Taboo Trial is More Than Just Fanservice - It's Super Fun And Satisfying to Play!

Today we're talking about Taboo Trial, which has been on Switch for a while already but recently released on Xbox. At first glance it definitely looks like just another shallow anime jigglefest, but this roguelite action RPG is hiding some genuinely fun and extremely satisfying gameplay beneath the cheesecake. 

Skip to the bottom of this article if you'd like a video version.

I'm going to start with the fanservice. Taboo Trial sure looks like your typical trashy anime waifu collector game based on the artwork. The girls are all scantily clad and looking at the camera with seductive bedroom eyes. However, in the actual gameplay the fanservice is kind of not really a thing, actually. 

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Well, it can be, if you go into the options and zoom the camera all the way in so you can actually get a close up look at the girls, at which point they are very busty and jiggly and have the fattest juiciest asses and look undeniably pretty spectacularly great. But the game is basically unplayable zoomed in that close because you can't see anything else around you. So you zoom it out far enough that the game is playable, at which point the girls might as well be skeletons in potato sacks because you can't really see much anymore. 

If you're here just hoping for a naughty, lewd, cheesecake-fest for 14 or so hours - which is how long it took me to get all of the achievements on Xbox - you're going to be kind of disappointed with Taboo Trial. The girls definitely look great, but outside of some artwork that you only see once in a while, the fanservice isn't really at the forefront. 

It's a good thing, then, that Taboo Trial is actually a freaking fun ass and extremely satisfying video game. It's an action RPG roguelite where you repeatedly run through the same handful of levels - dying a lot at first - while leveling up your permanent upgrades and building your knowledge of how the game works until you're doing billions - yes billions with a b - of damage by the end. The game has multiple damage types that all stack on top of each other in some pretty incredible ways, and you can get ridiculously strong and one shot every enemy including the final boss.

It is a roguelite, though, which means that every run can be a little different depending on what upgrades the game gives you. Sometimes you just don't get the right stuff and die pretty early. And sometimes you end up with a crazy combo of abilities and can do billions of damage with every hit. There is also an upgrade that basically makes you invulnerable to damage - and it's pretty common, too - and if you get that one you just tank your way to victory. If you like seeing video game numbers go up and up and up to insane levels, Taboo Trial will have your neurons lighting up like a Christmas tree.

The gameplay itself is kind of shallow, however. You have a normal attack and a heavy attack, and you can dodge. There are also magic spells you can use, which set off all of the crazy damage types that compound on each other until you're hitting for billions. Mostly it's just dumping all of your magic as soon as its available and then holding the attack button while your character automatically targets the next enemy. The enemies generally have long wind ups for attacks, so it's easy to dodge and not really take much damage. The game does seem hard at first, but once you figure everything out you can breeze through it. The satsifaction of doing hundreds of millions, and then billions, of damage never gets old, though, which is why it's still totally worth playing even if the gameplay isn't all that complex.

The game is also very replayable. After you beat it the first time you can select increasingly harder difficulty levels that offer better rewards. There are new optional challenges in the higher difficulties as well, to keep things fresh. And it also adds new mechanics and ways to build out your character at a pretty regular pace, too, so you just keep getting stronger and stronger and the damage numbers keep getting bigger and bigger. 

It needs to be said that despite there being multiple girls to play as, they're really just skins and don't change the gameplay at all. Each girl does have different buffs / perks that have an effect, but the gameplay is always the same no matter who you choose. There are four weapon types - an axe, a spear, a katana, and a longsword - that actually do change up the gameplay by offering different attack types, range, etc., and they're all fun to use.

It should also be noted that there are some DLC characters available for the game, but they're totally pointless unless you just really, really want a catgirl or wolf girl or something. Like I said, though, they don't change the gameplay and you barely see them anyway so, again, totally pointless. They're $5 each, too, on top of the $20 for the base game, so they ain't worth it.

All in all, I had a surprisingly great time with Taboo Trial. I bought it mostly for the fanservice, and thinking I could make a sexy YouTube video, but the gameplay is actually super fun and satisfying. If you're put off by the artwork the gameplay won't change your mind, but you're also boring and lame so GTFO. Go on. Get. If you're into the fanservice which, if you're watching this channel you probably are, definitely give it a look. Taboo Trial is ridiculously satisfying.

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