![]() The player’s goal during body massage mode is to – what else – help Asuka relax by giving her a massage. Acting as a glorified version of the already well-implemented “Dress-Up Mode” featured within every Senran Kagura game up to date, body massage mode lets you live out your wildest SK fantasies by allowing players to… spin a cosplaying Asuka around and poke her. For fairness’ sake, it’s worth mentioning that each massage session does randomize where Asuka’s “arc entry points” are, but, outside of that, there isn’t a whole lot going on.Īfter finishing Asuka’s hand massage, players then move onto Reflexions’ bouncy bread and butter – the body massage. Hand reflexology, technically speaking, ends up being less of an actual gameplay feature and more of a glorified “level select”, but I suppose that there isn’t really a whole lot that you could do with something like this. And, depending on where you massage Asuka, you will be able to enter one of seven different fantasy scenarios (or “arcs”, as this game calls them). During hand reflexology, the player is able to massage each of Asuka’s fingers, as well as the palm of her hand. The first portion of this intimate adventure revolves entirely around massaging Asuka’s hands (which actually isn’t weird at all if you know anything about reflexology). These massages, in turn, are broken up into three main parts. Or at least what this game considers a massage to be. Not surprisingly, the entirety of Reflexions revolves around giving Asuka a massage. I’m not sure how accurately this portrays actual reflexology, but Asuka seems to be enjoying it! ![]() Especially since this game helps to show just how much depth the ladies of SK are truly capable of having. Still, I don’t think that adding just a little bit more to the story would hurt anything. Given the fact that it’s only a $10 title, I wasn’t expecting the story of the century. Unfortunately, it’s precisely because the game does so well with this that it makes it all the more disappointing that they didn’t do more. The little bit of narrative given to the player throughout Reflexions’ short journey does well with fleshing out (no pun intended) Asuka’s personality, placing the normally plucky girl into a role that is both emotionally vulnerable and incredibly varied – giving players a unique, multidimensional look at the series’ poster child. And really that’s too bad, because what is there is enjoyable. When it comes to Reflexions, there isn’t too much going on in terms of story. And just how is the player supposed to help Asuka? With the power of reflexology – duh. She explains to the player that she has been feeling very strange lately, and that she wants to figure out why, but can only truly discern what is going on with the player’s help. The game’s narrative centers around the player – assuming the role of a “normal” (non-Shinobi) student – who finds themselves called into a classroom after school, only to be met by their totally-not-secretly-a-Shinobi classmate Asuka. Senran Kagura Reflexions does have a story, but it isn’t anything lengthy. ![]() “I need a massage” isn’t usually the first thing that I jump to when I’m confused on something, but to each their own. I don’t hate Reflexions or anything – it’s fine for what it is – but a game like this just goes to show that sex appeal alone, even for a game like Senran Kagura, doesn’t ultimately add up to much. I’m probably going to get a bit of flak for that, but that’s okay. ![]() And do you know what? Now that it is, it’s pretty boring. But jiggling fanservice isn’t generally the only thing going on in these games. Now, before you start throwing out accusations, let me set the record straight I’m not saying that Senran Kagura’s cheeky fanservice is bad quite the opposite, actually. However, when you strip away all of that uniqueness, leaving only the fan service, you get something much less interesting… Something like Senran Kagura Reflexions. But, as big, bouncy, and in-your-face as Senran Kagura’s fan service-focused gameplay is, SK games always offer something else on top of that – like hack-and-slash action or water gun fights – that helps shape them into something truly unique. I appreciate Kenichiro Takaki’s busty babe brawler franchise for what it is, and I always have fun playing the games. ![]() I won’t deny that I tend to beat around the bush when it comes to my Senran Kagura reviews (probably not the best choice of words), choosing to primarily focus on the core mechanics of whatever SK game it is that I’m looking while only taking carefully timed jabs at the game’s incredibly exposed and overt sexuality. ![]()
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