[PC] Dead Or School

Though I hardly play them, I have nothing against indie games. A lot of indie developers bring out some innovative titles and reintroduces tried-and-true mechanics with a twist to the platform. Many established creators go indie because the big-name companies that once backed them lost their vision due to corner-cutting and corporate greed.

However, I'm oftentimes reluctant to offer my support to such entities in one form or another. Crowdfunding campaigns are often a gamble since there have been a sizable number of cases where the pitched game never comes to be, or ends up being total garbage.

The only indie game that I ended up totally liking is this one: Dead Or School. Created by a studio called Nanafushi which is staffed by only three people, it combines hack-and-slash plus labyrinth exploration under a sub-genre dubbed "Metroidvania", combining mechanics of the two classics used in the portmanteau. The PC version was released last year, and there will be a PS4 and Switch port a month or so from now.

[VITA] Bullet Girls

To the Western world, the Vita was deemed a failure, being unable to generate enough sales compared to its predecessor. In my eyes though, it's the best portable system I've ever had. Got it since day one and it has served me well for years. Plus many of the (Japan-made) games are just my type.

Bullet Girls happens to be one of them. In a nutshell, it's kind of like a mix of Senran Kagura and the anime Sabagebu! The concept of Japanese high school girls playing with guns is nothing new, but bullets from the weapons here hurt about as much as a flick to the forehead. The only real casualties are the clothes they are wearing.

[VITA] Miracle Girls Festival

To be perfectly honest, I was growing totally weary of the Project Diva series. The earlier games up until F were fun even with those troll songs that were nigh-impossible to clear without using assist items, and they helped me a lot with getting over motion sickness. However, F 2nd took the trolling to a new level, requiring all songs to be cleared to plat, including the deadly ones on Extreme. That was the last straw that broke the alpaca's back. Dropped it and never played X.

Even so, I still wanted something to play that had elements that are completely similar or even just reminiscent of that system. Miracle Girls Festival was just what the doctor ordered: 100% Project Diva style, No troll songs, and has almost all of my favorite characters in one moelicious little package.

[VITA] ぎゃる☆がん だぶるぴーす

Gal*Gun Double Peace is the sequel to a rather groundbreaking rail shooter game initially released on the Xbox 360 in 2011 by Alchemist & Inti Creates. Instead of shoot-to-kill with firearms, the main character in Gal*Gun uses his "lady-killer pheromone-infused gaze" to incapacitate lovestruck girls who chase after him, an aftereffect of a cupid(in-training)'s epic failure.

The 360 version later drew flak from fans because of a mandatory update that incorporated what's called "PPP" or Panties Protection Patch, where pantyshots were covered by fixed camera angles, dark filters and starch-infused skirts. Bad move considering that the essence of this game is softcore fanservice. The game was ported to the PS3 sans that dastardly patch a year later, and was well-received.

Now we come to this sequel, released for both the PS4 & Vita by the same outfits plus Experience, Inc. For clarity's sake, my review will be for the Vita version only.

[PS3] アースディフェンスフォース インセクトアルマゲドン

Back in the PS2 era I fell in love with a fun little TPS developed by the then-fledgeling outfit Sandlot and brought out by D3 Publisher as a part of their "Simple Series" line: The Chikyuu Boeigun or Earth Defense Force. My copy eventually wore out from overuse (and my first PS2 soon followed), and I promised myself that should there ever be a next-gen incarnation of the game, I'd try it out first thing... but with the PS3 being what it is, there's always the possibility of only being able to earn certain things by playing online; a trend that I'm slowly losing patience over, being more a solo player by nature.

I later found a copy of Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon in a used game shop for steal-grade cheap. Though it's still a D3 Publisher title, the development was not done by Sandlot, but by a western outfit called Vicious Cycle. I had my misgivings, but since it doesn't seem to be an online-dependent title, I gave it a shot.

[VITA] ルミネス エレクトロニック シンフォニー

Aside from galges and RPGs, I also fancy diving into puzzle games from time to time. Tetris was an enduring companion from my elementary school days and later in life I fell in love with another block-dropper going by the name of Lumines.

After getting a Vita, Lumines Electronic Symphony became a part of my initial to-buy list... or at least it was until I saw that Ubisoft handled the publishing (went through quite a few poorly-made games by said outfit). The critics sang praises for it being impressive from a gameplay and graphical standpoint, but few of them even noted that the key part of the game is also the music.

The first Lumines for the PSP had a unique sonic vibe to it that made every screen a joy to play despite it's simple presentation. I eventually abstained from getting Electronic Symphony upon finding out that the Daft Punk project didn't go through and that it did not feature even a single track by Takayuki Nakamura.

Got to try the download version for free later on via PS Plus. In my opinion, it's a mixed bag. I appreciated it as a fan of the franchise but there were a lot of things in the game that left much to be desired.

[Xbox360/XBLA] ファントムブレイカー：バトルグラウンド

 As I mentioned before, halfway decent Japanese games unique to the 360 are few and verrrrry far between. Aside from Love Tore, Otomedius and Onechanbara Z (the third of which will soon have a PS3 port this coming June), I'm at a loss as to what game to get that isn't a Cave Shooter or a galge.

MAGES/5pb recently released Phantom Breaker Battlegrounds for the XBLA, and being a fan of side-scrolling beat-em-ups, I jumped into it right away.The 16-bit vibe (though MAGES insists that it's supposed to be a homage to 8-bit for some reason), cute characters and funky combat system (which mirrors it's 2D fighting game predecessor) made it particularly appealing.

[PSP] 武装神姫 Battle Masters Mk.2

Before I got exposed to Busou Shinki, I was hard-pressed to see what some people find moe about mecha musume. The concept of humanoid female robots with equipment that some armies only dream of using was lost to me. Now I'm pretty much all about it. Given, I'm no total authority in MMS, but I know more than enough to carry on a decent conversation with a like-minded individual.

As the name implies, Busou Shinki Battle Masters Mk2 serves as a revamp of the first game as well as a sequel. If you have existing BSBM data, you can choose to start from the very beginning or continue from the point where you become the F1 Champion. For the latter, another major event that tops even the Applet Crisis Arc will occur, and the Busou Shinki battling world will be forever changed.

[Xbox 360] 黒歴史の始まり？

So I've finally managed to put down Neptune V for the time being...

My first agenda is getting the now hopelessly outdated "My Precious" section up to speed. After all, it won't be exclusively about handhelds anymore...

Anyway, one of the systems I never thought I'd get to own is the Xbox 360, known amongst the paltry Japanese folks who have them as "hako" (whether the context is affecionate or sarcastic is anyone's guess). It's king in the good ol' US of A despite being backwards in so many different aspects, but it's reception is mixed elsewhere.

Naturally, in keeping with my usual theme, this system is NTSC-J, pure Japan region. It wasn't hard to obtain given the dismal sales numbers in said area and most importantly, The price I got it for was a practical steal.

So if you care enough to read about the history, hit the break link. Otherwise, just feel free to drool over Kobato.

楽園よ！ 私は帰てきたーーっ！！

I've neglected this place for more than a year.

Life has just been life as usual, plus I usually don't find the time nor motivation to compose something good.

First off, there's the possibility of the entries being significantly altered, since I have more systems now than I can shake a pair of chopsticks at. Full scale reviews are no longer feasible given my current circumstances, but I'll do my best to put something out.

Anyway, just for personal convienice, a list of the games I've either finished, spent a good chunk of time on, or still currently playing. Depending on how I can pull myself away from one, I might do a spotlight thing on any of these.

[PS3] 超次元ゲイムネプテューヌMk2

 Though it seems like a fruitless pursuit (and mainly for my own personal satisfaction anyway), the main reason I started doing reviews of the games I've played (and totally got smitten with) is because I read those done by the gaming media on a regular basis, and needless to say, I'm not impressed. They'd give low scores to a game just because they couldn't understand what it's really all about.

Case in point is Chou Jigen Game Neptune. It got mainly lackluster reviews from the so-called "pros" who have little to no experience with otaku culture, merely dismissing it as "a sexist hack from the land of the rising sun". That statement totally reeks of not being able to appreciate moe, and that irks me to no end. Take your BS degree and shove it if you don't have a clue on what you're dealing with, please.

After going through the game twice (both the Japanese and NA versions) , I impatiently awaited the release of the sequel, Chou Jigen Game Neptune Mk2. The original game featured personifications of home consoles (with several developers in tow) and was ridden with gaming history references, fanservice and dungeon crawling. Mk2 doesn't necessarily pick up from where it's predecessor left off (blame the inflexible ending for that one), but features a whole new universe based on the prior theme, an improved combat system, and best of all, the introduction of the original casts' "younger sisters" all of whom are personifications of contemporary handheld consoles. This also answers the need for otaku fans who get off on siscon moe (and I happen to be one of them, by the way).

[PS3] PS3 Getだぜ!!

 I haven't really let on, but I got myself a PS3 a few months ago. After covering for 3 AWOL guys in my part-time job, I earned a pretty fat payoff, so figured that I might as well splurge it on something that I'd actually love. Initially, I planned to hold off on getting one until A.) Zettai Zetsumei Toshi 4 gets pulled out of cancellation, or B.) My birthday comes.

The two reasons got overruled because I already have a handful of games for it that I'm very much raring to play.

[PSP] ペルソナ２罪

Is it Index, or is it Atlus? Make up your minds already!! Ever since the cult game outfit was lynched by their parent company, they've been having somewhat of a collective identity crisis. Index wants it's presence felt while using the Atlus name, which apparently still carries quite a bit of weight. Of course, with the two names struggling for elbow room, something's got to give...

Persona 2 Tsumi (more popularly known as Innocent Sin) was the first of two games originally released for the Playstation. This particular part never saw official stateside circulation because the silly Atlus USA people were "daunted" (this is my best attempt at substituting scathing expletives I'm very much dying to use) by the implied Yaoi undertones and the presence of Nazis and Hitler (they weren't fooling anyone by not giving a specific reason given their miserable track record of letting other Megaten gems slip past)...but wonder of wonders, 2011 seemed to be an uncharacteristic improvement for their part, as the PSP remake somehow got an NA release date for this coming September.

Speaking for myself though, I don't really expect much from them in terms of translation quality, so I'm sticking with the JP version.

9/29/11 EDIT: As usual, Atlus USA does not fail to disappoint. Features from the JP version were removed from the NA release, and worse, they never told anyone until later. Well done, you good-for-nothing freak jobs... well done... *insert sardonic grin here*

[PSP] ゴーGET!

Looky looky, I got myself a PSP Go.

Only I didn't buy it. Just won it off some raffle I entered for the heck of it. Truth be told, I wanted to win the Neptunia PS3 game (3rd Prize), hoard the artbook for my own viewing pleasure, then sell the game elsewhere standalone (I has no PS3; and as many of you may recall, I'm not really fond of localized games) to get monies for my future UMD purchases. Instead I get this.

I was also inclined to sell the Go at first, but then it hit me: Since I got so used to handling a 3000, maybe I can do my own review of how a Go feels compared to the former. Of course, since this puny squirt doesn't have a UMD drive, the only way I could do a gameplay test was to give it the CFW treatment. 

Keep in mind, I know how to make a JP PSN account, but since I pay for all my stuff with cash, I don't have squat in terms of loading it with Yen credits, since people here only import UMDs and the PSN credits they sell are mainly US, HK and Singaporean Dollars. So forgive me for being a cheapskate and dabbling in the dark side of PSP gaming. Besides, the games I downloaded as ISOs were ones that I own in UMD format anyway. No blood, no foul. 

  

[PSP] 探偵オペラ ミルキィホームズ

Over the years, I have read a lot of detective stories, ranging from tween snippets like Encyclopedia Brown to more established classics along the lines of Sherlock Holmes. People who know me often say that my observational skills can be used in the same profession, but while I'm indeed OC with details, I'm also cursed with the "My Pace" habit. If I get too bored with something, I tend to abandon it halfway. That alone would make me an epic failure as a detective.

Bushiroad's Tantei Opera Milky Holmes follows almost the same tradition as any detective story, but adds a freaky aspect to it: the use of "Toys" or inborn abilities that exceed that of a normal human. Both detectives and phantom thieves posses such powers, which allows for a lot of confrontations that go well beyond the normal duels and dramatic pursuits. The PSP game actually serves as a prequel to the anime, so no worries regarding spoilers. Even so, my page break warning link still stands.

[PSP] つくものがたり

Atlus Japan used to be tops in the occult/supernatural games department, but no thanks to financial woes and in-house political hoo-ha, they eventually got swallowed up by their parent company Index Holdings. Given, the outfit still exists (in name, at least), but are now limited to mainly mobile/SNS game releases and paltry remakes. The only thing I'm looking forward from them now is the PSP version of Persona 2: Tsumi, but the release date is still far off and it seemed like there was nothing out there that can help tide me over. But then FuRyu's Tsukumonogatari happened.

The preview videos peaked my interest right away. At first glance, it looked and played like a spiritual (pun intended) successor to Tokyo Mono Hara Shi down to the TV anime-esque flow and severely restricted movement between event scenes. A melded galge and RPG setup, weird events and most importantly, cute girls voiced by established seiyuu... what's not to like?

[NDS] かわいい子猫DS2

Despite having childhood allergies, I absolutely adored cats. It was a lucky break for me that I quickly outgrew such a hindrance, so I have not been without a pet cat for years... that is, until I had to move to a new place where pets were not allowed. I begrudgingly had to bid farewell to my three beloved furbabies, and all I have left of them now are the memories and the multitude of pictures I took during happier times.

I'm not particularly fond of games that involve virtual pets, but had no other alternative since looking after the real thing cannot be done anymore. Kawaii Koneko DS2 was one the initial game purchases for my new DSi, and playing it has become a regular habit ever since.

[NDS] 恋するプリン! ～恋は大冒険! Dr.カンミの野望!?～

While it may not reflect in my prior posts, I like to lose myself in platformers every so often. I'm not a stranger to Mario, Sonic, Rockman, and several other iconic characters who went about their devil-may-care business braving pitfalls, squeezing through narrow pathways and getting past fiendish obstacles, animate or inanimate.

Koisuru Purin! ~Koi Wa Daibouken! Dr. Kanmi No Yabou!?~ is based on the shoujo manga that first ran in Shogakukan's Ciao! magazine. It tells the story of an oddball love triangle happening between an ikemen boy, a high-spirited (*cough*tsundere*cough*) girl and... a cute little blob of pudding? The game itself is a platformer with all the usual flavors, but adds it's own sugary style to the mix.

[PSP] Macross Triangle Frontier

I've been hearing about Macross forever. I first ran into it's localized "Robotech" version via the novels, a handful of which were in our school library. At that time though, the only robot that I favored was Rockman (as well as his eternally moelicious sister Roll) so it didn't really peak my interest.

Funny how people say that our younger years are supposed to be the time when we are most receptive and curious. For me, it was the complete opposite: I was set in my ways before but became more open to new things later on, especially with the Real Robot series. It started with Gundam, and now it's continuing with Macross. Part of my process of getting to know a series aside from the anime is through the tie-in games it has... that being said, I secured a copy of both Macross Ultimate Frontier and the most recent incarnation, Macross Triangle Frontier.

[PSP] GA: 芸術科アートデザインクラス Slapstick Wonder Land

 

I've been playing Lucky Star: Ryouou Gakuen Otousai Portable for several weeks now and realized that it's not all it's cracked up to be. Or maybe perhaps I'm not as fanatically inclined to Lucky Star as I once was... 

Frankly speaking, I don't know anymore. orz

Either way, I sought a few of my other older galge purchases for refuge, and out of all of them, GA: Geijutsuka Art Design Class Slapstick Wonder Land stood out. I've had it for quite a while now, but waited until I could watch the anime (getting the DVDs took a little over a month) so I can appreciate the scenarios once I started playing.