In anticipation of Catherine‘s mid-summer launch, publisher Atlus USA has let loose the game’s official website, which is heavy on the use of Flash. In addition to the usual things expected on a game’s own site, players can also have a text message conversation with the game’s leading temptress and namesake, Catherine.
After entering one’s birth date, the site asks the user “Can love exist without pain?” The options of “Of course!” and “No way, man!” are presented, and the choice of the user will determine which girl — Catherine or Katherine — will be the main figure in the site’s background from that point.
Perhaps unfortunately, the aforementioned text messaging doesn’t move too quickly. It might take a while to get through a conversation. I gave it a whirl and said one of two options that appeared after the first text and waited, and refreshed, and clicked around some, but then read the small pink print that said, “Check back to this page daily to check your mail. Otherwise, you may miss an important message!”
The lead off message was about keeping some sort of an important date on July 26, which just happens to be the game’s release date. Well, for those that get into this minigame, hopefully it doesn’t climax with “Be sure to drink your Ovaltine.”
Catherine was a smash hit in Japan when it was released in February on both the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, with the PlayStation version heavily outselling its counterpart. North American sales will probably tell a more balanced story when the game gets its domestic launch on July 26.
