Games You Don't Play #1: Chulip PS2

Hey guys! This is my first game review! I hope you like it!

People that know me and know the kind of games I like to play would probably say that I like weird games, quirky games and cute games. It's true. I'm addicted to the oddities of the gaming world.
So, I'm at EB Games in Penn Square Mall (My corporate store of choice) and I'm scanning the PS2 wall. I see a game that I haven't seen or heard anything about, called "Chulip." I pick it up, look at the cover, see "Natsume" written in the bottom right corner, scan the back of it and decide to buy it. I really didn't know anything about this game when I bought it, I just thought "Oh this must be a little like 'Harvest Moon.'"
When I got home that night, I popped it into the PS2 and started playing.
My first impression? WTF.
Chulip starts off with your main character walking up to a tree. The tree suddenly has a very odd looking face erupt from a hole and then asks you your name. Then, a girl walks up to the same tree and stands next to you. It asks her name. It then proceeds to ask if you love each other, you say "Yes" and then it tells you to kiss.
You then wake up in the bed of a pickup truck, pulling up to a rickety old house. You're poor, moving into a new town with your father. The whole tree-girl thing was just a dream, but what a dream! You love this girl already!
Your father tells you to wander the town and one of the first people you meet is -- you guessed it! Your dream girl! But she hates you. You have a bad reputation and you've never kissed anyone before. You can try to tell her that you have, but she can see right through your lies. And this brings us to one of the main goals in the game -- Kissing!
I know what you're thinking... "Kissing?" Yeah, I know. How did this game make it to the U.S. shores?
So, you spend your time exploring the town you live in, talking to your neighbors and learning about them and their daily problems. Everyone here has something interesting to say, as Chulip doesn't skimp out on hilarious dialogue.
There's an older alcoholic woman that spends her time wandering the town sweeping, cleaning and gossiping; An unemployed musician that lives in a trailer; A metal Lion that works in the bath house and private tearoom (who knows what goes on in there at night?); And all sorts of other very interesting characters, above ground!
But then, there are the people who live underground as well. They are the ones that no one appreciates, they are depressed, lonely and they do all of the real work around the town. What purpose do they serve? Well, to make them happy, you kiss them of course! And when you kiss them, your heart becomes stronger. How do you know it becomes stronger?? When you go to sleep at night, your father reviews your day, how many people you've kissed, and then the same tree from your dream makes your heart grow.
You earn your reputation by helping various characters in the game and kissing. This is how you win the girl of your dream's heart.
The controls of the game are a bit wobbly, but tolerable. The gameplay, story, graphics, music and theme of the game make up for it big time. The clock is a bit irritating, but it only gives the game some challenge.
I'm really happy that a game like this got licensed in the United States. It's not very often that something this "out-there" is released here!! I'm definitely in love with this game. Everything about it. It just makes me.... Happy!
The character design is great. Fantastic even. It's been a good long while since I've seen such interesting and original character design.
The music, sound effects and voices used by the characters are also very interesting, entertaining and original. The NPC's speak a language that "kind of" sounds like Japanese, but it's not. It reminds me of Simlish(The Sims) or Animalese(Animal Crossing).
You sometimes have to dig through garbage cans to get items to sell to the local pawn shop, but sometimes you get an item called "Poopie" which takes your life away. You can sell it for 1Z (1 dollar).
You can buy cigarettes and smoke but it's illegal.
At some point you will appear naked in public, also illegal.
It even gives you the opportunity to commit suicide, sort-of. Play the game and see for yourself!
All in all, this game is awesome.

Thank you Natsume!

I give this game 3 1/2 out of 5, and I recommend it if you're a collector, japanophile or are into the very very strange.


Here's a video of some kissing on Chulip: