Paranormasight: The Mermaid’s Curse (Nintendo Switch) – Review

I was given the opportunity to play Paranormasight: The Mermaid’s Curse before its release on the Nintendo Switch. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from this manga-inspired title from Developer “Square Enix”, so come along for the journey and let’s see if I can solve the curse.

On loading in, I am introduced to the “Story Teller,” who is your guide throughout your journey. He makes mention of the previous title from Square Enix, “The Seven Mysteries of Honjo,” asking if I had played it. 

Selecting no, he goes into a bit more detail on the navigation and actions required for the adventure, given the similarities. Paranormasight: The Mermaid’s Curse starts with the story of Yuza, who has returned to the remote island of Kameshina in the Ise-Shima region after his mother’s death, hoping to follow in her footsteps as an AMA diver.

You have your good friend Azami by your side as you explore the “Tomomkazuki”; the English translation is loosely “Sea Ghost”. The story doesn’t actually unfold in chronological order, which is what makes this game so interesting. You can explore past recollections, jump between stories, and, as you progress, jump between characters.

It is really hard to explain the game; it has manga graphics, elements of a puzzle game, investigation, horror, history, all with a levelling system and an adventure component. I really didn’t expect to like it as much as I did, but I was instantly addicted. The developer does a great job of drawing you into the storyline, using Yuza’s mother, and instantly, I feel connected.

Navigating around the island for your journey, you are presented with a map of the island with various points of interest. You have to choose where to go based on your investigations; it really makes you stop and think where your next best interaction point is.

Each major interaction in the game also creates a journal entry you can read at the time it happens or revisit later, giving you deeper insight and more context into the event, like a bookmark to read later. It is a great system as it doesn’t interfere with the game flow. I was doing some research online as well. Many of the myths, stories, legends, and curses in the story actually appear in Japanese folklore. There are even real artworks and legendary Japanese drawings throughout the story, which is a nice touch. The developers have gone deep into the history, and it shows.

The manga graphics are top-class! The way Square Enix has blended still pictures with character movements during dialogue is a real skill. Taking it a step further, they also include background sounds like ocean waves and birds. It really draws you in and creates a sense of ambience as you read the story. Then you have the diving element, where you are playing a first-person puzzle game; it really is a great mix.

The developer doesn’t let you know you are going down the wrong path either with the storyline, a great feature, but frustrating at the same time, as I was 10 minutes into a story, then the Story Teller arrives and tells me I have taken a wrong turn, it makes you rethink your footsteps to see what you could have done differently.

The music has been well thought out as well, a lovely mix of traditional music and modern to round off the experience. As mentioned above, the graphics are complemented by background noise, helping bring a still picture to life. It has to be seen as a true skill and one they have nailed.

Overall, Paranormasight: The Mermaid’s Curse was my first foray into manga-inspired games, and after this experience, it won’t be my last. I fully admit, enthusiasm going into the game wasn’t that high,  but how wrong I was.

I was straight away addicted to the storyline and the mix of real-world Japanese history and fantasy. The graphics and music complement each other, fully immersing you in the story. Do yourself a favour, jump in and see if you have the knowledge and investigative skills to solve the mystery of the Mermaids’ Curse!