5 more games I bought in 2015 that I've regrettably (and embarrassingly) failed to play

Just before 2015 turned into 2016, I published a post with a headline very similar to the one you see above.

As was the case with that write-up, this one shines a spotlight on a handful--five, to be exact--games that I purchased last year but failed to play for even a second. (Hell, a couple of these suckers have yet to be unwrapped.)

Hatoful Boyfriend (Vita)--OK, so I don't feel too bad about "ignoring" this intriguing visual novel. For starters, I only bought it a few weeks ago. Also, I couldn't have played it even if I'd wanted to, as my Vita didn't have enough space to accommodate it. Now that I own not one, but two 16 GB Vita memory cards, though, I should be more than set to start wooing some avian hotties (or something along those lines).

MonHun Nikki: Poka Poka Airu Mura DX (3DS)--Out of all the titles singled out in these two posts, this one pains me the most. That's because I've wanted to play some version of this adorable Monster Hunter spin-off since the first PSP game hit Japanese store shelves in 2010. Now I own both that release and this 3DS port (of sorts) and I've yet to boot up either of them. Mark my words, I'll put some time into MonHun Nikki: Poka Poka Airu Mura DX before 2016 comes to a close.

Ni No Kuni (DS)--I know this portable take on Level-5's Studio Ghibli-backed, Dragon Quest-esque RPG supposedly pales in comparison to its PS3 counterpart, but I'm still itching to play it. Will I get hopelessly lost at some point because I can't properly traverse its inch-thick (at least) "Magic Master" book? (See a few photos of it and the rest of Ni No Kuni's beautiful packaging, in this post.) Quite possibly. Still, I'm willing to give it a go. Fingers crossed the game's more forgiving that some Japanese RPGs due to the fact that it was aimed at children.

Sega 3D Fukkoku Archives (3DS)--You know how I said earlier that at least a couple of the titles discussed in this pair of posts have yet to be opened? Well, this is one of them. And, yes, I'm ashamed to admit that. I'll do my best to put that shame to good use in 2016, though--meaning it should spur me to give this first Sega 3D Fukkoku Archives effort (as well as its just-released follow-up, which includes even more 3D-enhanced Sega classics) the attention it so clearly deserves sometime in the next 12 months.

Virtue's Last Reward (Vita)--Here's another Vita game I've only owned for a short while. In fact, my copy only arrived on my doorstep a day or so before I headed to Wisconsin for the holidays. So, I have a bit of an excuse for neglecting it. I wouldn't expect it to be neglected for much longer, though, as I absolutely loved the nearly 22 hours I spent with its DS-based predecessor (read some of my thoughts on 999: 9 Hours, 9 Persons, 9 Doors in this post), and I've wanted to return to its oh-so-tense world ever since I finished it.

How about you? Did you buy any games in 2015 that, for one reason or another, you failed to play by the end of the year? Let me know which ones in the comments section below.

Nice Package! (Ni No Kuni, DS)

You know how in my last post--about Ni No Kuni II, which is being prepped for PS4 as we speak--I mentioned that I might publish a post about the original DS game's beautiful packaging soon?

Well, I decided to go ahead and publish it today rather than wait. Why? Because this Japanese title's packaging is beyond gorgeous, and I desperately want to spread the word about it, that's why.

Don't take my word for all of this blather. Check out the following photos and see for yourself.

This first snapshot, above, is of the front of Ni No Kuni's outer slip cover. This "slip cover" is a lot like those cardboard sleeves that so charmingly wrap around (and protect?) Japanese GameCube cases.

And here--again, above--we have the back of that same wrapper.

Beneath that slip cover is a rather large and sturdy cardboard box that is rather obscenely (I mean that in a good way) decorated.

Unsurprisingly, the backside of Ni No Kuni's box is as much of a looker as its front.

I hate the protagonist's hairdo, but I'm still hot and bothered about Ni No Kuni II

For me, the biggest shocker to come out of Saturday's PlayStation Experience event was the news that the folks at Level-5 are busy prepping a second Ni No Kuni game for PS4.

I know, I know. Some of you are shaking your heads at me because you were most surprised by the first gameplay footage of Square Enix's Final Fantasy VII remake or the North American release announcements for both Yakuza 0 and Yakuza 5.

For me, though, the prize goes to Ni No Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom. Speaking of which, here's the game's very first trailer:

OK, so it doesn't seem to show any real gameplay footage--or at least not any footage of its overworld (assuming one exists) or battle scenes, but I don't consider that too much of a surprise. We'll get plenty of that soon enough, I'm sure.

When we finally get it, though, I sincerely hope what is shown makes people in the know believe the gameplay in Ni No Kuni will be more enjoyable than what was included in the first title. (Specifically, I've heard quite a few folks say that the battles in the original Ni No Kuni--the PS3 iteration, at least--left a lot to be desired.)

I haven't heard quite such negative things about the DS version of Ni No Kuni, by the way--which is a very good thing, as I recently bought a complete-in-box copy of that behemoth. Who knows, maybe I'll publish some photos of its beautiful packaging in the next couple of days?

Got a couple of hours? Check out the fifth installment of The Nichiest Podcast Ever ...

Of course, you don't have to listen to all two hours and 15 minutes of this edition of The Nichiest Podcast Ever in one sitting.

And don't worry, we don't spend that entire time giggling (or at least Anne and shidoshi don't spend the entire time giggling)--we spend it discussing Corpse Party: Book of Shadows (PSP) and Fire Emblem: Awakening (3DS) and Ni no Kuni (PS3) and Pandora's Tower (Wii) and all sorts of other games that were mentioned in this previous post.

Should you actually give it a listen (you can do so here), please let Anne, shidoshi and I know what you thought of it, will you? You can do so in the comments section below or you can do so via Twitter (apricotsushi, pikoeri and thegaygamer, respectively).

Also, we're planning to record another one sometime in early March, so expect to hear more about that in just a few weeks.

Another installment of The Nichiest Podcast Ever is on the way

You know how I spent the latter part of last night? I spent it chatting (via Skype) with Anne and shidoshi. We weren't just shooting the shit, of course; we were recording a new episode of The Nichiest Podcast Ever. (The finished product should be available sometime this weekend or early next week.)

We covered a lot of ground this time around, beginning with discussion about a bunch of niche-y games that we're all looking forward to playing this year, including Atelier Ayesha (PS3), Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers (3DS), Killer is Dead (PS3/Xbox 360), Muramasa: The Demon Blade (Vita), Rune Factory 4 (3DS) and Valhalla Knights 3 (Vita).

We also talked about the physical edition of Class of Heroes 2 that may or may not be offered the game-starved PSP owners in the coming months, the not-so-well-received-by-shidoshi-and-Anne Corpse Party: Book of Shadows (PSP), the recently released PS3 RPG, Ni no Kuni, and the awesome outfit-creation aspect of Animal Crossing: New Leaf (3DS).

Oh, and during this podcast's "Cheerleading" segment, Anne trumpeted Pandora's Tower (Wii), while shidoshi did the same in regards to Fire Emblem: Awakening (3DS) and I once again blathered on about that wacky PS2 "classic," Chulip.

One more thing before I hit "publish" on this sucker: be sure to stick around for the end, when I am deemed (by shidoshi) to be the "bad boy" of this niche-game-loving trio.

See also: previous 'Nichiest Podcast Ever' posts

Let's Play: 'Which Box Art is Better?' (Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch edition)

I've said this before, I'm sure, but I'll repeat it now just in case my memory is failing me (again): If I owned a PS3, the game that would top my lengthy buy-as-soon-as-it's-available list would be Level-5's Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch.

Until the day I buy a PS3 arrives, I'll content myself by comparing and contrasting the different cover illustrations that have been produced for this beautiful, co-developed-by-anime-company-Studio-Ghibli RPG.

To kick things off, here's the imagery that appeared on the original Japanese release's packaging:

And here's the art that will grace the cover of the upcoming (it'll hit the streets on July 19) "All-in-One Edition" of the game:

Finally, here's the rather sparse illustration that may or may not be used as the North American version's box art when it's released here in 2013:

Will it shock anyone if I say I prefer the colorful re-release's box art over the other two options? I doubt it. It could be considered a bit garish, I guess, but at least there's some life to it--something that can't be said of the original Japanese version's box art.

As for the North American cover: I have a feeling it isn't final, so I'm hesitant to say much about it. What I will say is that, even in this likely-unfinished state, I think it's classy and elegant. Should it end up appearing on store shelves, though, I wouldn't expect your average Canadian, Mexican or US gamer to pick it up--or even notice its existence.

See also: Previous 'Which Box Art is Better?' posts

Five additional games I'm looking forward to playing in 2012

If you failed to see yesterday's post--which covered the first five (of 10) games that I'm looking forward to playing in 2012--check it out here.

For those of you who read (if not thoroughly enjoyed) that post, here are the final five games I'm hoping to get my grubby little hands on at some point in the next 12 months:

Mario Tennis (3DS)--I've mentioned before that I'm a tennis nut, right? If not, now you know. I'm also a huge fan of Nintendo's Mario Tennis games--especially its portable ones. The 3DS iteration looks to be the best of both worlds: It's got the great graphics of the console versions and the take-it-anywhere fun of the handheld versions. Will it have an RPG mode, too? My fingers and toes are crossed in the hopes that it will.

Ni no Kuni (PS3)--The Japanese version of this Level-5 RPG--made in partnership with the folks at Studio Ghibli--bombed and reviews of it weren't much better, but you know what? I'll probably buy the North American version regardless shortly after I finally obtain a PS3 (hopefully sometime in 2012). It simply looks too good to pass up, even if it ends up being a bit of a bore.

Rhythm Heaven Fever (Wii)--In all honesty, this may be the game I'm most looking forward to playing in 2012. Why? I enjoyed the hell out of its predecessors--the import-only original, made for the GameBoy Advance, and its DS-based sequel, released in 2009--and I'm fully expecting to love the hell out of this one, too, especially since it takes the series back to its roots and uses buttons only (as opposed to waggle).

Sugar Shooter 2 (Mac/PC)--I've never had as much fun shooting the clothes off of a muscle-bound baddies as I did while playing the original Sugar Shooter last year. As such, I'm chomping at the bit to do more of the same as soon as this sequel--which will be made available to Mac as well as PC owners this time around--hits the streets (or at least the Internet) sometime next year.

Xenoblade Chronicles (Wii)--Can you believe this open-world RPG will be coming to North America in 2012? I can't. I'm glad it is, though, as I desperately want to play it. Don't tell anyone, but this will be my first Monolith Soft-developed game. Yep, that means I've never played any of the Baten Kaitos (GameCube) or Xenosaga (PS2) titles. Just proves there's a first time for everything, eh?

Now that I've rambled on (and on and on) about the games I'm itching to play in 2012, which ones are all of you looking forward to experiencing in the coming year?

My prayers have been answered: Ni no Kuni (PS3) coming to North America in early 2012

It seems like it was just yesterday that I was bemoaning the fact that the PS3 version of Level-5's Ni no Kuni may never see the light of day in North America. Oh, wait, it was just yesterday!

Anyway, it seems all of that bemoaning was for naught, as, according to gamespot.com, Level-5 president Akihiro Hino mentioned during a Tokyo Game Show 2011 interview panel held last night that an English version of Ni no Kuni will be brought stateside early next year.



A few of the questions bouncing around inside my befuddled brain as a result of Hino's announcement: How much will the English version cost (the Japanese version will cost ¥8,800, or about $115)? Who is going to publish it? Will Sony release the golden "Magical Edition" PS3 system here as well as in Japan?

See also: Previous Ni no Kuni posts

A few glimpses of Dragon Quest X (Wii) and Ni no Kuni (PS3) gameplay

I'm looking forward to getting my grubby hands on a good number of games at the moment, but only two of them are RPGs: Dragon Quest X for Wii and Ni no Kuni for PS3. (Oh, I just thought of another one: Paper Mario for 3DS. Still, my point stands.)

Since neither will hit store shelves in North America for some time (if ever, in the case of Ni no Kuni), I've decided to busy myself with searching for gameplay videos of both of the above-mentioned titles.

Well, I hit the jackpot earlier today. Here, for instance, is a smattering of gameplay footage of the Level 5-Studio Ghibli collaboration, shot on the floor of the Tokyo Game Show 2011:



Sure, the game's battle scenes look a bit boring, but its world map is a stunner.

As for Dragon Quest X, well, I can't share any YouTube videos of that much-anticipated title's first official trailer (included in the just-released-in-Japan Dragon Quest Collection) here, but I can direct you to a site where you can download an FLV version of said trailer.

If you can't be bothered with downloading and figuring out how to view an FLV file, you can always check out this post over at tinycartridge.com.

Dear Sony: If you want me to buy a PS3 before its price drops to $199, bring Ni no Kuni to the States

At this point, I'm planning to hold off on buying a PS3 until the price of the system drops to $199. What would prompt me to pick one up before that happens? A Western release for Ni no Kuni.

Speaking of Ni no Kuni, the folks at developer Level-5 have released a new trailer for their highly anticipated RPG, which will hit the streets in Japan on Nov. 17. Here it is:



Also hitting the streets in Japan on Nov. 17: The awesome "Ni no Kuni Magical Edition" PS3 seen here.

Honestly, if Sony brought both Ni no Kuni and the "Ni no Kuni Magical Edition" PS3 to the States, I'd literally buy both in a heartbeat, gaming budget be damned.

(Via andriasang.com)

Wow

That's the first word that came to mind this morning when I saw the following trailer, for the PS3 version of Ni no Kuni:



Unfortunately, this ravishing RPG, a collaboration between Level-5 and Studio Ghibli, won't be released until sometime next year (in Japan). Actually, scratch that "unfortunately"--as the delay should give me plenty of time to save up my pennies (and dollars) for PS3.

(Via andriasang.com)

See also: 'Reason #10.5 to buy a PS3'

Reason #10.5 to buy a PS3

If memory serves, there are 9.5 reasons for me to buy a PS3. Until yesterday, that is.

Before I go on, here are my 9.5 reasons: Afrika, Aquanaut's Holiday, Demon's Souls, Disgaea 3, Heavy Rain, LittleBigPlanet, LocoRoco Cocoreccho (this one accounts for that pesky .5), Katamari Forever, Siren: Blood Curse and Valkyria Chronicles.

The 10th reason, which popped onto my radar yesterday, is Ni no Kuni: The Another World.

Feast your eyes on the first (blurry) images of the PS3 version of Ni no Kuni.

For those of you who have never heard of Ni no Kuni, it's an RPG that's being produced by Level-5 (of Professor Layton fame) and Studio Ghibli, the Japanese animation studio responsible for Ponyo, Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away.

When the folks at Level-5 announced the DS version of Ni no Kuni all the way back in 2008, they also suggested--vaguely--that they were working on a console version of the game. Although most gamers assumed the console version would appear on the Wii, it was revealed yesterday (in the latest issue of Famitsu magazine) that it will appear on the PS3.

Unfortunately, little else is known about the PS3 version of Ni no Kuni at this point--other than it will allow gamers to "adventure in a world that has the feel of a Studio Ghibli anime."

(Via andriasang.com)