The rhythm game Massage Freaks has been suddenly released on PC after the game was seemingly delayed indefinitely in the wake of controversy.

Earlier this month the game Massage Freaks received backlash due to its sexualized content, but also due to the fact that all of the game’s girls were named for members of a real Japanese idol group. Qureate says they’ve changed the names but the eshop site for Massage Freaks has gone missing in the days since.

This has led some fans to fear the game won’t be released due to the backlash; but seemingly out of the blue Qureate suddenly released the game under the name Beat Refle (like short for Reflexology, a type of therapeutic massage) on Steam. While the game was originally set for an August 4th release, the company has launched the game early. Ultimately, the reason for the cancellation and sudden name change is unsaid, but fans will still be able to get the game on Steam for the time being.

Here’s a rundown on the game. (Author’s Note: Updated character names were lifted from the official site)

Massage Freaks

Massage Freaks is a rhythm game x beautiful girl x massage game. Let’s relieve a girl’s stiffness with a new sensation rhythm game!

This is a new type of rhythm game in which you massage girls to the rhythm. Customers who visit massage parlors are not only tired but also have problems. Let’s give them a secret massage to relax their body and mind and make them feel refreshed!

Story

Pressure Sashi Sashihara is a young man who lives in a small town in the southwestern part of Japan. While cleaning up his grandfather’s massage parlor, he meets Momiji, a talking cat.

Confused, he tries to ask Momiji who she really is, but in the meantime, she is trying to collect his debt. This time, a debt collector even shows up to collect his grandfather’s debt. When he flinches under the absurd conditions presented to him, Momiji seems to share with him a strange power…?

The debt is due in just one month! A massage life that begins with a series of mishaps! Now is not the time to be thinking about what this power is or why the cat is talking!

I’m going to give massages to all of my customers who have their own quirks and quirks. You are going to pay off your debts!

Massage Freaks Key Features

Solve girls’ problems with massages and increase their sensitivity!

Girls with various problems come to the massage parlor inherited from their grandfather. The girls are made to feel good with secret massages that are not allowed outside of the shop, and if you raise their sensitivity level, they will fall in love with you! Let’s enjoy the romance while solving the girls’ problems through massages, not to mention paying off their debts!

Let’s massage to the rhythm! Let’s refresh your body and mind with a secret technique that has been handed down from generation to generation! The secret technique taught by Momiji is a special type of massage in which “the music that the person being massaged is subconsciously seeking is transmitted through the gloves as sound waves to heal from both inside and outside the body. Press the buttons that appear in time with the music to keep the rhythm! There are a total of 50 songs to enjoy the rhythm game!

Outside date with customers!

Meet customers not only inside the store but also outside!　You can catch a glimpse of a side of them that they don’t show in the store, listen to the girls’ problems, or see various events such as happenings that make all the wholesome boys stand up!

Characters

• Yurine Haruyama (CV: Saki Ono)
• Kaeno Asagiri (CV: Haruka Shiraishi)
• Mei Amamiya (CV: Asuka Nishi)
• Tsubaki Nagumo (CV: Ayumi Mano)
• Chizuru Yukishiro (CV: Azumi Asakura)
• Kren Ranjo (CV: Rie Tanaka)
• Momiji (CV: Chisai Morinaga)

STAFF

• Character Design: Kazune Inui
• Scenario: Linkedbrain Inc.
• Planning/Producer: Yujiro Usuda