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Rise and Shiny revisit: Uncharted Waters Online
It's been a year and a half since I last looked at Uncharted Waters Online, a nautical adventure MMO that will probably remind many of you of EVE Online or Pirates of the Burning Sea. I was excited to see how things have changed, but the gulf of time between the last time I really dived into the game and now has made it so that I've forgotten a lot about my initial experience. Chalk it up to growing older, I guess. Luckily, the game is still as fun as it ever was. It seems, on the surface, pretty simple and straightforward. Its Anime characters and simple yet effective, graphics might give players the feeling that they are embarking on adventures that only younger players would enjoy, but the true depth of the game emerges soon after you begin. This game is complex. It's not impossible to figure out, but it was nearly impossible for me to revisit in just a week's time all of the old stuff I remember and the new stuff that has been added to the game since my first voyage.
Pokemon Conquest begins in UK July 27
Pokemon Conquest's strike team of cute critters and fictionalized warlords will attempt to take over the UK on July 27, Nintendo announced today.The strategy game was designed by Tecmo Koei to initiate kids and other neophytes into Koei's complex strategy games. It just has the side effect of being basically the weirdest thing ever.
The insatiable need to dominate in Pokemon Conquest
I was more than a little excited when I was tasked with tackling a preview for Tecmo Koei and Nintendo's crossover DS title Pokemon Conquest last week.Conquest crosses the worlds of cute indentured monster servants from Pokemon with Nobunaga's Ambition, a series of Koei strategy games revolving around the bloody unification of feudal Japan by Oda Nobunaga. But Pokemon Conquest, which released in Japan last month as Pokemon + Nobunaga's Ambition, takes itself so seriously as a strategy role-playing game that it isn't the irreverent experience I made it out to be in my mind.%Gallery-154519%
'Pokemon Conquest' brings Nobunaga's Ambition stateside on June 18
Yes, that's a factual headline above: Nintendo is publishing the bizarre crossover of Pokemon Plus Nobunaga's Ambition in the US as "Pokemon Conquest" for the Nintendo DS. And yes, you also read that right -- Pokemon Conquest marks the second Pokemon game heading to the DS in 2012 rather than the 3DS (Pokemon Black/White Version 2 being the other).Unlike main series Pokemon games, Tecmo Koei handled development rather than Game Freak. Conquest is also a 2D adventure set in the world of Ransei, where players inhabit "a young warlord who is linked with a Pokemon." Pokemon Conquest arrives on June 18.%Gallery-152208%
Ninja Gaiden 3 to require online pass [Update: Confirmed!]
To become a ninja, one must learn -- the deadly arts of war, for example. Or how to wear those weird socks. Stuff like that.You can't be any geek off the street, and so Tecmo-Koei has decided to lock the online multiplayer of Ninja Gaiden 3 behind an online pass. So says a listing on Gamefly warning potential renters of Ninja Gaiden 3, anyway. Update: It's confirmed! Ninja Gaiden 3 will have an online pass, a Tecmo Koei representative has confirmed with Joystiq.We've sent our silent inquisitors to Tecmo Koei to secure confirmation on the matter. We'll let you know what we hear back. [Thanks, Josh!]
Ninja Gaiden 3 dev diary reasserts seriousness of ninja game development
Worried that the now Itagaki-less Team Ninja isn't still super, super serious about making a Ninja Gaiden game? The latest dev diary for Ninja Gaiden 3 should more than suffice at changing your mind.
Here's the Ninja Gaiden 3 collector's edition (with bonus screenshots)
There probably isn't a person alive who hasn't, at some point in their life, enjoyed the sight of a ninja flipping out and killing a bunch of dudes. It's universal, like how everyone enjoys warm blankets or shooting firearms. There's a special kind of person, however, that also has an affinity for extreme, debilitating punishment, which is why Ninja Gaiden 3 exists. NG3's collector's edition, which we first caught wind of last December, includes the game, an art book, a soundtrack, a figure set of Ryu Hayabusa and an eventual murder victim, as well as a download voucher for a four-character demo of Dead of Alive 5. Non-collector's edition pre-orders placed at Gamestop and Amazon will include a code for a two-character demo of DOA5, with Gamestop's demo including Hayabusa and Hitomi, and Amazon's featuring Ayane and Hayate (the four-character version includes both Amazon and GameStop's characters). The collector's edition will be available exclusively at Gamestop, indicating that Tecmo Koei truly understands the unique relationship it has with its players.%Gallery-144412%
Dead or Alive Dimensions demonstrates the playable bosses
Want to know what it takes to crush your opponents like a boss in Team Ninja's upcoming 3DS fighter, Dead or Alive Dimensions? Check out a whole bunch of gameplay trailers, featuring the game's most fearsome kick-punchers, posted after the break.
Tecmo and Koei development groups reabsorbed into Tecmo Koei
The amalgamated Tecmo Koei game development and publishing entity continues to evolve. A few months back, there was a CEO changeover. Today, the company announced that the parent company, Tecmo Koei Games, will absorb the two game development subsidiaries, known as Koei and Tecmo. This might sound a little confusing, so we'll explain. Following the merger, according to Andriasang, Tecmo Koei spun off the game development arms of its two companies into two separate subsidiaries. Now it's bringing them back into the main company, under the management of Tecmo Koei Games -- which is itself under the umbrella of Tecmo Koei Holdings. The newly united-then-divided-then-reunited group will continue to develop games under both the Tecmo and Koei brand names.
Tecmo Koei CEO quits, Koei founder steps up
If there's anyone who knows about manipulating the balance of power, it's Kou Shibusawa, who created Koei's classic war games Nobunaga's Ambition and Romance of the Three Kingdoms -- and, in fact, created Koei in 1978, in partnership with his wife. It turns out Shibusawa (real name Yoichi Erikawa) didn't need that tactical expertise to achieve the CEO position at Tecmo Koei Holdings, because he just inherited it when current CEO Kenji Matsubara left the company. According to Andriasang, Matsubara cited "personal reasons" for his departure, announced during a board meeting. Matsubara's exit coincides with the release of Tecmo Koei's earnings for the period from April 1 through September 30. The company made 11.069 billion yen in sales ($136.48 million), 27.5% lower than last year. The report noted successful releases for Metroid: Other M and Quantum Theory, and that losses were due in part to the delay of Trinity: Souls of Zill O'll, and to investments for titles coming out in the next quarter -- which includes last week's Fist of the North Star: Ken's Rage.
Take a Dynasty Warriors Online beta key, or we'll send Lu Bu to camp your gate
Look at that man and his fancy beard. Do you want a piece of that? Do you, punk? Lu Bu (and our good friends at Aeria Games, but mostly Lu Bu) has given us 2,500 beta keys for Dynasty Warriors Online that we're giving to you guys! Now you too can step into the shoes of a Three Kingdoms officer and fight the good fight against thousands of nameless soldiers who will inevitably die at your feet! Huzzah! If you've never played a Dynasty Warriors title before, let us sum it up for you. You take control of an officer in the military, specialize in some sort of neat, exotic weapon, and then win entire battles by yourself. It's the ultimate game of one versus 1,000, and the one person usually comes out triumphant. Epic battles are epic. But now since it's online, you'll be doing the same thing with friends! So if you want a key then look no further than after the break.
Sega, Konami, Level-5 and Tecmo-Koei share TGS lineups
Heading to Tokyo for the annual game show later this month, but your handmade convention center itinerary is sadly lacking ideas for how to divvy up time? No worries -- Sega, Konami, Level-5, and Tecmo-Koei have announced their showings for TGS 2010! The highlight of, well, all of the listings is Level-5's news of a playable Ni no Kuni for both Nintendo DS and PlayStation 3. Sure, Konami bringing Metal Gear Solid: Rising is kind of exciting -- we guess -- but we've got a mighty large soft spot for Studio Ghibli animation. Perhaps yours was cut out by Raiden's urge to slice, slice, slice? Head past the break for the complete list of games, broken down by publisher.
Avast ye landlubbers: Uncharted Waters Online ahead!
A month ago we heard that the folks at TECHMO KOEI are bringing Uncharted Waters Online, a three-year-old pirate MMO from Korea, to North America. As we do with all piratey things, we waved our hooks in the air and demanded that they tell us more -- or else face our ire and walk the plank. While they didn't respond to garish pirate threats, KOEI was moved by "Pretty please?" and gave us a glimpse into the high seas and low talk of this popular title. Uncharted Waters Online is actually the latest in a long series of Uncharted Waters games, dating all the way back to a 1991 Nintendo title. Each game has dealt with a romanticized version of the Age of Exploration (14th through 16th century), and this MMO is no different. If you're familiar with games like Sid Meier's Pirates! and Pirates of the Burning Sea, you have a good idea what you're in for: trading, exploration, and a whole lot of ship-on-ship violence. Hit the jump for a deeper look at Uncharted Waters Online!
Tecmo Koei's first iPad game is a pricey 'Romance'
Adapted from last year's iPhone release, Romance of the Three Kingdoms Touch, Tecmo Koei's iPad version of its long-running strategy series, adds a Plus to the title, high-res graphics, three new campaigns and -- oh yeah -- $6 to the price.
Quantum Theory set for 'summer' release
What are you doing this summer? Oh, you're going to Six Flags? Screw that, you're going to want to blow stuff up ... and punch junk ... and play Gears of War 3 instead, right? Okay, we can't help you with that last one, but VG247 reports that a very similar experience will be available this summer: Quantum Theory. A Tecmo Koei spokesperson confirmed to us that the game is set for "a TBA Summer 2010" release. Previously, the game was set to release sometime in March, but was pushed back due to quality concerns. We're sure you can't wait to see Tecmo's, uh, softer side.
Nintendo publishing Samurai Warriors 3 with Tecmo Koei
Following the recent announcement that Dragon Quest IX will be published by Nintendo in North America, the company has revealed another publishing partnership for an exclusive game from a big Japanese publisher: Nintendo will co-publish Koei's Samurai Warriors 3 in North America this fall. It makes sense that Nintendo would take the stewardship role for this game, as it contains a mode featuring characters and locations from Nintendo's Nazo no Murasame-jou ("The Mysterious Murasame Castle"), a Famicom Disk System game designed by none other than Shigeru Miyamoto. In any case, this is one way for Nintendo to ensure ongoing releases of third-party core games on its systems: by plucking existing ones from Japan and publishing them in North America itself. %Gallery-74703%
North Star Musou video introduces game's cast
Frankly, we don't know why anyone wouldn't be satisfied with Kenshiro in North Star Musou, but Koei's seen fit to add a bit of a variety to the game's cast of characters. The above promo video spotted by the Koei Warriors site chronicles several other selectable karate people. The guy with the rocket launcher kinda threw us for a loop, though -- what good is a giant tube gun when everyone in the future is so easily exploded through poking? [Thanks, Peter]
Tecmo Bowl Throwback official, coming to XBLA & PSN
Tecmo Bowl Throwback was first revealed through a trusted Joystiq source back in January (and then subsequently popped up in an ESRB rating), so we weren't exactly thrown into a tizzy when Tecmo released the official announcement today. Throwback will be released on Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network this spring. As previously understood, the game will be a remake of the SNES's Tecmo Super Bowl and will feature an option to "switch to the classic 2D style." Developed by seasoned remake studio Southend Interactive (Lode Runner, R-Type), the game's main new feature (aside from "all new 3D graphics," of course) is online play. Today's announcement additionally revealed Throwback will feature 32 teams and online leaderboards and customizable options for teams and rosters, and ... and ... whoa, whoa, it's almost like we're talking about a simulation football game here! Relax -- sorry about that. Try to cool down with the screenshots below. %Gallery-87016%
Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce demo now available
Considering Xbox Live is currently knee-deep in face huggers and split-chinned alien jerks, you'd be forgiven for not noticing there's another demo available on Marketplace. That demo is for Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce, otherwise known as that Dynasty Warriors game with a mythical twist, including Dragon Ball-esque character transformations. The demo allows players to try out the single-player mode -- the full game supports four. Like other entries in the series, expect hordes of enemies and, of course, plenty of button mashing. Shortcut: Add the Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce demo to your 360 download queue [Via Xbox.com]
Tecmo Koei lowers profit forecast after Q3 losses
Tecmo Koei has announced that it's lowering its annual operating profit forecast (essentially its guess for how much profit it will bring in before taxes) by a painful 95%. In addition, stock fell 9.5% to 630 yen ($7). This comes after the announcement of disappointing third-quarter losses (PDF link) totaling 1.842 billion yen ($20.4 million), and after the announcement that two high-profile games, Quantum Theory and Trinity: Zill O'll Zero, have been delayed, thus eliminating whatever they would have contributed to the current fiscal year. Now it's all up to Dead or Alive: Paradise and the Western releases of Monster Rancher DS and Again. Source [PDF]
