BrooktownHigh
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Metareview: Brooktown High
Enough with the ugly jokes! It's time for Brooktown High to finally prove its worth. Does this American attempt at the dating sim score ... or does it just have two left feet? Let's find out what the critics think: Gamespot (56/100) simply couldn't find enough to do: "It's apparent that the game really wants to be played through multiple times to see the different possible outcomes, but it's unlikely that you'll want to play through the game more than once, if even that. Without enough to do, Brooktown High ends up being as shallow as the lame caricatures that populate it." IGN (52/100) thinks that sloppy execution ruined what could've been a better game: "You'll find yourself in the midst of the same conversations time and time again, and though they'll sometimes change on dates depending on where you are, when talking on the phone or at school you'll wind up hearing the same things over and over and over again." Games Radar (50/100) thinks the game is unfair: "Your dialogue choices are out-and-out traps. For example, we had a discussion in which the only options were to either insult the girl or ask her out - one of which made her mad, the other of which forced us to cheat on our girlfriend - who immediately found out." Burned! Looks like the game has received universal critical dismay. Unfortunate, because the genre, which proved so popular in Japan, needed better representation than this. Unless you really want to play a dating sim, it looks like the rest of us can simply walk away.
Worldwide PSP releases for the week of May 20
Another week, and luckily another set of game releases. Every Sunday we give you the 411 on what's coming out for the PSP worldwide. If a game is listed as coming out in a different country from where you live, don't worry. Your PSP can play games from any region. That gives every game on this list the potential to be in your future game library. We have some interesting choices this week, so read on! US Games Brooktown High Senior Year Diner Dash Legend of the Dragon Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End EU Games Crush Heatseeker Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End Winx Club Asian Games Bleach: Heat the Soul 4 Juiced Eliminator Release dates may always change, so you may want to call before heading to your local game shop. I totally want Bleach, but do any of these games interest our readers?
The sexually charged antics of Brooktown High
Steve has pointed out the general unattractiveness of the Brooktown High girls not once, but twice. While we would have appreciated some characters that were a bit more easy on the eyes, we have to admit that the newest trailer for this PSP-exclusive dating sim looks pretty fun. The incredibly deformed character designs work well in context of the crazy antics that take place in this sexually charged school. I hate to admit it, but ... does this game actually look fun?
Brooktown High kids hit MySpace ... still ugly
In an effort to keep up with the high school theme of Brooktown High, Konami has set up MySpace pages for some of the characters. Maybe Konami should have just had the character's pictures feature close-ups on their eyes, be blurry, or shot from a very long distance, because these guys and gals are still as ugly as a gargoyle. On her MySpace page, Elektra the goth says "The Sun is Evil". Asia the prep is quoted saying, "The Elderly and Fashion DO NOT MIX!" Oh ho ho, how stereotypes make me laugh. Could it be that gamer's will be lucky enough to have the characters as two dimensional, as they are unattractive? My Ouija board points to yes. I'll happily avoid adding these peeps to my MySpace.
Brooktown High's girls become hotter? [Update 2]
While browsing 4chan (NSFW) I came across this anime fan redo of the Brooktown High: Senior Year girls. The basic idea was that the current art for dating sim Brooktown High is unattractive (I can't help but agree). So this image shows what would happen if Brooktown High were made in Japan. I still think the art isn't perfect, but the girls look far more attractive than the current game versions.. Kinda makes me wish Konami just translated Tokimeki Memorial and brought that out here rather than this. Because no matter how good the gameplay is in a dating sim, if the girls aren't hot, who's going to be motivated to play? Would you rather see anime style girls in your dating sims or do you somehow find the original Brooktown High art sexy? [Update 1: Added NSFW clarification] [Update 2: Changed offending words]
Enter the dating scene at Brooktown High [Update 1]
Gamespot has a hands-on preview of Brooktown High: Senior Year, the first dating sim created specifically for the US. Konami is known for their popular dating sim series Tokimeki Memorial, but it seems they are testing the waters for dating sims in the US with Brooktown High. But will US gamers fall in love with a genre that most are virgins with? That question certainly can't be answered yet, but one can't accuse Backbone Entertainment of making a bare bones title due to the risk. In Brooktown High: Senior Year, you'll create your own guy or gal, use your school lessons to help you improve yourself for the opposite sex, and of course talk to lots and lots of potential love interests. As with any school, everyone is in different social groupings and has different expectations of what they're looking for in a significant other, so you'll have to deal with them accordingly. The game also features licensed music and several mini-games to help keep your daily school day interesting. Given the success of DOAX (which was more dating sim than volleyball game), maybe Brooktown High does stand a chance of getting an A+ grade with gamers. Brooktown High: Senior Year gets to 2nd base on PSP later this year, from Backbone Entertainment and Konami. [Update 1: Gamespot also has a great interview along with gameplay footage available.]
Konami Gamers' Day: feel like you were there
You like-uh the Castlevania, yah? Good! Here's more video from the fine folks at 1UP. Hey Konami, where was my invite to your awesome Konami Gamers' Day? Join me as I feel neglected by Konami, and watch these videos: it'll feel like you're actually at Konami Gamers' Day!After the break, you'll see tons of Castlevania footage, Coded Arms, and Brooktown High.
