The title image of Loop8 the game with all characters depicted

Loop8 Guide To Get You Started

Marvelous’ RPG Loop8: The Summer of Gods is quite a different RPG than the ones you might be used to. I was more baffled at first than usual when starting a new journey in an RPG when I played the game to review it. And to be honest, at first, it interfered with my fun in playing the game.

So, I decided to make this little starter guide to get you going once you have decided to buy the game. Don’t forget to check out my review before you do so!

The First Tutorial Chapter

The game starts off when Nini arrives in Ashihara, the last sanctuary for humanity. The rest of the world has been taken over by the Kegai from the Underworld. Your first gameplay loop is only there to get a mild understanding of what’s going on in the first place. During that first loop, it’s your job to get a feel for the town’s layout and meet your classmates and teachers.

Nini and his fellow classmates are having their lessons
Nini and his fellow classmates are having their lessons.

Konoha, your cousin once removed, meets Nini at the station, and you are both a part of the Oyama family. In the morning, Konoha takes you to the school, where you meet Kuni, your teacher. She tells you to study hard and be an exemplary student. There’s nothing more you can do, as you can’t control Nini yet. The next day you learn that you can get supplementary lessons every day if you are in the classroom between 8 and 9 am. By taking these lessons, you can improve your Social status and Intelligence.

Nini is in the school, and he is going to enter the classroom
Nini is in the school, and he is going to enter the classroom

From the edge of the schoolyard, you have to find your own way under time pressure. Remember, be there between 8 and 9 am! Go into the school (the door at the far end to the right) and go up the stairs. The classroom is the one to the right of the notice board.

From there on, the tutorial is fed to you bit by bit. Just follow the tasks, and remember, you can move between locations using the map by pressing Y. Your next target location will be there. Ultimately you’ll have your first foray into the Underworld, or Yomotsu Hirasaka, to get an idea of how the turn-based battles work. Your first boss fight, however, will end in Nini’s demise and the loop starting over again. I was a bit sad by that when it happened, but looking back, I see it was all part of the tutorial.

The first boss Nini faces in the Underworld
The first boss you face in the Underworld

Go For a Loop

Now you are in control from August 1st. Remember that the Kegai can possess someone and consume their victim in 5 days. This means that you get to play for five days, after which a new set of five days starts if you are successful in beating the Kegai boss.

Usually, on days 1 and 2 of that cycle, you focus on socializing with the other characters to raise the emotional bonds with them. While Nini sleeps, the story of what’s happening in the Underworld is told. As soon as is mentioned that a Kegai has taken over a victim, the gate to the Underworld will open up.

Nini faces the gate to the Underworld with Beni and Max in his team
Nini faces the gate to the Underworld with Beni and Max on his team

When that happens, are usually three days left until the end of the world. And it’s your choice of how to proceed. Feel strong enough to team up with two others and try to beat the boss? Or do you need more time to work on your relationships and stats?

Going Into Yomotsu Hirasaka

In picking the characters that you want in your party, there are several things that are important. What are the emotional ties they have with you? And how do they feel about the victim? Both are equally important and will influence the outcome of the game.

You see a battle screen, showing the friendship levels between all characters and the victim
This is the battle where I failed. Not smart to go in with two party members who hate the victim though

While battling the boss, you will see how the party members relate to the victim. If relations aren’t well and the Hate bar is high, the boss will be stronger and more difficult to beat.

Then there are your own stats and the stats of your party members. I don’t need to tell you that having high stats is always better! Plus, your party members have a will of their own too. You can invite them to walk with you, or at times the suggestions for a certain character will include “Let’s go into battle”. Those are clear, but when you’ve gone for “Let’s go for a walk”, the party member might still decide to bail out at the gate of the Underworld. And there’s nothing to do than to go back and recruit again. Which may be a problem when there’s only 1 day left to do the boss battle.

Nini can make a suggestion to Max, and can choose from options like "Get to know better", "Flatter" and so on
Nini is talking to Max and can choose which suggestion to make

Levelling Up

There are several activities that you can do to raise your stats. Plus, you can raise your stats with Blessings.

Strength, Agility and Skill affect your maximum Stamina level. Divine Power, Intelligence and Appeal affect your maximum Energy level. Social Status affects how much training increases your stats.

You need Stamina and Energy in battle but mainly in social interactions. Suggestions for activities that Nini does to the others will build their relationships. When you know them well enough, there will be more activities to choose from. Plus, the type of suggestions varies with the way the characters feel too. It’s a good idea to use Demon sight to determine their mood first by pressing L or R. And then make the suggestion you think will fit.

Main Street has a restaurant and cafe where you can replenish your energy and stamina. They are open between 10 am and 7 pm. And sometimes Saru will give you candy to get some more energy.

The activities that can be found around Ashihara are:

  • Iron Bars in the school-yard: work out for 90 minutes to improve Strength

    The school-yard with the iron bars at the back
    At the iron bars at the back of the school-yard
  • Broom at the shrine: sweep for 90 minutes to improve your Divine Power

    Nini is standing next to the broom at the location of the Shrine
    Nini is standing next to the broom at the location of the Shrine
  • The tires at the Beach: run for 90 minutes to improve your Agility

    Nini is standing near the tires at the beach
    At the beach, Nini can improve his agility

Blessings by Musasa

Blessings are given to you by a colourful squirrel called Musasa. The blessing can be that your stats are increased or they can affect your relationship with the other characters around Nini. And, very important: if you fail in your loop and you go back to August 1, you keep the raised levels that were caused by blessings, both and Nini as in the other characters. Those are the friendship, affection and hate levels, and also the stats that were raised by blessings.

The squirrel like creature called Musasa is in the picture
The divine envoy Musasa

Most of the time, Musasa brings you blessings amid conversations and such, but you can also check these places to see if there’s a blessing available:

The little shrine in the Main Street

  • Pray at the back (at the rope) in the Shrine location
  • At the same Shrine location, go to the right and the middle small shrine

    Nini is standing at the middle shrine of three in the Shrine location
    Nini is standing at the middle shrine of three in the Shrine location
  • At the Shrine location, go to the right gate to the Sacred Tree and the little shrine at the back

    Nini, Saru and Terasu are at the Sacred Tree
    The shrine next to the Sacred Tree
  • In the backyard of the Oyama Home is a little shrine

    Nini is standing at the shrine in the backyard of the Oyama home
    Nini is standing at the shrine in the backyard of the Oyama home
  • Main Road, the standing rock at the fork in the road

    Nini is standing at the fork of the road to school
    The rock at the fork in the road to school
  • On the Beach, the round stone with the cord around it (see in the image above of the tires where Nini can improve his agility

That should be enough to let you find your feet in Loop8: The Summer of Gods. It’s your own choice of how you want to spend your days, but don’t wait too long to go into the Underworld! Finding companions can be a hassle. Plus, you need a sort of entrance fee to get behind the barrier where the boss is. You earn this Magatame in little skirmishes with other Kegai or by going through trials. Don’t worry about that, though, as it’s nothing that you can influence. Just click and leave it to chance.

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