Tanjou: Debut

~ DEBUT ~

NEC Avenue / HEADROOM / Tenky

Super CD-ROM

1994

Debut's language barrier is harsh--not as bad as Princess Maker II's, but rougher than Tokimeki Memorial's, which is about where I draw the line for Japanese sim games. Your task is to manage a group of singing girls, handling their weekly schedules as they attempt to become idols or whatever. I did a poor job: two of my girls were perennially angry, sad, or sick, and one decided that becoming a nun was preferable to dealing with me any longer.

The aspiring superstars participate in quiz games, swimming races, photo shoots, and dance contests. None of this is all that funny or entertaining or endearing, and interaction is at a very low level.

It's a no-brainer that you should stay away from this game if you don't know a healthy amount of Japanese, but even if you do, you might still want to avoid it. The presentation isn't all that great, the in-game music is mostly boring, and even the vocal numbers fail to impress.