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Devolver Digital to localize remake of pigeon-dating sim Hatoful Boyfriend
My Dearest, It is I, your Hatoful Boyfriend. I can contain my unbridled passion for you no longer. I must see you. And whereas before our love was previously separated by a seemingly uncrossable ocean called the Pacific, a company called Devolver Digital is partnering with an institution known as Mediatronic to make my trip from Japan to the United States of America possible. They'll say it's wrong - that human and pigeon should not lie together. But I don't care! I long to coo with you under barn roofs, skyscraper ledges, park benches and wherever a freshly-washed car needs soiling. And I promise to always provide whatever you need, be it a wing to hide under the rain or a steady supply of popcorn to keep you fat and healthy. Let us grow and develop a nest egg together. I arrive this summer. Love, Your Hatoful Boyfriend [Image: Devolver Digital]
Conception 2 hits North America on April 15, spawns new trailer
Conception 2: Children of the Seven Stars will launch April 15 in North America. Atlus recently gave players a glimpse at the seven eligible heroines in the 3DS and Vita game, and offered a teaser trailer for baby-making RPG today. Conception 2 has players assuming the role of a young Disciple with powers gifted to him by a Star God, who must birth monster-fighting kiddos to save the world by befriending the aforementioned heroines. The trailer includes brief looks at how Conception 2's combat system looks in action, using footage from the 3DS version. First-run editions of the game will include a 10-track album by composer Masato Kouda of Devil May Cry and Monster Hunter fame, which features the song heard in the trailer.
Romance your anime boss in Our Two Bedroom Story for iOS and Android
It's a fantasy come true: After admiring him from afar for so long, you're now moving in with your dreamy boss from work. Will this be the beginning of a budding romance, or is it the start of a workplace disaster? It's up to you to keep your professional life on track while spending quality time with your pretty anime boyfriend in Our Two Bedroom Story, a rare English-localized entry in the otome (female audience-targeted) romance simulation genre released today for iOS and Android devices. "As the player is thrown into her secret, new life with her boss," the game's description reads, "she can experience the excitement of seeing a side of her guy that she never sees at work." Our prediction: He refuses to do the dishes and his room smells like a fart circus. It's up to you, then, to shape him into the boyfriend you want him to be while not getting fired from your day job. That would be awkward. Our Two Bedroom Story's prologue chapter is free to download, but to continue your romantic conquest, you'll need to purchase one of two story paths, priced at $3.99 each. The game's epilogues cost an extra $1.99.
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.
Konami's new service has a fake girlfriend email you about her day
Konami's dating sim, Love Plus, is a hit in Japan, allowing players to have girlfriends without the hassle of actually having a girlfriend. The next installment, New Love Plus, launches for 3DS in Japan tomorrow and offers more ways to bring virtual girlfriends into real-life experiences, Siliconera reports.Love Plus Tools, which allows players to import their previous Love Plus data into New Love Plus, will offer compatibility with AR cards that Konami will release every Monday. Users can take life-sized photos of their girlfriends and print them out on size A3 or A4 paper (16.5 x 11.7 in or 11.7 x 8.3 in, respectively).New Love Plus will also introduce Girlfriend Mail, wherein players will receive email from their in-game girlfriends, accessible via PC and smartphone. Girlfriend Mail will cost 315 yen ($4) per month, but Konami is offering it for free until March. Owners will also be able to link their game data with Girlfriend Mail, so emails will include their pet names, and on birthdays or anniversaries players will get "special mail." Whatever that means.
Konami's 3DS dating simulator uses facial recognition to block virtual cheating
We may still not have an official price for the Nintendo 3DS, but it looks like you can now at least count on yet another unique gaming experience not found on other handheld systems. Konami recently announced that its "Project Loveplus" dating simulator for the system will not only take advantage of the system's 3D capabilities, but that it will also include a so-called "boyfriend lock" that uses facial recognition to prevent any virtual cheating. Apparently, if someone else picks up your 3DS and tries to play the game, your virtual girlfriend will act confused and respond with phrases like "who are you?" -- which, incidentally, is a question you might also want to ask yourself before looking for ways to import the game from Japan (yeah, don't count on this one being released over here).
Bishojo game White Album coming to PS3
What the heck is a Bish?jo game, you ask? It is a "Japanese video game centered around interactions with attractive anime girls." In the latest issue of Dengeki Daioh magazine, it was announced an anime adaptation of the 1998 erotic dating-sim White Album will be released along with a PS3 game based on this version. The original game was unusual for a dating-sim because the main character already has a girlfriend. A scan of the magazine can be found here.Considering the abundance of such games in the PS2 era, we are not surprised this genre is starting to take off on the PS3. In a way, it shows that the PS3 has reached a wider audience and is becoming more mainstream in Japan.
Fighting monsters and dating boys in Hiiro no Kakera
Once again, blogger Jenni Lada proves to be our ultimate source for Japanese otome games (i.e., dating games for girls). The latest otome on her DS pallet was Hiiro no Kakera, which debuted in Japan a little less than two weeks ago.What makes this title stand out from some of the others in its genre is its fantastical plot. The heroine is a girl named Tamaki, who starts seeing monsters in her small, mountain town. With her sacred sword and the help of six studly (and eligible) bachelors, Tamaki must defeat the monsters and save her village from destruction. A little dating on the side couldn't hurt, though, could it? In fact, that sounds like a good gig to us.Hiiro no Kakara was actually a PS2 title first, but voice-acting and other content were added for the DS version. The game also boasts some nice artwork and imagery, making it a visual novel of sorts. Unfortunately, there's also a lot of kanji in this otome, so unless you can read kanji well, you'll probably be in for a struggle. Should you be determined to give it a try anyway, Siliconera has a handy guide for starting up your game. If you're looking for an easier otome to get through, though, Lada recommends trying Tokimeki Memorial: Girl's Side 2nd Season.
DS chooses Boys Over Flowers
If Japanese dating sims are usually on your radar, you'll be glad to know that Konami is releasing another interesting title in the genre this July, based on Hana Yori Dango. Known as Boys Over Flowers in North America, the manga is so popular that it was adapted into an anime, multiple live-action TV series, a singing group (known as F4), an anime movie, and a live-action movie (to be released this summer). In Hana Yori Dango the main character is Tsukushi, a working-class girl attending a school full of rich kids. The most elite of the elite is a group known as the "Flower" Four (F4), who make it a hobby to harass other students. In the manga (and show), Tsukushi stands up for herself against the group, which causes the F4 leader to fall for her. In the DS game based on the franchise, called Hana Yori Dango -Koi Seyo Otome!-, you take control of a new girl that essentially fulfills the same role as Tsukushi. Whether or not she finds romance with one of the F4 crew depends on how you play the virtual dating game, which includes stylus-controlled hand-holding and other kinds of mini games.This title comes out in the Far East on July 10th, so all you gals (and guys!) who don't mind navigating through Japanese text to land yourselves a virtual man, mark that date.[Via GamerTell]
Love Revo: Losing weight is hard even in video games
We've been immensely interested in Otometeki Koi Kakumei: Love Revo ever since we caught wind of the DS game, but we hadn't seen any in-depth impressions of the dating sim until now. While it's a port of a 2006 PS2 game with very little added content, it has a unique concept: you play as a 200-lb, doltish girl looking to shed some pounds and smarten herself up to meet the standards of seven possible bachelors. Interestingly, there's also, uh, a somewhat incestual possible ending.Gamer Tell's Jenni Lada has a few curious notes on those unattached boys from her Love Revo playthrough: Souta, a blue-haired buck in the grade below your character's, has the lowest weight-loss requirement, and he'll date you once you've worked yourself down to 165 lbs. Perhaps the developers are implying that his youth and romantic inexperience have kept his standards lower than matured gentlemen? Because of his relatively accepting nature, Jenni found herself thinking of him as "a better person than the other male bachelors." Take notes, guys!You would expect Toru, your character's childhood friend and a similarly overweight individual, to be more understanding of your obesity, but not so! You have to slim down to 143 lbs before he gazes at you with hearts floating around his head. Toru's willing to take you under his husky wing, however, if your reading stat is only at 60; Souta must place higher importance on brains than looks, as his reading stat requirement is 65.To lose weight and build up your stats, you have to efficiently balance your activities, food intake, work, money, and stress. Despite her best efforts, Jenni found that balance too challenging to achieve, and her game ended with a "mean, thin girl" mocking her character. Determined to win herself a man, she used an Action Replay cheat code to rake in unlimited cash. Pockets full, she had no trouble gaining kind-hearted Souta's affection.So, is it easier to lose weight when you're rich? And is it easier to shack up with someone when you have money?
Hayate the Combat Butler returns to the DS
A few days ago, another dating sim hit Japanese shelves, making us wonder just how many of these types of games Japan gets in any given month. Like many, this one is based on a Japanese manga (which was later developed into an anime and video game) called Hayate the Combat Butler.The first video game based on the manga came out last summer. Hayate no Gotoku! Ojousama Produce Daisakusen Boku Iro ni Somare! just recently released, though, and comes in two different versions. The main difference in the two versions is the setting, as one takes place at a rich girl named Nagi's school, while the other takes place at her mansion home.The game has a Pygmalion/My Fair Lady type of storyline, in which the butler of the house must train Nagi for an Ojousama (lady) contest. You control Hayate the teen butler, and must pick out Nagi's clothes, scout out her opponents, and take her out on dates (to relieve her stress, of course). Ultimately, your goal is to make the bond between Hayate and Nagi as strong as possible.We're going to bet that this shows up in the Japanese sales charts sometime soon -- any takers? Also, if you're interested, you can check past the break to see the boxarts and some screens.
Duel Love teaches proper nipple rubbing techniques
When we scrub sweat off of anime men, we like to make sure we do it right. That's why we were glad to see this helpful Duel Love chart, showing us the various moods that a proper sponge scrub can elicit. According to the chart, the boy with the blue-tinted hair really likes that right nipple rubdown, to the point of the game being even more disturbing than it was before.Somehow, the game manages to get even more risquè, with shower scenes encouraging you to blow away the steam that's hindering the view. You wouldn't want to miss anything, right? (We kid.)That last bit sounds more like a voyeur-in-training game to us, though. Ut oh, we hope we didn't just give anyone any ideas.[Via Kotaku]
Miami Nights hotter in Europe
"Party in the city where the heat is onAll night on the beach till the break of dawn"Oh, Will Smith, if only we could believe you and your ridiculous ears. Slated for next February, Miami Nights: Singles in the City is the latest mobile-to-DS port from developer Gameloft (Asphalt Urban GT), advertising itself as a "social simulation game" in which you try to make it big in Magic City as a model, singer, or actor. To our surprise, the DS game's graphics actually look worse than the cellphone version, mostly due to the studio's move from 2D sprites to 3D figures. Gameloft isn't the only company to blame for making Miami Nights less inviting -- Ubisoft, the title's publisher in both Europe and the states, also did its part to tone down the game's sex appeal, at least for the US. While Miami Nights' European cover features a blonde woman in a bikini, the North American boxart has the same model covered up, now in a low-cut dress.Is Ubisoft worried about conservative parents revolting over the lubricious image were it to appear on game shelves, right in between Meteos: Disney Magic and My Horse & Me? Or maybe the publisher just doesn't think we're ready for that jelly? Shake your hips past the post break to see the original packaging art and an embedded video of Miami Sound Machine's "1-2-3."
Train training game not really about trains
This week's awesomely bad DS trailer features Chishiki-Ou Series: Train Master, the game you may remember us referring to oh-so-cleverly as "train training." Alas, we shouldn't be surprised that this Japanese game has seemingly turned into nothing more than a dating sim, and yet, we are. We're also disappointed. Now, at cocktail parties, we can no longer flaunt our DS knowledge with crowd-pleasing statements like, "There are training games galore. Why, there's even a train training game!" We suppose we can always say, "There are so many dating sim games around, even one based on trains!" Of course, we actually want to keep our friends and not scare them away, so that doesn't work out nearly as well.
Metareview: Brooktown High
Enough with the ugly jokes! It's time for Brooktown High to finally prove its worth. Does this American attempt at the dating sim score ... or does it just have two left feet? Let's find out what the critics think: Gamespot (56/100) simply couldn't find enough to do: "It's apparent that the game really wants to be played through multiple times to see the different possible outcomes, but it's unlikely that you'll want to play through the game more than once, if even that. Without enough to do, Brooktown High ends up being as shallow as the lame caricatures that populate it." IGN (52/100) thinks that sloppy execution ruined what could've been a better game: "You'll find yourself in the midst of the same conversations time and time again, and though they'll sometimes change on dates depending on where you are, when talking on the phone or at school you'll wind up hearing the same things over and over and over again." Games Radar (50/100) thinks the game is unfair: "Your dialogue choices are out-and-out traps. For example, we had a discussion in which the only options were to either insult the girl or ask her out - one of which made her mad, the other of which forced us to cheat on our girlfriend - who immediately found out." Burned! Looks like the game has received universal critical dismay. Unfortunate, because the genre, which proved so popular in Japan, needed better representation than this. Unless you really want to play a dating sim, it looks like the rest of us can simply walk away.
The sexually charged antics of Brooktown High
Steve has pointed out the general unattractiveness of the Brooktown High girls not once, but twice. While we would have appreciated some characters that were a bit more easy on the eyes, we have to admit that the newest trailer for this PSP-exclusive dating sim looks pretty fun. The incredibly deformed character designs work well in context of the crazy antics that take place in this sexually charged school. I hate to admit it, but ... does this game actually look fun?
Enter the dating scene at Brooktown High [Update 1]
Gamespot has a hands-on preview of Brooktown High: Senior Year, the first dating sim created specifically for the US. Konami is known for their popular dating sim series Tokimeki Memorial, but it seems they are testing the waters for dating sims in the US with Brooktown High. But will US gamers fall in love with a genre that most are virgins with? That question certainly can't be answered yet, but one can't accuse Backbone Entertainment of making a bare bones title due to the risk. In Brooktown High: Senior Year, you'll create your own guy or gal, use your school lessons to help you improve yourself for the opposite sex, and of course talk to lots and lots of potential love interests. As with any school, everyone is in different social groupings and has different expectations of what they're looking for in a significant other, so you'll have to deal with them accordingly. The game also features licensed music and several mini-games to help keep your daily school day interesting. Given the success of DOAX (which was more dating sim than volleyball game), maybe Brooktown High does stand a chance of getting an A+ grade with gamers. Brooktown High: Senior Year gets to 2nd base on PSP later this year, from Backbone Entertainment and Konami. [Update 1: Gamespot also has a great interview along with gameplay footage available.]
