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Excavating more details on Dinosaur King
We were more interested in Dinosaur King when we thought it was just a paleontology sim. Now that more details have surfaced, though, we're a bit more wary. According to Sega, the fossil digging is only the beginning. In this anime-based game, you also have to use the different dinosaurs that you collect to fight -- think of it as Pokemon, only with extinct creatures rather than cute, fictional animals.Sounds good, right? So far, yes. The dinosaur-loving dorks inside of us were also excited to hear about the game's compendium, which keeps track of the dino bones that you've collected and lists facts about the beasts they came from, too. With seventy different dinosaurs to collect, as well as stylus-utilizing excavation processes and Wi-Fi battles, this seemed like something we could really get into. Then why our hesitation? You'll probably have to check out the screens in our gallery below to fully understand, but it has something to do with the game's clashing styles. Bright colored anime and realistic-looking dinosaurs just don't seem to mesh well. Add that to a cheesy storyline (as members of the D-Team you're trying to stop Dr. Z and the Alpha Gang from destroying the world), and we can't help but lose some of our initial excitement. Still, we'll be keeping our eyes on this title, which is scheduled to release this September.%Gallery-22668%[Via press release]
Marvelous unlocks Avalon Code site, screenshots
Japanese publishers have game promotion down to a science, nowadays. The routine: announce a game in Famitsu, release a bare official site for the title several days later with artwork and a few shots, update the site sporadically for the next several months until the game's release, launch, and move on.Marvelous Interactive has kicked off the second stage of its operations, putting an Avalon Code page online just days after debuting the ARPG in this week's issue of Famitsu. You won't find any video or downloadable items there yet, but you can preview a dozen images to check on what developer Matrix Software is preparing for the game's 2008 release.The screenshots don't look bad -- they're about on par with what we've seen in Namco's Tales titles on the DS and the Final Fantasy III/IV DS remakes, the latter examples being titles Matrix had its hand in. Hit the gallery below to see if Avalon Code's 3D is for you. %Gallery-22487%[Via NeoGAF]
Final Fantasy remake developers reveal new original ARPG: Avalon Code
Matrix Software has been in the press most recently for their work on the remakes of Final Fantasies III and IV. Before that, they had their own original action RPG, Alundra, which was released in the U.S. on the PlayStation by the decadent Working Designs. Their latest project is another original work, this time for Marvelous: an action RPG called Avalon Code. From what we can see in the scan, it has impressive 3D action on the top screen, with an art style reminiscent of Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles. The bottom screen appears as a book, and shows information about onscreen monsters, as well as your inventory. New details should show up for this game by the end of the week; until then, squint away in wonder!
Hudson 'evaluating' North American VC release for Ys
In an interview about digital distribution (Bomberman for all!), Siliconera asked Hudson's Vice President of Product Development, Sabine Duvall, about the prospects for an U.S. release of the Turbografx-16 CD-Rom version of Ys Book I & II. Her response: "We'd love to make our fans happy, so we're still evaluating if it's right to bring Ys over."We fully expect the game to show up on Virtual Console here at some point. There's no reason for it not to. It's not even as if Ys is an import title like Battle Lode Runner or DoReMi Fantasy. It was released in the U.S. For that matter, it was bundled with TG16 CD-Rom drives. But for whatever reason, they've been evaluating this for a long time. Ys was actually given an ESRB rating back in November. We wonder if they're trying to decide between releasing Ys I & II as an $8 VC download and publishing the DS games that recently bombed in Japan.
Bargain Explorer: Sale Unit
If Shiren the Wanderer's turn-based system was too slow-paced to satisfy your dungeon crawling needs, you might want to look into Dungeon Explorer: Warriors of Ancient Arts, Hudson's Diablo-esque hack-and-slash follow-up to the original TurboGrafx-16 game. Amazon has Dungeon Explorer discounted to $19.49, a generous price considering the game includes online support for up to four players and even a bit of voice chat.And if you're neither a fan of dungeon crawling or dungeon exploring -- perhaps you just want to steer clear of dungeons altogether -- Amazon also has LifeSigns: Surgical Unit marked down to $19.49. While the LifeSigns series isn't as popular as that other surgery sim, Trauma Center, apparently a few of our readers are big fans of the game!%Gallery-10382%[Via CAG]Read - Dungeon Explorer: Warrior of Ancient ArtsRead - Lifesigns Surgical Unit
The World Ends at $29.99
The early birds may catch the worms, but the late adapters catch the sales. So, those of you who haven't yet succumbed to Square Enix's high-and-mighty game tax but still want a copy of The World Ends With You are in luck.Until Sunday (we assume, so don't quote us on that), you can grab the game at both Amazon and Circuit City (dot com or brick and mortar) for the low reasonable price of $29.99. Should you not want to leave the comfort of your own home (or, like this blogger, you just don't live near a Circuit City), then each online deal has its pros and cons. Both sites offer free shipping, but Circuit City adds tax to the order. Amazon, on the other hand, doesn't add tax but the game isn't in stock at the moment. Therefore, it will take two to four weeks (according to the website) for Amazon orders to ship.Either way, if you have your eye on this game, we recommend biting on one of these deals because Squeenix's $40 DS game standard hurts.Note: Amazon is trying to fool you into buying the copies that are in stock for $39.79 (via Hubbagames), so don't fall for it. If the link directs you to the wrong place, you should see this on the right side of your screen. Just click "Add to Cart" on the choice that says $29.99, and voilà. Gallery: The World Ends With You [Via CAG]Read: TWEWY at Circuit CityRead: TWEWY at Amazon
Summon Night: Twin Age media to tide you over
Summon Night: Twin Age may be coming out two weeks later than expected, but at least you can look at the new screenshots in our gallery. Looking at the brightly-colored action RPG will allow you to imagine what it will be like to play using the stylus-based controls. You can stare dreamily at the screens until June 3rd rolls around.And if looking at pictures doesn't satisfy your desire to play the game, IGN has posted several new videos, so you can watch someone else play the game! Oh, did we say "tide you over?" We meant "tease you intolerably." They're pretty different things -- we don't know how we could have gotten them mixed up.%Gallery-3357%
Cross-dressing for stat boosts: another The World Ends With You innovation
The World Ends With You really does seem to be carefully designed, well-balanced game Alisha's review makes it out to be. That's not to say we would ever doubt our own reviews (which are always 100% accurate), but that this latest article from Siliconera offers another specific example of the amount of thought that went into the creation of this clever game.Basically, the game uses a "bravery" stat to determine which clothing characters can wear. Bravery can be raised over time, to the point where Neku can wear clothing that isn't necessarily designed for him -- like girls' dresses. This is brilliant because not only does it keep Neku from equipment that would give him another character's abilities and thus overpower him, the stat cleverly mirrors the real world -- as in, only exceptional bravery would allow a teenage boy to slip on a dress for its combat effectiveness.
The Twin Age gets a new start date
Summoning Summon Night: Twin Age into North American stores is proving to take longer than expected for publisher Atlus. When the localization of the stylus-controlled ARPG spinoff was first announced, it was given a release date of May 20th. Atlus just sent a press release out stating that they've delayed the game two weeks to June 3rd. That's a couple more weeks to play Drone Tactics, at least!That just means that every DS game ever is being compressed even more tightly into the same release period. Eventually, the entire 2008 DS lineup will be released in June.%Gallery-3357%[Via press release]
DS Fanboy Review: The World Ends With You
2008 is shaping up to be an incredible year for the DS, and not because of old franchises. Zelda, we love you. Final Fantasy, we think you're great, and you'll probably dominate a good portion of our summers. But the first half of the year belongs to the new guys. After playing Professor Layton and the Curious Village, we thought we'd seen one of the most wonderful DS games to date, and that's true. But when it comes to sheer innovation, The World Ends With You blows it right out of the water. Anyone looking to create an ARPG or anything with stylus-based action controls should study The World Ends With You, because -- no exaggeration -- nearly everything here is done right. Of course, almost nothing's perfect, and that includes this game. Most of the few flaws here are visible right from the beginning; that, combined with the unusual look and the fact that it's a new IP, may turn some gamers off. Don't be one of them, because this one is worth playing.%Gallery-11943%
Atlus dishes out fresh images from Summon Night: Twin Age
Those of you looking to get in on the latest from Atlus, check out our new media from Summon Night: Twin Age in our gallery below. They hooked us up with a bunch of new screens on the game to accompany the others in our gallery, as well as the title's boxart. It's pretty much the usual business here, as these new screens show off some in-game action, with an emphasis on combat. Summon Night: Twin Age is shaping up very nicely, if we may say so. What do you all think?%Gallery-3357%[Via press release]
The Game Begins With This Cutscene
Warning: the video above contains spoilers, of sorts! Really, it's the same thing you'd see almost immediately upon powering up The World Ends With You, but you may not want to see story sequences until they're coming out of your DS screen -- even if we've discussed the premise before. This cutscene is the opening to the game's first day, and introduces the protagonist Neku Sakuraba and his bizarre predicament. Because it's a Square Enix game, the opening cutscene is twelve minutes long. That's not really a complaint, either. People buy the company's games for the storytelling -- actually interesting gameplay like this is kind of a bonus! Check after the break for the second and third days' story sequences (which may contain for-real spoilers).%Gallery-11943%
From the Abyss, to North America
Remember From the Abyss, Sonic Powered's Secret of Mana-esque ARPG? The title debuted in Japan earlier this year to little fanfare, and it didn't seem to have much potential for a North American release. Publisher Aksys thought different, however, and has announced that it will be localizing From the Abyss for "Q4 2008." If Eco-Creatures, an environment-conscious RTS with hardly any mass appeal managed to find a home in the US, why shouldn't From the Abyss?As we discussed before, From the Abyss features a randomly generated world, capturable souls for stealing enemy techniques, and a two-player local co-op mode (separate dungeon, not main campaign). Hit the gallery below for screenshots from the Japanese release.%Gallery-12097%[Via press release]
Okami got a face lift (comparison video)
Already having Okami for the PS2 is the most valid excuse for not buying the game on the Wii. If you fall into this group, you're probably still tempted to make the purchase because of the added motion controls. Should that not be enough to get your wallets in action, though, you might want to check out this side-by-side comparison video. We already knew that the Wii version looked better, but seeing the two compared with each other shows just how much. The colors are much more vibrant on the Wii, and for a game that's main draw is its beautiful artistic style, that's kind of big deal. The 16:9 support doesn't hurt matters, either. Have any of you played both Okamis and noticed the difference for yourselves?%Gallery-16485%
GC Twilight Princess, now 24 rupees cheaper
Amazon must need to clear out its GameCube stock of The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, as this is the second sale the online retailer has hosted in just two days, not that we're complaining!The last deal lasted only four hours and offered the GameCube release for only $19.99, and, while that sounds much cheaper than the $25.99 Amazon is asking for Twilight Princess now, keep in mind that that $25+ pricing includes free shipping. You can make that kind of change slashing at grass and breaking pots for two minutes![Via CAG]
Summon Night: Skill Age
Ball lightning is 1) a mysterious meteorological phenomenon, and 2) a pretty neat ability you'll be able to unlock via skill tree in Summon Night: Twin Age! We believe this to be one of Reiha's magical Summoning techniques; more importantly, we believe this to look like something fun to do to bust up some monsters.Atlus seems to be going out of their way to include screens featuring silly, out-of-context quotes in their press releases (along with lots of other new screens, accessible in our gallery). Who are we to turn down an invitation to laughter? Allow us to present the latest in weird Atlus-game quote screenshots: "Man, what a dump. Just perfect for humans."%Gallery-3357%[Via press release]
Metareview: The World Ends With You
Square Enix's stunning new title The World Ends With You doesn't hit U.S. and European shelves until later this month, but the reviews are already rolling in, and things are looking even better than we expected. The early reviews are kicking the action RPG up into the top tier of DS titles -- and that's good company. What's propelling the game's success? The sheer originality of the concept.Nintendo Power: 90% -- The Nintendo hub had nothing but effusive praise for Square Enix's unusual effort. "This delightfully weird action-RPG, set in modern-day Tokyo's bustling Shibuya district, is unlike anything else out there ... Kudos to Square Enix for taking a chance on something so original (and bringing it to these shores)."Thunderbolt: 90% -- In fact, this game is starting to sound like the second coming of the RPG. "In a genre where medieval themes reign supreme, setting a game in contemporary Tokyo is a fairly fresh concept. The game captures the city scene so well: the sun-blasted streets, the pulsing J-Pop, and the bustling crowds of people who care absolutely nothing about you. Neku and his little gang of urban heroes are a far cry from the super-heroic swordsmen of most RPGs; the ultra-stylish outfits and technology they use are taken directly from what you'd see in Shibuya today. Despite this, the mysticism of the plot and the magic being wielded are definitely welcome. The combination of using both screens and the stylus make for one of the most demanding gameplay formulas yet; there hasn't been a game this Touch Screen-centric since Kirby Canvas Curse. So do yourself a favor and pick up The World Ends With You. As far as handheld RPGs go, it doesn't get much more original than this."IGN UK: 89% -- Perhaps the pieces aren't as original as some think, but together, they create something fantastic. "The World Ends With You combines Square's hallmark character development and story with the collectability of Pokémon, and ties together innovative game design with the urban cool of Jet Set Radio. Indeed, the game's appropriation of real-world themes and issues are at the heart of its success. It's a celebration of modern life, and like modern life, it can be messy, complicated and confusing, and you might find yourself beset by minor disappointments. But you get out what you put in, and at its heart is an important message about making human connections in a world that can sometimes seem harsh and uncaring. Which, when you think about it, is pretty cool. And if you don't want to think about it, well then you can just sit back and enjoy the game design."%Gallery-11943%
Okami advertisement pokes fun at itself
It's no secret that Okami's sales on the PS2 weren't too great, despite the fact that the game was hailed by critics and gamers alike. Some companies might be touchy about things like that, but not Capcom. Even though the gem they published sold a lot less copies than it deserved to, Capcom at least has a sense of humor about the whole thing, as the ad to the right shows us. Hailing Okami as "the best game you've never played" is one of the funniest Wii ads we've seen, in fact. Way to go, Capcom -- that's what we call good marketing.
Ys I & II DS get bundled, still cost too much
The remakes of Ys I & II should have been sold in one package to start with, as 5,040 yen ($49) each is rather a lot to pay for yet more Ys remakes -- especially since they were released on the same day and therefore fully intended by Interchannel to be sold together. All but about 1,000 Japanese DS owners agreed, as the games sold 2,000 copies combined in their first week.7dream.com, an online retailer run by 7-Eleven and NEC (who used to own Interchannel, the company publishing these games) is now offering a "Special Box" of Ys I & II DS containing both games, a soundtrack CD, and, yes, a special box. While it's awesome to have both games in one deluxe package, the 9,800 yen ($95) price probably won't boost sales that much.[Via Inside Games]
Friday Video: I'm diggin' it
We should have seen it coming, but we didn't. Square Enix always dedicates themselves to a high-end audiovisual experience in their games, and that always means they record new English voice for games that feature voice acting. But, for some reason, we didn't think they would for The World Ends with You. Maybe it's because the aesthetic and the setting are so totally Japanese.We'll reserve judgment of the results of the English voices, mostly because we don't want to join the chorus of anime fans who summarily declare the Japanese voice acting in anything superior. Even if you're, uh, not into evaluating voice acting, these new videos give us a nice look at WEWY's bizarre, split-personality "Stride Cross" battling. Two more follow after the break!%Gallery-11943%
