping a atomic bomb-like weapon on the capital of Nihon,Oosaka, and thus Nihon surrender. Wime troops then enter Nihon to occupied and establish a new Nihon constitution to re-educate the population of Nihon.
The end of the war also marks the return of Yamamoto Akuji, a young master of a Yakuza like organisation, from Military service who is used to the ideas of the old Nihon.He is determine to unite the whole of Oosaka under him and kick the occupying Wime Forces out...
Gameplay:
The Staffs of AliceSoft describe this game as a "Yakuza Simulation", they can't have describe it better (The title means "Big Bad Business" when translated if you replace the kanji for "Ji" with another Kanji with the same sound). Those who played Kichikuou Rance before will not be unfamilar with the system here as the same concept is featured, you have to gather people to build an army to take over the entire map but you have to watch your resources and the loyalty of the people under you as well as maintaining the sercurity of the area you have taken over (Very much like Koei's Romance Of 3 Kingdom series for people who had played it). There's a few twist to the system here,for example you can build a Brothel and then force the females under you into Prostitution to generate extra incomes (It's a Yakuza simulation remember and you can get away with all sorts of immoral business) and there's of course all sort of secrets to uncover when you are in the game.
Comments:
Seems that AliceSoft's is making a political Statement here, from the story you can get ideas of the current suitation of Japanese Society. The external flow of feminism into Japan. Japanese who work hard at learning western languages and manners and then becomes proud at what they have become. Traditionalist who support the idea of old Japan but can't do anything to block the flow of external ideas are represented by a character here and of course this game is a bit racist as the occupying Wime Troops (who are Europeans) look down on Nihonese which they thinks are Barbarains and Animals ("Yellow Monkeys") and in turn in the game, they are useless Units which have average attack power, incompetent at managing areas but demands high pays.
Well, I suppose some of these ideas might appeal to Japanese Player, but I do not know about how it will turn out for the Western Audience
Overall:
This is a good game but only recommended for those who do not mind political statements in their game and take them lightly.
