View source for Corpse Party: Book of Shadows


{{For|the film|Corpse Party Book of Shadows{{!}}''Corpse Party Book of Shadows''}}
{{Infobox video game
| title = Corpse Party: Book of Shadows
| developer = [[5pb.]]
Team GrisGris
| publisher = {{vgrelease|JP|5pb.|NA|[[Xseed Games]]|EU|[[Marvelous (company)|Marvelous Europe]]}}
| series = ''[[Corpse Party]]''
| platforms = {{ubl|[[PlayStation Portable]]|[[iOS]]|[[Microsoft Windows]]}}
| genre = [[Survival horror]], [[visual novel]]
| released = '''PlayStation Portable'''{{vgrelease|JP|September 1, 2011|NA|January 15, 2013|EU|January 23, 2013}}
'''iOS'''{{vgrelease|JP|December 17, 2013}}
'''Windows'''{{vgrelease|WW|October 29, 2018}}
| image = CPBookOfShadowsboxart.jpg
| border = yes
| caption = North American boxart
}}

'''''Corpse Party: Book of Shadows''''' is a 2011 survival horror visual novel video game developed by Team GrisGris and [[5pb.]] and released by 5pb. for the [[PlayStation Portable]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=PSP{{!}}コープスパーティー Book of Shadows【5pb】 |url=https://corpse.jp/bs/ |access-date=2025-03-28 |website=corpse.jp}}</ref> [[Xseed Games]] localized the game and published it in North America on January 15, 2013.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Corpse Party: Book of Shadows |url=https://marvelous-usa.com/games/corpse-party-book-of-shadows/ |access-date=2025-03-28 |website=Marvelous USA |language=en-US |archive-date=2025-01-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250115161511/https://marvelous-usa.com/games/corpse-party-book-of-shadows/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

''Book of Shadows'' is a sequel to ''[[Corpse Party (2008 video game)|Corpse Party]]'' and features a series of nonlinear chapters. Upon release, the game received mixed reviews from critics who generally considered it inferior to the original.

== Plot ==
This 2011 sequel to ''Blood Covered'', ''Book of Shadows'' features a series of nonlinear chapters that add new twists and backgrounds for various characters and details important to the storyline. The game mostly takes place during the same time the first game did, continuing from one of the "wrong ends" in ''Corpse Party'', where Sachiko sends the Kisaragi Academy students back in time. For this purpose, she erases their memories except for Satoshi's. He fails to dissuade his classmates from performing the charm, but he joins them, not wanting to let them go alone, sending them on alternative course of actions and encountering several supporting victims in Heavenly Host.

The game's epilogue, ''Blood Drive'', serves as the set up to the [[Corpse Party: Blood Drive|eponymous sequel]]. Two weeks after escaping Heavenly Host, Ayumi and Naomi go to investigate the Shinozaki estate, Sachiko's birthplace, believing there is hope in reviving their dead friends since Naho and Kou Kibiki's existences were not erased like the other victims. At the estate, Ayumi discovers that she is of the same lineage as Sachiko. Hearing an eerie voice, Ayumi uncovers a magical tome known as the "[[Book of Shadows]]". Ayumi and Naomi perform a resurrection spell for Mayu, but fail. As compensation for using black magic, the book unleashes its rage upon Ayumi until her older sister Hinoe Shinozaki rushes in and saves Ayumi, at the cost of her own life.

== Release ==
''Corpse Party Book of Shadows'' was initially released on the PSP in Japan on September 1, 2011.<ref>{{Cite web |title=コープスパーティー Book of Shadows (PSP)の関連情報 {{!}} ゲーム・エンタメ最新情報のファミ通.com |url=https://www.famitsu.com/game/title/19612/page/1 |access-date=2025-04-17 |website=ファミ通.com |language=ja}}</ref> The game was subsequently released for [[GOG.com|GoG]] and [[Steam (service)|Steam]] in 2018.<ref>{{Cite news |author1=Andy Chalk |date=2018-10-29 |title=Corpse Party: Book of Shadows, a grisly Japanese slasher game, is now on Steam and GOG |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/corpse-party-book-of-shadows-a-grisly-japanese-slasher-game-is-now-on-steam-and-gog/ |access-date=2025-04-17 |work=PC Gamer |language=en |archive-date=2024-08-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240804235401/https://www.pcgamer.com/corpse-party-book-of-shadows-a-grisly-japanese-slasher-game-is-now-on-steam-and-gog/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

== Reception ==
''Corpse Party: Book of Shadows'' received "mixed or average" reviews according to review aggregator [[Metacritic]].<ref name=":0" />
{{Video game reviews
| title = Reception
| MC = 67/100<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Corpse Party: Book of Shadows Reviews |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/corpse-party-book-of-shadows/ |access-date=2025-03-28 |website=www.metacritic.com |language=en |archive-date=2025-04-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250404092609/https://www.metacritic.com/game/corpse-party-book-of-shadows/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
| PG = 4/5<ref name=PG>{{Cite web |date=2013-02-15 |title=Corpse Party: Book of Shadows |url=https://www.pocketgamer.com/corpse-party-book-of-shadows/corpse-party-book-of-shadows/ |access-date=2025-03-27 |website=www.pocketgamer.com |language=en |archive-date=2022-10-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221019051822/https://www.pocketgamer.com/corpse-party-book-of-shadows/corpse-party-book-of-shadows/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
| GSpot = 7/10<ref name=GS>{{Cite web|date=2013-01-24|title=Corpse Party: Book of Shadows Review|url=https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/corpse-party-book-of-shadows-review/1900-6402751/|access-date=2025-03-28|website=[[GameSpot]]|language=en|archive-date=2025-02-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250221172016/https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/corpse-party-book-of-shadows-review/1900-6402751/|url-status=live}}</ref>
| Destruct = 7/10<ref name=DR>{{Cite web|date=2013-01-25|title=Review: Corpse Party: Book of Shadows|url=https://www.destructoid.com/reviews/review-corpse-party-book-of-shadows/|access-date=2025-03-28|website=[[Destructoid]]|language=en|archive-date=2024-09-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240918152928/https://www.destructoid.com/reviews/review-corpse-party-book-of-shadows/|url-status=live}}</ref>
| IGN = 5.8/10<ref name=IGN>{{Cite web |last=Butterworth |first=Scott |date=2013-01-23 |title=Corpse Party: Book of Shadows Review |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2013/01/23/corpse-party-book-of-shadows-review |access-date=2025-03-27 |website=IGN |language=en |archive-date=2024-06-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240616151244/https://www.ign.com/articles/2013/01/23/corpse-party-book-of-shadows-review |url-status=live }}</ref>
| Fam = 6/10, 7/10, 7/10, 8/10<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.famitsu.com/game/title/19612/reviews|work=[[Famitsu]]|title=コープスパーティー Book of Shadows|accessdate=September 29, 2025|date=|last1=Uchisawa|first1=Goro|author2=Wowman|first3=Leona|last3=Ebihara|last4=Urara|first4=Umezono|language=Japanese|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20250929172426/https://www.famitsu.com/game/title/19612/reviews|archivedate=September 29, 2025}}</ref>
}}

Matthew Diener of [[Pocket Gamer]] gave the game a positive review, feeling that the game was "scary and modern in all the right ways" and that "''Book of Shadows'' preserves the feel of its predecessor while improving on its aged gameplay and graphics."<ref name=PG/> Matt Kamen in ''[[The Guardian]]'', said that enjoyment of the game was dependent on the patience of the player, given the large amount of text, but the game "will provide a sterling example of Japanese horror."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Kamen |first=Matt |date=2013-02-03 |title=Corpse Party: Book of Shadows – review |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/feb/03/corpse-party-book-shadows-review |access-date=2025-04-17 |work=The Observer |language=en-GB |issn=0029-7712}}</ref> ''Famitsu'' reviewers were mostly positive.<ref>{{Cite web |title=コープスパーティー Book of Shadows (PSP)のレビュー・評価・感想 {{!}} ゲーム・エンタメ最新情報のファミ通.com |url=https://www.famitsu.com/game/title/19612/reviews |access-date=2025-04-17 |website=ファミ通.com |language=ja}}</ref>

Matthew Pollesel from ''Gaming Age'' was also mostly impressed with the game, putting particular praise on the game's story, and use of imagery and sound to scare the player.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Pollesel |first=Matthew |date=2013-02-14 |title=Corpse Party: Book of Shadows review for PSP, PS Vita |url=https://gaming-age.com/2013/02/corpse-party-book-of-shadows-review-for-psp-ps-vita/ |access-date=2025-03-27 |website=Gaming Age |language=en-US |archive-date=2024-09-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240919214957/https://gaming-age.com/2013/02/corpse-party-book-of-shadows-review-for-psp-ps-vita/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Conversely, IGN's Scott Butterworth was more mixed, rating the game a 5.8/10. He criticized the pacing, length and some aspects of the story, and considered it a niche game for a small audience.<ref name=IGN/>

== Sequel ==
''[[Corpse Party: Blood Drive]]'' was released in late 2014 for the [[PlayStation Vita]], initially only in Japan. Xseed Games localized the game and published it in 2015.<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DxdjxDXUEk |title=Corpse Party: Blood Drive - Announce Trailer |date=2015-05-29 |last=Gematsu |access-date=2025-03-28 |via=YouTube}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Corpse Party: BLOOD DRIVE |url=https://vndb.org/v12794 |access-date=2025-03-28 |website=The Visual Novel Database |language=en |archive-date=2025-03-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250328102236/https://vndb.org/v12794 |url-status=live }}</ref>

== Film ==
A film adaptation was announced in January 2016.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-03-28 |title=Corpse Party Live-Action Film Gets Sequel |url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2016-01-07/corpse-party-live-action-film-gets-sequel/.97307 |access-date=2025-03-28 |website=Anime News Network |language=en |archive-date=2016-01-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160112212405/http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2016-01-07/corpse-party-live-action-film-gets-sequel/.97307 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Kadokawa Daiei Studio|Kadokawa Daei]] released a full-length feature film titled ''[[Corpse Party Book of Shadows|Corpse Party: Book of Shadows]] (コープスパーティー, Kōpusu Pātī Book of Shadows)'' on July 30, 2016. It starred [[Rina Ikoma]], Ryosuke Ikeoka and Nozomi Maeda and was the sequel to the 2015 film [[Corpse Party (film)|Corpse Party]].

== Further reading ==

* コープスパーティー Book of Shadows 真相解析ファンブック - [[Jive (publisher)|Jive]] 978-4861768675

== References ==
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{{reflist}}

{{Corpse Party}}

[[Category:2010s horror video games]]
[[Category:2013 video games]]
[[Category:Corpse Party]]
[[Category:IOS games]]
[[Category:Mages (company) games]]
[[Category:PlayStation Portable games]]
[[Category:Single-player video games]]
[[Category:Survival horror video games]]
[[Category:Video games developed in Japan]]
[[Category:Windows games]]
[[Category:Xseed Games games]]

{{Wikipedia attribution|original_title=Corpse Party: Book of Shadows|access_date=2026-03-01}}