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Pop Cutie struts its stuff
Koei's Pop Cutie: Street Fashion Simulation may seem like it would be casual and light, but in motion it looks brutally insane and geek-focused. Superhero costumes, apparent Metal Gear references, and "Fashion Battles" aren't what we'd expect from a normal fashion game (A "normal" fashion game? Have we been writing about the DS too long?) In addition, the massive crowds wandering the streets at all times blabbing about fashion make the info-gathering part of the game seem pretty frantic. Pop Cutie apparently takes place in some area of fictional Japan where people yell at strangers about their clothes. Nice place to open a boutique!
What Was QT is now POP CUTIE!
Koei's That's QT, a fashion management simulation in which players created fashion lines based on input from chibi moppets in the virtual streets of Tokyo, seemed like a long shot for localization. Why would Koei sink valuable resources into something like that that could be used on painting very serious portraits of historical warriors?But the DS allows companies to make crazy decisions that sometimes pay off. Koei will release POP CUTIE! Street Fashion Simulation (known henceforth as Pop Cutie, because we have a strict budget of capital letters and exclamation points) in the U.S. in September. Pop Cutie puts players in charge of a fashion boutique. The game involves running the boutique, hiring staff and models, and decorating their shops. It also involves fashion design based on capturing and combining "images" from kids on the street. Two-player "Fashion Battles" are also possible, limited only by the ability to find someone else who has a copy of Pop Cutie. As for us, we think it looks insane, ridiculous, and therefore irresistible. Screens and character art (featuring psychotic "fashion") can be found in our gallery.%Gallery-25284%
That's QT brings you into the world of fashion
We didn't really know much about recent Japanese release That's QT until Siliconera took the time to write about it. Despite the sickeningly cute title, though, we think this import sounds pretty interesting -- especially for Project Runway loving types like this writer. Most importantly, you don't have to be a pro at Japanese to try this import. You may miss out on bits of dialogue and backstory, but you'll still be able to play it simply enough. The goal in this game is to start a successful fashion line. This doesn't mean that you "design" clothes, but rather, the outfits you "create" will be based on what people say to you in the street. Luckily, you don't have to know exactly what they're saying; just make sure to memorize any highlighted Japanese characters.Beyond this, though, you also have to manage a little boutique in which your clothes will be sold. You can wear your outfits around town to show them off, and hope that will inspire customers to come to your store. Then, if your store becomes successful enough, you can open a new one and face different rivals.Clearly That's QT is too niche for everyone to enjoy, but if you're into fashion or management sims, it might be worth a look.
