Is it weird to be excited about the sequel to a game you've never played?
If it is, I'm not embarrassed. The sequel in question--Roze to Tasogare no Kojou, which translates to something like Rose and the Old Castle of Twilight--looks amazing, and that's enough for me at the moment.
Plus, it's quite possible this soon-to-be-released Vita game will be less aggravating than its predecessor, htoL#NiQ: The Firefly Diary, seems to be.
Speaking of which, I finally bought a copy of the Asian version of htoL#NiQ a couple of weeks ago, and it should be in my grubby little hands by the end of this weekend.
While we wait for that to happen, and while we wait for me to play it and then pass along my (hopefully not completely exasperated) impressions, let's check out the first footage of Rose and the Old Castle of Twilight. It certainly reminds of htol#NiQ, doesn't it?
The question is: will the gameplay be more enjoyable than that of The Firefly Diary? I have a feeling it will be, but there's no way to know for sure until April 28, which is when Rose and the Old Castle of Twilight hits store shelves in Japan.
Do any of you have designs on picking up this Vita title? Let me know why that is in the comments section that follows.
Pre-order: the regular (Japanese) edition of Roze to Tasogare no Kojou or the premium box edition
Friday, January 22, 2016
Thursday, January 21, 2016
Hear ye, hear ye! The release of Witch & Hero II appears imminent
I have the distinct feeling I'm one of the few people in the world--the Western world, at least--who actually enjoyed Witch & Hero.
Don't believe me? Check out its review scores, which average 44 out of 100 on Metacritic.
I, on the other hand, declared Witch & Hero one of my favorite games the year it was released for the 3DS eShop. (That would be 2013, by the way.)
Because of that, I've been eagerly awaiting its follow-up, which was first announced two whole years ago.
Unfortunately, the game's developer and publisher has made nary a peep about the sequel since then. Until this past Tuesday, that is.
What happened on Tuesday? The above-mentioned company, Flyhigh Works, added a Witch & Hero II page to its site.
Sure, the page in question consists of nothing more than the game's logo at the moment, but in this kind of situation you have to take whatever you get.
Are any of you itching to spend some more time with this adorably frantic tower-defense title? If so, share why that is in the comments section below.
(Via japanesenintendo.com)
Don't believe me? Check out its review scores, which average 44 out of 100 on Metacritic.
I, on the other hand, declared Witch & Hero one of my favorite games the year it was released for the 3DS eShop. (That would be 2013, by the way.)
Because of that, I've been eagerly awaiting its follow-up, which was first announced two whole years ago.
What happened on Tuesday? The above-mentioned company, Flyhigh Works, added a Witch & Hero II page to its site.
Sure, the page in question consists of nothing more than the game's logo at the moment, but in this kind of situation you have to take whatever you get.
Are any of you itching to spend some more time with this adorably frantic tower-defense title? If so, share why that is in the comments section below.
(Via japanesenintendo.com)
Tuesday, January 19, 2016
6 retro games I'm looking forward to buying and playing in 2016
You all knew this was coming, right? Or at least you had a strong feeling it was coming after you saw (and maybe even read) the posts I published over the last few weeks about some of the 3DS, DS, PSP, Vita, Wii and even Xbox 360 games I'm looking forward to playing in 2016.
At any rate, here's a little write-up about six of the older games I want to buy and play between now and the end of this year.
Bahamut Lagoon (Super Famicom)--I'm not sure how it came to be that I've played at least a smidgen of all of Squaresoft's Super Famicom titles except this one. Oh, and Hanjuku Hero. Anyway, I've been curious about this strategy RPG since it was first released back in 1996, so I figure now's as good a time as any to finally give it a go--especially since I'm currently on a bit of a SuFami kick at the moment.
Dig Dug II (Famicom)--OK, so I've actually spent a few minutes with this odd sequel to Namco's arcade classic before now. The emphasis should be on "few," by the way. Why haven't I spent more time with it? To be honest, its gameplay, which veers quite a distance from that of the original Dig Dug's, didn't sit well with me. Still, I want to own an actual copy of Dig Dug II (I've only experienced it via emulation up to this point), and I'm desperately hoping the expenditure will prompt me to push past my indifference and find a way to appreciate, if not embrace, this 1986 release.
Rhyme Rider Kerorican (WonderSwan)--Here's another old game I've had designs on owning for years. That's easy to understand when you read its credits--namely, that it was developed by the folks at NanaOn-Sha, better known as the makers of PaRappa the Rapper, UmJammer Lammy and Vib-Ribbon. Rhyme Rider Kerorican isn't supposed to be anywhere near as good as those classic PlayStation games, but I want to own--and play--it anyway thanks to its cheery visuals and its "generative melody" (which means its soundtrack changes based on your in-game actions).
Salamander (PC Engine)--I'm a big fan of Konami's output during the 8-bit and 16-bit eras. As such, I've played a lot of their games from those years--especially the ones that are part of the shmup (or shoot 'em up) genre. The odd man (if you can imbue a video game with gender) out here is this Gradius follow-up. Why have I given it the cold shoulder for so long? This is shock a good number of Salamander fans, I'm sure, but the simple truth is that I've never really cared for this game's aesthetics. Also, I've never been all that keen on top-down shmups. (The unquestionably fantastic Pop'n TwinBee for the Super Famicom is a rare exception.) Despite those misgivings, one of my many gaming-related goals for 2016 is to give Salamander a second chance--and hopefully walk away from the encounter with a newfound appreciation for this seemingly unique title.
Shining Force Gaiden (Game Gear)--The first pair of Shining Force titles, which were released for the Genesis (or Mega Drive) back in the early 1990s, are two of my all-time favorite games. Sadly, that love has yet to translate into me picking up copies of this vaunted series' Game Gear spin-offs. Which is a shame, as all three of them look like quality efforts. On top of that, none of these releases seem to be horribly expensive these days, which is a definite plus in this era of skyrocketing retro-game prices.
Are you hoping to buy and play any particular retro games within the confines of this year? If so, let me and others know which ones in the comments section that follows.
Are you hoping to buy and play any particular retro games within the confines of this year? If so, let me and others know which ones in the comments section that follows.
See also: my earlier posts about the 3DS, DS, PSP, Vita, Wii and even Xbox 360 games I'm looking forward to playing in 2016
Saturday, January 16, 2016
Yet Another Year of the GameBoy: Tumblepop
To know me--or at least the part of me that enjoys playing video games--is to know that I love single-screen platformers.
If this is the first time you've come across that phrase, it's basically used to describe and categorize games like Bubble Bobble and Don Doko Don and Snow Bros.
Also, despite this genre's name, not all of the games included under its umbrella stick to a single screen. Taito's Parasol Stars is a good example.
The game I'm covering here, Data East's Tumblepop, is another example. Or at least its GameBoy port is, as some of its many, many stages scroll to cover more than that handheld's standard screen acreage.
That's not really the point of this post, though. (Don't worry, I'll talk about this portable version's gameplay, graphics and soundtrack in an upcoming write-up.) The point is to applaud the wonderful packaging Data East produced for the Japanese GameBoy port of Tumblepop.
I mean, seriously, look at the lovely piece of art that's plastered across the cover of Tumblepop's box.
OK, so I guess it's kind of weird that the game's title is a bit off-center, but I can deal with that when everything else is so on point.
I especially love how the pumpkin enemy's claws (or at least I think those claws belong to old pumpkin head) are gouging the ground before it--you know, because it's being sucked into a super-powered vacuum.
In case you weren't aware, the protagonists in Tumblepop wield vacuum cleaners and use them to suck up baddies and spit them back out at other baddies. As for why they do this, well, I'm not entirely sure, although I have a feeling the game or its manual explains it in some loosely acceptable manner.
The back of Tumblepop's box (see above and below) gives viewers a better look at this, er, weapon of mass de-suck-tion, in case you're curious.
As for Tumblepop's in-game aesthetics, I'd describe them as acceptable. Obviously they're hurt by the fact that they're black and white (or black and green) rather than the full spectrum of the rainbow, but besides that they're also a bit ... basic? Bland?
That's not meant to cast aspersions on this portable port, by the way. Even with the somewhat uninspired visuals, Tumblepop for GameBoy is a fun little single-screen platformer.
Like I said earlier, I'll publish a write-up that more thoroughly critiques this title's gameplay shortly. In the meantime, you should consider heading over to my Flickr photostream, especially if you'd like to see a couple more photos of its lovely packaging.
See also: previous '(Another) Year of the GameBoy' posts
If this is the first time you've come across that phrase, it's basically used to describe and categorize games like Bubble Bobble and Don Doko Don and Snow Bros.
Also, despite this genre's name, not all of the games included under its umbrella stick to a single screen. Taito's Parasol Stars is a good example.
The game I'm covering here, Data East's Tumblepop, is another example. Or at least its GameBoy port is, as some of its many, many stages scroll to cover more than that handheld's standard screen acreage.
That's not really the point of this post, though. (Don't worry, I'll talk about this portable version's gameplay, graphics and soundtrack in an upcoming write-up.) The point is to applaud the wonderful packaging Data East produced for the Japanese GameBoy port of Tumblepop.
I mean, seriously, look at the lovely piece of art that's plastered across the cover of Tumblepop's box.
OK, so I guess it's kind of weird that the game's title is a bit off-center, but I can deal with that when everything else is so on point.
I especially love how the pumpkin enemy's claws (or at least I think those claws belong to old pumpkin head) are gouging the ground before it--you know, because it's being sucked into a super-powered vacuum.
In case you weren't aware, the protagonists in Tumblepop wield vacuum cleaners and use them to suck up baddies and spit them back out at other baddies. As for why they do this, well, I'm not entirely sure, although I have a feeling the game or its manual explains it in some loosely acceptable manner.
The back of Tumblepop's box (see above and below) gives viewers a better look at this, er, weapon of mass de-suck-tion, in case you're curious.
Somewhat unfortunately, both Tumblepop's car label and manual cover feature the same piece of art that's found on the front of its box. Oh, well, at least it's a nice piece of art.
Also, at least the manual cover strips some of the color out of the art--which is pretty par for the course when it comes to Japanese GameBoy manuals. (Here is one more example, and here's yet another.)
The interior of Tumblepop's instruction manual is anything but "par for the course," if you ask me. I especially like that the art style utilized for its illustrations is a bit different from the one utilized for its cover art.
That's not meant to cast aspersions on this portable port, by the way. Even with the somewhat uninspired visuals, Tumblepop for GameBoy is a fun little single-screen platformer.
Like I said earlier, I'll publish a write-up that more thoroughly critiques this title's gameplay shortly. In the meantime, you should consider heading over to my Flickr photostream, especially if you'd like to see a couple more photos of its lovely packaging.
See also: previous '(Another) Year of the GameBoy' posts
Thursday, January 14, 2016
6 DS, PSP, Wii and Xbox 360 games I'm looking forward to playing at some point in 2016
Unlike the last two of these "six games I'm looking forward to playing at some point in 2016," all of the titles included here have been out for quite some time.
Also, I already own all of them. Well, all but one. Can you guess which game I've yet to buy?
If you guessed Alien: Isolation, pat yourself on the back. Or do something else that makes you feel good.
While you do that, I'll share a few thoughts on why I want to play these DS, PSP, Wii and Xbox 360 titles a little bit more than I want to play other DS, PSP, Wii and Xbox 360 titles between now and the end of the year.
Alien: Isolation (Xbox 360)--Considering I'm a huge fan of the first two Alien films, it's almost criminal that I've yet to pick up a copy of Isolation. Of course, it's been ages since I turned on my poor 360, so I guess my lack of action here can't be considered too shocking. Still, I've heard very good things about this Alien game, which is a shock itself, as nearly every other Alien-inpired game in existence is a complete turd. (Note I said "nearly"--I know a select few of them are worth playing.) I know that doesn't ensure I'll actually enjoy Alien: Isolation, but I'm willing to give it a try anyway.
Captain Rainbow (Wii)--In my defense, I bought this bizarre, skip-made game just a few months ago. In other words, I've barely ignored it compared to the other titles mentioned here. I don't epect it to be neglected for much longer, though, as it looks delightfully weird. (Yes, even for a skip game.) The question is: will the language barrier limit my ability to bask in Rainbow's brilliant glow? I guess we'll find out sometime in the next 12 months.
Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA (PSP)--Although I've kept a curious eye on Sega's Hatsune Miku series of games (even the chibi-fied Project Mirai titles released for the 3DS) for some time, I've yet to actually play one of them. I hope to change all of that this year by picking up one of the PSP games. Why DIVA and not Mirai? As much as I love all things cute, I prefer the aesthetics of the former series to the latter. The thing is, I have no idea which Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA release to get. Any suggestions?
Okaeri! Chibi-Robo! Happy Richie Osoji (DS)--Here's another game that's been on my short list of "games to buy as soon as possible" for a good while now. I haven't gone through with it yet for a few reasons, with one of them being that copies of this Japan-only release can be a bit pricey. Another reason: I have very little experience with Chibi-Robo, and I feel kind of weird jumping into it with the third game. It probably would make for an interesting entry in my #ADecadeofDS series, though, don't you think?
Opoona (Wii)--Full disclosure: I actually played about an hour--or maybe it was just 30 minutes or so--of this unique RPG a couple of years ago before moving on to something else for some reason or other. (It wasn't because I disliked what I'd experienced to that point, I can tell you that much.) Anyway, it popped back into my conscienceness when I bought Captain Rainbow and two other Jpanaese Wii titles last autumn (one was Tabemon, released elsewhere as The Munchables), and now I'm chomping at the bit to give it a second chance.
Z.H.P. Unlosing Ranger vs. Darkdeath Evilman (PSP)--I like pretty much everything about this 2010 Nippon Ichi release--with its overall art style and its gameplay (which is focused on exploring randomly generated dungeons) being the highlights. So why have I dragged my feet on playing it? The only answer I can come up with at the moment is that I don't pull out my pair of PSP systems as much as I did a few years ago, and so a number of enticing games have kind of fallen by the wayside. One of my goals of 2016 is to rectify that situation, though, so hopefully I'll have something to say about Z.H.P. and at least a couple of other choice PSP titles before the year comes to a close.
I don't suppose any of you are looking forward to playing any particular "last gen" games (and, yes, that includes the PS3) at some point in 2016? If so, let me know which ones in the comments section that follows.
Also, I already own all of them. Well, all but one. Can you guess which game I've yet to buy?
If you guessed Alien: Isolation, pat yourself on the back. Or do something else that makes you feel good.
While you do that, I'll share a few thoughts on why I want to play these DS, PSP, Wii and Xbox 360 titles a little bit more than I want to play other DS, PSP, Wii and Xbox 360 titles between now and the end of the year.
Alien: Isolation (Xbox 360)--Considering I'm a huge fan of the first two Alien films, it's almost criminal that I've yet to pick up a copy of Isolation. Of course, it's been ages since I turned on my poor 360, so I guess my lack of action here can't be considered too shocking. Still, I've heard very good things about this Alien game, which is a shock itself, as nearly every other Alien-inpired game in existence is a complete turd. (Note I said "nearly"--I know a select few of them are worth playing.) I know that doesn't ensure I'll actually enjoy Alien: Isolation, but I'm willing to give it a try anyway.
Captain Rainbow (Wii)--In my defense, I bought this bizarre, skip-made game just a few months ago. In other words, I've barely ignored it compared to the other titles mentioned here. I don't epect it to be neglected for much longer, though, as it looks delightfully weird. (Yes, even for a skip game.) The question is: will the language barrier limit my ability to bask in Rainbow's brilliant glow? I guess we'll find out sometime in the next 12 months.
Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA (PSP)--Although I've kept a curious eye on Sega's Hatsune Miku series of games (even the chibi-fied Project Mirai titles released for the 3DS) for some time, I've yet to actually play one of them. I hope to change all of that this year by picking up one of the PSP games. Why DIVA and not Mirai? As much as I love all things cute, I prefer the aesthetics of the former series to the latter. The thing is, I have no idea which Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA release to get. Any suggestions?
Okaeri! Chibi-Robo! Happy Richie Osoji (DS)--Here's another game that's been on my short list of "games to buy as soon as possible" for a good while now. I haven't gone through with it yet for a few reasons, with one of them being that copies of this Japan-only release can be a bit pricey. Another reason: I have very little experience with Chibi-Robo, and I feel kind of weird jumping into it with the third game. It probably would make for an interesting entry in my #ADecadeofDS series, though, don't you think?
Opoona (Wii)--Full disclosure: I actually played about an hour--or maybe it was just 30 minutes or so--of this unique RPG a couple of years ago before moving on to something else for some reason or other. (It wasn't because I disliked what I'd experienced to that point, I can tell you that much.) Anyway, it popped back into my conscienceness when I bought Captain Rainbow and two other Jpanaese Wii titles last autumn (one was Tabemon, released elsewhere as The Munchables), and now I'm chomping at the bit to give it a second chance.
Z.H.P. Unlosing Ranger vs. Darkdeath Evilman (PSP)--I like pretty much everything about this 2010 Nippon Ichi release--with its overall art style and its gameplay (which is focused on exploring randomly generated dungeons) being the highlights. So why have I dragged my feet on playing it? The only answer I can come up with at the moment is that I don't pull out my pair of PSP systems as much as I did a few years ago, and so a number of enticing games have kind of fallen by the wayside. One of my goals of 2016 is to rectify that situation, though, so hopefully I'll have something to say about Z.H.P. and at least a couple of other choice PSP titles before the year comes to a close.
I don't suppose any of you are looking forward to playing any particular "last gen" games (and, yes, that includes the PS3) at some point in 2016? If so, let me know which ones in the comments section that follows.
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