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Ankh and Luminator coming to British DS
Xider Interactive, who we previously reported as not actually bringing Sam & Max to the DS, have announced their real DS releases for the UK. The titles, which are probably familiar to German PC gamers but definitely not familiar to us, are: Luminator DS (May) Ankh 1 (August) Ankh appears to be the first in a series of Egyptian-themed adventure games-- and there's no part of that description we don't like. Luminator (PC version shown above), from what we can tell, is ... let's say a faithful tribute to Lumines.We don't know if either of these games will be headed to the US. Have any of our European friends played either of these? We need to know about the quality of Ankh before we get too excited about OMG ADVENTURE GAME.[Via Cubed3]
Indian mythology inspires new game
Canadian-based studio Syncere Arts is working on an action-adventure game based on the Mahabharata, an epic tale in Indian mythology. Mahabharata: The Dawn of Kaliyuga aims to let players feel as powerful as the ancient gods while still providing a good challenge. You play the role of warrior prince Arjuna (try not to think the Prince of Persia) whose destiny is, obviously, to save the world. The game will let players choose between various schools of combat, and nearly 100 weapons and Vedic powers. Syncere hopes to publish Mahabharata in April 2008 and plans to release both PC and Xbox 360 versions.Greek and Norse mythologies have long been sources for video game material in the west, so it's great to see Syncere stirring some fresh Indian-inspired content into the pot. The non-violent first person Hindu shooter project was another promising effort in the same vein, though unfortunately it never came to fruition. With gaming gaining popularity in India, this certainly won't be the last we'll see of Arjuna.[Via Good News]
Details on the second in Professor Layton's trilogy
Just when we thought we had settled the issue of Professor Layton and the Townlike Area of Disputed Size (aka the 'Mysterious Village'), 1UP's preview of the second installment in the trilogy raises questions about the upcoming game's translated title. Thus far we've seen it written Professor Layton and Pandora's Box, but according to 1UP, it's the 'Devil's Box.' By any name, however, the first game looks incredible, and the second may be shaping up to be even better.Some things in this second installment will be the same, such as the logic puzzles created by Akira Tago, and the Professor will again be accompanied by his assistant Luke. The story is where the second title really takes a turn. Instead of exploring -- you guessed it -- a mysterious village, the action in the second adventure revolves around a corpse, a train, and a strange box. Since the game already features a soft, retro look, mixing that with a traditional train-based murder mystery looks like a match made in heaven. Now if only we could get some localization news!
Japanese hardware sales, Feb. 19 - Feb. 25: text adventure edition
You wake up disoriented, in a dark room. You have no idea where you are.>lookIt's a dark room. You can't see anything. We know you're disoriented, but do try to keep up.>look exitsFine. Okay. You stumble around the room until you find a wall. Keeping one hand on the wall, you walk the perimeter of the room, looking for doors. You find a door on the east side of the room. You also find a key hanging from a hook on the wall. And by "find" we mean "get poked by." We hope you find some Neosporin on this adventure.>advise readers to click post break
Already, screens from the Professor Layton sequel
They don't believe in wasting time over there at Level-5. The first game was just released in Japan, and not only do we have a sequel in the works for Professor Layton, but we're already seeing more images from the game. Yes, more -- we already saw a few when the sequel was announced!We expect Professor Layton and Pandora's Box to have a firm release date by next week, and to be on shelves the week after. Okay, not really, but the sarcasm may not be too far off the mark. Check out a few of the pics after the jump. They're from scans, so may not be the best quality, but certainly good enough to see that the visuals are still uniquely gorgeous.
Bone: DS adventure renaissance continues [update 1]
[Update 1: The announcement was about Bone for the PC and not for the DS. It mentions that the publisher is "focusing on the PC and Nintendo DS markets", not the game. We apologize for the misunderstanding. Thanks to eric c for the correction!]Before the episodic Sam & Max games, Telltale Games were known among adventure game holdouts for their adaptations of Jeff Smith's Bone comic series. They followed a similar business model: periodic, bite-sized chunks of delicious puzzle solving, set in cult comic book trappings.Now publisher Xider is bringing the Bone games to the DS PC and unidentified games to the DS in Europe in 2007. We hope that they decide to bring them stateside as well, and that they don't decide to shoehorn weird touch screen/microphone puzzles into what is supposed to be a pretty good adventure series. It's still possible, but the identities of the DS games have yet to be announced.We're so proud of our little DS, bringing back two of our favorite long-lost game genres: the graphical text adventure and the 3D adventure game.
New Tecmo IP is in the works -- maybe Pirates instead of Ninjas?
With the impending release of Tecmo's Ninja Gaiden Sigma, a lot of people have left comments here saying thing along the lines of "rehash" and "milking a single game for all it's worth"... stuff along those lines. Well, today we're here to tell you not to worry! Tecmo's Team Ninja boss Tomonobu Itagaki has come out and said that an all new IP is in the works. No rehashes, no sequel... something completely unique and original. According to Itakgaki, the new game is a type of game he has never worked on before. He'll be announcing the title a little later on this year. Our vote? Pirates. Why? That epic struggle of Pirates vs. Ninjas has still yet to be resolved. If Team Ninja can create a fantastic game about the adventures of a badass pirate, the only logical thing to do after that is to pit the two titles against one another. Where do your loyalties lie? Be ye a pirate, or a ninja?
Professor Layton will rock your socks
Now we feel justified for all those times we were jumping up and down over new details on Professor Layton and the Mysterious Town (that may be a Village). Chris Kohler had nothing but love for this import over at Game|Life; he's praised everything from the animation to the story to the game's logic puzzles. We're expecting his homage to the box art any moment now. If you want a sense of the level of challenge in Professor Layton, Kohler's put up the text of a few of the logic puzzlers that pepper the game, as well as one of the trailers. We've added it here as well, just in case you missed it the first time around. Check it out after the jump, and we're sure you'll join us in keeping our fingers crossed for an English translation.
Hudson interviews the real-life Master Higgins
Takahashi Meijin ("Master Takahashi") is the nickname of a longtime Hudson employee named Toshiyuki Takahashi, who became famous in Japan for his ability to tap buttons really, really quickly -- up to 16 times a second. This amazing power lent itself to videogames, naturally.After making a few TV appearances, and becoming a Hudson mascot of sorts (along with that adorable bee), he lent his appearance to videogames, too. Specifically, the Adventure Island games, which were called Takahashi Meijin no Boukenjima ("Takahashi Meijin's Adventure Island") in Japan. When you play New Adventure Island on the Virtual Console-- which you should do, as soon as possible-- you're playing as a grass-skirted Takahashi Meijin.Hudson's US branch has posted an interview with this legendary figure, which is not only interesting for the novelty of being an interview with a videogame character, but because he really knows his stuff about Hudson and their history. We can't wait until they post an interview with Air Zonk.
Ema Skye returning for Gyakuten Saiban 4
Ema Skye, the science-obsessed, Luminol-toting teen sidekick from Case 5 of Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney (Gyakuten Saiban: Yomigaeru Gyakuten) is making a return appearance in the new DS sequel, pink goggles and all. Her new character art portrays her as a little more grown-up, so maybe she'll be less annoying. Even if not, we really started to feel sympathetic to Phoenix's junior-detective friend in that case (Don't know what we're talking about? PLAY THE GAME!).Speaking of return appearances, you know who else will be returning when this comes out? Us. Our frothing demand for this game increases. You might as well call us "Phoenix Wright Fanboy." Click past the post break to scientifically investigate a few screenshots.
DS Daily: Less action, more talking
As hard as it is for us to admit it, not everyone loves the rebirth of the adventure game that's been brought about by the DS. For some, the action in games like Phoenix Wright and Hotel Dusk just isn't enough. We, however, are pretty obvious fans of the adventure game and find it intriguing when people bring up the idea of true visual/interactive stories that use the DS as a vehicle. Sure, you can read whatever you want on your DS with a little work, but we think it might be keen if people designed more stories that are meant to be experienced on a handheld. What's your stance? Do you prefer games that are a little more involved, or are you as in love with adventure gaming as we are?
Already, a second round with Professor Layton
It looks like we were totally justified in going nuts for Professor Layton and the Mysterious Village. The game is barely out of the gate in Japan and Level-5 has already announced a second installment in what will apparently be a trilogy. The upcoming sequel, tentatively titled Professor Layton and Pandora's Box, will feature a train -- and that's all we know. If it's anything like what we've seen from the first game, it will be a beautiful, Miyazaki-inspired train rendered in muted colors, and it will probably make us drool.Right now, all we want for Christmas is an English translation ... or intensive Japanese lessons. We need this game!
Capcom shuts down Okami rumors (mostly)
Oh, those reliable industry insiders. They're always feeding the rumor mill. This time, they're teasing and taunting all the Okami fans. While the game would be extra fabulous when powered by the Wiimote, we're taking this rumor with a little salt, because Capcom has pretty much shut this one down before it even got out of the gate. "Officially we have no plans for Okami on Wii at this time. Research and development are always looking at possibilities but given Clover is now closed for business, I think it highly unlikely a Wii version would be possible," an unnamed Capcom UK rep told IGN. While this does leave a slim opening for "maybe," this isn't one we're gonna hold our breath for. While we'd play Okami on Wii until our fingers cramped, it's probably not going to happen.
Two more Hudson VC titles announced
If only Nintendo could be this forthcoming on their own VC releases, eh? Then again, every Monday is a veritable holiday, gifts cunningly wrapped in inauspicious boxes.Anyway, Hudson has announced yet another two Turbo-Grafx 16 games for release in February: New Adventure Island and Chew-Man-Fu. We hear good things about the first, but the name of the second is just so endearing. These days, it almost feels like Hudson is supporting the Virtual Console more than Nintendo is ... will today's releases shock and wow us? Stay tuned, readers! Same Wii time, same Wii channel!
Telltale Games looking to the Wii
Telltale Games, the studio currently in charge of the Sam n' Max titles, has recently put out a calling for a Wii programmer. Among the very long list of necessary technical experience, the final line includes a requisite love of adventure games. Seriously.So, is SnM coming to the Wii? Rather contrary to their namesake, the company remains tight-lipped. An official forum post by the developer reads: "We haven't made any announcements about why we're hiring a Wii developer and we really really haven't said that we're working on a Sam & Max game for the Wii. If we do such a thing, you guys will be the first to hear about it, surrounded by 800 gigantic trumpets and probably some cherubs or something. But as of right now, you're talking crazy talk."Crazy-talk is the only kind we deal with, people. Our guess? Sardonic canines and whack-job lagomorphs are coming to a Wii near you.
Dream Games: Okami
Dream Games is a new weekly column where we explore a game we'd love to see on the PSP. Feel free to check in, and comment, every week. Okami Clover Studios' last masterpiece before they were shut down (God Hand doesn't count) didn't earn the sales that it deserved. The cel-shaded adventure game shared many similarities with Zelda (including the ability to play as a wolf), but had enough quirky Japanese originality to set it apart from the rest of the pack. It recently won IGN's Game of the Year award (to much controversy). Whether or not it deserved such a high accolade can be debated, but it's impossible to deny that Okami was still one of PS2's greatest. Why PSP? More people need to play Okami, and the PSP is the only handheld system capable of doing the series justice. Although the Celestial Brush would be incredible on the Nintendo DS' touch screens, the gorgeous animated scenery in Okami would end up being little more than a pixelated mess on the underpowered competition. Like the other Dream Games, Okami doesn't really require complex button combinations. The PSP is sorely missing a truly great adventure game: Okami would be a perfect fit. Is it possible? No. With Clover Studios dismantled, the chances of us ever seeing a portable version of Okami seems slim. And besides, shouldn't Capcom be working on a portable Resident Evil? Pretty please?
Metareview: Hotel Dusk: Room 215
While Phoenix Wright may never fail to rev our collective fanboy motors, when it comes to adventure games, Hotel Dusk: Room 215 has been garnering more and more excitement -- and even the reviewers who find fault with the title can't help but gush over the story. GameSpot -- 82%: "One of the really neat things about Hotel Dusk is how the plot plays out. It's not often that you can praise fiction in games these days, but Hotel Dusk is a clever, stylish, well-spun detective novel hiding inside a DS cart ... It helps that the solutions for puzzles aren't often troublesome. All the puzzles are designed specifically with the realities of this hotel in mind, so you won't find yourself with any obscenely weird objectives or "tie the cell phone to the cat" moments, nor are you likely to find yourself glued to a walk-through for the bulk of the game ... [t]hat Hotel Dusk mostly manages to avoid falling back on ridiculous item hunts and completely illogical puzzle solutions to progress is a godsend, simply because it lets the storytelling drive the game, and the gameplay rarely distracts you from the mystery."eToychest -- 90%: "Stylistically, Hotel Dusk marries pencil sketched characters and water colored backdrops with traditional polygonal environments in a manner that should be jarring, but instead feels both unique and altogether perfect. The characters themselves are distinct and very expressive, each displaying mannerisms reflecting their attitude regarding a particular line of questioning. Ask Louie about his past, and he'll clam up and try not to make eye contact, or sweet talk Iris to see her beam like a schoolgirl. Most every game has characters, Hotel Dusk has personalities."GamePro --75%: "Hotel Dusk probably won't appeal to every DS gamer, as it requires a degree of patience and thoughtfulness that only the aged (and insane) are capable of. But anyone looking for a cerebral and deliberate challenge should definitely check out this cool and unique title; just be patient with it, and don't let its minor faults discourage you from plumbing its depths."
Ninja Gaiden Sigma screenshots and stuff, minus the stuff!
Just as a sort of teaser, there's not much going on today other than a game delay and a few posts we'll be doing about screenshots. Screenshots are an interesting topic only because of the debate they spawn over their authenticity -- gameplay or cinematic? Real-time or cut-scene? Game developers only spurn such argument on by adding "gameplay menus" to these screenshots -- sometimes these are tacked onto cinematics to give the illusion of something the final product simply can't deliver. Other times, it's really gameplay. The latter is, of course, much more rare. Rarer? Nah, that looks dumb. Anyway, I think the screenshot shown here is actual gameplay because of the clipping visible from the bow going into our lovely ninja's arm. Ever seen clipping in cinematics? Maybe last-gen cut-scenes. Back on topic, here are a fresh batch of Ninja Gaiden Sigma screenshots. It should be noted that the clan at Team Ninja rebuilt the graphics engine for this game on the PS3, so it may start to look a bit different from the prior installments on Microsoft's systems. The difficulty? It'll still be hard. How hard? This daring blogger will attest that, while difficult, it's not "controller-throwingly" difficult like a certain Devil May Cry 3. Still need to beat that one on "Normal"...
Full Hotel Dusk site now open
As the title indicates, Hotel Dusk: Room 215 has graduated from a minisite to the full treatment, complete with loads of new content just waiting to be discovered. If you need to slake your extreme thirst for this intriguing title until you can get your hands on it, this is the answer you're looking for.
DS Daily: The new book?
The adventure genre peaked in the early to mid 90's. And then it crashed. Hard. As it trudged along through the years, essentially dead but for rare gems like The Longest Journey, it slowly faded from the minds of modern gamers.The point-and-click capabilities of the DS have certainly given the once-zombified genre a much-needed jolt. We've seen excellent offerings, including the superlative Phoenix Wright series, the soon-to-be-released Hotel Dusk: Room 215, Trace Memory, Lost in Blue, and a few others (let's not even mention the ScummVM homebrew project). But the DS gives these games something they could have never had in the nineties: absolute portability. It's almost as though these games compete directly with the classic novel, something which has never really been seen even amongst the myriad of gadgets anyone can go out and readily purchase.Our question is this: how does a DS adventure game compare to that of a classic book? What would you rather whip out on the way to work? Phoenix Wright 2 has had our hearts and minds in a legal grip for days on end. You may not look as smart as those punks reading Vonnegut, but that's okay. You look cooler.
