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Three Idea Factory RPGs now en route to PC
In a brief update to its website, publisher Idea Factory International has revealed that three of its roleplaying games will be released on the PC using the Steam digital distribution platform. The games include Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth1, Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth2: Sisters Generation and Fairy Fencer F. Unfortunately, that's the sum total of Idea Factory's announcement. The publisher offers no information on when these games will reach Steam, nor any word on changes they might receive while being ported from their native Sony platforms. Fans are instructed to "stay tuned for more details." [Image: Idea Factory Intl.]
Vita remake of Hyperdimension Neptunia confirmed for the West
Hyperdimension Neptunia Re:Birth 1 is coming to North America and Europe thanks to Idea Factory, as the company's International branch ups its publishing drive in the West. The Japanese studio launched its California-based International branch last year with an eye to release its own games in North America and Europe, and first on the list is Vita RPG Monster Monspiece. We now know the second is Re:Birth 1, the Vita remake of PS3 game Hyperdimension Neptunia, and Idea Factory International says it's due to hit North America and Europe in the "late summer." Hyperdimension Netpunia mk2 is the next game in the "Console Wars"-parodying JRPG series, and its PS3-to-Vita remake just hit Japan last week. There's no news yet, but it now seems likely Idea Factory International will also bring it to the West at some point. [Image: Idea Factory International]
Hakuoki: Stories of the Shinsengumi debuts May 6, limited edition detailed
Localization studio Aksys Games launches its latest campaign to capture the otome (female audience-targeted) adventure game genre with the upcoming PlayStation 3 release of Hakuoki: Stories of the Shinsengumi, due to arrive at retail and digitally via the PlayStation Network on May 6. Presented as a choose-your-own-adventure styled visual novel, Stories of the Shinsengumi is the first PlayStation 3 entry in the series to arrive stateside. Aksys kicked off the series with Hakuoki: Demon of the Fleeting Blossom and its spin-off action game Hakuoki: Warriors of the Shinsengumi for Sony's PSP, later following up with last year's Hakuoki: Memories of the Shinsengumi for the Nintendo 3DS. Aksys additionally revealed the contents of its upcoming Limited Edition retail release for Stories of the Shinsengumi. In addition to a copy of the game, the Limited Edition includes an "Omamori" love charm, a Japanese-style comb and a hairpin, allowing players to look their best as they woo the samurai of their dreams. [Image: Aksys Games]
Vita card battler Monster Monpiece hits NA, EU this spring
Japanese publisher Idea Factory International announced that its card-battling RPG Monster Monpiece is due for a digital PlayStation Vita release this spring in North America and Europe. Monster Monpiece equips players with a deck of cards that represent the physical embodiment of "Monster Girls," all of whom boast their own unique skills and abilities in battle. Players power up these characters during combat by stroking the PS Vita's screen and touching specific spots on each card in the game's "First Crush Rub" mode. Monster Monpiece earned some notoriety for its sexually suggestive character art, and its upcoming stateside release carries a Mature ESRB rating. The game still required some content trimming before it was deemed suitable for a North American release, however. While Monster Monpiece's storyline will be unaltered for its overseas launch, Idea Factory notes that several Monster Girl images will be removed from localized versions "due to the strong sexual nature of the card images." "We fully understand that there are needs and demands for the complete version of these games," the company explains. "Our intention and motivation is to offer Idea Factory titles in a form that is as close as possible to the Japanese versions. This was a tough decision, but we would greatly appreciate your understanding and support."
Super-odd RPG Hyperdimension Neptunia Victory hooks into PSN this month
PlayStation Network claims its Hyperdimension Neptunia Victory on November 26 in North America, and November 27 in Europe. NIS America released the farcical PS3 RPG earlier this year and is now making it available via downloadable means, although the publisher didn't note a price. Victory is the third entry in the series that follows the exploits of game consoles embodied as Hyper-curvaceous women. This time around it takes players to a 1980s version of its Gamesindustri world, and it also features Mega Man creator Keiji Inafune's face as a huge spaceship. No, really.
Become a J-pop idol master with 'Hyperdimension Neptunia PP,' due west next year
God Dimension Idol Neptune PP, the first Vita entry in the Hyperdimension Neptunia series, is coming to the West courtesy of NIS America. Going under the working title of "Hyperdimension Neptunia PP" it'll come to North America and Europe some time in 2014. The portable game, released in Japan earlier this year, once more stars the console-like heroines but this time as J-pop idols in the making. So it's more idol sim than RPG, with players helping the ladies to sing, dance, and market themselves to victory against their rivals, MOB-48. That's an oh-so-subtle play on Japan's uber-successful AKB48 girl group, which incidentally features 88 different ladies now (shouldn't the name change?) and made a whopping $226 million in record sales last year. First Akiba, tomorrow the world!
Hyperdimension Neptunia mk2 spawns Vita remake
Hyperdimension Neptunia mk2, a PlayStation 3 Japanese role playing game developed by Compile Heart and Idea Factory, is making the leap to Sony's Vita handheld as Hyperdimension Neptunia Re; Birth 1. Though this should be welcome news to fans of the original game, Dengeki Online offers no further information on Hyperdimension Neptunia Re; Birth 1, nor any word on when it might make its Vita debut. For that matter, it remains unknown whether Hyperdimension Neptunia Re; Birth 1 will receive an English-language translation, though the series' cult popularity in America (and especially Europe) makes this a likely outcome.
Sweet Fuse, a dating game starring Keiji Inafune's niece, out August 27
Sweet Fuse, the Japanese dating sim starring the fictional niece of game designer Keiji Inafune, will hit PlayStation Network and retail shelves for PSP on August 27. In the game, Saki Inafune visits her famous uncle's new amusement park on opening day – the same day that the villain Count Hogstein blows up the Ferris Wheel and forces park employees to participate in a series of deadly games. Saki volunteers (as brave young women do) to play his games and save Uncle Keiji, and somehow this all culminates in a romance story. Pre-order Sweet Fuse via Amazon and get Count Hogstein's skull necklace. Otherwise, be on the lookout for the downloadable game on PSN in North America and Europe on August 27.
Hakuoki: Memories of the Shinsengumi coming to the 3DS in America
Aksys Games has announced a North American release of Hakuoki: Memories of the Shinsengumi on the Nintendo 3DS. The game is based on Hakuoki: Demon of the Fleeting Blossom, which made it to the PSP last February.The female-focused "otome" romance game comes to Nintendo's handheld with new story content and some 3DS-specific features, like 3D graphics and the ability to take your potentially creepster picture with the story's main characters.No release date has been announced yet, but those interested can stay tuned to the official site for more.
Hyperdimension Neptunia Victory processes slight delay to March 21
Hyperdimension Neptunia Victory hits North America slightly later than expected, shifting the numbers of its original March 12 release date into a new one of March 21. That means the screwball PS3 JRPG releases on a Thursday, which seems appropriately odd.Europeans waiting for their dose of consoles embodied as voluptuous ladies can enjoy getting a game first for once, with the region's March 15 release date unaffected... unless they live in the UK, in which case they'll still get it last of all on March 22 - typical.
Hakuoki: Warriors of the Shinsengumi drops Feb. 19
Hakuoki: Warriors of the Shinsengumi, the hack-and-slash PSP action game based on Hakuoki: Demon of the Fleeting Blossom (itself a PSP otome visual novel about getting hunky samurai to fall in love with you), will be available on February 19 in North America, Aksys has announced. Folks that pre-order the game through Amazon will receive a bandanna featuring the game's eight playable samurai.Not so concerned with the heart's capacity to love as much as with its ability to be stabbed by swords, Warriors of the Shinsengumi follows young maiden Chizuru and her accompanying Shinsengumi on their quest to find her father. Players will be able to play through two versions of the game, one that follows Demon of the Fleeting Blossom's storyline and a second, alternate version.%Gallery-169695%
Hyperdimension Neptunia Victory lands in N. America Mar. 12, 2013, Europe Mar. 15
Hyperdimension Neptunia Victory and its consoles personified as busty women are coming to North America on March 12, 2013. The third game in the oddball RPG series is also coming to Europe on March 15, matching the target date NIS America told us earlier this year. That bodes well for Persona 4 Golden hitting its European target date of February 22.NIS also released the above trailer, which showcases the game's CPU ladies to a backdrop of very chirpy J-pop. It also reveals that the game features a 'transforming robot,' one that looks like a chibi version of something you'd see on Power Rangers. %Gallery-173209%
Aksys bringing 'otome' genre stateside with Hakuoki: Demon Of The Fleeting Blossom
Since this is the internet, most of you are probably aware that Japan produces a lot of games for genres that don't necessarily exist in other parts of the world. These games can get a little ridiculous at times, sure, but Aksys believes that the "otome" sub-genre of JRPGs is worth bringing to the western hemisphere. Idea Factory's historical RPG Hakuoki: Demon Of The Fleeting Blossom will be North America's first widely available "otome." The game follows the story of Chizuru Yukimura, who encounters the Shinsengumi samurai clan while traveling through Edo-period Japan on a quest to find her missing father. As luck would have it, the Shinsengumi are also searching for her father, and together they to travel to the city of Hakuoki, which contains "supernatural secrets." (Read: ghosts or something.) So, sounds like a JRPG, right? Why does this game land in the otome sub-genre, while others don't? Put simply, the "otome" (or "maiden") game is a romance novel for you PSP. In order to be considered an otome, a game must A) have a female protagonist, and B) also make obtaining the affections of a love interest as important as other main story goals. Unlike male-targeted dating sims, otome games contain little to no sexuality, as they are generally intended for female gamers in the pre-teen/tween/teenage demographic. Aksys plans on bringing big-haired samurai lovin' to any PSP owner interested in that sort of thing sometime during the first quarter of 2012. Who knows, maybe this will finally pave the way for that When Harry Met Sally game we've always wanted from Telltale.
Keiji Inafune is shooting lasers out of his face in an RPG
Well, it's official: Keiji Inafune has the best life ever. According to this week's issue of Dengeki PlayStation (as translated by Andriasang), the former Capcom head will appear in Idea Factory's upcoming PS3 RPG Hyperdimension Neptunia mk-II -- a bizarre outcome of an even more bizarre marketing partnership between Inafune and the game's publisher, Compile Heart. The real magic comes from the descriptions of his character's special abilities, such as the "Donnahandanda Nova," in which Inafune opens up his mouth, and vomits out an assumedly potent laser beam. We can't decide what's more wonderful: The aforementioned power, or "Creator Sword Inafune," in which Inafune wields an actual photograph of himself, much like one would wield a sword. Nope! Wait, forget what we said. That's obviously the most wonderful thing we've ever heard.
Hyperdimension Neptunia 'Premium Edition' includes extra pictures of console girls
Are you in love with the idea of game consoles as anime girls, fighting against the evil "Arfoire"? Go on, admit it to yourself, and to GameStop. NIS America announced the Premium Edition of its PS3-exclusive strategy RPG Hyperdimension Neptunia, which will be available from GameStop "and other retailers." It comes with a hardcover art book, packaged along with the game inside a "premium"-sized box. One of those "other retailers" is NIS itself; pre-orders of Neptunia's "Premium Edition" from NIS America's online store (for $59.99) will include an exclusive deck of Neptunia playing cards, which you're pretty much guaranteed to be too paralyzed by shame to break out during the weekly bridge game.
NIS picks up console-wars RPG 'Hyperdimension Neptunia' for PS3
We thought Idea Factory's bizarre strategy RPG Hyper Dimension Neptune was too, well, bizarre to localize, given that it's about game consoles (in the form of girls) fighting against the scourge of piracy. We should have remembered that NIS America is on call to localize weird strategy games that probably have no business in America. NIS is localizing the PS3 game as Hyperdimension Neptunia, in which you take the role of the title console/goddess in order to save the land of Gameindustri from the evil Arfoire, using summon spells based on other games. Unlike the dead Sega console for which it's named, Neptunia has a release window: spring 2011.%Gallery-106204%
Jikan de Fantasia lets you play as a more-than-Half-Minute Hero
It appears Jikan de Fantasia, a new RPG hitting PSP this summer in Japan, is taking some heavy inspiration from Half-Minute Hero. Makes sense, considering this new adventure is from Opus Studio, the same team responsible for Marvelous's quirky action RPG. Like its predecessor, Jikan de Fantasia blends hack 'n slash RPG gameplay with a time-bending twist. However, instead of condensing an RPG to thirty seconds, you can set the amount of time you want to spend. Have only five minutes on the subway? Have a thirty minute bus commute? You'll be able to set your own time limit, and the game will create an adventure that fits your schedule. According to Famitsu, Jikan de Fantasia deconstructs the core mechanics of an RPG, from leaving your hometown, meeting NPCs, and exploring dungeons to fighting a final boss, and reassembles them to create an experience that fits the time you want. For those that found the thirty second gameplay of Opus's last adventure a bit too manic, this experience should be far more compelling.
We now pronounce this Japanese Xbox game 'My Wife'
digg_url = 'http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/28/we-now-pronounce-this-japanese-xbox-360-game-my-wife/'; Idea Factory is giving Japanese Xbox 360 owners a slice of the married life with My Wife: A Bride Just For You. Siliconera notes the "game" allows players to make a custom wife -- choosing her "looks, voice and personality." Then players start their lives as newlyweds by answering love quizzes, sharing liquids from the same cup (still only one girl) and picking out swimwear. My Wife expansion DLC will allegedly include voice packs to change your custom-made wife's voice during the marriage. Of course, before taking the plunge into married life -- virtual or otherwise -- we recommend watching Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf (pictured) and The War of the Roses first.
Cho Aniki Zero and Agarest War trailers break the silence
Aksys picked the right day to send out trailers for Cho Aniki Zero and Record of Agarest War. In the case of Cho Aniki, we wouldn't normally post a trailer for a game that was released over a week ago, but a general lack of news today gives us a pretty good excuse to post this new video! In case you missed its arrival on PSN in late March, let this video serve as notice that yes, the Men's Beam-firing shmup is downloadable now from the PlayStation Store. There's also a trailer after the break for Record of Agarest War, which we were going to praise for its emphasis on gameplay and J-pop over lasciviousness, but then we watched the rest of the video. Oh, well.
Trinity Universe coming to US and Europe this June
Did Resonance of Fate and Final Fantasy XIII whet your appetite for JRPGs? NIS America plans to release Trinity Universe this June, just in time for gamers looking for a new adventure. Developed cooperatively by Idea Factory, Nippon Ichi and Gust, Trinity Universe is a crossover RPG similar to Cross Edge, combining the worlds of the Disgaea and Atelier franchises. Unlike NIS America's previous efforts, though, this game will be in full 3D. Trinity Universe is undoubtedly the best looking game to come from NIS America, but it's still likely to struggle in a competitive sales market. Still, hardcore JRPG fans are used to PS2-style sprite graphics from NIS, so the publisher's next offering could be a pleasant surprise. %Gallery-88922%
