Five reasons I hate myself for waiting 29 years to finish Capcom's Sweet Home

Like Super Mario Land 2, which I discussed in my last post, Capcom's Sweet Home is an old game I've been meaning to play for many decades now. Nearly three decades, in fact.

Unlike that 1992 GameBoy title, however, I'd at least booted up this scary Famicom RPG from 1989 on a few occasions over the years.

I'd never gotten more than an hour or so into it, though--or at least I hadn't until I started my way through it about a week ago.

Well, that's all in the past. This time around, I played Sweet Home for just over 12 hours. And not only that, but I finished it.

So why do I hate myself for waiting 29 years to thoroughly explore this game's hair-raising halls and grounds? Here are the five reasons that first popped into my head:

Sweet Home absolutely nails the feeling of being locked in a haunted mansion--Seems impossible, doesn't it? After all, not only is the dwelling in question crafted using 8-bit sprites, but it's depicted using a top-down perspective, too. Despite that, Sweet Home is as nail-bitingly claustrophobic as any survival-horror game that takes place in such an eerie (and similarly cramped) locale. You really feel like you're stalking the spooky hallways of an evil manor while playing Sweet Home, and that's a real accomplishment as far as I'm concerned.

Its soundtrack only adds to the tension--Sweet Home's music isn't always easy on the ears. Hell, sometimes it's downright annoying. It's pretty much always fitting, though. As in, even when the game's backing tunes are discordantly irritating, they complement what's happening on your TV screen. Don't take this to mean there are no standouts on Sweet Home's soundtrack. In fact, quite a few of its songs could be heralded as stellar. I'm especially fond of the "eastern garden" tune, with its lightning-like percussion flourishes, and the sweetly melancholy "fresco theme."

I love how its story is revealed in bits and pieces--In most RPGs, you learn about its story through banter between party members or conversations with non-player characters. Here, you're mostly made aware of it via notes and even paintings you discover while exploring the titular "home." That gives the game an air of mystery I'm not sure it would have if it'd stuck more closely to the traditions of the genre. It also enhances the sense of loneliness and unease that permeates this Japan-only release.

The turn-based battles in this game are surprisingly unique--Yes, you read that correctly: Sweet Home features turn-based battles. And they're not unlike those you encounter in Dragon Quest or Mother or numerous other 8-bit RPGs with first-person fights. So what's unique about the ones on offer here? A good example is the "pray" option, which increases your power if you time things right. Another example is the "call" option, which lets you bring straggling party members into an on-going battle. (Although five characters are at your disposal while playing Sweet Home, you're forced to split them into groups of two or three. When you select this command, the game cuts away from the fight at hand so you can move one or more other party members to its location.)

It's nearly the perfect length for an RPG--As I mentioned earlier, my just-completed playthrough of Sweet Home took just over 12 hours. That's a breath of fresh air for someone (such as myself) who rarely has the time, energy, or attention span to deal with 100-plus-hour behemoths like Octopath Traveler. Which isn't to suggest Sweet Home's pacing is perfect. I actually thought it overstayed its welcome by an hour or two. Still, I'll take that over the aforementioned alternative any day.

There's only one other aspect of Sweet Home that turned me off, by the way. What is it? The way it severely limits how many items you and your intrepid companions can hold. I understand why the game's developers decided against giving players unlimited space for these objects (which include candles, fire extinguishers, and pieces of rope), but I wish they'd been a bit more lenient. Thankfully, you can drop seemingly pointless tools and wares on the ground and return for them later if the need arises.

That pair of slight missteps notwithstanding, I found my latest (and most successful) foray through Sweet Home's halls and grounds both fascinating and exhilarating. So much so, in fact, that I can't wait to enter its creepy confines again this time next year.

A few (more) thoughts on Yomawari: Night Alone in honor of #HorrorGameOct

Nippon Ichi's Yomawari: Night Alone and I have a complicated--and convoluted--history.

First, I bought a boxed copy of this Vita game's Japanese release. (See some photos of its case, cartridge, and instruction pamphlet here.) Although I'd been keenly interested in it since it was announced, it took me a good number of months to even put the Yomawari cartridge into my Vita. And after all that, I only played it for a short while before walking away because I just wasn't in the mood for a scary game at the time.

Then, earlier this year, I felt like giving it another try. Rather than boot up my Japanese cart, though, I purchased the North American version from the PlayStation Store. I actually put about two hours into Night Alone that time around, but this playthrough--which I discussed in this post from mid-March--was cut short, too, thanks to a little game called Dragon Quest Builders.

And why didn't I return to Yomawari after Dragon Quest Builders lost its hold on me? I'm not sure, to tell you the truth. I guess I turned my attention to something else--perhaps a 3DS title (or two)?

Regardless, between then and now, I've completely ignored Night Alone. I picked it up for a third time a couple of weeks ago, though, because my friend Anne kicked off a horror-focused community game-along--called #HorrorGameOct--that got me thinking about it again.

So, here we are. Attempt number three. The first thing you need to know about my latest Yomawari: Night Alone playthrough is I once again started from scratch. It's been so long since I last tackled the game that I thought returning to my old save file would be a mistake, so I erased it and threw myself into a new one.

Something else you need to know: I'm referring to a walkthrough this time around in the hopes it'll help me finish the game. As much as I hate to admit it, I find it easy to get lost while playing Night Alone thanks to its confusing map (or maybe it would be more accurate to blame its distressingly similar-looking alleyways and streets) and dimly lit locales.



Actually, due in large part to the above-mentioned niggles, I can honestly say I'd probably rather experience Yomawari: Night Alone on a TV than on a Vita. Which is saying a lot, as I almost always prefer playing games on a handheld device to playing them on a traditional console.

Another thing I hate to admit about my current Yomawari playthrough: I'm pretty sure its hiding mechanism failed to ping my radar during previous attempts. Now that I'm aware of and making use of it, though, I'm slapping myself. For starters, it makes it a lot easier to avoid the game's ghoulish baddies. Plus, it's fun to duck behind a sign or jump into some bushes and then "watch" as a nightmarish creature or two passes by via the protagonist's heartbeat and what I can only describe as a sort of heat map. (Less fun: leaving your hiding spot and immediately being killed. Oh, well, you have to get used to dying if you're going to play this title.)

Other than all that, I don't have much new to say about this Vita game. I'm still a fan of its looks, which are one part cute and one part horrific. (You'll know what I mean regarding the latter the second you lay your eyes on one of Night Alone's more hideous enemies.) I can't say the same about its soundtrack, but that's only because the bulk of Yomawari is experienced in near-silence. That's fine by me, though, as it enhances the atmosphere and tension.

As for the gameplay, it impresses, too. I guess some might disagree, as Night Alone's basically a visual novel that allows you to run around a small town and avoid monsters--rather than stare at static screens--while progressing its story, but I'm enjoying it overall despite its issues.

I've heard the game can be finished in just a handful of hours, so I doubt it'll be long before I encounter its end credits--assuming I continue to plug away at it (and keep my eye on the aforementioned walkthrough) this coming week. That's the current plan, so look for me to write and publish a Yomawari: Night Alone review soon.

In the meantime, have any of you played this Vita thriller? If so, please share your impressions of it in the comments section of this post.

Welcome to WonderSwan World: Clock Tower

When it comes to video games, I tend to prefer cute, quirky and whimsical ones to those that are more realistic or serious.

When it comes to movies, though, I tend to prefer those that are tense and scary to almost anything else.

Seriously, I've been a horror-film buff since I rented and watched a VHS tape of the first Nightmare on Elm Street as an early teen.

For whatever reason, my interest in scary movies has rarely translated to me playing scary games. That's not because I think the latter are unappealing, mind you. Actually, I've found a ton of scary games intriguing over the years. Almost every time I start one, however, I quickly become overwhelmed to the point that I have to turn the damn thing off.

A relevant case in point: the original, Super Famicom version of Human Entertainment's Clock Tower.

I've tried to play this point-and-click survival-horror game on multiple occasions. Unfortunately, each one ended rather abruptly--usually around the first time the series' unimaginatively named antagonist, Scissorman, shows his face and grotesquely (some might say comically) massive weapon of choice.

Say what you will about my inability to deal with those scissor-on-girl encounters, but the fact remains that trying to run away from a murderous maniac using a cursor controlled by a directional pad is stressful--or at least it has been for me.

Is that still true with Clock Tower for WonderSwan? (That's the full title of this port, by the way. For whatever reason, a lot of game publishers followed that same naming convention while prepping ports of games for Bandai's oddball handheld.) Yes and no.

Don't get me wrong, this portable version of Clock Tower freaks me out every bit as much as its console counterparts did and continue to do. I've done my best to get over that, though, so I can write the post you're reading right now.

Before I get into my feelings on this WonderSwan cartridge, here are a few tidbits you should know about it:

* This iteration of Clock Tower was made for the original WonderSwan system, so it's in black and white rather than in color like its Super Famicom and PlayStation predecessors.

* A company called Kaga Tech developed it. To be honest, I'd never even heard of Kaga Tech before I started doing research for this write-up. Is or was the company at all related to Kaga Create, which produced titles for everything from the Famicom to the Saturn, or that outfit's parent firm, Kaga Electronics? I believe so, as Naxat (Soft) published this port, and Naxat was the public-facing name of Kaga's gaming devision. Regardless, GameFAQs tells me Kaga Tech at least made a bunch of WonderSwan games as well as a few for the GameBoy, GameBoy Advance and PlayStation during its heyday.

* As far as I can tell, Clock Tower for WonderSwan is a shockingly faithful conversion of the 1995 original. Some concessions were made so the game could run on WonderSwan hardware, of course--such as the aforementioned lack of color, a lower resolution and a minimalist head-up display (more on that last one in a second)--but besides those, everything else seems to be in place.

Don't take that last bullet point to mean this handheld iteration of Human Entertainment's cult classic is near-perfect. It's not.

Although it looks surprisingly great in black and white, and although it controls as well as could be expected of a point-and-click game that requires players to use a d-pad, its protagonist, Jennifer, moves as though she's wading through knee-deep molasses. (To see what I mean, check out this video of Clock Tower for WonderSwan in action. For comparison's sake, here is footage of the Super Famicom version.)

That alone will be a deal-breaker for some, I'm sure. For me, it's mostly been an occasional annoyance. Usually, I'm fine with it; at other times, I daydream about my Clock Tower cart suddenly igniting and melting into a pool of unrecognizable goo.

Regardless, Clock Tower for WonderSwan's slowness is a shame, as every other aspect of the game is captivating. OK, so at first I didn't like that it no longer displays Jennifer's portrait, which in the Super Famicom and PlayStation versions depicts the orphan girl's stamina and stress levels. After a bit of reflection, though, I decided Kaga Tech's (or Naxat's, if you prefer) substitution--three dots along the edge of the screen that appear and disappear depending on how worked up Jennifer is or isn't--is perfectly serviceable.

Other than that and the previously discussed lack of speed? Not much to grouse about, if you ask me. I personally love the moody, low-tech look of this port and I've never really run into any issues with moving Jennifer about via my WonderSwan Color's weird directional pad and A and B buttons. (For the curious: the d-pad controls a cursor, while pressing the A and B buttons allows you to walk or run toward the cursor, examine the environment, pick up or use items and fight off Scissorman.)

I'm also now a big fan of how Clock Tower of WonderSwan progresses. Following a brief intro, you (as Jennifer) are left alone in the titular mansion. Silence surrounds you. The only sounds you hear are those of Jennifer's feet walking along wooden and carpeted floors. That is, until Scissorman makes his first appearance. Then both background music and panic kick in, and the race to find Jennifer's fellow orphans and escape their supposed new home begins.

I've yet to accomplish that last task, and I have a feeling I'll need to refer to a guide to do so, but I'm perfectly OK with that.

In the meantime, I'm getting a kick out of exploring Clock Tower--both the mansion in particular and the game in general--while also trying to avoid or fend off the incessant Scissorman, and I don't see that changing anytime soon.

Are any of you Clock Tower fans? If so, have you experienced this WonderSwan release? Regardless, please share your thoughts and opinions on those topics or anything I've said here in the comments section below.

Also, if you'd like to see photos of Clock Tower for WonderSwan's box and cartridge, you can do so via this Flickr photo album of mine.

See also: my 'Welcome to WonderSwan World' post about Rainbow Islands: Putty's Party

Shots fired: Zero Time Dilemma's Japanese box art massacres its North American counterpart

While talking about Zero Time Dilemma's North American box art last week, I mentioned that I wouldn’t have minded if its designers had used another of artist Rui Tomono’s fascinatingly dark illustrations rather than the clichéd group shot seen here.

I also said "I would’ve even preferred if the folks at Aksys had gone with the gun-to-the-head art that helped introduce [the game] to the masses instead."

Fast forward to this morning, and what do I see while perusing one of my favorite Nintendo-focused sites (that would be japanesenintendo.com)? The following:



That imagery is going to greet folks who buy retail copies of the Japanese 3DS version of Zero Time Dilemma this summer, of course. (You can check out the very similar Vita iteration here, if you're curious.)

I don't know about you, but I much prefer the above to the North American cover. Do you feel the same way, or do you like the Western art better?

By the way, those of you who can't wait to start playing this third (and final) entry in the Zero Escape series of games may want to watch its second Japanese trailer.

See also: all of my posts about 9 Hours, 9 Persons, 9 Doors

Let's chat about Zero Time Dilemma's cover art

Once I finally got around to playing it, I fell head over heels in love with 999: 9 Hours, 9 Persons, 9 Doors.

I can't say the same for its sequel, Virtue's Last Reward, because, well, I haven't played it yet. I do own a copy of it (the Vita version), though, and my current plan is to find a way to play it before the series’ third and final entry, Zero Time Dilemma, hits store shelves in late June.

For now, fans of the Zero Escape series can do little more than chat about Zero Time Dilemma’s first screenshots and trailer or ogle its just-released box art.

Speaking of which, here’s the cover imagery that was created for North American copies of this highly anticipated visual novel.

As I’m sure you can guess, the 3DS version’s packaging will look very similar to its Vita counterpart. (Check it out here, if you’re curious.)

Will Zero Time Dilemma’s Japanese covers sport completely different art? I obviously don’t know, but I kind of hope they will.

Although I can’t say I dislike what Aksys Games’ designers conjured up for North American copies of this game, I wouldn’t have minded if they’d used another of artist Rui Tomono’s fascinatingly dark illustrations rather than the clichéd group shot seen above.

(I’m probably in the minority here, but I would’ve even preferred if the folks at Aksys had gone with the gun-to-the-head art that helped introduce Zero Time Dilemma to the masses instead.)

What do all of you think? Do you like Zero Time Dilemma’s North American 3DS and Vita box art?

Also, how does it compare in your minds to what was concocted for 999 (for a refresher, here are that DS game’s Japanese and North American covers) and Virtue’s Last Reward (3DS version here, Vita version here)?

See also: my #ADecadeofDS post about 999

Who else is thrilled that Nippon Ichi's Yomawari will be released in North America later this year?

What timing, eh?

I'm talking about the timing of the post I published yesterday, of course. The one about Yomawari's lovely case, cartridge and instruction sheet.

If you're wondering why I'm so pleased with the timing of that write-up, that would be because last night NIS America announced it'll release the previously Japan-only Vita game named above in my neck of the woods (North America) late this year.

That's some pretty thrilling news, if you ask me. After all, this spooky title features some absolutely stunning environments--not to mention some beyond-creepy enemies.

Both of those aspects are on full display in the game's first trailer, below:



As awesome as Yomawari: Night Alone (that's the full North American title) looks, I'm not sure I'll buy it once it's finally available here. That's only because I already own a copy of the Japanese version, though. What would push me toward buying it? A cheap price tag probably would be enough to do the trick. Should it be sold for more than $30 or even $40, I'll likely pass.

In the meantime, I'm going to make it a priority to spend at least a couple of hours with my Japanese cartridge in the next week or two. Assuming that actually happens, I'll whip up post about it so those of you who are on the fence regarding Night Alone can turn to my impressions when you go to make a decision.

Speaking of which, do any of you think you'll buy Yomawari: Night Alone, even if it's only given a digital release in this region? Or does the trailer above make you think it's not going to be your cup of tea?

See also: 'Nice Package! (Yomawari, Vita)'

A trio of spooky games I'm hoping to play between now and All Hallows' Eve

For those of us in North America--and any other locale where folks celebrate the holiday--it's that time of year again. And when I say "that time of year," I of course mean Halloween.

While my compatriots spend the next couple of weeks prepping costumes, planning parties and popping orange and black candies into their mouths, I'm going to spend them playing spooky games. Specifically, I'm going to play--or maybe I should say I'm going to do my best to play--the following trio of Halloween-appropriate titles.

Undertale (Mac)--The good news here is that I've already started playing this just-released, EarthBound-esque RPG. The bad news: I've only played about an hour and a half of it so far. I have no doubt that will change appreciably by the end of this coming weekend thanks to all of the grins and chuckles it's already produced.

My favorite aspects of Undertale at the moment, by the way, are its colorfully creepy "overworld" graphics, its wonderfully witty text and its unexpectedly unique gameplay. A highlight of that last component: if you want, you can dance, flirt or simply chat with baddies rather than beat them up during this title's battle scenes.

Corpse Party (PSP)--I put a small handful of hours into this game a couple of years ago while traveling for one reason or another. That playthrough came to a screeching halt, though, when I got stuck and couldn't figure out what to do next. Why didn't I turn to GameFAQs or some other online resource? I have no idea, I'm sorry to say.

Thankfully, I'm feeling decidedly less stubborn these days--especially after listening to my podcast pal, Mollie, rave about this original entry in the oddly titled Corpse Party series while we recorded the 17th installment of The Nichiest Podcast Ever a few nights ago. So, look for me to give the game a second chance (and write about it in one or more future blog posts) between now and the end of this month.

Clock Tower (Super Famicom or WonderSwan)--Can you believe I've never played any of the many versions of Clock Tower that have been released over the years? I can't. OK, so that's not completely true. I spent about 30 minutes with the Super Famicom release earlier this year, but I quickly gave up on that campaign when the game's scissor-wielding antagonist popped up and scared the living daylights out of me.

I can't guarantee the same thing won't happen again when and if I return to this pixelated horror title, but I can guarantee I'll do my best avoid it. Who knows, maybe playing it in black and white will help?

Any you playing any spooky, scary or otherwise Halloween-esque games this month? If so, which ones--and what do you think of them thus far?

Now that I've finished 999, someone's going to have to explain its 'true ending' to me

Yes, it's true; I've finished Chunsoft's horror-tinged visual novel, 999 (aka 9 Hours, 9 Persons, 9 Doors).

And when I say I've finished it, I mean all of it. I experienced every single ending it has to offer, including the hours-long "true ending."

Don't believe me? Here's a bit of photographic proof:



For those of you who've yet to play 999, an icon is added to the game's opening screen whenever you wrap up one of its six endings.

Even with 999's fast-forward function--which lets you race through text you've already encountered--finishing the game six (or, in my case, five) times can take a long time.

How long? Check out the next photo, which shows off how many hours I spent with 999 in the last few weeks:



Have any of you also played--and fully finished--999? If so, can you shed any light on its true ending? Some of it seemed to make sense, but the rest of it was brain-meltingly confusing.

One last comment-slash-question before I hit "publish": that last interactive section of the true ending is shockingly beautiful, don't you think?

See also: #ADecadeofDS (9 Hours, 9 Persons, 9 Doors) and Nice Package! (9 Hours, 9 Persons, 9 Doors, DS)

#ADecadeofDS: 9 Hours, 9 Persons, 9 Doors

Amount of time devoted to this game since I started playing it a few weeks ago--12 hours, 47 minutes.

Most recent boss toppled, location reached or milestone achieved--So as to not spoil anything for those of you who've yet to play 999, all I'm going to say here is that I'm currently working my way toward this Chunsoft-made game's fourth (of six) ending.

Overall comments on the experience so far--I first attempted to play through 999 a number of years ago. I didn't make it very far and walked away from the experience after getting stuck while trying to find the exit to some room or other.

At the time, I stubbornly refused to turn to an online FAQ for assistance. I thought I shouldn't have to resort to such "cheating" and became pretty disenchanted with 999 as a result.

This time around, I decided to check my pride at the door from the word go, and I've got to say I'm glad I did. Sure, I hate it when I can't figure out a puzzle on my own, but the hatred is softened quite a bit by the fact that checking an FAQ allows me to move forward and learn more about this game's intriguing cast of characters.

Speaking of which, 999's characters have proven to be a real highlight of my first honest-to-goodness encounter with this horror-tinged visual novel.

Just as appealing has been the story that brings all of these men, women, girls and boys together--even if it's against their will--and forces them to find a way to escape the creepy ocean liner that serves as this game's setting.

(If you aren't all that knowledgable about 999, the gist is that nine people, most of whom don't know each other, are independently knocked out, kidnapped and dropped onto a Titanic-esque vessel. They're then given nine hours to traverse its many puzzle-filled rooms and successfully make their way through the ninth of its titular, boobytrapped doors. Oh, and should they fail to do all of that, they'll die.)

Admittedly, I've found some of 999's riddles and berths to be annoyingly obtuse, but even that hasn't done much to dampen the thrilling shiver that travels up and down my spine whenever I gain even a smidgen of insight into this game's goings-on.

Will I continue to play this game in the coming days, weeks and maybe even months?--Well, I'll certainly continue to play it for the next few days, but after that I probably won't play it again for some time.

I don't mean that in any sort of negative way, of course. I just mean that I'm expecting to clear all of its many endings in that time, and once that's done I'll put my 999 cart away until I've forgotten enough of its story to be able to enjoy it again.

Mark my words, though; I'll definitely come back to it down the road. It's quickly become one of my all-time favorite DS games, so there's no question I'll play through it many more times in the future.

Do I recommend it to others?--Absolutely. I know there are plenty of folks out there who have tried 999 and have walked away from the experience feeling dissatisfied, but I have to imagine they're a distinct minority.

So, if the game's premise sounds at all interesting to you, I think it's worth risking disappointment to pick up a copy if you've got the dough.

Next up--Mr. Driller: Drill Spirits

See also: previous #ADecadeofDS posts

Nice Package! (9 Hours, 9 Persons, 9 Doors, DS)

If you read through my most recently published #ADecadeofDS post should be well aware that I mentioned at its close that my next selection for that on-going series would be Chunsoft's 9 Hours, 9 Persons, 9 Doors.

Since then, I've put more than nine hours into this horror-tinged visual novel, and I imagine I'll put at least nine more into it before I switch it out for something else.

I'm planning to publish another #ADecadeofDS post here in a couple of days, by the way, so if you want to read some of my thoughts on this first entry in the Zero Escape series, keep an eye out for it.



In the meantime, I thought it would be nice to ogle some photos of the box art, cartridge label and instruction manual the folks at Aksys Games produced for the North American release of 9 Hours, 9 Persons, 9 Doors.

Admittedly, 999's North American cover illustration (see above) isn't quite as stellar as its Japanese counterpart--or at least it isn't in my opinion--but I still think it's pretty great.

The North American iteration's cart label simply gets the job done, if you ask me, but I won't hold that against the powers that be at Aksys. After all, how many DS cart labels can be described as anything but "passable"?

The front cover of 9 Hours, 9 Persons, 9 Doors' instruction manual is more impressive, although even it is far from amazing. I think I'd prefer it if it focused only on the game's colorful cast of kidnappees and ignored "Zero," its antagonist, completely.



The illustration featured on the first page of 999's manual goes a long way toward making up for things. Unfortunately, there are only a few other pieces of art in this game's instructional pamphlet--which for me means the overall product qualifies as a bit of a disappointment.

Oh, well, at least the cover art that can be seen in the first of this post's handful of snapshots is a looker, right?

See also: previous 'Nice Package!' posts

Speaking of Nippon Ichi's Yomawari (Vita), it's going to feature some really awesome enemies

I know I'm going a bit overboard with the posts about Yomawari at the moment. (Hell, I just published one yesterday.) Sorry about that.

If any upcoming Vita game--Japanese, North American or otherwise--could be said to be "right in my wheelhouse," though, it's this one. After all, not only is it cute as all get-out (look at its adorable protagonist for proof), but it's got a decidedly spooky edge to it, too.

Don't believe me? Check out some of the baddies that you're sure to find hiding in Yomawari's darkened corners and stalking its empty roadways:

That last one is my favorite, I have to say, although I like the idea of that disembodied cat head, too--especially since I can see it sending a chill or two down my spine if it caught me off guard.

By the way, if you'd like to take in images of a few more of the nightmare-inducing enemies that have been conjured up for this sure-to-be-unique Vita cart, which is set to be released in Japan on Oct. 29, head on over to game.watch.impress.co.jp as soon as you're able.

See also: 'I'm not entirely sure what we're going to get gameplay-wise from Nippon Ichi's Yomawari (Vita), but I think I want it anyway'

After eyeballing its beautiful debut trailer, I want Yomawari (Vita) even more than I did before...

A month after they pleased the three people in the known world who were clamoring for an adorable horror game that could be played on the Vita by revealing Yomawari, the brass at Nippon Ichi Software made the aforementioned folks even happier yesterday by finally making available a trailer that shows the in-the-works title in action.

Admittedly, I'm still a bit unsure as to how Yomawari will play--does the cute-as-a-button protagonist simply run away from the various baddies that are shown throughout this video, or will she be given means to battle them?--but that isn't doing much to dampen my interest in its release.

Speaking of which, Yomawari will hits store shelves (both physical and digital, I'm guessing) in Japan on Oct. 29--just in time for Halloween.



Will I be pre-ordering a copy--say, via amiami--so that I can play this girl-searches-for-her-sister-and-dog-in-a-creepy-setting game shortly after everyone's favorite spook-centric holiday takes leave for another year? I'm not sure.

On the one hand, I really want to experience Yomawari as soon as it humanly possible (even if I'm only able to understand a fraction of its story), while on the other, I can't shake the feeling that Nippon Ichi's North American arm will bring this Vita game to the region I currently call home sooner rather than later.

How about you? Are any of you also a bit conflicted about this upcoming adventure--especially after watching the trailer shown above? If so, please share why in the comments section below.

I'm not entirely sure what we're going to get gameplay-wise from Nippon Ichi's Yomawari (Vita), but I think I want it anyway

A few days ago, the powers that be Nippon Ichi finally loosened their lips regarding a horror-themed game the company first teased in late June.

The name of that game: Yomawari, which translates to ... actually, I have no idea what "Yomawari" means in English or any other language, I'm sad to say. Regardless, this in-the-works Vita game both sounds and looks pretty darn intriguing.

In terms of the former, the earliest reports about this autumnal release (Oct. 29--in Japan) have summarized its story as such: "lost in darkness, a girl attempts to find her sister and their dog."

In terms of the latter, feast your eyes on the following Yomawari screenshots:

Admittedly, what is shown here is a far cry from what was suggested by the first teaser video Nippon Ichi put out, but I personally prefer this htoL#NiQ-esque aesthetic to something more realistic, so you won't hear me complaining anytime soon.

So, what do all of you think? Does Yomawari sound and look interesting to you? Also, are any of you considering pre-ordering it? (You can do so now at amiami.com and play-asia.com, if so.)

Whatever the case may be, please feel free to share your opinions on the matter in the comments section below.