Otaku Mobile Games v2.0

Seen as the last look at a few Otaku mobile games seemed to turn out popular, how about some more? To be honest I'm currently looking at about 20 games on my Xperia Z, so I have quite a bit of content to still get through! I have begun to play through a JRPG called Epic Hearts, but its tough to find enough time to marathon it a little with everything else I have to play through on other systems. There's only so many hours in the day! With the amount of games Ive come across, and still finding, you can be sure Ill post more of these type of articles in the future! so lets have a look at a few more today...

Galaxy Gladiator (Android) [Free]
Travel back to the golden age of '80s arcade shooters with this vertically scrolling shoot 'em up! As you'd expect with a description like that, what entails is a game purely for old-school shmup fans. Others may enjoy it too tho as its not too difficult. Progress within levels is vertical with all manner of enemies coming from the top portion of the screen in many directions. As you'd expect, a boss is present at the end but you don't have to destroy them to complete the level. A time appears and destroying the boss within that gives you bonuses, if you don't then no bonus. Upon completion of a level, XP is awarded which you can use to unlock levels & upgrade your ship. While the game does have some nice 3D graphics, the game is structured in a way that requires a lot of grinding for progress. A shame, but still Worthy of a try due to its lack of a price tag (progress can be bought via the purchase of gold coins for XP)

Moe Cure Net (Android) [£4.25]
The only fully translated Visual Novel Ive managed to find on the app store (doesn't appear to be on Itunes) There are numerous non-translated ones, so if you savvy with your Japanese then you should be busy. From what Ive played so far it is just as you'd expect. Whats surprising though is the wealth of talent they've managed to procure for the voice acting. There's no English dub, Just subtitles, but some of the voices may be instantly recognisable to some of us (A full list of actresses is on the app page) I think there is a free version to try but I'm not sure how its limited as I'm using the full version.

SOL: Stone of Life (Android / IPhone) [Free]
(If you have a phone with a large, high res screen or a tablet - look for the EX version for higher quality assets) A free action RPG that may be worth taking a look at. The gameplay is mainly dungeon crawling which usually involves fetch quests as you'd expect with a simple mobile title. Loot drops by enemies and chests provide the means for you to boost your equipment as well as a shop in the central hub to purchase items in. The skill tree & item/weapon customising though is fairly deep and you may be quite surprised by it. The occasional tutorial that pops up when you first start playing is a worthy read if you want to get the most out of the game. Story seems a bit..not too interesting, but its gameplay makes up for that and the graphics are quite good with some nice character artwork. Just be wary of controls. Movement can be clunky depending on which option you choose so make sure to try all of them. Worth a try for the price.

 Trigger Knight (Android / PC ) [Free]
Guide the Knight to defeat enemies before her health energy ends! An Experimental Mini-Survival RPG that uses one-button mechanics! The relatively simple premise hides a game with deeper, more tactical gameplay than you first realise. You are constantly running while a gauge at the top of the screen depletes. While running you'll pass buildings that allow upgrades ie weapons & armour, purchased with gold you receive when you destroy enemies on the way. Passing shrines and paying the gold resets the gauge. You'll always know what the next few buildings you pass are going to be as they show underneath the time gauge, allowing you to plan ahead. Its anime styled graphics are nice, but with no HD or EX version being available, looks a little blotchy on high-res phones & tablets. Well worth a try though. Don't be fooled by its simplicity of gameplay..

If you grab a couple from the last article and try these, there should be enough to keep you going till I post up the next iteration. Then again if you'd downloaded Moe Can Change, You wouldn't even need these! Have you tried that one yet? I bet you haven't. I should hopefully have another review up on Monday followed by maybe a review of Pokemon on Friday. Ps4 Hands-on will also be happening on Monday evening too so I guess I'm going to be busy next week. Dont forget Ill be live tweeting so be sure to follow me on Twitter @MadchesterManc

Localisation Prospect: Hyperdimension Neptunia PP

I was awoken this morning by a Tweet. As annoying as it was at 7.30am, the contents of the tweet more than made up for it. Thanks go to Remy Dalmulder (Sanquine) for bringing this to my attention. Game publisher NISA is bringing Idea Factory's Hyperdimension Neptunia PP to US and EU PlayStation Vita's next year. This title has a planned release for both retail and PSN formats but no firm date given yet other than 2014. So lets gather up some Intel on what is probably one of the most surprising titles to see localisation for a while.

Nippon Ichi Software's description of this title:   
The player takes on the role of the main character, who happens to fall into Gamindustri and is immediately hired by one of the four CPUs-Neptune, Noire, Blanc, and Vert-to be their producer and manage their idol careers. Get your training wheels on, ladies, because a new producer is in town and the fate of Gamindustri hangs in the balance! Will you be able to properly raise these CPUs into idols, or will their citizens be stolen away from them by the popular idol group MOB-48!? Teach these girls to sing, dance, and properly promote themselves to the general populace thanks in part to your expertise in training video game idols back on Earth. As the girls' popularity rises, they will be able to join one another in singing duets, or maybe even come together for a full ensemble!

The goal of Hyperdimension Idol Neptunia PP is to get fans. You can send Neptune and the CPUs out by picking the "business" option from the main menu. There are events, media shows, and other publicity stunts you can do to promote the Neptunia idol troupe. If you want to give the CPUs a break you can select "off" which also lets you see scenes of the idols talking. Pick "lesson" and you can increase the girl’s stats. You can also select "move" to relocate your office to get fans in other regions. When it’s time to perform you can select live mode. The CPUs will take the stage to sing and dance. You can pick costumes for the CPUs. The CPUs that perform can increase their share in the region their act is in. There are times when monsters like the Dogoo will come on stage too in Unlimited Live events - Very much a far cry from previous entries in the series with gameplay not being anything like the JRPG's of previous entries. While the fact its Hyperdimension Neptunia is enough to ensure its a day one purchase for me, With it not being an RPG I am a little worried about it being too much of an off-shoot. Still, It does intrigue so a purchase is on the cards with a review to follow for those interested (whenever release day is)

Ive managed to piece together info from numerous sources to brings this small tidbit post with a little more info than most to give you guys a small insight as to whats in store. As you can see from the screenshots, it looks very much like a Neptunia game at least. I can see this being a fans game more than anything, so even more niche than the main series. Personally, I cant wait. I almost had a fangirl screaming moment when I read the news so you can be sure Ill let you know as soon as a release date is announced

Here's some art to tie you over till some more announcements are made..

 

Retrospective: Gungrave (Ps2)

Views have more than doubled lately with the completion of reviews for recently released games seeming to bring in a wave of readers. The 7/10 awarded to Dragons Crown still seems a little contentious to some, but if you take a look at our new scoring policy - a 7 is a good score! Ill have another review for you to chew the fat over in a few days time. Today though I'm going to do a retrospective. Its been about a week since I last done one which is surprising when I usually do one every other day. Today I'm gonna look at a game I recently re-purchased - Gungrave

Review's Scoring Policy

 

Ever wondered how games are scored? While Ive used PushSquares scoring policy before, I thought it'd be good to start using one of our own for reviews posted to the blog even though I do like PushSquares. So without further ado, I give you the otakufied scoring policy! Authors are free to choose their method of scoring the games they review here tho, so this policy may not always apply!

10/十 - Pāfekuto (Perfect)
A Game that scores a 10 doesn't necessarily mean its a perfect game in a literal sense, more like perfect for its intended system or for multiple types of gamers to enjoy. Its a game that can transcend its pigeon holed genre and be worthy for anyone. Worth its weight in Beef Ramen without a doubt!

9/九  - Sōdaina (Magnificent)
Quite similar to a 10 rated game - but one or two little, tiny, minuscule, minute issues that may effect the odd person has meant it's just shy of that illusive score. Still, its worth trying even if you don't like the genre its settled in as it could surprise you like a tasty packet of Octopus flavoured crisp.

8/ 八 - Subarashī (Great)
A game that fans of the genre will lap up in spite of the few minor, niggling issues the game might have. Those able to overlook minor issues will also be surprised by the game if they give it a chance and may enjoy more than they thought was possible. Its like Pork or Duck Ramen. Tasty, but not quite Beef.

7/七 - Yoi (Good)
A 7 is a good score, hence the 'Yoi'. While it has one or 2 areas that may have compromised its quality overall, Its still recommended as there may be other areas of genuine quality or fun that can balance everything out a little bit. Its like warming up your Sake too much. Its still nice, but its just missed the sweet spot.

6/六 - Warukunai (Not Bad)
Be wary if a game has this score. While by no means is it a bad game, It may have numerous issues that warrant caution. Theres still some good in a game with a 6 though! So it should be worth a try if you've looked into it & feel its issues aren't too bad.  Its kinda like Bachelor's Super Noodles, they may taste nice but you never once believe your getting the real deal.

5/五 - Heikin (Average)
A 5 is average. While some gamers see the likes of 6 or 7 to mean average, here we stick to the traditional 5 being average. An average game is just that. Isn't terrible, but isn't great either. It just is. I wouldn't recommend a game with this score unless your a big fan of the series or the concept the game is based on. Only then may you be able to overlook 'some' of its issues.

4/四 - Gakumen ika (Below par)
Things start to go downhill here quicker than an attempt to patch up some badly made Sushi. While a game with a score of 4 may have one or two redeeming features for absolute fans to cling to, theres no disguising the fact that the game features more than its fair share of issues. You may enjoy it in patches, but be warned!

3/三 - Mazushī (Poor)
The kind of game that no doubt looks awesome on the cover, but has no doubt lulled many a people into a false sense of security. Upon the moment the game is played you'll feel the tinge of disappointment like a Shuriken to the heart as your hopes fade. We can't justify a game with this score, but its your choice at the end of the day!

2/二 - Hidoi (Terrible)
A game this bad would even have a Samurai disobey his master when ordered to play it. Theres probably just a tiny speck of goodness that prevents it from getting the lowest score, but that doesn't mean its worth accepting even if its for free

1/一 - Shūtai (Abomination)
The title says it all. Play it at your own peril. We have so you don't have to. Tenno Heika Banzai.......


*While most gaming sites use stars for a visual representation of the score, here the Japanese numerical characters are used instead. For example, as with Dragons Crown 7/10, it would show as:

一 二 三 四 五 六 七/OOO

or Beyond: Two Souls 9/10:

一 二 三 四 五 六 七 八 九/O

If a review copy of a game is provided by someone else they will also be mentioned too (Review copy provided by.....) and links to their website/profile will be provided so you can thank them with a nice, warm bowl of Demae Ramen, Beef of course.

Hope that clears things up for you if you become confused by what a review score entails in the future.

Review: Dragons Crown (Vita)

Today is the second in my long weekend of reviews! Its been a long, gruelling time with the great news of some Ps4 hands on and Andi's talk of reviewing the latest Armoured Core today too sandwiched in the middle of the 2 reviews. Hopefully those of you intrigued by the title but unsure of whether to take the plunge just yet will enjoy this review.

Quick update

Just a quick update to let you know that I'm not dead!. Been busy with Kingdom Hearts Final Mix which is finished off the other night :)!

Just jumped onto Chain Of Memories and I'm honestly a little pushed back by it, hopefully the writing picks up later on but there is a lot I need explaining to be impressed!.

As for my next big write up I'm currently waiting for a copy of Armored Core: Verdict Day in the post. Once this drops I shall be reviewing this relatively under the radar release (working in a game shop I should of known this had released but nothing!).

Till next time my little Straw Hats! 

Ps4 hands on event confirmation (28th October)

Wait, why are you doing a blog post for a tweet? Well I sent this tweet no too long ago after signing up for a Ps4 lock-in event on the 28th. That means exclusive hands on content for you readers here! While I will be posting a bumper post the following day with all manner of impressions and pictures from the event, I will also be live tweeting while I'm there. If your following me on Twitter then you can keep up to date with what I'm doing there! While the big hitters like Killzone are reputed to not be there, Knack will be headlining the event (Sony are really pushing it) In a way I prefer it this way. Knack is definitely the most intriguing title from the Ps4's launch from Sony as you kinda know what your getting with the other games. Plus its Sony Japan afterall. Octodad: Dadliest Catch is another quirky title there that I'm looking forward to having a go of. There's also more titles like FIFA 14 there too that aren't necessarily titles we cover but I'll have a look anyway to get more of a feel for the system.

A fairly big scoop for the blog. I'll keep my ear to the ground for any similar events that I can smooth talk my way in to! Hopefully on the 29th we'll have some exclusive hands on content. I'll let you know closer to the date if theres any changes or delays but I doubt that will be the case. Looking forward to it myself.

Check out @MadchesterManc's Tweet: https://twitter.com/MadchesterManc/status/391519586920960000

Review: Beyond: Two Souls (Ps3)

The first review to be posted straight to blog is also, probably, the biggest game we'll look at for a while. While your no doubt wondering why Ive done a review for this, its simple. While Beyond may sell a million copies (or not) only a niche part of its audience will truly understand what's trying to be accomplished. Its fairly unique in an industry of tried & true mechanics. So how does it fare?

Retrospective: Mister Mosquito/Mr. Moskeeto (Ps2)

 Yesterdays post seemed fairly popular. I guess people like reading what anime's others are watching. I bet you've watched a bit of Upotte now, haven't you? Today though its back to business as usual looking at a niche game in every sense of the word - Mr Moskeeto (PAL)/Mister Mosquito (US)

Anime's doing the rounds on my Gizmo's.

I've decided to take a break from games here today, although there is a Kingdom Hearts 3 trailer doing the rounds that may interest you (LINK) Instead I'm going to be sharing some anime's that Ive been watching these past few months. Ive got a feeling that a few may suprise you, or you may have secretly watched yourself but don't say to maintain the anime connoisseur facade you have going on. I haven't watched any from the latest 'season'. I don't tend to follow anime that way, instead I just marathon a series when its finished (the hype for certain series tends to have died down then too) So what have I been watching? Mostly older anime's from previous seasons, some are even older than that! I use KissAnime myself, it allows 720p streams and also HTML5 streaming for mobiles (anime's look dandy on my Xperia Z) so Ill provide links to the animes listed there if your interested in giving them a go.

 Disgaea
This is the one I'm currently watching at the moment. Its been a long time since Ive done anything Disgaea so I thought Id rejig my memory with this anime due to D2 being released not too long ago. The story is based on Hour Of Darkness, but skews at certain points apparently. It starts with Laharl being awoken from his slumber by Flonne, an angel apprentice, and upon learning that the overlord (his father) is dead he sets out to claim his throne with Flonne in tow and later joined by Etna. I'm only about half way through it so far, but its a lot of fun. I find it to be one of the most amusing anime's Ive seen for a while. The relationship between Laharl & Flonne is a particular highlight, with most of the amusing moments coming when Flonne starts blabbering about love - much to the dismay of Laharl. If your looking for a little fun in an anime Id say try this if you haven't already. When Ive finished with the anime I may grab a copy of Disgaea D2.
KissAnime Link

Upotte!!
Another fun anime. In truth I don't even know how I came to be watching it in the first place though. It was a Sake fuelled night so that may have been why. The anime follows a group of schoolgirls who just so happen to be guns. Yeah, the premise is that bizarre but surprisingly the anime is not. Upotte follows the adventures of Funco (FNC) and her 3 best friends Ichiroku (M16A4), Elle/Eru (L85A2) and Sig (SG550) as they make their way through the school year. The hilarity's start straight off the bat when their new homeroom teacher arrives who is just a normal human and knows nothing of what the school is really about, causing numerous misunderstandings almost straight away. With the anime shunting the use of any ecchi (except for the obligatory hot springs segment all anime's seem to have), it keeps everything light-hearted & fun. The only issue is the 10 episode run time. I managed to watch the whole series in one night. This does cause it to feel a little rushed towards the end, but its such a sweet anime Ive started watching it again anyway. The OVA isn't too good though. Give it a go if your looking to try something light-hearted that differs from the norm you usually watch.
KissAnime Link

 Date A Live
This seems to be one from the past few months that most people Ive mentioned it to have seen. With a second season announced almost upon completion of airing the first season, it must have gone down a treat with most people. The anime follows Shido, who's sister recruits him to partake in taking 'spirits' on dates so they fall for him and he seals their powers with a kiss, ensuring the world is safe! There are a couple of twists later in the series that makes things even more interesting, but the anime doesn't deviate much from its 'spirit' date storylines. In truth its not as fun as the previous 2 Ive mentioned, but its still interesting and features some really cool fight scenes between the 'spirits' and the AST who are trying to destroy the spirits. If you haven't seen it yet, Id recommend it. With a second season on its way soon too there'll be plenty to sink your teeth in to. If its of any interest, there's also a Ps3 game available..only in Japan though.
KissAnime Link

Hyperdimension Neptunia
This just had to be put here! In truth it does start a little slow. The first few episodes seem a little off and its not till about episode 4 when the anime picks up, with the second half of the series being an absolute blast to watch. That wouldn't have been so bad if I wasn't waiting weekly for each episode though! There is an underlying story arc running through the series which doesn't come to the fore till the last few episodes, so it keeps you intrigued in that way too. Again, its all about fun. The anime is similar to how Disgaea is with is light-hearted & amusing approach. Theres still fight scenes too and most of the characters make an appearance through the series. AT 12 episodes, Its a little short for me but hopefully there'll be a second season. If your a fan of the games, you should have watched it. If not, Why? The anime is basically the same format as the game. Everything that's in the games is in the anime, parodies and all. One for fans indeed, but good enough to work as a taster for those with interest in seeing what the Hyperdimension Neptunia series is all about.
KissAnime Link

As you've probably guessed, I tend to watch mainly anime's that come across as light-hearted & fun these days. I used to watch a lot of Sci-Fi & supernatural ones but Ive slowly gone off those. The last one like that I watched was probably 11 Eyes (KissAnime Link), which was actually good although a few more episodes to flesh the story out a little more would've been nice. At the times the 12 episode standard that seems to do the rounds with anime's isn't always enough. So what anime's are doing the rounds in your gizmo's? Let me know and I may check em out!