Dear Sony: bring Over My Dead Body 2 to the States and I'll finally buy a PS Vita

True story: I've been eyeing up copies of the original, PlayStation release of Over My Dead Body (aka Ore no Shikabane wo Koete Yuke or Oreshika) for ages now.

Why haven't I bought one yet? Because Oreshika looks to be a rather convoluted JRPG--albeit a beautiful one--and I'm just not sure I have it in me to try to stumble through such a game anytime soon. (A summary of its intriguing plot, via RPGamer.com: "A lineage of demon-hunters is cursed to live, age and die within a single year's span. A twelve-year campaign against the lord of demons thus becomes a matter for the generations.)

Anyway, I have a feeling I'm going to have a similarly tough time resisting Alfa System's upcoming sequel once it's finally released for the Vita sometime next year.

In large part, that's because the sequel looks absolutely stunning--as evidenced by the following, just-released screenshots:







Assuming Over My Dead Body 2's story and gameplay is even a smidge as impressive as its graphics, well, I think it's safe to say it's going to be hard for me to pass up this sucker--even if I don't yet know (much) Japanese and if I don't yet own a Vita.

Of course, Sony's North American arm could solve both of those problems by localizing and releasing the game here--but, really, what are the chances of that happening?

See also: more amazing Over My Dead Body 2 screenshots

THE 'DENPA' MEN 2 don't need no stinkin' overworld (and a few other thoughts on this tough-as-nails 3DS eShop RPG)

Don't get me wrong, I like that the designers at Genius Sonority decided to beef up THE "DENPA" MEN 2: Beyond the Waves by giving it an overworld for gamers to explore.

That said, the more I time I spend exploring that overworld, the more I realize that--for me, at least--it wasn't really needed.

Although I've only spent about five hours with the game so far, that's been enough for me to realize that I rather liked--and possibly preferred--the streamlined nature of the first game, subtitled They Came By Wave.

In part, that's because the Beyond the Waves' overworld, at least at this early juncture, can be a bit baffling for players in terms of figuring out where to go next. (Some of the blame here has to be laid at the feet of the game's writers, it has to be said, as they tend to imbue non-player characters with the vaguest of clues.)

Another reason this title's overworld isn't all it's initially cracked up to be: unlike some other RPGs, it isn't all that fun to explore. That isn't because it's boring or nondescript, mind you; instead, it's because your party of merry "Denpa" men (and women) are brutally attacked every few steps--or so it seems.

As such, if you're anything like me, you'll usually find yourself rushing as quickly as possible from one point on the map to another.

Given all of the above, I guess it shouldn't be too surprising to hear me say I wouldn't have minded at all if the folks at Genius Sonority nixed the overworld idea in favor of simply expanding on the "hub world plus multiple islands" concept of the original.

Does this mean I'm currently feeling a little disappointed with THE "DENPA" MEN 2? Not really. In fact, I'm pretty darn happy with the majority of it at the moment.

The aspects that are making me the happiest at the moment: the new body colors (yellow, purple and pink, as well as gold and silver) and the additional clothing and equipment that can be used to alter the looks and even abilities of your "Denpa" crew.

Oh, and the option that allows players to jump, basically at will (although there are exceptions), between any previously visited locale--mighty handy for avoiding at least some of those pesky random battles, of course.

What do I think of the fishing and gardening elements that were added to this sequel? Nothing so far--mainly because I've barely made use of them. Already, though, I can sense that neither aspect will be as captivating as, say, their counterparts that appear in the Animal Crossing series.

So, that's what I think of THE "DENPA" MEN 2: Beyond the Waves thus far. Are any of you also playing it? If so, what do you think of it?

See also: 'Ten questions with the makers of THE 'DENPA' MEN 2: Beyond the Waves'

I'm taking a rain check RE: this month's 'Bye-Bye, Backlog' selection

You may have noticed that I've yet to publish a "My Month with ..." post in March. That's because I've decided to step away from my backlogathon for the time being.

Don't worry, I plan to get back to it again in April, but for the next few weeks I'm going to focus on the small pile of 3DS games that either have already found their way to my doorstep (expect to read about one of them tomorrow, by the way) or will do so soon instead.

I'm also going to spend some quality time with a game I haven't played in ages--with that game being Shigesato Itoi's magnificent EarthBound (or Mother 2 to you purists).

Why have I decided to turn back the clock and play through this Americana-themed RPG like it's 1995 once again? To be painfully honest, it's because I've never actually seen this game's end credits (gasp!) and I'd finally like to do so.

All of you fellow EarthBound fans should be happy to hear that I'm already off to a good start. After playing the game for a few (four or five, maybe?) hours this weekend, I've reached Peaceful Rest Valley and I'm not too far away from rescuing Paula and putting my days as a lonesome adventurer behind me.

I have no idea how much more of the game I'll be able to play this week given my real-life workload and my desire to continue working my way through Fire Emblem: Awakening, but I think I'll be able to put at least a few additional hours into it.

In the meantime, do any of you consider yourself to be EarthBound fans? If so, what are some of your favorite memories as they relate to this charmingly humorous and heartwarming title?

See also: Previous 'Bye-Bye, Backlog' posts

Well, I'll be: yet another PSP game is being prepped for western release

Unlike other coming-soon-to-the-PSN-nearest-you PSP titles like Class of Heroes 2 and Sweet Fuse: At Your Side, though, Black Rock Shooter: The Game western release was announced long ago.

The thing is, so little has been said about this Imageepoch RPG since then that most interested parties concluded it had been canceled.



Well, according to according to blisteredthumbs.net's Taylor H., who interviewed a few NIS America staffers during the company's recent press event, that's far from the case. (NIS America will be publishing the game in Europe and North America.)

In fact, not only is Black Rock Shooter: The Game's localization said to be complete, but apparently it's been done for a while now. Oh, and word is it will hit the North American PlayStation Store--and hopefully the European one, too?--"before E3."

Considering my backlog is bursting at the seams right now, I'm not entirely sure I'll be picking up this title once it finally surfaces.



The main thing giving me pause at the moment: I really like the game's art style. Also, I'm a total sucker for a good portable RPG. Of course, who says this portable RPG is a good one?

Are any of you also hemming and hawing when it comes to the supposedly impending western release of Black Rock Shooter: The Game?

(Via NeoGAF)

Additional evidence that Shigesato Itoi is an awesome guy

The main pieces of evidence that Shigesato Itoi is an awesome guy, of course, can be found in the trio of quirky-yet-poignant RPGs he made for Nintendo systems between 1989 and 2006 known as Mother, Mother 2 (aka EarthBound) and Mother 3.

Another such morsel of proof just popped into my conscience, though, thanks to the stellar Yomuka! blog--with that morsel being that Itoi and his colleagues at Hobo Nikkan Itoi Shinbun (Almost Daily Itoi News) have a tradition of "celebrating the release of every Animal Crossing game by turning office-wide gameplay into an actual work project."



Not only that, but pretty much every employee at "Hobo Nichi," as Itoi's company is called, maintains a blog about their experiences. Check them out by visiting 1101.com and then clicking on the heads of each staffer (scroll down to the bottom of the page). If you only want to see Itoi's Animal Crossing: New Leaf blog, go here.

(Via yomuka.wordpress.com)

I'm really liking the looks of Level-5's Pokémon-esque 3DS game, Youkai Watch, which of course means it ain't coming to North America

I wish I weren't as cynical as I am when it comes to the localization prospects of the Pokémon-esque RPG that is Youkai Watch, but it's hard not to be a bit of a grump when you consider how many great-looking 3DS titles have been Japan-only affairs thus far. (Yes, I'm looking at you Bravely Default, Fantasy Life, Labyrinth no Kanata and Taiko no Tatsujin: Chibi Dragon to Fushigina Orb, among others.)

Still, I'm crossing my fingers and toes in the hopes that my negative prediction is proven wrong, as it looks pretty darn awesome to these (horribly nearsighted) eyes.



I'm especially intrigued by Youkai Watch's weirdo "battle wheel," which can be spotted at the 42-second mark in the trailer above (and here).

Ol' Level-5 is really hitting it out of the park these days when it comes to the 3DS, isn't it? Not too long ago the company found a surprising amount of success with its Animal Crossing wannabe, Fantasy Life (which I've heard is pretty stellar, by the way), and now it's looking to capture a smidge of the Pokémon crowd with the still-without-a-release-date Youkai Watch.

Things I'd buy if I had a lot more disposable income than I currently have #476: One Piece Romance Dawn (LaLaBit Market Luxury Edition)

Why? For the adorable "Tony Tony Chopper Multi Pouch" that can be seen in the photo below.

Granted, the game itself, a PSP RPG based on the One Piece series, looks pretty nice, too, but not as nice as nice as the aforementioned pouch.



Considering the whole she-bang is going for just under $140 at Play-Asia, though, I wouldn't count on me picking it up anytime soon.

Note: All of the above is coming from someone who knows next to nothing about One Piece and even less about Tony Tony Chopper.

12 import games I bought in 2012 but didn't tell you about until now: Dragon Quest Monsters (GameBoy Color)

I know what at least a few of you are thinking right now: "Wait a second ... you bought a copy of Dragon Quest Monsters: Terry's Wonderland even though you don't understand Japanese?"

Yes, I did. There's more to the story, though, than me stupidly spending money on a game that's surely going to force me to consult a guide or an FAQ should I want to get through it.

You see, I came across this particular copy--and its wonderfully colorful cover art--of the original Dragon Quest Monsters while perusing eBay on a quiet Sunday morning this past May.

(OK, so I don't remember if it was a Sunday morning or if it even happened in May, but it did happen sometime early this year.)

Anyway, it caught my attention because it was selling for just one cent (plus a few bucks for shipping). "That's interesting," I thought. So, I placed a bid for, you guessed it, a single cent--with no expectation that I'd actually "win" the auction at that price (or at any price, to tell you the truth).

Of course I did win it, although I'm not exactly sure what to do with it now that I own it. Oh, well, the cover art isn't nice, don't you think? Also, its instruction manual may be a good candidate for a future installment of "Manual Stimulation."

One last thing before I hit "publish": Two additional (and more intriguing, if you ask me) photos of this acquisition can be found on my Flickr photostream, should any of you be interested in such things.

See also: Previous '12 import games I bought in 2012 but didn't tell you about until now' posts

12 import games I bought in 2012 but didn't tell you about until now: Inazuma Eleven (DS)

OK, so the title I'm focusing on in today's "12 import games I bought in 2012 but didn't tell you about until now" post isn't as thrilling as the one I wrote about yesterday--or at least I don't think it's as thrilling.

Still, it's an import, and a fairly odd one at that (thanks to it being a soccer-based RPG), so at least it's not a total loss.

Would you believe that I've yet to spend much quality time with this pick-up? Yeah, I thought you would--especially given the track record suggested by the majority of my "Acquisition #123" posts.



Actually, I'm kind of amazed it's even been unwrapped, as I honestly don't remember playing it at all since it arrived on my doorstep a number of months ago.

I guess I should have included Inazuma Eleven in one of those silly posts--like "Five games I have to get back to (and hopefully finish) in 2013" or "Five games I have to rip from their shrink-wrap and actually play in 2013"--I published last week, eh?

See also: Previous '12 import games I bought in 2012 but didn't tell you about until now' posts

The Gay Gamer Giveaway™: Elminage Original (PSP/Vita) Edition

I know what some of you are thinking. "What? Another giveaway? Already? Didn't you just have one?"

Why, yes, yes I did. Somehow, though, the gaming goddesses smiled down upon me (they all work at UFO Interactive, apparently) and sent me three PSN codes for Elminage Original, a Wizardry-esque dungeon-crawler that's playable on both the PSP and Vita.

I just started playing this Starfish-developed game myself (the aforementioned goddesses provided me with a PSN code, too), and although the localization is a bit rough (or a lot rough) in spots and the rest of the game is tough as nails, I'm enjoying it so far.

So, what do you need to do to nab one of the three PSN codes mentioned earlier in this post? Leave a comment ("yo!" is fine) below. That's it.

Note: Like the last Gay Gamer Giveaway™, you have to be able to access and download from the North American PSN store if you want to be able to redeem one of these codes, so consider that before tossing your name into the proverbial hat.

As for when I'll draw the winners' names out of said hat: I'll do so on Christmas morning, so get your votes in (again, by leaving a comment below) by 11:59 pm Pacific on Dec. 24.

One last thing before I go: I've decided to do things a bit differently this time around. Specifically, I won't be promoting this giveaway via Twitter like I usually do, as I'd prefer the winners to be people who actually read the blog once in a while.

That said, I'm not sure all that many PSP and/or Vita owners follow this blog. So, if you know someone who would enjoy a free copy of Elminage Original, by all means let me know about the giveaway.

See also: Previous Gay Gamer Giveaway™ posts

THE 'DENPA' MEN: My favorite 3DS game of 2012

Considering I have four current-ish systems (the 3DS, PSP, Xbox 360 and Wii), you could be forgiven for assuming I'd conjure up four "Favorite Games of 2012" posts and not just two.

The sad fact is, though, that I bought so few games for the PSP, Xbox 360 and Wii this past year that I feel it would be inappropriate for me to devote entire posts to those systems.

So, I'm devoting one to my favorite 3DS game of 2012 and one to my five favorite non-3DS games of the year.

As for the 3DS game I decided to honor in this particular post: What more can I say about it, really? I've written so many posts about it in the last few months that anything I say here is bound to be a rehash of something I mentioned at last once before.

Given that, may I direct you to my "somewhat gay" review of this innovative, Genius Sonority-made RPG?

Something that I don't believe I said outright in that review that I'd like to share now, though, is that I had more fun with this game than any other I've played this year--and that includes a lot of games (some of which were released for the 3DS, and some of which were not).

It's important to note that, I think, because it's still the most important aspect or attribute of any game I decide to play these days. Basically. Yes, sometimes I want to be intrigued or moved or scared, but most of the time I want to be entertained.

"Fun" and "entertaining" also are words I'd use to describe the game I consider to be my second-favorite 3DS release, by the way--with that game being Square Enix's superb Theatrhythm Final Fantasy.

Had THE "DENPA" MEN not made it to our shores this year, I surely would have shined the spotlight on this adroitly crafted rhythm title, which I found to be far more interesting and enjoyable (and difficult!) than I imagined it would be when it was first announced.

See also: Past 'favorite games of the year' posts

Chrono Trigger x Super Famicom x OSKUNK

I may not have experienced much of Squaresoft's, er, Square Enix's landmark RPG, Chrono Trigger, yet, but that doesn't mean I lack an appreciation for it.

That's due in large part to its appealing cast of characters, of course--one of which serves as the focal point of artist OSKUNK's latest custom creation (the Super Famicom you see in the photo below).



To be honest, I wish a few of Chrono Trigger's other central characters--namely Frog, Lucca and Robo--were included, too, but as the saying goes, beggars can't be choosers.

For the curious: a few more shots of this custom-painted console (as well as its similarly custom-painted controller) can be seen on OSKUNK's blog.

FYI: The box art created for Ganbare Goemon Gaiden (and its follow-up) is freaking amazing

Don't believe me? Check out the following scan, which I recently grabbed from the similarly awesome markinjapan tumblog.

The first game is called Ganbare Goemon Gaiden: Kieta Ougon Kiseru, with the subtitle translating to something like "The Disappearance of the Golden Pipe," according to hardcoregaming101.net, while the second game's title is Ganbare Goemon Gaiden 2: Tenka no Zaihou (translated subtitle: "Treasures of the World"). Both are RPGs and were released for the Famicom in 1990 and 1992, respectively.



Although I've shied away from buying and playing untranslated Japanese-language RPGs since I attempted to work my way through the epic PC Engine-based adventure known as Tengai Makyō II: Manjimaru a few years ago, I may have to buck up and give these a go at some point, as the write-ups at hardcoregaming101.net make both of them sound (and look) pretty interesting.

See also: Other posts about box art

A somewhat gay review of THE 'DENPA' MEN: They Came By Wave (3DS)

Game: THE '"DENPA" MEN: They Came By Wave

Genre: RPG/Dungeon-Crawler

Developer: Genius Sonority

Publisher: Genius Sonority

System: 3DS

Release date: 2012

THE "DENPA" MEN is often described as being "a lot like Dragon Quest." Although the comparison is apt, it's also a bit simplistic.

After all, although the two games sport similar battle engines, senses of humor and straightforward (some might say non-existant) stories, they're otherwise pretty unique.

THE "DENPA" MEN, for instance, lacks the kind of sprawling overworld often included in Dragon Quest games. Although I initially considered that to be a negative, over time I came to the realization that it sped things up considerably--which is a positive in this case because it allows you to zoom from the hub island to your next destination (always a dungeon)  and back again with a blink of an eye.

Also, although both THE "DENPA" MEN and Dragon Quest feature lightning-fast battle scenes, I've found those of the former to be a lot more fun than the latter thus far. (And this is coming from someone  who loves Dragon Quest's battle sequences.) In part, that's due to THE "DENPA" MEN's wacky character designs, I'm sure, but it's also due to what those wacky characters do during said scenes. Case in point: When a player prompts his "Denpa" men to "Fight" rather than use magic, said party members race toward selected baddies and attempt to headbutt them into oblivion--an action that's even more entertaining than it sounds.

Speaking of THE "DENPA" MEN's battles: Something that sets them apart from those found in many other RPGs (both old and new) is how malleable they are. For instance, you can hit your 3DS' X or Y buttons and let the game's AI choose your options for you (X orders the AI to not use any "skills" (magic, basically), while Y gives it the freedom to do as it wishes), you can assign specific tasks to each individual "Denpa" man or you can mix and match your commands.

Last, but surely not least, THE "DENPA" MEN differentiates itself from its dragon-centric counterpart by having players scan their real-life environment (using the 3DS' AR capabilities) to catch their multi-colored party members. It sounds kind of lame in theory, but in practice it's surprisingly enjoyable (and addictive). Not only that, but it basically gives you access to an unlimited array of playable characters, which isn't something that can be said of many RPGs.

One thing THE "DENPA" MEN doesn't offer that the Dragon Quest games do is a top-shelf soundtrack. That's not to suggest that the music in this Genius Sonority-made eShop title is terrible; rather, it's to suggest that, for the most part, it merely gets the job done. (It must be said, though, that the main battle theme is pretty darn good.)

With all of this chatter about how this 10-dollar digital release does and doesn't compare to one of the best RPGs ever made out of the way, you're probably wondering if I think it's worth picking up or not. The short answer to that question is: Yes. A slightly longer response, though, is: Yes, if you tend to enjoy the genre and if you don't mind a (sometimes rather stiff) challenge.

See also: Previous posts about THE 'DENPA' MEN and 'somewhat gay' reviews

A few QR codes for fans of 'Denpa' men with triangle-shaped noggins

How's this for a niche-y blog post?

After all, not only is its focus a rather niche-y game--Genius Sonority's eShop RPG, which I previously wrote about here, here, here and here--but it focuses on a niche-y aspect of said game (that being "Denpa" men with triangle-shaped heads).

Some of you may recall that in this recent-ish post about the game, I mentioned that I wasn't a fan of "Denpa" men with noggins shaped in such a fashion. Well, I've had a change of heart in that regard, and now I actually like the little buggers quite a bit.

As such, here are my current favorites. A few were collected via others' QR codes, I have to admit, but the majority were caught by myself.



This guy's name is Casen. His antenna allows him to call on the power of "Rising Flames." (Oh, and I originally added him to my collection using someone else's QR code.)



And this guy's name is Jeremiah. Isn't he cute? I love his spectacles. Anyway, his antenna eventually evolves to "Ice Missile."



I believe this fellow's name is Aditya, but it may be Aditva instead. Anyway, his antenna allows him to cast "Revive" on fallen "Denpa" men.



I don't often use "Great Wall," but I keep ol' Terrell here around because he's just too cute.

Five things I dislike about THE 'DENPA' MEN

I've mentioned Genius Sonority's 3DS eShop RPG, THE "DENPA" MEN, quite a few times over the last few weeks and months, and pretty much every one of those mentions was the definition of positive.

In this post, however, I'm going to be a bit negative. Don't worry, "DENPA" MEN fans, I'm not going to rake the game over the proverbial coals. All I'm going to do is point out the few aspects of it that irk me ever so slightly, beginning with:

1. What do you mean I can't change the hero?--I get that the first "Denpa" man you capture becomes the "hero" of your particular playthrough. What I don't get is why you're never allowed to give the guy a rest. Surely he still could serve as the game's central character even if he's sent to the sidelines once in a while? Don't get me wrong: I like my so-called hero (his name's Rudolph) a lot. I just wish I could replace him with a different "Revive"-sporting "Denpa" man on occasion.

2. Every "Denpa" man for himself--I mean that literally in this case. After all, according to the people who made THE "DENPA" MEN, there's only one female character in this game--despite the fact that a number of them look like ladies. As someone who considers himself a bit of a feminist and who prefers to play as female characters in games, that disappoints me. Thankfully, it appears as though this problem has been rectified in the title's just-released-in-Japan sequel.

3. "Defend"? Who needs "Defend"?--I have a feeling one of the folks responsible for the development of THE "DENPA" MEN said something remarkably similar to the comment that kicks off this bullet point while working on the game. How else can you explain its total lack of a "Defend" option during battles? (Those of you who have yet to play this portable RPG: Please note that this is by far the least important of the complaints I'm sharing in this post.)

Let's Play: 'Which Box Art is Better?' (Paper Mario: Sticker Star edition)

Although there are a number of 3DS games I'm looking forward to getting my grubby hands on next year--the next Animal Crossing, Etrian Odyssey IV and Fire Emblem: Awakening, among them--I'm eagerly awaiting quite a few 2012 releases, too.

Sitting atop the latter list: The latest (and hopefully greatest) chapter in Nintendo's Paper Mario saga.

As many of you likely already know, this 3DS title will be known as Paper Mario: Sticker Star when it's released throughout North America on Nov. 11. Here is the art that will grace the covers of said release:

The game will sport a slightly different name--Paper Mario: Super Seal--when it hits the streets in Japan on Dec. 6, and naturally it'll sport a different piece of box art, too.

Although I'd love to show you the cover art that'll be used on the Euro version of this Intelligent Systems-developed game, which also will be called Paper Mario: Sticker Star and will arrive on store shelves on Dec. 7, Nintendo of Europe has yet to reveal it.

Given that, I guess we'll just have to judge the pair of illustrations showcased above.

Personally, I much prefer the North American cover art to its Japanese counterpart this time around. Granted, the latter option does a much better job of depicting the game's sticker-collecting aspect, but that isn't enough to trump the former's bold use of color.

Now that I've had my say, what do all of you think of the box art that's been prepared for this portable RPG?

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

FYI: the PSP's still got a pulse

You could have knocked me over with a feather after I read on Friday that the folks at UFO Interactive are preparing to bring Elminage Original, a dungeon-crawling PSP title made by a company I've never before heard of (Starfish), stateside sometime in 2013.

Here is a gameplay video of the Japanese version of Elminage Original, which apparently will be a PSN-only release in North America:



Whether or not I end up buying a copy of this interesting (and, admittedly, kind of fugly) looking game--which is said to be "Wizardry hard" and allows players to customize character icons by loading images from a memory card--next year will depend entirely on how much it costs, so here's hoping the powers that be at UFO Interactive attach a reasonable price tag to it.

(Via siliconera.com)

A few more QR codes for THE 'DENPA' MEN fans

Silly aside (can you start a blog post with an aside?): My original headline for this series of posts was, "Show me yours and I'll show you mine."

So, why didn't I use it? I wanted as many people as possible to find these posts and not only add my favorite "Denpa" men and women to their parties but also share with me (and you) QR codes of their own fave characters, so I went with the more straightforward header you see above (and here).

Anyway, I've captured a few more cool-looking "Denpa" men since my last post on the subject, so I thought I'd share their QR codes here. Please share some of your own in the comments section below--especially if they're either swirly or cute.

This is Layton. He has sparkly eyes and a rainbow-colored antenna that (eventually) allows him to use "Laser Beam." That skill is pretty useful in one particular dungeon, which is why I'm sharing Layton's QR code here.

I'd like Tyler, above, even if his skill wasn't "Revive (All)." Being able to use "Revive (All)" sure helps, though! Anyway, I have to admit that I didn't find Tyler myself. I'm sharing him here, though, because he's one of the cuter "Revive (All)" characters I've discovered (on the Internet) thus far.

I can't imagine I'm ever going to use Ryder's "Great Weaken" ability, but I'm keeping him around because of his rosy cheeks and puckered mouth.

Oh, hey, yet another PS3 game I'd probably buy if I, you know, had a PS3

One thing that I forgot to mention in yesterday's post about the recording of the third episode of The Nichiest Podcast Ever: We also discussed my admittedly surprising lack of a PS3.

Full disclosure: It's always been my intention to own all three of the "current gen" consoles at some point in time. Thanks to my current obsession with the 3DS, and to Nintendo's idiotic decision to region-lock that particular portable, though, I've yet to a PS3 to my collection.



Although I recently commented (in this post) that I was considering forgoing the PS3 and its games altogether, I have a feeling the more likely scenario is that I'll wait until the PS4 (or whatever Sony winds up calling it) is released and then I'll pick up a PS3 "on the cheap," so to speak.

The question is: Which games will I purchase alongside it? A few of the obvious ones I've mentioned here before include Journey, Ni No Kuni, Tokyo Jungle and Valkyria Chronicles. Well, an additional possibility was added to that ever-expanding list yesterday, with that "possibility" being NIS' Kami-sama to Unmei Kakumei Paradox.



All you really need to know about this "spiritual successor to Zettai Hero Project" is that it's being made by the company's Disgaea team. Should you need to know more about it, though, hopefully the following comments, shared by NIS America's Jack Niida during a recent interview with RPGamer, will suffice:

"In this title, a young man wins a department store lottery game, only to discover that what he's won is a divine power to change people's destiny. In order to save people, he has to take on various roles and somehow find a way to change whatever fate may await them.

"The actual gameplay in Kami-Para is the sort of thing that NIS is best known for: Hardcore tactical combat. Any quirks or environmental factors in combat have yet to be revealed."