3RRSS Pia 2

For many video game fans who expand their interests to import
gaming a steady flow of cash will be necessary to pursue this hobby.
Thus, a part time job would be a good way to earn some money. So
what do the hard core gamers buy with their hard earned cash? Why a
game about going to work no less. It's funny how the universe works.
Anyways, here we have the import Pia Carrot 2, also known as
Welcome to Pia Carrot 2. This is one of the most well known dating sim
games and is also one of the highest rated Saturn titles in Japan. The
Pia legacy is a long one, so let's go back to the beginning.

Pia Carrot has appeared on the PC, Saturn, Dreamcast, PC-FX, and
even the Game Boy Advance. The premise is that you play a guy
looking for a part time job, and maybe a little love on the side. So you
go to work at the Pia Carrot restaurant and try to get closer with the
female employees, and even the girls that come to the restaurant. The
series was popular enough to warrant anime series, re-releases on the
Dreamcast, and toys. Get ready to dive in to this wonderful dating sim!

(Note, the above was written over a month before the following
sections of the review. The reason for the long time gap? The very
nature of dating sims had driven the reviewer mad. Please play these
games carefully and try not to get sucked into their worlds. These are
games, nothing more. Too many dating sims coming in at one time can
prove to be very dangerous. -Orochi Sonic)

Now the cool part about this game is the fact that in order to get with
the girls your stats have to be good enough. Stats, what are those?
You see, since you work for a restaurant you gotta do work. And you
can work out your schedule with the manager and pick what jobs you
want to do when you work. Doing one job will increase certain stats,
and all the girls have different stat requirements. It's all really easy
though. The jobs are cool enough. Wash dishes, cashier, waiter, clean
outside, stock etc. All of the jobs are just a little animation of your
character doing the work with whoever else is working.

The game is set up in an a.m. and p.m. section for each day. There are
a number of different places you can go to each day. You can visit the
other girl's rooms (but you won't be let in unless they really like you),
you can go to the arcade, or go visit work. You can also opt to just
sleep. This is good because you have a certain stat that depletes with
the more work you do. Sleep to replenish health, or you might end up
sleeping in one day and missing work. Missing work will cause you to
get a "notoriety" stat and too many of these will turn the girls off
completely. Each girl has a different schedule and there's a
walkthrough online to help you through.

The graphics in this game are very nice. The artwork is superb, and
very much in the style of developer "f&c". The graphics and character
designs will remind anyone of the comic party characters from the hit
import DC game and anime series. Characters also get the super
deformed treatment when you work or at other little events. It's all
very cute for the most part. Oh wait, this is a hentai port, so how about
the sex? Well, I'd say 90% of the CG pictures are clean. And the Saturn
sex scenes don't amount to much. No nudity here. Well there is the hot
springs trip later in the game. Damn fog though getting in the way of all
the good bits. Overall this is a very good looking game.

Characters speak and all have nice Japanese voices. The music is
typical dating sim fare; you either love it or hate it. Nice ending theme.
Oh yeah there's an anime intro to this one and it looks superb. Very
good DVD quality transfer. Love it. When the characters speak, their
mouths also move on the screen. This is very rare in dating sims and it
looks great.

With a bunch of girls, you'll come back again and again to the Pia
Carrot. Once you successfully beat the game once with a girl, it opens
omake mode on the second disk. Here you can view all the CG, look at
uncolored sketch versions of the CG, or even play some of the cool
mini-games that become available throughout the game. Cool little slot
game and what not. You can also listen to all the music and watch the
characters play instruments to the music. Very cute.

The game takes up I think 142 blocks of memory though, so make sure
you have a memory card or enough room on the Saturn. An Action
Replay 4 in 1 would be advised. Other then that you should be set once
you print out a walkthrough online. This game was really cool, and had
a lot cool things going on it. You can go to a comic convention and
witness a cosplay contest, there's the company beach trip (niiice), and
at the end is a wedding. Will it be yours? One little thing of note, is that
some of the girls are underage. You don't do anything sexual with
them, but wooing 14 years old might put off some. At least you don't
have to and you can just go for the legal ladies. Sexier results
anyways.

Dating sims. Fun little lighthearted anime games or something more?
Play with caution and play with fun. The Pia Carrot series is very good
and I would recommend that every dating sim fan play this one. It's
also easy to get and fairly cheap to buy so put on your best work
clothes and let's go!

Review by: Orochi Sonic