TGS 2010: Konami booth to have 8 of its own games, 6 from other publishers

Section: Gaming News, Features, Japanese Imports, Consoles, PS3, Xbox-360, PCs, Windows, Handhelds, DS & DSi & DSi XL, Game-Companies, Developers, Publishers, Genres, 3D, Action, Adventure, Fighting, Shooter, Horror & Suspense, Music, Sports, Sim, Conventions, Tokyo Game Show, Web-Sites, Official-Sites

Konami’s among the many companies announcing its Tokyo Game Show 2010 plans. Which is to be expected, of course. The event is September 16-19, 2010, and companies want attendees to be informed well in advance so people know whether or not they want to visit certain booths. Konami’s booth will be quite full this year, with eight new Konami games and six games from other, smaller publishers on display.

Like Square Enix and Level-5, Konami’s also created a Konami Tokyo Game Show 2010 site with preliminary information. You can see links to websites for most of the games, find out event dates and check out Konami Japan’s twitter page. It doesn’t top Square Enix’s TGS 2010 efforts, but is slightly better than Level-5’s.

Let’s look at all the games people will be able to see at Konami’s booth:

Adrenalin Misfits (Cross Board 7)
Publisher (Developer): Konami (Konami)
Platform: Xbox 360
Japanese Release Date: November 2010
Genre: Sports (Snowboarding)
Note: This is a Kinect game.

Hot Japanese Imports Review: Heart no Kuni no Alice for PSP

Section: Reviews, Exclusives, Originals, Features, Columns, Japanese Imports, Handhelds, PSP & PSPgo, Game-Companies, Developers, Publishers, Genres, 2D, Adventure, Sim

Title: Heart no Kuni no Alice
Price: $58.90
System(s): PSP
Release Date: August 20, 2009
Publisher (Developer): Prototype (Quinrose)
ESRB Rating: N/A, Cero C for Ages 15 and up.
Pros: Interesting take on the Alice in Wonderland story, lots of characters, tons of CGs and events, can control time, two UMDs worth of content, good voice acting.
Cons: Not very import friendly. Art style may not appeal to all players.
Overall Score: 9/10

Hot Japanese Imports followers should already be familiar with the title Heart no Kuni no Alice, since I recently reviewed the first volume of the translated manga adaptation, Alice in the Country of Hearts. That shojo harem manga was inspired by a 2008 PlayStation 2 game called Heart no Kuni no Alice an otome (girl’s dating sim) offering a new take on Alice’s Wonderland trip. In 2009 the game was rereleased for the PSP as a two UMD adventure with more content.

Alice is dragged down the rabbit hole, arrives in Wonderland and meets lots of handsome, single men.

Heart no Kuni no Alice‘s Alice didn’t fall down a rabbit hole. She was forced down it by Peter White – the white rabbit. He forces her to drink a potion which makes her stay in Wonderland, because he’s in love with her. So now she’s there, and caught wondering what to do and how to get back. She learns that if she interacts with the people of Wonderland enough, she’ll fill up her vial and be able to return home.

This version of Wonderland is made up of different districts, most at war with one another over territory. There is Blood Dupre’s mansion, which houses a Mafia-style group, the Heart Castle, which is home to Queen Vivaldi and her servants, Merry Goland’s amusement park with his workers and crew and, finally, the only neutral area, Julius Monrey’s clock tower. Alice is free to visit all areas, in her quest to form bonds with people so she can go home.

Lots of walking and talking.

Okay, technically there isn’t any real walking. You’re just moving Alice’s little cursor/indicator thing to the different areas of Wonderland. But I think you get the general idea. Heart no Kuni no Alice is a very straightforward visual novel. You spend your time guiding Alice around Wonderland, hoping to meet and talk to various characters, perhaps even building a relationship with one of them. As you go through the game, you’ll eventually be able to change the time of day to help make meetings easier.

QuinRose games are always known for their unique heroines, and Alice is definitely one of them. She isn’t a typical video game stereotype – she’s stubborn, strong-willed, more often than not a realist and very driven. She’s not waiting for anyone to come and rescue her and is quite forward. She also has a tendency to grab the ears of any character with rabbit or cat ears, even if they’d rather she didn’t. (Which isn’t very polite.) The supporting characters are well developed as well, and though some may fall into certain dating sim “types,” most stand out and have unique and unexpected qualities. The Elliot March (March Hare) and Nightmare characters are two good examples of how interesting the supporting cast can be.

You’ll get plenty of opportunities to see these characters in action, because there are tons of events in Heart no Kuni no Alice. You’ll learn a lot about pretty much everyone, and if you choose to try and follow certain characters’ storylines, you’ll not only learn the secrets from their past, but also more about Wonderland itself. Plus, you’ll unlock lots of CG images you can view later in the gallery.

If you love Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and speak Japanese, go for it. If not, go read the Alice in the Country of Hearts manga.

Odds are, if you’re interested in Heart no Kuni no Alice, then you’re going to love the game when you pick it up. After all, most of the people who know about it enjoy otome games, are familiar with visual novels and enjoy Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland or the recent Disney Alice in Wonderland movie. As long as you can read or understand spoken Japanese, you’ll probably love it and spend hours trying to win over your favorite characters. If you can’t understand the language, then you should spend your money on Tokyopop’s Alice in the Country of Hearts manga series instead.

COMING NEXT WEEK: Hot Japanese Imports talks about Selfy/TinierMe.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Last week Hot Japanese Imports listed some great video game soundtracks to pick up.

Site [Play-Asia] Site [YesAsia] Site [NCSX] Site [Himeya Shop] Site [Strapya World]

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Japan Import: Phantasy Star Portable 2 Infinity makes other version obsolete

Section: Gaming News, Features, Japanese Imports, Handhelds, PSP & PSPgo, Game-Companies, Developers, Publishers, Genres, 3D, Action, Role-Playing

The hip new thing to do with mission-based PSP games is update and rerelease them within a year. Namco Bandai’s doing that with God Eater and it’s slightly modified successor God Eater Burst, and now Sega’s doing that with Phantasy Star Portable 2. Phantasy Star Portable 2 Infinity is now in development and adds a whole new Episode 2 storyline after the existing Phantasy Star 2 Portable story, the Duman race, a Visual Lobby when searching for online compansion, more monsters from Phantasy Star Online and new gameplay features.

Episode 2 of Phantasy Star Portable 2 Infinity introduces Nagisa, the Duman in the picture at the right there. Dumans are an existing race supposedly, but haven’t gotten any face time or recognition until now because they’re essentally mutated humans, weren’t recognized as a race and are targets of discrimination. They’re incredibly strong physically, and good with magic, but have terrible defense. Nagisa basically appears and you have to go through Episode 2 to learn more about her, her motives and the Dumans themselves.

That and the new gameplay features might make double dipping into PSP2 Infinity worthwhile. There’ll be an additional Infinity difficulty level, which should help make old missions more interesting. You’ll also be able to take pictures in the game and in battle that you can collect and view later. Finally, it’s taking a cue from games like Dragon Quest IX with a tag mode which will exchange information with other PSP2 Infinity players you pass by. Instead of treasure maps, you get a mission you can go out on with this new friend character.

Think about this when your English-language copy of Phantasy Star Portable 2 September 14, 2010. The brand new game you’re getting is now nothing compared to the slightly more awesome Phantasy Star Portable 2 Infinity that’ll be out before the end of 2010 in Japan. Of course, the success of Phantasy Star Portable 2 in North America will probably help determine whether or not PSP2 Infinity gets localized, so it may be a good idea to pick it up anyways.

Read [Andriasang] Also Read [Phantasy Star Fan Blog] Site [Phantasy Star Portable 2 (Japanese)]

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Japan Import: Over 1 million people already preordered Pokemon Black & White

Section: Gaming News, Features, Japanese Imports, Handhelds, DS & DSi & DSi XL, Game-Companies, Developers, Publishers, Genres, 2D, 3D, Role-Playing

The Pokemon Company has a huge hit on their hands, and it hasn’t even been released yet. The latest reports from Japan say that over 1.08 million people have placed preorders for their copies of Pokemon Black and White.

Pokemon Black and White don’t come out until September 18, 2010, but that hasn’t stopped Japanese DS owners from racing to stores to make sure they’ll have a copy on launch day. Stores have been taking preorders for the game for about a month now, so the fact that over one million have been taken is pretty impressive.

Unfortunately, the data doesn’t state how many people preordered Pokemon Black and how many people preordered Pokemon White. I know it doesn’t really matter, since they’re both basically the same game, but it would have been an interesting information nugget.

If you want to join in the fun, you can always preorder too! Pokemon Black and White costs about ￥4,800 ($56) if you want to import it. Of course, the games already have a North American and European early 2011 release window, so if you can be patient, it’d probably be better to just wait.

Read [OnlinePlayer Ex (Japanese)] Via [Siliconera] Also Read [Andriasang] Site []

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Hot Japanese Imports: 10 game soundtracks every gamer should own

Section: Exclusives, Originals, Features, Columns, Japanese Imports, Lists, Gear, Audio

Many video games are reknowned for having wonderful soundtracks which create a perfect atmosphere while you play. So if you are a game fanatic, you may find building a game music library will help heighten your appreciation for the accompanying instrumentals and songs.

Getting such a library started can be a bit daunting though. There are many wonderful soundtracks out there and going out and buying randomly could result in CDs with only one or two songs on them that you really like. So in today’s Hot Japanese Imports, I’ve compiled a list of 10 Japanese game soundtracks which can really add something special to a game music library.

Acquiring Video Game Soundtracks

I already went over game soundtrack buying in an earlier column, but here’s a quick summary in case you don’t feel like revisiting and rereading. Most video game soundtracks you’ll have to import from Japan. There are exceptions, and iTunes and Amazon are expanding their game soundtrack selection every day. The first step is to check iTunes and Amazon now, to see if the game soundtrack you’re looking for is available there. If it is, then you’ll probably be able to get it for between $9.99 and $19.99.

If the soundtrack you’re looking for isn’t there, you’ll have to import. Since bootleg CDs can be a problem, your best bet is to use a reputable site like Play-Asia, YesAsia or AmiAmi and see if they have what you’re looking for. It’ll be a bit more expensive, costing between $20 and $45 for a complete soundtrack, but it’ll be authentic and in good condition.

10 Great Game Soundtracks You Should Own

1. Persona 3 Original Soundtrack: The Persona 3 soundtrack is a perfect staple for a video game soundtrack collection due to the varying music. You have wonderful instrumentals that perfectly accentuate the themes of Tartarus dungeon exploration and events, but also have Japanese pop, rock and hip hop mixed in that were used for the “everyday life” segments of the game. If you really enjoy the music and the game, you may also want look into the Persona 3 FES Original Soundtrack and Persona 3 Portable Original Soundtrack. Each one should cost between $21.90 and $31.90, if you decide to import them.
2. Katamari Damashii Soundtrack: Katamari Fortissimo Damashii: Expect to pay around $30 for this soundtrack. Also, Beautiful Katamari Damacy Original Soundtrack and Boku no Watashi no Katamari Damacy – Complete Sounds of Katamari CDs are available.
3. Miku Hatsune – Project Diva – 2nd Nonstop Mix Collection: This may seem a bit of a stretch, but the music from the Hatsune Miku: Project Diva games is quite catchy, and if you enjoy rhythm games and JPop it’s worth a listen. They’re the kind of tunes which will energize you and get caught in your head. I suggest the Hatsune Miku: Project Diva 2nd soundtrack, just because it includes the best songs from the first game and a few music videos. Expect to pay around $30, since it’s a two disc set. The first game’s soundtrack, Miku Hatsune – Project Diva Original Song Collection, is available for about the same price.
4. Silent Hill 3 Original Soundtrack: This one’s out of print, so it may be a bit difficult to find. Personally, I enjoyed it most because it had the best songs by Mary Elizabeth McGlynn. But all Silent Hill soundtracks have the same eerily disconcerting and haunting instrumentals, so you could easily go for the Silent Hill 2 Original Soundtrack or Silent Hill Original Soundtrack instead. Expect to pay around $30.
5. Final Fantasy VII Original Soundtrack: There two distinct versions of the Final Fantasy VII soundtrack available, the Original Soundtrack and the Piano Collection. As you can guess, the Piano Collection has all the songs performed by a piano. Both are equally lovely, and I highly recommend both. If you’re a general fan of the series, then the Original Soundtrack is the way to go. Expect to pay $40 for that one. The Piano Collection is usually about $10 cheaper.
6. Mother 1 + 2 Original Soundtrack: Don’t let the title fool you – this is actually the soundtrack for Earthbound. Earthbound is part of the Mother series in Japan, and was known as Mother 2 there. So if you pick up this particular soundtrack, you’ll get the music from both the first and second game. It’s jazzy and one of the best SNES era soundtracks out there. Expect to pay around $30 for it, if you get it.
7. Kingdom Hearts Original Soundtrack: Like Final Fantasy VII, there are a few version of the Kingdom Hearts soundtrack out there. For an initial video game soundtrack collection, the Kingdom Hearts Original Soundtrack should serve you well. It usually costs between $30 and $35 and is filled with wonderfully lush instrumentals and reinterpretations of Disney themes and Hikaru Utada’s theme song, “Hikari.” There are also two piano collections, Kingdom Hearts Piano Collections and Piano Collections Kingdom Hearts: Battle & Field, and a Kingdom Hearts Original Soundtrack Complete box set, for over $150, that has nine CDs filled with music from the game.
8. Nintendo Sound History Series: Zelda the Music This CD is a Legend of Zelda fan’s dreams. It covers all Zelda games from the original Legend of Zelda to Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker. There are 70 themes from the games, and you can usually pick up a copy for around $20. If you search for it, try looking under both Nintendo Sound History Series and Famicom Sound History Series, as it could be listed under either. Zelda fans may also want to look for the Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Rearenge Soundtrack, which offers 12 remastered and rearranged songs from Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. It’s slightly more expensive though, and costs around $30.
9. Nintendo Sound History Series: Mario the Music: This CD is out of print, so it may be a bit difficult to find. If you can, it’s worth it. It is filled with 79 tracks from the original NES Mario games. All the Super Mario games, and also music from Dr. Mario and Mario Bros.. Again, check for it under both Nintendo Sound History Series and Famicom Sound History Series, if you go shopping for it. And expect to pay around $20.
10. DDR Max Original Soundtrack: The Dance Dance Revolution soundtracks are filled with great feel-good music, perfect for parties or working out. Whichever works best for you. The DDR Max soundtrack is filled with a number of classic DDR tunes which have appeared in multiple games, and while the songs are short you get a lot. Expect between $30-40.

COMING NEXT WEEK: Hot Japanese Imports reviews Heart no Kuni no Alice for the PSP.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Last week Hot Japanese Imports talked about Sanrio.

Site [Play-Asia] Site [YesAsia] Site [NCSX] Site [Himeya Shop] Site [Strapya World]

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Japan Import: Atlus preparing Catherine for the PS3 and Xbox 360

Section: Gaming News, Features, Japanese Imports, Consoles, PS3, Xbox-360, Game-Companies, Developers, Publishers, Genres, 2D, 3D, Action, Adventure, Horror & Suspense

Atlus’ first HD game is weird. Very weird. It’s going to be called Catherine and follows a man named Vincent’s disturbing dreams, involving massive staircases, bloody lambs and the notion that falling in your dreams equals death in the real world.

Let’s start from the beginning. Vincent is a fairly normal, 30-something single man. He worries he won’t find the right woman for him. Then he meets the buxom Catherine. That’s them up there, in the screenshot together. After that meeting, Vincent starts having nightmares. Of course, if you’ve played the female storyline of Persona 3 Portable and ventured into the club in the bar, you’ve probably already met Vincent and heard all about his problem from him.

Vincent’s daily life then goes on as normal. But his nightlife changes forever. He keeps having horrible nightmares. That’s where the player steps in. It looks like players will be helping Vincent survive these terrors, where he avoids huge hands, scary situations and a surprising number of anthropomorphic, seriously depressed lambs. The only gameplay clues given so far is that Vincent is going to have to keep climbing a neverending staircase. There’ve also been ominous references to falling, both in the Persona 3 Portable cameo and all the recent screenshots and Catherine propaganda released in Japan.

There’s no definite release date or price set yet, but Famitsu’s reporting a Winter 2010 Japanese release window. I’m sure after the Catherine website opens August 23, 2010, we’ll know more. There also hasn’t been any formal North American localization announcement, but I think that Persona 3 Portable cameo says a lot.

Read [Famitsu (Japanese)] Via [Andriasang] Also Read [Siliconera] Site [Catherine (Japanese)]

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