I'm not sure how this news avoided pinging my radar until now, but apparently the localized version of Ancient's Protect Me Knight 2--known as Gotta Protectors in this part of the world--hit the North American 3DS eShop yesterday.
In case this is the first you're hearing of the game, it's a portable sequel to the Japanese developer's first Protect Me Knight title, released digitally for the Xbox 360 in 2010.
That game was a total blast--while also being a blast from the past--and this one is even better. Specifically, this on-the-go follow-up offers a slew of playable characters, 100 levels, four difficulty levels, four-player co-op via Download Play (only one person needs to own a copy of the game), a map editor that uses QR codes and more.
Oh, and to top off that pixelated goodness, Protect Me Knight 2--er, Gotta Protectors--features a soundtrack that was concocted by the brilliant Yuzo Koshiro. (If you've played 7th Dragon III Code: VFD, Half-Minute Hero or any of the Etrian Odyssey titles, you've heard what he's capable of in this medium.)
Is all of the above worth a cool $12.99--which is the price tag currently attached to this tiny tower-defense title? Based on my admittedly limited experience with the Japanese version, I'd say yes, especially if you tend to be a fan of the genre.
One last thing: those of you who are happiest when you're defending towers--or princesses, or any other entity that needs protecting--should check out Witch & Hero II as well. It's just $3.99 right now, which is a great price for what I consider a must-have 3DS game. (Read my Witch & Hero II review to learn why I hold it such high esteem. Up for more? Read my review of the first Witch & Hero, too.)
Showing posts with label Yuzo Koshiro. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Yuzo Koshiro. Show all posts
Friday, July 29, 2016
Tuesday, May 24, 2016
A new Famicom game is coming and it's called Kira Kira Star Night DX
Who could've imagined we'd see new Famicom cartridges be produced and released 13 years after Nintendo officially discontinued its first real console?
I certainly didn't see such a thing coming, and yet here we are--thanks to a company known as Columbus Circle.
Actually, some of you've probably heard of Columbus Circle, or at least you may know one of its previous products: the 8bit Music Power Famicom cart.
I didn't buy that offering, but I'm seriously contemplating picking up the publisher's next one, which appears to be some sort of score-attack action-platformer.
This despite the fact that Kira Kira Star Night DX is far from the prettiest Famicom game I've ever seen. I like its color palette and its use of parallax scrolling, though, and Yuzo Koshiro had a hand in creating its soundtrack, so I still think its worth considering.
If you feel similarly, you might want to keep these details in mind: physical copies of Kira Kira Star Night DX are set to hit the streets in late July and when they do they'll cost 5,378 yen (about $50) each.
No word yet on where you'll be able to purchase these suckers, but I have a feeling amiami.com will be one option.
(Via japanesenintendo.com)
I certainly didn't see such a thing coming, and yet here we are--thanks to a company known as Columbus Circle.
Actually, some of you've probably heard of Columbus Circle, or at least you may know one of its previous products: the 8bit Music Power Famicom cart.
I didn't buy that offering, but I'm seriously contemplating picking up the publisher's next one, which appears to be some sort of score-attack action-platformer.
This despite the fact that Kira Kira Star Night DX is far from the prettiest Famicom game I've ever seen. I like its color palette and its use of parallax scrolling, though, and Yuzo Koshiro had a hand in creating its soundtrack, so I still think its worth considering.
If you feel similarly, you might want to keep these details in mind: physical copies of Kira Kira Star Night DX are set to hit the streets in late July and when they do they'll cost 5,378 yen (about $50) each.
No word yet on where you'll be able to purchase these suckers, but I have a feeling amiami.com will be one option.
(Via japanesenintendo.com)
Wednesday, August 06, 2014
Praise the f$%kin' goblins, a sequel to Ancient's Protect Me Knight is set to hit the Japanese 3DS eShop this September
Although I was really excited when it was revealed that Yuzo Koshiro's company, Ancient, was going to release a retro-tinged tower-defense title--called Mamotte Knight in Japan and Protect Me Knight elsewhere--for the Xbox 360's indie-games service, I have to admit that I barely played the resulting effort after I downloaded it in 2010.
That's not a comment on this pixel-packed game's quality, mind you. Actually, I rather enjoyed what little I played of it. The fact is, though, that I just didn't use my Xbox 360 very much, and as such titles like this one suffered (by being ignored).
I doubt that's going to be a problem with the expanded 3DS sequel that the folks at Ancient recently announced--complete with a September release date--via their Twitter account.
Sadly, this game--to be called Minna de Mamotte Knight, I believe--is going to be a Japan-only affair at first, although the person in charge of Ancient's Twitter output already has informed followers that the company hopes it'll eventually be able to bring it to Western 3DS eShops, too.
As for what will differentiate the digital-only Minna de Mamotte Knight from its predecessor, according to a couple of NeoGAF threads (here's one and here's the other) the 3DS game will feature "about 10 times" as much content as the Xbox 360 one, a handful of new characters (the buff dude on the right isn't one of them, by the way, as he appeared in the first Protect Me Knight) and four-player local co-op.
Should you want to see a localized version of this sure-to-be-quirky title on non-Japanese 3DS eShops, I'd suggest aiming a Tweet at @AncientGames_JP at your earliest convenience.
Note: the "f$%kin' goblins" mentioned in this post's headline is an homage to one of Protect Me Knight's funniest lines--in which the game's damsel in distress demands that the titular warrior to "DEFEAT F$%KIN' GOBLINS!"
That's not a comment on this pixel-packed game's quality, mind you. Actually, I rather enjoyed what little I played of it. The fact is, though, that I just didn't use my Xbox 360 very much, and as such titles like this one suffered (by being ignored).
Sadly, this game--to be called Minna de Mamotte Knight, I believe--is going to be a Japan-only affair at first, although the person in charge of Ancient's Twitter output already has informed followers that the company hopes it'll eventually be able to bring it to Western 3DS eShops, too.
As for what will differentiate the digital-only Minna de Mamotte Knight from its predecessor, according to a couple of NeoGAF threads (here's one and here's the other) the 3DS game will feature "about 10 times" as much content as the Xbox 360 one, a handful of new characters (the buff dude on the right isn't one of them, by the way, as he appeared in the first Protect Me Knight) and four-player local co-op.
Should you want to see a localized version of this sure-to-be-quirky title on non-Japanese 3DS eShops, I'd suggest aiming a Tweet at @AncientGames_JP at your earliest convenience.
Note: the "f$%kin' goblins" mentioned in this post's headline is an homage to one of Protect Me Knight's funniest lines--in which the game's damsel in distress demands that the titular warrior to "DEFEAT F$%KIN' GOBLINS!"
Tuesday, May 06, 2014
Shall We Do It? (Etrian Odyssey IV)
I know I exclaimed a couple of days ago that I'd come up with a new name for this particular column, but I've since had a change of heart. "Let's Do It" is a nice enough alternative, but it's too straightforward--and kind of boring, too.
As a result, I'm sticking with the original "Shall We Do It?"--although I am going to tweak how I use it from here on out. Basically, I'm going to simplify the headers I write for these posts. The new ones will be a bit less fun than the old ones, I guess, but they'll also be a lot less wordy and awkward.
Anyway, enough about that. You clicked on this post so you could read all about my on-going shenanigans with Etrian Odyssey IV, right?
I'd originally planned to talk about two other 3DS games--THE "DENPA" MEN 3 demo and Rusty's Real Deal Baseball--in this post, by the way. Unfortunately, the "DENPA" MEN 3 demo that was supposed to hit the North American eShop late last week was postponed until May 8 due to "technical difficulties" and it's been so long (about two weeks, I think) since I last booted up Rusty's Real Deal Baseball that I can't think of anything to say about it.
So, we'll stick to Etrian Odyssey IV and Etrian Odyssey IV only in this installment of "Shall We Do It?" Which is just as well, because I've spent more than 40 hours with this 3DS dungeon-crawler so far and, as such, I have quite a lot to say about it.
For starters, I probably should share that I've just gained access to the title's fourth "land," known as the "Cloudy Stronghold." It's taken me about 12 to 15 hours to conquer each land so far, which most Etrian Odyssey lifers probably would consider a laughably slow pace, but I like to piddle around while playing games like this.
Anyway, here a few thoughts on the journey so far:
The soundtrack is sublime--All hail Yuzo Koshiro, the man responsible for this game's delightfully varied set of tunes. Honestly, I've yet to come across a track I don't like, although the standouts for me at the moment are the jaunty, flute-filled Tharsis theme and the shimmering, guitar-laden song that serves as the backdrop of most, if not all, of the fourth land's dungeons.
It surprises me how much I'm liking the animated enemies--Back when this game was announced, I was unimpressed that it would be the first entry in the Etrian Odyssey series to feature animated enemies. The static ones found in the first game were more than enough for me. Or so I thought. Now that I've seen a good portion of this game's polygonal baddies in motion, I have to admit I find them mightily impressive--and I far prefer them to their immobile predecessors.
The airship-traversed overworld is a remarkably nice addition--This is another element that I originally eyed with a healthy dose of suspicion. How much could an overworld really add to the Etrian Odyssey experience? Turns out, it adds quite a bit. I'm especially fond of the hunting-and-gathering aspect that's tied to the animals, birds, fish, fruit and veggies that can be harvested while flying around each land and then either sold for cash or traded for swag.
One final, positive comment about my experience with Etrian Odyssey IV so far: I love how, pretty much without fail, a new "land" opens up just as I'm about to become burned out on the current one. If only the folks responsible for Bravely Default had been so keen on or aware of the importance of pacing in such games...
(Speaking of Bravely Default, I'd like to add here that I'm very much enjoying the fact that Etrian Odyssey IV has an almost nonexistent story. Sometimes you just want to battle your way through a game like this, you know?)
Have any of you spent any time with Etrian Odyssey IV? If so, please feel free to share your own thoughts on this 3DS dungeon-crawler in the comments section below.
See also: previous 'Shall We Do It?' posts
As a result, I'm sticking with the original "Shall We Do It?"--although I am going to tweak how I use it from here on out. Basically, I'm going to simplify the headers I write for these posts. The new ones will be a bit less fun than the old ones, I guess, but they'll also be a lot less wordy and awkward.
Anyway, enough about that. You clicked on this post so you could read all about my on-going shenanigans with Etrian Odyssey IV, right?
I'd originally planned to talk about two other 3DS games--THE "DENPA" MEN 3 demo and Rusty's Real Deal Baseball--in this post, by the way. Unfortunately, the "DENPA" MEN 3 demo that was supposed to hit the North American eShop late last week was postponed until May 8 due to "technical difficulties" and it's been so long (about two weeks, I think) since I last booted up Rusty's Real Deal Baseball that I can't think of anything to say about it.
So, we'll stick to Etrian Odyssey IV and Etrian Odyssey IV only in this installment of "Shall We Do It?" Which is just as well, because I've spent more than 40 hours with this 3DS dungeon-crawler so far and, as such, I have quite a lot to say about it.
For starters, I probably should share that I've just gained access to the title's fourth "land," known as the "Cloudy Stronghold." It's taken me about 12 to 15 hours to conquer each land so far, which most Etrian Odyssey lifers probably would consider a laughably slow pace, but I like to piddle around while playing games like this.
The soundtrack is sublime--All hail Yuzo Koshiro, the man responsible for this game's delightfully varied set of tunes. Honestly, I've yet to come across a track I don't like, although the standouts for me at the moment are the jaunty, flute-filled Tharsis theme and the shimmering, guitar-laden song that serves as the backdrop of most, if not all, of the fourth land's dungeons.
It surprises me how much I'm liking the animated enemies--Back when this game was announced, I was unimpressed that it would be the first entry in the Etrian Odyssey series to feature animated enemies. The static ones found in the first game were more than enough for me. Or so I thought. Now that I've seen a good portion of this game's polygonal baddies in motion, I have to admit I find them mightily impressive--and I far prefer them to their immobile predecessors.
The airship-traversed overworld is a remarkably nice addition--This is another element that I originally eyed with a healthy dose of suspicion. How much could an overworld really add to the Etrian Odyssey experience? Turns out, it adds quite a bit. I'm especially fond of the hunting-and-gathering aspect that's tied to the animals, birds, fish, fruit and veggies that can be harvested while flying around each land and then either sold for cash or traded for swag.
One final, positive comment about my experience with Etrian Odyssey IV so far: I love how, pretty much without fail, a new "land" opens up just as I'm about to become burned out on the current one. If only the folks responsible for Bravely Default had been so keen on or aware of the importance of pacing in such games...
(Speaking of Bravely Default, I'd like to add here that I'm very much enjoying the fact that Etrian Odyssey IV has an almost nonexistent story. Sometimes you just want to battle your way through a game like this, you know?)
Have any of you spent any time with Etrian Odyssey IV? If so, please feel free to share your own thoughts on this 3DS dungeon-crawler in the comments section below.
See also: previous 'Shall We Do It?' posts
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Mamotte Knight: Not your mother's tower defense game
At least, that's blogger PepsimanVsJoe's assessment of the just-released Xbox LIVE Indie Games title.
"It's a unique take on the genre that combines chaotic action with just the right amount of strategy for some of the most fun I've gotten out of the XBL Indie Service," he opines in his rather rambling (in a good way) review.
PepsimanVsJoe's lone point of contention with the Ancient-developed title? The inability to play it on line.
"Oh, sure, the game is more than enough fun by yourself," he writes, "but if you're like me and all your friends would rather play World of Warcraft or Call of Duty, well, that's just too bad."
I can understand the gripe, as I'd certainly be restricted to playing the $3 game alone if I picked it up--which I would if, you know, I had an Xbox 360.
Speaking of which, what do you think are the chances Microsoft will drop the system's price to $99 at the upcoming E3 event?
See also: 'SAVE ME ... MY HERO! DEFEAT F$%KIN' GOBLINS!'
"It's a unique take on the genre that combines chaotic action with just the right amount of strategy for some of the most fun I've gotten out of the XBL Indie Service," he opines in his rather rambling (in a good way) review.
"Oh, sure, the game is more than enough fun by yourself," he writes, "but if you're like me and all your friends would rather play World of Warcraft or Call of Duty, well, that's just too bad."
I can understand the gripe, as I'd certainly be restricted to playing the $3 game alone if I picked it up--which I would if, you know, I had an Xbox 360.
Speaking of which, what do you think are the chances Microsoft will drop the system's price to $99 at the upcoming E3 event?
See also: 'SAVE ME ... MY HERO! DEFEAT F$%KIN' GOBLINS!'
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
'SAVE ME ... MY HERO! DEFEAT F$%KIN' GOBLINS!'
A retro-styled RPG/TD title will soon hit Microsoft's Xbox LIVE Indie Games service, and of course it has me jonesing for an Xbox 360.
The name of said game is Mamotte Knight, which apparently translates to Protect Me Knight.
Here's the kicker: It's being made by Ancient, Yuzo Koshiro's development studio. (Koshiro is best known for creating the soundtracks for such 16-bit classics as ActRaiser (and its sequel), the Bare Knuckle/Streets of Rage series and The Revenge of Shinobi. More recent additions to his resume: 7th Dragon and Etrian Odyssey I, II and III.)
Here's how Mamotte Knight looks in action:
According to andriasang.com, Mamotte Knight will be released soon ("this spring," specifically).
Do you think Xbox 360s will be down to $99 by that time? Nah, I don't think so either.
(Via andriasang.com and NeoGAF.com)
The name of said game is Mamotte Knight, which apparently translates to Protect Me Knight.
Here's the kicker: It's being made by Ancient, Yuzo Koshiro's development studio. (Koshiro is best known for creating the soundtracks for such 16-bit classics as ActRaiser (and its sequel), the Bare Knuckle/Streets of Rage series and The Revenge of Shinobi. More recent additions to his resume: 7th Dragon and Etrian Odyssey I, II and III.)
Here's how Mamotte Knight looks in action:
According to andriasang.com, Mamotte Knight will be released soon ("this spring," specifically).
Do you think Xbox 360s will be down to $99 by that time? Nah, I don't think so either.
(Via andriasang.com and NeoGAF.com)
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