[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My first agenda is getting the now hopelessly outdated "My Precious" section up to speed.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).