That Guy is a Gambling Addict: Liar! Uncover the Truth- 4th Liar

So far the MC has had to deal with mama’s boys, raging lunatics, creepy fanboys, and now a gambling addict! After the shenanigans of the other Liars I was prepared for the worst and Voltage exceeded my expectations…this guy is despicable! This time around there were three potential Liars to choose from, Keima Katagiri, Sotaro Shiga, and Azusa Kurono. The minute I saw the title I knew exactly who this Liar was, hell I knew that he was a liar back in the 2nd Liar arc, the cheap bastard! If you want a spoiler free review click, HERE, if not keep reading! So without further ado, the 4th Liar, Keima Katagiri!!

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Getting to Know the Liar…

Keima Katagiri is a successful stock trader and the MC’s former crush from back in her college days. In fact he was everyone’s crush back in the day, with stunning good looks and a great job lined up after graduation, Keima pretty much had everyone eating out of his hands! Women were tripping over themselves for his attention, but there was only one girl for him… too bad she was already taken. But, it seems lady luck is finally smiling down on Keima when he runs into the MC again after all these years at the matchmaking mixer.

Keima is a popular guy and a rising star in the financial world, the perfect catch for any eligible bachelorette… So why is such a great guy still single? What’s the catch? Perhaps he isn’t the winner the MC always thought he was…maybe this guy is a real loser!

Falling for the Lie…

Okay, so if you’ll remember back to my initial Liar! review, Keima was one of the guys I was most interested in, along with Sotaru and Haruichi. But, after playing this route I want nothing to do with this loser! Behind his polished, sexy exterior beats the heart of a gambling addict whose life is falling apart at the seams. The first time I realized Keima was having financial troubles was in the 2nd Liar arc. How did I know? Well, his watch… who wears an expensive name brand watch with a huge crack on it? I’ll tell you, someone who can’t afford to fix it, that’s who! Then there was the way he weaseled out of paying for that expensive dinner on his date with the MC too. At the time Voltage was trying to make us believe that he had anger management issues, but that wasn’t the case at all… Keima was flat out broke and desperate. So he chose to look like a jerk in front of the MC, rather than admit that he couldn’t afford to take her out on a fancy date (for him, it was the lesser of two evils). So when, he showed up as the potential 4th Liar, I was already hip to his game. But, as pissed as I was by his actions throughout the route, I couldn’t help but feel bad for the guy.

Now, I don’t condone his actions, Keima is seriously a jerk, but gambling addiction is on the same level as alcohol addiction or other substance abuse issues. He literally couldn’t help himself…so I couldn’t outright hate Keima, well that is until he tried to sell the MC to pay off his debts, now that was really when he hit rock bottom.

But, it would be unfair of me not to rant a bit about his actions in this route… Dude used tha MC’s Hanko stamp in an attempt to pull out a 3 Million Yen loan in the MC’s name. Then he steals her (expensive) lucky pen and sells it to a pawn shop for 30 Thousand Yen, without even batting an eye. He cuts their date short so he can bet on a horse race, and then the cherry on top of this steaming pile of crap… he tries to offer up the MC to loan sharks in order to clear out his debts… Yeah, in a last ditch effort to save his own skin, he tries to sell the MC’s body… WTF! I was done with this route before it even started, but I never imagined Keima would fall so far… *sigh*

The Endings…

So in Liar! Uncover the Truth eliminating one of the Liars unlocks five alternate endings (Bad End, Secret End, True End, Love End, and Scumbag End) that either continue the story after the MC kicks the Liar to the curb or explain the origins of each guy’s lie. In order to unlock all of the endings in one fell swoop, the player must achieve S rank by the end of the Liar arc. However, the Bad End is unlocked when the player fails to answer the final question correctly and usually depicts the MC’s unhappy marriage with her Liar.

In Keima’s Bad End, the MC marries Keima and the pair settle into a life of debt and squalor. Keima quits his job and becomes an independent trader, but his old gambling habit rears it’s ugly head and things go downhill fast….

The “Liar’s Remorse” Secret End, is a POV story that gives a bit of insight into Keima’s thoughts after following the MC into the matchmaking event. Its been years since college, but the MC is just as beautiful as he remembered, but his gambling addiction could spell disaster for his second chance at love…

In the “Birth of a Genius” True End, we take a peek into the past events that lead to Keima’s gambling problem. Back in his college days Keima was on the straight and narrow, and even after graduating, his life was on the up and up. Until his boss invites him out to a casino, it was the first fall down a slippery slope, as Keima discovered a hidden talent for gambling.

In the “Loved You So Long” Love End, fresh from getting dumped by the MC, Keima attempts to rekindle her past affections for him. He begs the MC for a second chance once he’s paid off his gambling debts and Keima holds true to his word taking on several odd jobs to reach his goal. After six months Keima has successfully paid off his debts and he returns to take the MC on a trip down memory lane to their old college stomping grounds…

Finally, in the “Keima Katagiri, Host” Scumbag End, after being dragged off by loan sharks, Keima is forced to become a host to pay off his debts. Now that he’s being forced to woo older women, Keima is having some serious regrets about his past actions. Maybe this twist of fate will change this gambling man’s heart for good…

My Reaction…

Debt is no laughing matter and this route really drove that point home. Keima isn’t a bad guy, in fact none of them are really bad guys, they are just extremely weak men… But, as disgusted as I was by his actions, I really just pitied the man and wished someone, anyone, would direct him to a Gamblers Anonymous meeting or a Gambling hotline, I just wanted him to get help! Unfortunately, there is no mention of Keima seeking out professional help in any of the endings… not even the Love ending! He just magically overcomes his gambling addiction through sheer force of will, oh and the promise of sweet MC booty at the end of it all… Uh, no, I don’t think that’s how addiction works

In the end, Keima is drop dead gorgeous, but even that can’t save him after all the stunts he pulled in this Liar arc… Also, I hate to sound preachy, but if you or anyone you know is suffering from gambling addiction PLEASE seek help, you are not alone and there are several hotlines and websites available to assist you.