Whether it’s romantic or platonic, relationships allow us to connect with others, and a part of living involves seeing those relationships come to an end. While many will end on a good note, we’ve all had at least one end poorly. I know a couple of people who never want to see me again, and some even said it to my face. That being said, I don’t think any of us have been forced to stay in that person’s basement. All while they make us bet on a dice game with our lives. Now this may seem like a crazy situation to be in, but it’s the exact one you experience in Menherarium.
Menherarium is a deck-building roguelite where you play the dice game Chinchiro (also called Cee-lo in the west). A girl has drugged you and trapped you in a basement with only one way of getting out. You must play with her for a full week. It’s not that simple, though. Chinchiro is a gambling game, but instead of money, you are betting your life each day. On top of it all, she can also decide your fate on a whim based on how you talk to her. Menherarium is an odd mix of deck-building, roguelite mechanics, and gambling—one that weirdly worked for me but only held my interest for a couple of runs.
Where am I?
Menherarium takes place, well, in a basement. After you start the game, a girl approaches you, and then it all goes black. You wake up in front of her, chained up, and you spend the rest of the game here. The game has multiple endings, and, while there isn’t much of a narrator, there is some personality to the game.
You are kidnapped by a menhera girl (Japanese slang term for someone showing mental health issues but also into fashion subcultures), and while she doesn’t have a name, she can be fun and full of personality. She brings some needed energy to the game, but you will go through most of the dialogue pretty quickly. None of this hurts the game, but it feels like a waste of the unique setting.
Roll the Dice to Survive
Menherarium‘s dice game, Chinchiro, was a very familiar one to me, thanks to my experiences with the Yakuza franchise. The rules are simple: roll three dice and see what you get, then compare with the other person. Higher hand wins, and you repeat until you can’t bet anymore. Super easy to get, but also not that interesting. You usually bet money, but this time something bigger is on the line.
For each hand, you have to bet your own blood. 100 blood is the minimum bet on each hand, and you start off with a max of 1000. Even if you win the hand, she’ll still take the bet blood, so you have to be careful. You win by hitting the required score for the day, and if your end score is high, she won’t take your blood on the last hand. The score does get higher each day though, and so do your chances of winning big.
What’s more, you can get different perks to increase multipliers and have items on hand to turn the tide in your favor. At the end of each day, there is a shop with a rotating selection of dice, perks, and items. The dice you buy will have different perks on them, like healing, multipliers, or increasing your bet. They will replace a dice you currently have, so be sure to carefully think through your selection. Each day also lets you pick a gimmick that will affect how you play. This is where the deck-building and roguelite elements come in, and I would be lying if I said it wasn’t a little interesting.
While there are a few systems at play, it’s still just rolling dice and gambling. If you weren’t interested in Chinchiro before, this won’t convert you. For those who enjoy the occasional dice game, this game can be enjoyable. However, you might lose interest in the game due to the dice game’s slow pacing, and there is no way to speed it up. A button in the corner to adjust the speed of the game would do wonders, especially when you’re stuck on a bad run.
The Final Bet on Menherarium
The art is cute and gives some much-needed personality to Menherarium. Some may not like the setting at first, but there’s definitely something here to enjoy if you like games with an anime aesthetic and dice mini-games. I can praise one specific music track as well. On days 3 and 4, the song that plays is extremely catchy and something I would add to my personal playlist. None of the other tracks stood out to me, but this single made me want to play again and even leave the game running to hear it.
Menherarium is fun for a couple of runs, but ultimately forgettable. Deck-building, roguelite, and gambling can be a good combination, but Chinchiro just isn’t captivating enough. Even if the systems are there, I don’t see people staying for more than a couple of runs. The setting is interesting but underutilized, and I can’t say much for the music beyond one track I did love. If you already love Chinchiro, then this might be for you; if not, just know Menherarium won’t keep your attention for more than an afternoon.
Disclaimer: Phoenixx provided a PC (Steam) key of Menherarium for review purposes.
