The third instalment of the fan-favorite Gundam Breaker series is on it's way! Taking a unique and meta approach towards the Gundam universe, Gundam Breaker 3 continues the formula of bringing about action-packed mecha on mecha battles that revolve around one of the core aspects of the series: Gunpla aka Gundam Model Kits!
I'm sure everyone knows SEGA is no stranger when it comes to games featuring anime our favorite anime characters, and it seems Dangeki Bunko Fighting Climax will be no different! Check out the new trailer below.
SEGA is out to make a anime fighter that will rival "J-Stars Victory Vs" using all our favorite characters from non jump anime. Includes characters from sword art online, Durarara!!, Strike the blood,the devil is a part timer, and even Oreimo. All characters under the ASCII Media Works umbrella. The two new characters announced are Yukina Himeragi from "Strike the Blood" and Rentarō Satomi from "Black Bullet". Dangeki Bunko Fighting Climax is slated for a japan only release for Playstation 3 and Playstation Vita On Novermber 13, 2014. So go to your local import store to pick that up!
I'm back with another edition of Import Game Watch. This time the game to look out for is coming to the Nintendo 3DS. The RPG game "Tales of the World": Reve Unitia reunites the Tales universe into one big story. I played Tales of the World for the PSP and it wasn't that great, but this one seems to have a more crispier story. It's great to see characters from Tales of Graces and Abyss included in this one. Check out the trailer below.
Hey gamers I have another import game that you should keep your eye out for PS3. This game is in the 2D fighter genre and it's entitled "Under Night In-Birth Exe: Late."
The game will be a port from the hit arcade game but will have new features. The game features original characters and L'Arc~En~Ciel fans should be happy to hear that Hyde voices one of the characters. Check out the trailer below this is a game I will import. You can expect a review from me when the game is released on July 24th 2014.
J-Stars vs Victory is a fighting video game that combines the universes of several Weekly Shōnen Jump manga series, including former series and some that have been transferred to other magazines. It was released by Namco Bandai Games on March 19, 2014 for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita.
Gundam Breaker lets players customize their own Gundam models and then pilot them in battles against other models of all different sizes in real world locations. The title could easily be described as a Dynasty Warriors-style hack and slash with tons of customizable options. As you battle other models, you can gain their parts and become stronger yourself - which means you can fight your favorite enemies from the Gundam anime and take their power!
In the month of March 2014 not only will otakus be treated with a new Dragonball game, but we will also get a new Jump Stars game. The new game entitled J-Stars Victory Vs will bring your favorite anime fighters in an all out brawl. If your familiar with Jump Superstars for the Nintendo DS then you should have idea of who will be in this game. Check out some gameplay footage below. We will have details and a full review in upcoming months.
Mobile Suit Gundam is one of the most beloved franchises in anime history. However the series hasn't always adapted well in the gaming world. Mobile Suit Gundam Extreme VS is the latest edition in the Gundam VS series. Is this new edition worth the import? Or does this fall in line with horrible Gundam games. Story - Due to the genre of this game it does not contain a story mode. Gameplay - Mobile Suit Gundam Extreme VS consists of four modes Arcade, Co-op, Trial Mission and Online. In arcade mode you pick which mobile suit you want to pilot and what pathway you want to choose. For example I will pick Heero Yuy piloting Wing Zero I would then be assigned a partner by the cpu. From there I have a choice of which section I want to choose 1A, 2A, 3A, all the way to 8. Each section has it's own difficulty, stages and challengers. Each mobile suit has they own unique moves, specials and support. The combat system can range from easy to hard depending on which mobile suit you choose. The game made sure to keep true to the strengths and weakness of each mobile suit, which can be frustrating for some gamers. Don't expect the original Gundam suit that Amuro piloted to best the mobile suit of Zex Marquees with just pressing your buttons. Some mobile suits can fly or have faster speed and some have more powerful beam weaponry or a stronger sword. It's really fun to find out which mobile suit will work for you especially when the game packs a huge rosters of characters from almost every single Gundam series or movie from "Gundam Seed" to "Mobile Suit Gundam Stardust Memory" and more. You will spend a lot of time using different suits, perfecting moves and finding the one that works best for you. The combat is simple to use, you have your primary gun, and your melee attacks and depending on your mobile suit you can also called for support. In single players mode you have an A.I. partner which you can give commands too, to either fight freely or help your fight your opponent. The A.I. partner is usually helpful, but sometimes they will allow you to get double team which can be frustrating on the harder difficulty.
Arcade mode when completed has some unlockables like secret characters that you will be able to use, other than that it really doesn't offer too much. Trail mission offers a little more for your buck. You complete missions and will be able to upgrade your mobile suits from weapons, power, melee and more. Graphics - The graphics follow the same formula and elements as previous installments, notably the PSP version with the use of cel shaded environments and more of a cartoon style approach. It works for this arcade melee style game. Each mobile suit looks exactly the way it should and you might notice some locations from previous games and Gundam shows.
Sound - If one thing all Gundam games do right is the sound. The game packs tons of music from your favorite Gundam series from opening themes to insert songs. The voice acting is top of the line with some returning cast members reprising they voices. Only thing I didn't like is that "Promised Land" by Nami Tamaki wasn't included it's one of my favorite Gundam songs. Replay Vaule - With mobile suits to unlock, a trial mission that will upgrade your Gundams and multi-player mode you will be playing this game for a while. It offers enough challenge for you want to keep playing, and the online mode is fun too, however it's difficult to get on if you don't understand Japanese. Final Grade C+/7.5 - Mobile Suit Gundam Extreme VS is a decent game, it offers up a challenge and gives fans what they desire giant robots beating each other up. Import wise though I would say only buy it if it's cheap, it offers only four main modes and if you want to play online you better know Japanese. The game is fun to play, the music is pure fan service and you will love using some of your favorite mobile suits, however I can only recommend this one to the die hard Gundam fans.
Saint Seiya is what I consider a very underrated anime franchise. I had the pleasure of buying the import game for the PS3,"Saint Seiya: Sanctuary Battle" which follows the story of the original first season, and manga when the Seiya and his friends take on the 12 golden saints in order to save Saori Kido from death. Is this import worth picking up? Or should you save your money? Story - The story is told in the story mode aspect in the game. You play as Seiya and his friends as they attempt to save Saori Kido from dying. In order to do this you'll have to stop the 12 golden saints in each sanctuary. The game does a great job of retelling key moments in the Saint Seiya storyline. Each character is given enough game time presence so you can understand the story arc, their backstory and motives. The story is told through cut-scenes, and narratives using actual game time and it works and it will keep you invested. Gameplay - Saint Seiya is an action beat em up with RPG elements. The story mode consists around 12 stages that is divided into two parts, the beat em up level and then the boss fight. The first section of the stage you play as Seiya or one of his friends depending on the story on the path to the sanctuary to fight one of the golden saints. You move your character from section to section clearing the area of enemies until you reach the sanctuary to fight the boss. The standard enemies A.I. is fairly easy. There is no strategy to they attacks and it can be easily overcome by button mashing or releasing your special attacks. This makes the game feel really repetitive because the enemies don't really put up a fight. You just button mash, special attack and move on to the next area and do it all over again. The only time the first section feels challenging is when you're overwhelm by enemies, however that can be solve with the use of your special attacks.
Special attacks can be performed when you have energy to performed them. Players are given two bars a health bar which monitors your health and your energy bar which determines if you can perform special attacks. Following standard beat em up m.o. the health and energy bar can be regain by enemies dropping items or knocking pots that are place across the stage. After each level you are given the option to upgrade your characters attacks and buy new combos. The higher an attack becomes the more damage it will do on your opponents and less trouble you will have with the boss battles.The boss battles are what really make this game fun to play. Each golden saint is challenging to fight. No matter how strong your attack is, or what level of difficulty you are playing the golden saints will bring a challenge. Each saint is arm with normal attacks, special attacks and an ultimate attack. Some saints even take you to another realm where you must escape while they perform attacks or clear an area. The golden saints do a great job of testing your skills and making you think of when to use your special attacks. Besides the main story mode the game offers mission mode. In mission mode you have three options, Single Challenge, Tag Challenge and Survival. Single Challenge is basically time attack mode, you have to clear the stage as quick as possible in order to get a high ranking. Tag Challenge is when you select two character with or without and friend and fight through the various stages. Finally Survival mode is fighting a gauntlet of enemies until you die. I found Survival mode the most addictive mode out of the three, because the increase of enemies becomes challenging and they even throw in some minor bosses for good measure. Graphics - The graphics does well capturing the anime spirit of Saint Seiya. It uses a little cel shaded elements and it works for this type of game. The graphics really show the spirit of the anime during the special attacks, the use of the aura and other realm will make a Seiya fan smile. There was no lagging issues or really any tech specs to complain about.
Sound - The game is Japanese dub with English subtitles and the performance are like watching the Japanese dub of the anime. The music isn't that memorable but it does well enough to hold your interest. It has a couple of stand out tracks and the opening theme will get you pump to play the game. Replay Value - The game offers some replay value with mission mode and the story mode and boss battles are good enough for a second round. The game also has some unlockables like collecting all the saint figurines, so collectors who want to buy might want to see which saint will be good for them. I had no problems picking up the controller to play the game again. It's like playing a beloved arcade game. Final Grade B-/8.0 - "Saint Seiya: Sanctuary Battle" isn't a perfect game, but it's far from a bad one. The game does feel repetitive at times, but poses a challenge with the boss fights. It remains faithful to the anime/manga that it's adapting and fans of the franchise should give this a shot. It's worth the import.
It's time to go back to Japan for more upcoming games that they will be playing. This one is from the Nintendo 3DS and I'm really excited about this one. The game is called "E.X. Troopers." Here is a brief description from Play-Asia.com Become an Ex Trooper, pilot Vital Suits to take down hostile forces. Bren Turner is a rookie in the academy. When the Vital Suit he was piloting with his tutor is attacked by a mysterious force, he has no choice but to go to war. Yet, that attack is just the beginning.
Bren can wield a main weapon and a sub weapon. Each can shoot a number of bullets. During reloading times, you are next to vulnerable, so make good use of your weapons and position yourself in the battles properly to make sure that your enemies can't take advantage of you. Characters also has a Jet Pack. Use it to accelerate, break out of a circle of enemies or zoom near to a boss to shoot him at point blank. T-ENG is a very important energy source in the game. Store them up and trigger it when the forces of your enemies become overwhelming. Here is the trailer from Tokyo Game Show and some stills from Play-Asia.com. The game will be released November 22nd 2012. I'm so envious of anybody with a Japanese 3DS. Trailer
We got a lot of request to return to covering import games. This week I wanted to look at Project X Zero. The upcoming strategy tactical RPG will see the forces of Capcom, Sega and Bandai in one game. This is coming out for exclusively for the 3DS. I will have review once I buy my Japanese 3DS. However this is on my must play list. Here is the description from Play-Asia: Capcom, Sega and Bandai Namco Games join hand in making this massive cross over wars. Monsters and all sorts of baddies are invading the human world, so heroes from famous game series need to come together to chase them out. Come meet Sakura, Flynn Scifo, and the street fighters. The gamer takes control of a ninja detective - Tensai Kogoro and the female warrior Oryuji Mii. The two travel through time lines and universes to find a mysterious stone that might be the key to saving the world.
Characters move in units, the gamer can pair three characters together. See how they compliment each other. And when gamers place their forces strategically on the map, they'll string up a combo attack.
Hey Otakus and Gamers, I was just doing a little surfing and came across this game for the Nintendo 3DS. It's called "Hatsune Miku Project Mirai." This is a Vocaloid rhythm and dance game, and I want it! It will be brought to buy Sega, and I really hope that this comes over the USA. Check out the trailer below.
If you're not big or don't play heavily on import games. There has been a import series that has been very popular with Otaku gamers since the PS2 days. This game is called Another Century's Episode also known as ACE. ACE will allow players to play with their favorite Mechs from Gundam, Macross to even Eureka Seven in a single universe. Another Century's Episode R is the first for the PS3. Is it worth the import? Or should you not suit up?
Story - Summoned from their respective worlds to the planet of Aria. Our heroes meet up Autumn Four a girl who has lost her memory. Autumn and her ship the Ark Alpha is being attacked by Artificial Weapons by a group called the "Seasons." It's up to the heroes to help Autumn regain her memory and end the threat of the Seasons.
The story is pretty interesting if you can understand Japanese. The story manages to weave the main plot of Autumn and integrate it with plots from your favorite Mech Anime that are featured in the game. It does a great job of making you feel part of the series and also bring new life into it.
Gameplay - The gameplay varies depending on what Mech you're piloting. For instant some Mech's like Macross can change modes and transform. Gundamn's have saber swords, faster thrusters etc. The controls can feel clunky for some ships like Macross. I found that piloting it in fighter pilot mode to be sluggish. The fighter doesn't turn as quickly or move as fast as you hope it would. The levels are played like most Mech games, you are assigned missions which usually have you, protecting assigned sectors, eliminating wave of enemies, or defeating a boss. The game can feel repetitive, but the huge cast of Mech's to choose from will take that feeling away. The battle system is broken up into three parts. You have your standard attacks, your combo attacks and secondary attacks. There is also a great level up element as well. Players get to level up the speed, power, defense and more. Winning missions and completing them in a certain grade will earn you more points. The game is challenging on any difficulty. I love how on certain levels you need to choose what Mech you use carefully. Using a Veritech, on a mission design for a Gundam can be costly. This might be annoying for some, but it adds a strategic element to the game, it also ensures that the player uses most of the Mech's in the game. Finally the camera movements can be frustrating no matter what Mech you're using. The lock on is difficult and really effects how you view other enemies around you. Fighting big bosses is a pain when it comes to the camera view. Sometimes you want to target a specific section of the bot, but the camera won't go there, until you fly closer. It can make battles more harder then it needs to be.
Overall the gameplay is fun to play, minus a few setbacks. The controls can feel clunky with some Mech's, but the upgrading, the combo attacks and fast pace action is enough to keep you playing. The story mode is very long since you have to do each route for each Anime Series included. It might feel repetitive but it adds just enough elements in the routes to keep it fresh.
Gameplay Video
Graphics - Out of all the ACE games this one looks the best. The backgrounds, environments and Mech's look good, the graphics can get a little blurry in some environments. The Mech's are awesome and the designs of the big boss battles are a nice on the eyes. The real highlight of the graphics is the backgrounds, such as the water, the sky and when your Mech is going full speed. The graphics won't wow you, but it does capture the feel of the Anime world, and that's what you need.
Sound - The sound is flawless, the reason why is because you get to control the music being played. You can choose your BGM from the files you have on your Ps3. Play your favorite Anime Themes or Anime BGM to bring more realism to your fight. The voice acting is also done in top notch form with the real actors from the respective shows.
Replay Value - The game doesn't add much for replay value. There is no DLC, nothing really to keep you playing. After the tons of story modes are completed. No Co-Op, No Online, however this an extra hard mode if you want to put your full ability to the test.
Final Grade C+/7.5 - Another Century's Episode R has a interesting story. The gameplay is a hit or miss depending on what Mech you're using, the camera movement gets in the way in some battles. It lacks any replay value, but if you're a Mech fan and love Anime, then this game is worth the import. It has enough gameplay time to keep you going for a while, the addition to add your own BGM is welcomed and makes the battles feel more closely to the Animes. Overall if you love Anime Mech's it's time to suit and give Season a taste of what a true Ace is like.
Dragonball is back with another game on the DS. This time the game returns to it's fighting roots. This new installment is called Dragonball Kai Ultimate Butoden, right now it's only out in Japan. Is this game worth the import?
Story - The story is what you are use to seeing in a Dragonball game. The story follows all the major events of the Dragonball Z series. The game also includes some what if scenarios like other previous installments. It's told through in game cut scenes and it's told very well.
Gameplay - The gameplay consists of 6 modes. The modes go as follows, Story, Challenge Mode, CPU Battle, Wireless Battle, Training and Customize. The fighting mechanics is the best Dragonball for the DS. Y button is for weak attacks, X button is used for strong attacks, A button is to grab and throw your opponent. The R button is use for the Ki blasts. The offensive side works very well, combos are easy to pull off, once you get used to the combinations. The defensive side of the game is also well put together. B button is used to dodge. X is used to counter attack while dodging. A,B,X and Y can be used to break falls. The game also includes a mini game when it comes to counter attacks. The mini games in story mode are beam struggles and the ring push. Ring push is pushing the ring in the circle when the timing is right. Other mini games include collecting blue and red dots for energy. Selecting a Dragonball shown on the screen. Others like moving an energy ball into a can and etc. The game feels wonderful and the mini games get a little getting used too, but rest assure the gameplay is the best Dragonball game for the DS. Another huge addition to this game is the customization. First time ever you can customize your Z fighters or Villains attire. You want to put the a hat on Goku's head, go ahead. You want to have Android 18 with an eye patch or something silly go crazy. It's a nice addition and fun to see what you can make your character. Hopefully one day Bandai will give us a create a fighter feature. Overall the gameplay is refreshing and a blast to play. The learning curve is easy to normal and it's very fun to play.
Gameplay Video
Graphics - The graphics is one of the best on the DS. The best Dragonball game on the DS. It is a beautiful to see and look at. The destructive backgrounds when you send your opponent flying. The look of the facial expressions when Vegeta does Final Flash is amazing. It's like a DS version of Budokai 3 graphic wise. All the locations are intact and the in game cut scenes are great. I didn't experience any framerate issues during my play. Awesome graphics.
Sound - The music is pretty cool, it captures the feel of the DB universe. You even get the Dragon Soul instrumental when the game starts which is pretty cool. Voice acting is great as well, but don't expect full blown voice over cut scenes. Whatever bit of voice used in the game is great.
Replay Value - There are tons of stuff to unlock and the game is very addictive. If you are fortunate to have a friend who imported the game, then you will have even more fun. Also the customization is going to keep you busy. The combinations of how much you can put on a character is funny.
Final Grade B+/8.5 - Dragonball Kai delivers on what it was going for. It is an enjoyable fun fighter with your favorite characters from the Dragonball Universe. The A.I. can be a little easy to hard and the mini games are a refreshing addition. However no online play really stings, but it's not something you will miss. The game gives you plenty to do, so you won't bored. Final Grade B+/8.5.
In 2005 a Nintendo DS game entitled "Trace Memory" was released. It was a pretty fun game. You follow young Ashley Robins as she searches for her father. In 2009 a sequel was released in Europe and Japan only, entitled "Another Code R: A Journey Into Lost Memories." Is it worth the import? Or should this be something you will like to forget.
Story- The game like it's predecessor is very story driven. In the sequel it's three years later and Ashley is now sixteen years old. Her relationship with her father is still on the rocks. However they still communicate from time to time. One day Ashley gets a message from her dad to meet him at a campsite. Ashley reluctantly agrees to go thanks to some convincing from her aunt. When she arrives she is robbed for her bag and has a flashback of her mother. The overall of the story is to find the bag and uncovered the mystery of her mother. The story is well written and the characters will keep you playing. What really makes the story is the relationship Ashley has with her dad. It's a nice theme of how important parents are to the kids. Only thing with the story is that it really starts off slow till chapter 6.
Gameplay - The gameplay is very simple. Players will use the Wii-Mote to control Ashley. You don't do much but solve puzzles and find items. To move Ashley you point the Wii-Mote at the direction she can move too. It's simple and it works for this interactive novel. The flaw with the controls is when it comes to certain puzzles. In the beginning of the game you have to take a picture of Ashley with the DAS. The DAS is how Ashley communicates with her dad and keeps her data. Taking a picture was a chore. It literally took me five minutes to get the controls in the middle. Other puzzles such as getting a bag was also proved to be annoying. The controls are horrible when it comes to solving puzzles. Thankfully it doesn't kill the experience of the game. Ashley also comes equip with a new gadget called TAS. The TAS is shaped like a Wii-Mote and it was created by her mother. It used to unlock doors and it's heavily used in the game. Also heads up pay attention to the story, so when Ashley has to remember you get the correct answers. Overall the puzzles are easy to solve, it's just getting the game to respond to your actions.
Gameplay Video
Graphics - The graphics work well. It stays true with the DS feel. It's nice to see Ashley in full 3D and the cell shaded feel really brings it out. I like the look of the campsite, the trees blowing in the wind and Ashley's facial expressions. The graphics isn't nothing mind blowing, but it is great on the Wii. The graphics does what it's suppose to do, and that's keep true to the original with bringing new fresh elements to the story.
Sound - The sound is very mellow. The music is relaxing and gives you a lighthearted feel. The music reflects Ashley's character the most, kind, sweet but mysterious. There is no voice acting at all. For a game to be an interactive novel, I would of like to see voice acting. I think that some good voice acting would of really help bring the world to life some more. However it's staying true to the series, so it's not a big lost.
Replay Value - Another Code R: A Journey Into Lost Memories is a great story. However this will be a one time play through. It doesn't offer much outside the core story, still you will play it again just to play something different on the market.
Final Grade B-/8.0 - Another Code R: A Journey Into Lost Memories is something different that I hope we will see more of. I would love to see more interactive novels on the Wii. The story is interesting, music relaxing, but the clunky controls might turn some gamers off. Overall it's a nice experience that you should check out. Final Grade B-/8.0.
I've been playing Xenoblade for the Wii a lot lately. I must say that this game so far is one of the better JRPG's out there. Unfortunately it's still TBA to be released outside of Japan. However I couldn't wait anymore and decided to try the game out myself. Here is my impressions on the game so far.
Story - The story starts off years before the main story. Three guys are in a war and are facing a load of enemies. One of the guys betrays the other two and then we are brought to present day. This is where we meet the main character Shulka who is able to use the Excalibur sword, which is the same sword one of the three guys had before him. He is on mission to find the people that destroy his village. That's all I can make out for now. The story does seem intriguing but once again I don't know Japanese.
Gameplay - The gameplay is an action RPG. The battle system is similar to Final Fantasy XII, but BETTER! Running into enemies does not start a battle. Players will have attack their enemies first, using the Z button. Once the battle starts the inventory of various attacks are at your disposal. Don't worry once you use all your special attacks it will recharge. While it recharges your character will attack automatically with normal attacks. The battle system works and it's very fun to play. I haven't gotten very far, I'am currently grinding for the first dungeon. However I do want to say the controls are smooth and the camera is great. You use the C button and the D-pad to fix where you will like the camera. You can have it high, close or just normal. The side quest is cool as well. It actually effect how people in the town view you. If you help they will like you, if not well your won't be welcome much.
Gameplay Video
Graphics - So far the graphics are beautiful on the Wii. The towns and open environments are very detail. The opening scene with the war was great to watch. I love the use of colors and how this game looks at night.
Music - The music is composed by Yoko Shimomura who does it again. I'am going to search for this OST. The only thing about the music in terms of battle, it makes me want to play Kingdom Hearts it's that similar in style.
Final Word - So far Xenoblade is on the best JRPG's that came out in 2010. Unfortunately there is no sign that it will be hitting the USA or anywhere else. We can only hope it does, this game needs to be played by all.
Remember a game called Battle Arena Toshinden for the Playstation? Well for those who don't know Battle Arena Toshinden is a fighting game and was well received in the gaming world. It spawn a few sequels after the original. Now Toshinden makes it's return to the Nintendo Wii in this new installment. Does it capture the same magic?
Story - Each fighter have their reasons to participate in the tournament, some wants to protect their families, some for justice, others for ambition. The story mode is heavy Japanese so we couldn't make out what was really going on. But the story seems solid enough.
Gameplay - Toshinden consists of 5 modes which goes as follows. Story mode, Vs mode, Survival Mode, Practice mode and create a Combo mode. Story mode you take the role of the main character as he goes through his journey. Vs mode you can take on a friend or CPU, there is no online play. Survival mode you must defeat a gauntlet of enemies by a certain time limit. Practice mode you can home your skills. Combo Maker is a tool where you can create combos from preset moves and purchase them into one combo. These points are usually earned in Story Mode or Survival Mode.
Players control the fighters with the Wii Mote and Nunchuck or the Classic Controller. The Wii Mote and Nunchuck can be a little difficult to execute the combos. The analog is used to move your character. The Z button is used for blocking and dodging attacks. The C button is used for dashing, this drains your attack use. But it's refilled by collecting the giant orbs that appears in the fight. The A and B buttons are used for your light and heavy attacks. The combat takes some getting use too. However even when you master the controls the combos are still hard to pull off. For a more better experience we suggest the Classic Controller. It's more friendly and feels more comfortable fighting. Sadly the characters in here only have a few combos. So trying to master them and to find out it's not worth it is disappointed. However a good thing about this is leveling up your weapons. Depending on who you choose you can even summon dragons, transform your suit of armor or simply unleash the full power of your blade. The summons are nice and armor protection gives you an extra edge in battle. The Combo Maker is a nice idea, but you have to buy the moves and some of them cost a lot. Overall the gameplay and fighting is average at best. Oh yeah there is NO RING OUT like the other games.
Gameplay Videos
Graphics - The graphics are decent enough! I would have like a little more interaction with the environment. There is a level that could have been awesome. You are fighting on a futuristic street, but yet no cars, nor traps, nothing comes to bring a epic fear. It just you and your opponent fighting on the street. The character designs are nice, you get a nice anime feel to their faces and movement. Overall the graphics are good enough, but the stages could have done way better.
Sound - The music is actually really good. The opening theme and the music in stages fit just right. Fighting you will feel like you are in an epic battle. The hard rock and strings are very addictive to listen too. The voice actors do their well for the time have on screen. It does however sound like your standard Japanese voices.
Replay Value - There are some secret characters to unlock. The story mode is difficult but gamers for up for the challenge on hard will enjoy it.
Final Grade C-/7.0 - Toshinden has it's moments. It's a decent fighter, but it lacks depth. The controls are difficult and the combos don't feel epic enough for you to keep playing. Is it worth the import? It depends on how bad you want to collect the Toshinden series. It's not bad, but not good either. Final Grade C-/7.0.
One thing that is rare in gaming is interactive novels or stories. These type of games you usually find on the PC. However the PS3, PSP and Nintendo Wii got a very interactive game called "428: Fuusa Sareta Shibuya De." Is this story worth checking out? Or is it a snore fest?
Story - The story starts with a kidnapping within the Shibuya district. As the case gets more and more complicated, a number of unrelated people ends up being involved. There is a policeman, an ex-gangster, a virus researcher, a hothead veteran writer and a person dressed in a cat doll suit. As the fates of these people interweaves tighter and tighter around each other, more dirty secrets are revealed and eventually everything gets out of hand. To clear up the mess, its up to you to make the right choices.
Gameplay - The game as stated before, is an interactive novel. You really don't do much besides read and make decisions. Based on these decisions you will decide the outcome of the story. Throughout the story you will get tips that's highlighted in blue in the dialogue. This will help you make the right choice. Make the wrong decision and you will end up with a bad ending and will have to start all over. Since this game is heavy on Japanese on dialogue, you will gain a better experience if you are fluent in Japanese. However you can tell, by the picture stills and facial expressions of the actors, what is going on in the story. The game is a nice break from what we're use to playing on the PS3, Wii and PSP. It's a nice interactive novel, that will keep you interested even if you don't understand Japanese.
Gameplay Video
Graphics -The graphics uses real life picture stills, and real life cutscenes. It works great for the mystery and complex plot of the story. Based on the trailer we saw. We thought the whole game was an interactive movie. But the picture still animation works nicely. It shows real emotional depth to the story and helps you confirm your decisions. It's a bold and welcome move to include real actors instead of CGI people. It brings realism to the game.
Sound - The soundtrack sets the mood just right. The strings and piano compositions brings an intensity to certain parts of the story. There is also some cool Jazz tracks for some of the lighthearted characters. This is a soundtrack that adds to the game and moves it along. There is little to none voice acting, so the music plays an important role in the game and does well.
Replay Value - The story is engaging and consists of many scenarios. Each character plays a role and with multiple endings you are going to play it over and over.
Final Grade B+/8.5 - 428: Fuusa Sareta Shibuya De is a bold, brave game. It takes all aspect of gaming and throws it out the window. It's not for everyone, but for those wanting a good story and understand Japanese check it out. Is it worth importing? It would be a nice edition to your collection. Final Grade B+/8.5.
Yesterday I took a trip to Chinatown and went import shopping. I saw this game which I'm dying to play. However they wanted $115 dollars. That is heavy price for a import. In case you are not familiar with the Another Century series. It's a game where all the big names in Mech Anime come together and have an all out brawl. Check out the trailer below. The game came out last month.
