(This review of Princess Maker 5 was originally published on March 22, 2008. The game is currently available from Playasia for PlayStation2 and PSP)
Raise a little girl from the age of 10 to 18! Again. (For those unfamiliar with the “Princess Maker” kind of raising simulation games, Wikipedia offers some basic info.)
I loved Princess Maker 2, but after being severely disappointed by installments 3 and 4, found myself increasingly skeptical of whether its charm can ever be replicated again – even by its original creators. But this time, they got it right! It is as close to gaming perfection (at least for me), as the legendary Princess Maker 2 was. The spirit is the same, but Princess Maker 5 is a much, much bigger game, and set in modern Japan.
As always, you are a legendary hero entrusted with a little girl to raise however you like. This time, however, you finally get to choose whether you are a mom or a dad! It even affects gameplay in subtle ways once your adoptive daughter reaches puberty. The possibility of making her into a princess is still there, but, this being modern Japan, you could as well produce anything from a mangaka, idol singer, or voice actress to more common occupations such as a teacher, doctor or company president. The adventure mode is back in Princess Maker 5, but only becomes available after your daughter reaches a certain age.
Unsurprisingly, school plays a big role in your new daughter’s life. While the basic schooling is compulsory, you can still add various classes and training to her schedule to customize it to your liking and raise the desirable attributes, similar to how it’s done in other Princess Maker games. The part-time jobs are also here, supplementing your income and affecting the statistics accordingly. Not only can your daughter make friends with her classmates (and some other people she meets!), they can even celebrate birthdays and attend events together. And, speaking of events, there are plenty – from cherry blossom viewing to Christmas parties to concerts, something is always happening in the fictional Himemiya town. Shops have seasonal sales, the movies in the theater change, amusement parks put on special shows, idol singers have CD-signing sessions etc.
Princess Maker 5 is a wonderful game, but some might find its enormous length (you can control not only days, but 2-hour slots in the weekly schedule) and the difficulty level of Japanese (quite high!) off putting.
