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Liberation Maiden live on App Store in North America
We didn't have to wait long to find out about Level-5's plans for an American iOS release of Suda 51's shooter Liberation Maiden: it's available on iTunes right now for $4.99.The port of the 3DS game doesn't just remove buttons from the controls and $3 from the price. It also adds Retina Display graphics, Game Center challenges and leaderboards. Those should help add some longevity to a game we found exciting but abrupt.%Gallery-181010%
Grasshopper and Level-5's Liberation Maiden moves to iOS
A surprise release of Liberation Maiden showed up on the iTunes App Store in New Zealand today, which, for other apps, usually leads to a worldwide release throughout the day as their respective clocks strike midnight.Liberation Maiden was originally released on 3DS in Japan as part of the Guild01 cartridge, and in North America as a standalone 3DS eShop game. It's a collaboration between Suda 51/Grasshopper Manufacture and Level-5, in which you control the teenage president of Japan in her flying mech.We've checked in with Level-5 about the prospects for the other Guild01 games on iOS.
Killer is Dead launches worldwide this summer
Suda 51's Killer is Dead is confirmed for a worldwide launch on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in summer 2013. XSEED is releasing the Grasshopper Manufacture game in North America, while Deep Silver is bringing it to Europe and Oceania.True to the developer's form, Killer is Dead stars an assassin taking out criminals in the near future. The hero, Mondo Zappa, brandishes a sword with his right hand and everything from guns to drills with his other, artificial arm.Today's announcement comes hot on the trail of Grasshopper Manufacture's acquirement by Japanese MMO makers GungHo Online Entertainment. GungHo does have an American publishing branch, but this Grasshopper game won't be the first to take advantage of it.Update: Killer is Dead will feature both Japanese and English audio on the disc.%Gallery-177734%
Grasshopper Manufacture acquired by GungHo
Suda 51's studio Grasshopper Manufacture has been acquired by Gungho Online Entertainment, known for its longstanding MMO Ragnarok Online. Rather than be renamed or realigned within the company, Grasshopper will continue to operate as Grasshopper Manufacture, much like Gungho's other acquired studios Game Arts, Gravity, and (ironically) Acquire, but will now have its games published by Gungho."We believe the strength of a publisher lies in its creative talent so with the addition of Grasshopper Manufacture and Suda 51 we are adding some of the most innovative talent in today's gaming world to our stellar family of independently-operated studios," said Kazuki Morishita, Gungho CEO (pictured, above, with Suda. "Suda 51 projects are known to put a unique spin on every game so coupled with our proven ability to support development with AAA resources including a tailored online experience, we believe gamers will benefit from this collaboration."The good news there: Gungho has an American publishing operation, which recently released Dokuro, Puzzle & Dragons, and a selection of PSOne Imports, meaning Grasshopper games now have a built-in Western publisher.
Killer is Dead's first trailer is live
Killer is Dead finds Suda 51 back in his comfort zone, a land of high-contrast assassins (here, Mondo Zappa, reminiscent of Flower, Sun, and Rain's Sumio Mondo), mysterious blondes, and contract kills of monstrous freaks. There's a lot of blood in this trailer, and some suggestive sound. What we're saying is that you should use your best judgment when loading up this trailer at work.
Killer is Dead shows off sick moves, characters in first screenshots
Killer is Dead, the next game from Suda 51 and Grasshopper Manufacture, is alive, and this set of screenshots provided by Famitsu proves it. Yesterday we learned the juicy bits of Killer is Dead's story, which stars a mercenary named Mondo Zappa as he travels the world killing bad people.Combat in Killer is Dead is sword-based and close-range, though Zappa has an arm that can transform into a drill, a gun and other items. As seen in the shot above, Zappa's attacks get pretty bloody, especially when he uses one of his more powerful moves, Adrenaline Burst. Check out Famitsu's screenshots right here.
Killer is Dead stars an assassin with a drill, gun for a hand
Grasshopper Manufacture's Killer is Dead stars – you guessed it – an assassin in an imperfect future, a spread in Famitsu reveals, as translated by Gematsu. The protagonist, Mondo Zappa, is hired by the Execution Office, led by Chief Brian Roses, to kill murderers around the world, some of which are trying to regain their talents and others that wish for death. And, somehow, the moon is involved.The combat is close-range, mainly using swords, though Zappa is a bit of a transhumanist and his left arm can transform into a drill, gun and other items. Previous teasers compare the swordplay to No More Heroes, another game from director Goichi Suda. Zappa absorbs enemy blood to use the Adrenaline Burst attack, a powerful move that causes large amounts of blood to gush when foes are decapitated.Zappa's favorite food is a half-boiled egg, he's 35 years old and he is quite a lady-killer (possibly literally). He's joined by co-workers Vivian Squall and Mika Takekawa, and an enemy by the name of Victor. Killer is Dead is scheduled to launch on Xbox 360 and PS3 this summer.
Grab Sine Mora PC for $2 on Green Man Gaming
Waiting for the perfect time to try out the awesome, time-bending shooter, Sine Mora? Looks like this is it, as Green Man Gaming is currently offering the Steam version of the game for a paltry two bucks, a full $0.50 off the already ridiculous price of $2.50. All you have to do is enter the promo code GMG20-PJFEW-Y16HK.If that's not enough to pique your interest, did we mention that it also features super dramatic animal people speaking in Hungarian?
Black Knight Sword review: All flash, no flesh
While fairy tales have evolved over centuries into the family friendly Disney/Dreamworks films our nieces are all so fond of, they originally began life as terrifying stories of murder and misfortune designed to keep children in line, lest they find themselves in the oven of an evil witch.In that sense, Grasshopper Manufacture's Black Knight Sword takes an old school approach to the world of storybook fantasy, leaving warm fuzzies in a locked box beneath the stairs. Its dark tales of captured princesses, feuding sisters and the eternally damned are permeated by a sense of macabre wonderment that would make Guillermo del Toro proud.Unfortunately, the game is also analogous to fables of olde in a different, more tragic sense: It serves as a perfect cautionary tale for other developers, lest their own games buckle under the weight of their own sense of style.%Gallery-173410%
Lollipop Chainsaw 'Premium' and 'Valentine' editions coming to Japan
We're not sure if y'all are aware of this, but Valentine's Day works way, way differently in Japan than it does here. Boys traditionally don't give Valentines to girls, for instance; women are the primary gift-givers, and generally speaking giving anything other than chocolate is atypical.There's also two new Lollipop Chainsaw special editions coming out exclusively in Japan this Valentine's Day, but that's less of a cultural difference and more of a marketing thing. The game's new "Premium Edition" will cost ¥3,980 (about $48) and will include codes to unlock costumes and additional character voices.Meanwhile, the ¥4,980 ($60ish) "Valentine Edition" includes a "Happy Valentine Disc," which contains a PC desktop Juliet clock, wallpapers and various gravure pictures of the game's official cosplay models. It also comes with a "Premium Movie Disc" full of trailers and cinematics, as well as a Lollipop Chainsaw manga and the Premium Edition's unlock codes.No word yet on a potential North American release of either version, but we have learned that the Japanese phrase "義理チョコ" (giri-choko) means "obligatory gift chocolate," which is probably more entertaining in the long run.
Black Knight Sword brandished on XBLA Dec. 12
Black Knight Sword, the second collaboration between Digital Reality and Grasshopper Manufacture, will be released on XBLA December 12. The puppet-style side-scroller, announced at Gamescom in 2011, features constantly-shifting stage backgrounds, in the story of a Black Knight and his magical sword, on a journey to destroy, rather than save, a princess.With the long, quiet development time, we wonder how much the game has changed. Specifically, we're worried the chicken guy who throws eggs at you isn't going to be there anymore.%Gallery-172808%
Build-em-up: make Sine Mora ships in Lego
While gliding through Sine Mora, surely only a scant few thought to themselves, "The one thing I really want to do is stop playing this distinguished Hungarian shoot-em-up, and spend the next few hours meticulously making its fighter ships in Lego." And yet, now that developer Digital Reality sends us authentic instructions for how to make Lego replicas of the Merenstein VI and BS4-VR Soprano, we find building these ships is exactly how we want to spend the next few hours. Screw games, there's Lego to be building!Sadly, the above picture isn't of a set you can buy in stores, as awesome as that would be. You'll have to go about getting the pieces yourself, most likely from various sets - the instructions do at least provide you at the end with a list of the pieces needed. Then again, if you're seriously contemplating making these ships then we reckon you're probably the kind of person who already has every piece needed. And we genuinely envy you.If you've yet to experience Sine Mora on XBLA, the good news is that the game's already flown its way to PC, and is journeying across to PS3 and Vita next week, via PSN.
Sine Mora almost a Digital Reality on Vita and PS3 [update: out Nov. 20!]
Digital Reality doesn't have a firm launch date for the PS3 and Vita versions of its time-shifting shooter, Sine Mora, but a new trailer shows plenty of gameplay footage. There's also a demonstration of the Vita's touch controls, which look ... interesting.Digital Reality says Sine Mora is coming to PS3 and Vita "soon."Update: This week's Official PlayStation Blogcast confirms Sine Mora lands on PSN for PS3 and Vita on November 20 in North America, and the day after in Europe.
PSA: Sine Mora brings bullets, steampunk, and Hungarian to PC today
If you like challenging shoot-em-ups, giant steampunk bosses, and Hungarian voice-overs, then you'll be pleased to hear Sine Mora is out today on PC. The game is currently raining bullet hell on Steam and Green Man Gaming at 10 percent off ($8.99).The unusual collaboration between Grasshopper Manufacture and Digital Reality shot onto Xbox Live earlier this year. It impressed enough to get four and a half stars out of five in Richard's review, which acclaims the game for offering "both a serious challenge to serious shooter fans and a palatable experience to lapsed addicts."
Sine Mora rains bullets and pianos on PC Nov. 9
Digital Reality's steampunk shoot-em-up, Sine Mora, is coming to PCs next week, starting through Steam and other portals on November 9. Kalypso Media informs us it'll be priced at $14.99/£9.99, and that those other digital portals include Green Man Gaming, GamersGate, Amazon Digital, Metaboli, and Kalypso's own online store.Co-developed by Suda 51's Grasshopper Manufacture, Sine Mora arrived on XBLA earlier this year. Since then Digital Reality announced Vita and PS3 ports, but neither has yet come good on releasing "soon." In the meantime, we'll stay on the lookout for killer pianos*. %Gallery-169968% * Yes, the game really has a killer piano, and no, it doesn't look like that one.
Portabliss: Liberation Maiden (3DS)
This is Portabliss, a column about downloadable games that can be played on the go. The adage "leave them wanting more" immediately came to mind upon completing Liberation Maiden, a feat which took a little under two hours to accomplish. Level 5 and Grasshopper Manufacture's 3DS eShop shooter is engaging enough to whet the palate, but the ideas presented by its design don't feel like they have enough time to mature.It's almost like the development team started out with the design document for an entire, full-length shooter, and then decided to only made the first five levels. Thankfully, those five levels are exciting, twitchy arcade fun with Level 5's trademark of polish and Suda 51's sense of style.%Gallery-167532%
Liberation Maiden liberates North American 3DSes Oct. 25
Suda 51 and Level 5's 3DS anime shooter Liberation Maiden will make its stateside debut on the North American 3DS eShop on Thursday, October 25, according to the eShop's news ticker. Previously, Liberation Maiden was featured in a Japan-exclusive 3DS multi-cart called Guild01. The other two titles in the set are set to release on the eShop later this year.Liberation Maiden puts players in the shoes of Shoko Ōzora, a young high-school student who also happens to be the President of Japan, on account of the unfortunate assassination of her father. An invading force is attempting to steal all of Japan's energy resources, so obviously the best solution is to have Shoko pilot the "Kaihoki" mech herself into battle.Animated cutscenes in the shooter come courtesy of Studio Bones, whose previous work includes the anime Wolf's Rain, Full Metal Alchemist and Soul Eater.%Gallery-167532%
No More Heroes: World Ranker arrives on Android in Japan
No More Heroes: World Ranker was released on Android in Japan today, and is due on iOS soon. World Ranker, which Grasshopper CEO Suda 51 introduced last year as "the social game with the most blood," features touchscreen controls and multiplayer options.Aside from that, World Ranker apparently doesn't veer far from the original game's blueprints. You play an assassin, you kill other assassins, you climb the assassin ranks - you know the drill. The promotional artwork above suggests the game sees some of No More Heroes' bosses reappear.When Suda 51 announced World Ranker, he made clear he wanted it to be successful enough in Japan to warrant a worldwide release. Whether or not we'll see the game on Western smartphones likely depends on its performance during the next few months.Check after the break for some screenshots.
Silver Lining: Lollipop Chainsaw and the failure of satire
'Silver Lining' is a column from freelancer Taylor Cocke dedicated to highlighting moments of real potential in less than perfect games. This week he examines Grasshopper Manufacture's Lollipop Chainsaw. The following may contain story spoilers. There's an idea on the Internet called Poe's Law. Basically, it states that if a satirical piece is indistinguishable from the subject it is trying to mock, then it's a failure. It was designed to relate to extremist ideologies like those of the Westboro Baptist Church, but the idea can be extrapolated to just about any attempt at satire. And in the case of Lollipop Chainsaw, it's absolutely applicable.On its face, Lollipop Chainsaw has all the makings of a solid parody title. First off, it's a Suda51 joint, meaning it has a certain lighthearted over-the-top attitude that lends itself well to parody. It was also penned by James Gunn, who has made his career mocking movie tropes with films like Dawn of the Dead, Super, and the vastly underrated Slither. These are guys experienced in making weird, hilarious stuff.The game itself obviously doesn't take itself seriously. Just take a look at the cover: a scantily clad young woman carrying around a chainsaw while the head of her boyfriend hangs off her belt. It's an undeniably silly image, and one that seems to be making fun of the roles women traditionally inhabit in games. Here's a clearly over-sexualized young woman, carrying a massive chainsaw, and essentially dehumanizing her male counterpart.But it never quite makes the turn that satire must make to work. In a gaming landscape that involves a whole lot of problematic images of women, pointing out the absurdity of these portrayals could have been something incredibly valuable. Instead, we get the same old tired jokes about sexuality that we've been hearing for years and years.%Gallery-130904%
Lollipop Chainsaw review: Missing the sweet center
Reviews of mediocre games are generally the hardest to write. While it's as effortless to dole out shining praise as it is to spew acrid condemnation, elucidating the merits of something that is neither great nor awful is considerably more difficult. Normally, that would be the case for Lollipop Chainsaw, which neither truly excels or completely fails in any particular area.As I said, that would be the case – if only developer Grasshopper Manufacture hadn't already delivered excellent examples in the character action genre, giving us the perfect lens with which to suss out Lollipop Chainsaw's faults.%Gallery-149593%
