Eastern Mind

Vintage E-SWAT artwork by Yuji Kaida (1990) freshly scanned...

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 01:29:00 +0000

Vintage E-SWAT artwork by Yuji Kaida (1990) freshly scanned from the “Sega Video Game Illustration” book.

Designer Goreture, the timeless CAPCOM advertisement from the...

Sun, 13 Dec 2009 19:55:00 +0000

Designer Goreture, the timeless CAPCOM advertisement from the PlayStation days.

VISIONS OF IBLARD #3 Hill with a view of planet tree by...

Sun, 13 Dec 2009 00:36:08 +0000

VISIONS OF IBLARD #3 Hill with a view of planet tree by Naohisa Inoue

Introducing Ryu ga Gotoku 4 "Inherit the Legend" (Updated)

Sat, 12 Dec 2009 04:12:00 +0000

Recidivist lifestyles (11/12/09)

With more information arriving almost every week, the wait until the Spring of 2010 becomes harder with each new feature revealed. Just this week, the Ryu Ga Gotoku team won a Gold Award from Sony for having achieved over half a million units sold with Ryu Ga Gotoku 3. Also, for additional information and some downloadable goods (such as this image on a wallpaper size) please take a look at the expanding official website for the game (in Japanese).

PICK A FIGHT. ANY FIGHT.

It’s not just the newcomers to the series who display brand new fighting styles: Kazuma is also developing new ways to torture his opponents with his newly developed palm move, an elbow blow that can stun the enemies, a knee to the stomach and the repeated weapon attacks as a finishing move.

Akiyama uses his feet for the most powerful attacks. He can also use weapons (the double sticks, as seen in the image) and has a particular taste for bloody finishing moves: watch him land on his knee using the oppnonent’s head as a cushion. Just as cruel as the rail finish move from last update.

Saejima does things the rough way. His brute force allows him to hold enemies in his arms and throw them to the ground, or merely stomp on their chests. Every move can be lethal.

Finally, here’s a little more from Tanimura, the cop. He plays by the law’s rules so he doesn’t seem to act as violently as other characters. Which doesn’t mean he isn’t punishing street thugs with an attitude: take a look at that stylish kick with the shoe sole.

DOCUMENT OF EVERYDAY LIFE

As shown before, the characters will continue to learn new moves based on situations from their everyday life. These two were unfortunate enough to mess with the wrong Yakuza.

In Kenzan!, Kiryuu would find situations of his daily life and paint them over a piece of parchment. In Yakuza 3 he used his cellphone to take a picture. Akiyama, however, takes that a little further using his expensive mobile phone to record a video of the events. Tanimura uses his police detective notepad which is quite suitable. Saejima on the other hand is a little more rustic, carving a record of events on a tree log.

GO TO THE MASTERS

When in distress, the four characters go to their masters for helpful advice that will hopefully help them solve their difficulties: such is the traditional Japanese way. Ryu visits his sensei Komaki in his dojo to hear the enlightened words from a wiser mind.

Akiyama visits his master, a former military instructor, in order to develop his skills in fighting and chasing.

Saejima’s master, a homeless old man, makes him dig the tunnels below the city and split the rocks for therapy.

Tanimura’s instructor is a female south east asian detective by the name of Nair, who teaches him special new moves with each visit.

EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED

The game will include elements of chance. In the middle of battles or cutscenes, the team has added some additional moments of danger to which the player must react to by pressing the correct buttons - a small QTE if you will, like in the case of Goro fighting Saejima, pulling a knife on him all of a sudden.

RANDOM ENCOUNTERS

A known part of the series: while wandering the streets, Kazuma will make the yakuza and street hoodlums chase after him for some street skirmish.

Saejima is wanted by the law. As such, his face is known to police officers around the streets who chase after him for an arrest. When walking about Kamuro he will have to evade any law enforcing agents who recognize him and lose their tail.

Akiyama is a money lender with an exceptional reputation in the city. Because everyone is in need these days, he has done more favors to the residents of this district than charity itself. So when engaging in fights, Akiyama will count with the helping hand of residents. In this fight, the affable restaurant worker throws Akiayama a box of noodles he can use to hit the enemy’s head.

When roaming the streets, Tanimura will often receive messages from headquarters reporting disturbances. The player will have to take Tanimura to the place indicated on the wire and resolve the disputes. Here’s Nagoshi borrowing a page from the Shinjuku no Okami book.

[ Via Dengeki News ]

=========================================================================

The hard way or no way at all (25/11/09)

This latest update brings new details about the fighting style of each character, as well as a learning system well known to players who are familiar with Kenzan! and Yakuza 3. On the image above is an example of Akiyama’s money lending - as he is into the the business of lending money to people.

Seems like Saejima, after escaping from prison, took a job as a bouncer for a casino and is responsible for dealing with customers who are cheating or creating disturbances. And, from what is shown in the images below, he takes his fighting very seriously.

FIGHTING SYSTEM

Everything seems to indicate that Kazuma will be using his natural moves, although they seem somewhat more potent this time around - quite some impact there in that supplex. Also the last image shows a violent throw move that had not been seen before.

Completely new, the fighting style of Akiyama seems to be based on the use of his feet instead of his fist (on which Kiryuu’s style is mostly based on). He can do some ground sweeping or lift his feet up to the air and attack multiple enemies at once. That rail finishing move is exactly the sort of punishment one wishes to administer to that sort of cocky street thug.

Saejima has no time to fool around. His strenght makes each of his moves, filled with rage, extremely violent and bloody. His style appears to be based on grappling and throwing, while he’s also capable of using any object in his surroundings no matter how heavy. Glad to have him on Kazuma’s side…

Tanimura, if you remember him from the description provided a few updates before, is a cop who leads his life among the street scum. Because of his occupation he is not allowed to use full violence like any of the other three characters although his lightweight physical structure does give him the chance for some agile moves. Judging from the pictures, his style will be mostly based on submissions since the objective of his fights is not to bleed enemies to death - like Taejima - but to lay them to the ground and arrest suspects putting in handcuffs.

LEARNING NEW MOVES

This is police officer Tanimura. As seen in the last Ryu ga Gotoku episodes, the creators have implemented an interesting learning system which derives from situations going on in the city space. Here is an example of that situation…

Tanimura notices some guy walking into a back-alley with a girl.

An older woman expects him in the end of the alley with a butcher knife in hands. She’s mad at the husband because he´s going out at night cruising for younger girls.

And it seems like she’s not in a good mood, as she makes her move suddenly.

Fortunately the cheating husband had a little wooden bench to defend himself from that thrust…

And still he gets punished by the wife who lands an air kick right to his face leaving him knocked out cold. Hell knows no fury like that of a scorned woman!

While watching this comic interlude of real life drama, Tanimura takes notes and learns a brand new move.

CHASING DEBT

Lending money to people, even if they present themselves as being trustworthy or honored people, is a great risk. When, at times, certain customers skip the payment of the money they borrowed, Akiyama must chase them down and extort his money from them the hard way. Here’s Akiyama in a fearless building rooftop chase, jumping great distances and using whatever means he has to slow down the opponent - like throwing a bottle to his head.

[ Via Dengeki News ]

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A SPICY UPDATE: The Ryu ga Gotoku team takes a break for some free curry dinner! (21/11/09)

Those acquainted with the life and work of Toshihiro Nagoshi will know of his taste for the finer things in life. He is said to be a admirer of fine food and drinks, something which can be seen especially in his work in the Yakuza games, the only game where you can actually learn about the drinks you can ask for in a bar. Recently, Nagoshi and his team took a small break from work in the development of the new Ryu ga Gotoku game in order to carry a mouth-watering assignment related to advertising.

Featured in Ryu ga Gotoku 2 and 3, the Matsuya Food restaurants have been a haven for players who, after having Kazuma weakened during street fights, can’t help showing a smile when they see the characteristic logo: a place where the Dojima Dragon can sit and order a nice meal that will replenish his health bar. It is also on such occasions that some players feel the need to get something to eat themselves - although only a few are actually fortunate enough to be able to order from this specific food chain which grows popular in Japan. Matsuya began in Tokyo in 1966 a Chinese food restaurant, focused on pork and rice meals. They eventually developed new menus that included sushi, salads, or even breakfast menus so substantial they can rival those of the finest English restaurants.

For this event, Nagoshi and his workmates went for an exclusive two-course tasting where they had the important task of deciding which would be the restaurant’s new curry menu that will be available for a limited as a part of a campaign between SEGA and Matsuya Foods. The spicier plate was marked with a red sticker and the less spicy was marked in blue.

Tasting begins: Itadaikimaaaaasu!!! The whole team can be heard eating simultaneously. Nagoshi stops to ponder and taste the curry.

Each of the team members would put the sticker to each of the sides: Nagoshi handled the red dots, whereas Masayoshi Kikuchi, series producer, took care of the blue side of the board.

Nagoshi sure was starving. Wasn’t this supposed to be just a tasting?

Kikuchi was so adept of the restaurant he even wore the apron and started serving the curry bowls himself. If Yakuza 4 fails I think he might still have a future as a Matsuya employee?

The final result is… RED. The best part of the team likes their curry a little spicier than usual. And thus the Ryu ga Gotoku 4 curry menu was selected.

For the release of Ryu ga Gotoku 3, Matsyua Foods launched a similar advertising campaign in their Sinjuku restaurant, where food was served in bowls bearing the game logo.

Nagoshi was pleased with the results, hoping that fans will like this new meal too. He suggested that maybe they could play the game while eating Matsuya food - and how nice would that be!

[ Via Dengeki News ]

=========================================================================

Play Spot updates (20/11/09)

The one part of the Ryu ga Gotoku series that is just as important as street exploration and fist fighting resides in the entertainment mini-games. First essayed in games like The Legend of Zelda, Final Fantasy VII or Shenmue, the creation of extra in-game activities has proved to be a worthy accessory, contributing largely in the enhancement of the illusion that the player is inhabiting a real live world inside the screen. With each episode, this series has brought new pastimes that help relieve the stress. Ranging from Zen to plain silly, here are some of those experiences which await for us in the upcoming episode.

THE CABARET

Cabaret and hostess bars are not new to Yakuza game fans. It’s a classic, actually. The objective here is, much like in real life, spend a good time in the company of attractive ladies who are paid for talking and seducing the characters into buying expensive food, drinks and pick up the unreasonable tab. To some, it is worth every moment. In order to make these sections more appealing, Nagoshi and his team have dramatically improved the quality of the girl’s polygonal models and animations which are now much more realistic and eye-catching. Moreover, the dialogues will be close to fully recorded in voice, contrary to what happened in the previous episodes where most of the action was text-based. The images also confirm the claim that Akiyama Shun is an actual playable character.

THERMAL BATHS

As it is known, unlike other crime-game characters, Kazuma can’t steal a car and drive it to wherever he wishes to go. So between all Ryu ga Gotoku titles, he’s added quite a few miles of walking and running. When he is tired, he is allowed to have a relaxing time in the hot baths, in the company of beautiful women for whom the term “masseuse” is nothing but a modern-day surrogate for an age-old trade - perhaps the oldest of all.

TABLE-TENNIS

Forget Baseball and Golf: Table-Tennis seems to be much more en vogue for the Japanese. There is a wonderful appeal to the sport, especially when the adversaries are beautiful women in pink kimonos. No details have been given as to how it will be played, although it is more likely to be a QTE sequence rather than an actual tennis game. Kazuma seems to be overdoing it a little: after that super air smash, the ball seems to hit the girl right in her chest and hurt her. He has a lot to learn about playing it gently.

KARAOKE

Many claim that the Karaoke (meaning something like empty orchestra in Japanese) was the product of a businessman named Daisuke Inoue. The fact is that ever since its invention, the simple system has earned its way into Japanese parties, being an indispensable accessory to every bar or house where parties are hosted. It seems like the Japanese have a much better resilience against singing out of tune than the rest of us, so Nagoshi has decided to finally include that part of modern Japanese popular culture into his games. Again, I’m under the impression that these Karaoke sequences will work as a QTE: especially because SEGA didn’t mention anything in particular concerning any possible Singstar microphone compatibility. About 10 different songs will be available for choice.

PACHINKO SLOT MACHINES

Nothing says “fun” like Volcano Pachinko in the streets of Ryu ga Gotoku. And the fact is that the Japanese are absolutely crazy about slot machines, even more than their own Pachinko. They have created such a variety of machines, each with a different theme, that people come about the arcade rooms with their chips in hand and spend a whole day sitting in front of the device earning thousands of yen at time - and do so while smoking, drinking and eating. And, as any Japanese slot-machine player will tell you, it’s NOT a game of luck, so controls have been refined in order to simulate the slot machine interaction as much as possible.

FISHING

This image is also quite revealing: in it, we see Saejima fishing near the harbor. This not only confirms Saejima as a playable (or partially playable) character, as it presents a new location of the city which reminds a lot of Shemue’s harbor section. What is known, for fact, is that a fishing mini game will be available in which a wide variety of fish can be caught at the Tokyo Bay area. Surely a pleasing change of scenery that is meant to relax the player from all the tension of the game.

[ Via Dengeki News ]

=========================================================================

(Original Post Information)

Still without an official release date for Japan, Ryu ga Gotoku 4 (subtitled Densetsu wo Tsugu Mono or “Inherit the Legend) is preparing for release in the Spring 2010 in Japan. One of the last true genuine creations from SEGA, the series has fascinated Japanese players for long during the three main episodes and Edo-era spin-off. Yet, the subtle combination of free-roaming exploration and street fighting, as well as the emphasis given to narrative and superb character design, seem to have extended the popularity of the game well beyond the borders of Japan.

Apart from presentation trailer shown at the last TGS, SEGA has been releasing some information concerning the game that might help understand how Toshihiro Nagoshi, creator of the series and director of this upcoming episode, is intending to revolutionize the game he has been creating for the last years. So far, no genuine game play videos have been shown although it is safe to assume that this fourth episode will be fairly similar to its predecessors: namely Ryu ga Gotoku 3 and its upgraded game engine now with wider spaces, even more people on the streets, as well as improved weather effects (see below).

According to available data, the city space will be larger in this episode, presenting some new and exciting features. Ryu ga Gotoku has been exceptional not only in the promotion of the SEGA brand (the famous Sega Club spaces and its flashy UFO plush doll catchers) but also other famous Japanese brands such as the Don Quijote convenience stores. Ryu ga Gotoku 4 will feature even more support from sponsors whose brands shall appear in the virtual representation of Tokyo’s crowded streets. Other forms of distraction will also be made available for those in-between quest moments: other than the usual hostess bars or pachinko slots, there will be cabarets and even Karaoke bars.

While Kazuma remains a pivotal character of this new drama, Nagoshi has brought new players to the Japanese underworld where street gangs, Yakuza groups, politicians and police officers are the top contenders. Although details are not yet known, it seems like the player will be following the story of three other characters up close, even controlling them in exploration and combat stages. The fact that there is so few information concerning Kazuma in the context of this new episode might indicate that he will play a different and more distant role in this fourth rendition, while the new characters will be taking the lead. Each of these new protagonists has a different style and background. It is known that at a certain point of the narrative, these four men will be brought together by their own fate - an element which seems of particular importance to the studio’s new work.

Many characters compose the cast of this sequel: some of them belonging to the Yakuza families; others are part of the official authorities. This is a short list featuring the most important novelties, as well as the welcome returns from previous episodes.

KAZUMA KIRYUU (voice by Takaya Kuroda)

After seeking refuge in the beautiful beach house in Okinawa, Kazuma was brought back to Tokyo’s red light district. Destined to become the greatest fighter of all, the true Dragon of the Dojima, his presence will inspire a new way to other men seeking to fulfill their destiny.

AKIYAMA SHUN (voice by Koichi Yamadera)

A whole new player in the Ryu ga Gotoku game, Shun has lived in the streets as a homeless, something which has given him the humility to recognize that people need help in solving their problems, while also making him a hard-hitting fighter who relies on himself above all to defend his interests. Having risen little by little from his decaying life, he is now the owner of an office in the city, whose function is to lend money to people in need.

SAEJIMA TAIGA (voiced by Koyama Rikiya)

In 1985, Saejima made the headlines when enter a bar and shoot 18 Yakuza to their death. Kept in jail, he spent 25 years waiting for his death sentence. While being transferred to another prison in March 2010, he manages to evade and hide in the Kamuro district where he seeks help from old friends. His objective is to uncover the people behind the set-up that led to his imprisonment.

TANIMURA MASAYOSHI (Voice by Narimiya Hiroki)

The motivations of two-faced character are rather obscure. Known as the Kamuro District Tick, he is in fact an officer of the law leading his life in the underworld, mingling with all sorts of delinquents. He is also an avid gambler who spends his time in Mahjong parlors or betting on the horse races - yet also accepts bribes from criminals in return for his silence. Raised as an orphan, he is still trying to find the causes leading to his father’s death.

GORO MAJIMA (voice by Idenari Ugaki)

A known face to Ryu ga Gotoku fans, Goro has become one of the central characters in the game as a key-person in the Tokyo organized crime. Always envious of Kazuma’s enormous strength, which he admits to covet, Majima seems to be involved in new schemes judging from his strange relationship to Lili, the mysterious woman whom he is supposed to take look after.

LILI (voice by Pearl Ozawa)

The role of Lili appears to be central to this drama. While her origins and motives are still elusive, she visits Akiyama Shun’s office with a desperate proposition, asking for one hundred million yen in cash as a 10 day loan without any guarantee or someone to vouch for her.

HARUKA (voice by Rie Kugumiya)

In the original Ryu ga Gotoku, Haruka was a young girl living in the orphanage. Due to the circumstances portrayed in the original game, she went to live with Kazuma, having become his main priority in life. She has grown older meanwhile and is a beautiful teenager who is studying in Junior High in the beatiful Okinawa coast. However her peaceful life is disrupted by the appearance of a dead body on the shore near her beach house.

Additionally, here are some new screens.

Since the release of Yakuza 3 is still uncertain, there is no confirmation whatsoever at this point that this game might also make it into the North-American or European markets. Being one of the most cherished PS3 exclusives, Ryu ga Gotoku has received praise from both Japanese critics and videogame players on account of the series’ high production values and exceptional technical quality. Inherit the Legend seems to be headed for a different direction, showing that the team responsible for its creation is constantly seeking new ways to please followers, while still retaining that original flavor that has turned their games into modern classics.

Eastern Mind will be following production developments as they’re revealed in the future.

[ SOURCE: Ryu ga Gotoku official website / Game Watch Impress ]

The ultimate game collector’s edition: Warp’s...

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 22:37:00 +0000

The ultimate game collector’s edition: Warp’s Enemy Zero crate packed with the goods, from the replica of the game weapon to a CD-R with unspecified contents, some lucky owner got it for 3400 USD. Read about it at Kevin Gifford’s Magweasel.

VISIONS OF IBLARD #2 That which was covered, by Naohisa...

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 11:24:00 +0000

VISIONS OF IBLARD #2 That which was covered, by Naohisa Inoue

The TV Show, an animated video by Sugimoto Kousuke for a...

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 16:37:00 +0000

The TV Show, an animated video by Sugimoto Kousuke for a Manabe Takayuke musical theme. Notice the references to Virtua Fighter and Viewtiful Joe.

[ source GameSetWatch ]

Get your QIX ++ from TAITO

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 13:38:00 +0000

Originally, QIX was a Taito of America release from 1981 created with arcade room visitors in mind. The game mechanics have become so popular they’ve been used in other games, from slightly erotic picture unveiling PC underdogs to the latest One Million Ton Bara Bara whose system’s similitude to this classic is quite striking. Twenty eight years later, Taito Corporation has grabbed yet another of the company’s finer classics - see the example of Space Invaders Extreme - and decided to port the old game to a newer format. QIX ++ was created with the PSP in mind, namely its capability to let four players join for a shared experience in multiple modes yet to be unveiled. There are also new opponents apart from the classic bouncing beam with a trail that will bring new challenges to both the single and multiplayer modes. Here are some examples:

Power-ups and special effects aside, the original gameplay appears to remain very much intact. Expect this game to be released on the PSN and in UMD on the 25th of February. For more news please visit the official QIX ++ page.

[ Source: Game Watch Impress ]

Photo

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 12:36:25 +0000

VISIONS OF IBLARD #1 Highland View (Floating Stone on...

Sun, 06 Dec 2009 22:02:00 +0000

VISIONS OF IBLARD #1 Highland View (Floating Stone on Great Wall), by Naohisa Inoue

From Bonsai to Virtual Reality

Sun, 06 Dec 2009 09:56:34 +0000

Travels in Virtual Japan is a Channel 4 documentary hosted by Waldemar Januszczak about the technological evolution in Japan and the way it has easily permeated its society. Created more than ten years ago, this film served the purpose of alerting the most traditional British audience that hi-tech was wholesome and enjoyable as opposed to the irrational fear held by many a westerner that electronics would drive mankind to madness. Today, the film has become a nostalgic chronicle of the direction in which the market of electronic products was headed back then: surprisingly, some concepts remain essentially the same whereas others have rapidly grown old and obsolete.

Fascinated by the rich and alternative culture of Japan, Januszczak provides a pleasurably concise - if a tad partisan - view of how this country has held an exceptional predisposition to deal with consumer-oriented technologies for long (unlike the typical North-American military-based development), something that is deeply rooted both in traditional activities and contemporary urban lifestyles. I invite the viewer to pay particular attention to the concept of Bonsai as a door to virtual realities (30:00); as well as the rare Shigeru Miyamoto interview (around 34:00).

(This documentary is also available for download at the bottom of this page).

Sony presents: the PlayStation Awards 2009

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 13:31:00 +0000

Coinciding with the 15th anniversary of their entrance into the videogame world, Sony held the annual PlayStation Awards ceremony in Aoyama, Tokyo. In essence, the event seeks to distinguish and congratulate game creators for having developed successful games for Sony consoles, thus dividing them into different categories according to sales. This year’s awards went to the games that sold the most between the period of October 2008 and the same month in 2009. The presentation was headed by Sean Rheden and Kazuo Hirai who has stressed out the investment made in expanding the online business for Sony consoles. Here are the awards.

PLATINUM PRIZE - ¥1,000,000

~ MONSTER HUNTER PORTABLE 2nd G ~

Having sold over a million units, Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G was the best sold PlayStation title of this year, the only Sony console title to achieve such mark this past year. For three consecutive years, this CAPCOM game has won the famed Platinum prize - which may very well have been designed by Keita Takahashi! - for its exceptional sales. To receive the award, Tsuzimoto Ryouzou (producer), Shintaro Kojima (producer’s assistant) and Masuda Tsutomu (Chief Planning) went to the stage. The winners expressed that they did not expect to receive this honour this year, underlining the fact that the key to the success behind their series lies in the simplicity of controls and in the possibility to edit and customize the main character.

GOLD PRIZE - ¥500,000

~ FINAL FANTASY DISSIDIA ~

For having achieved sales over half a million, Final Fantasy Dissidia was awarded te Gold Prize. The award was handed to the project directors Arakawa Takeshi and Takahashi Mitsunori who were very pleased with this compliment, especially because it was a challenge for them to bring Final Fantasy to a smaller platform. In fact, Final Fantasy is still a favorite among Japanese players in spite of the series’ age.

GOLD PRIZE - ¥500,000

~ BIOHAZZARD 5 ~

In Japan, sales for Resident Evil 5 were superior on the PS3. The success of this CAPCOM game, the second game in this short list of awards, was enough to deserve the Gold Prize. Game director Jun Takeuchi (wearing glasses), who has been involved in other CAPCOM games such as Lost Planet of Onimusha, joined Yasuhiro Anpo to receive the award on stage. Though satisfied with the accolade, both team members revealed how much pressure they were in during the development stage of this fifth episode.

GOLD PRIZE - ¥500,000

~ RYU GA GOTOKU 3 ~

Being one of Japan’s most coveted game series, the third episode of Ryu Ga Gotoku won the award for having sold well over 500.000 copies. While the game director Toshihiro Nagoshi was said to be arriving late because he was stuck in traffic, Daisuke Sato took the lead and accepted the award. Arriving just on time, Nagoshi rushed into the stage and joined his team, saying he was working hard to make the upcoming fourth episode worthy of another award for next year. Oddly, none of the team members (the same goes for Jun Takeuchi) was wearing informal clothes, an aspect which reveals much about their personality.

PLAYSTATION STORE SPECIAL PRIZE

Distinguishing the best feats in the digital distribution department, Sony has also handed prizes to the top five best-sellers in the PlayStation Store. Prizes and recognition were bestowed to the creators of the puzzle titles Gomibako, Minna Spelunker and Bomberman Ultra; to the news broadcasting software Misato Houdou Keikaku, the innovative program starred by the Neon Genesis Evangelion character equipped with a synthesized voice system; and last but not least, the online war game Battlefield 1943.

[ Via DENGEKI NEWS ]

The PlayStation is now 15 years old.

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 14:24:00 +0000

Hard to believe but purely factual: the PlayStation console - and brand - has just completed 15 years of age. And what a change this console has brought to the world of videogames! Whereas many debate which system is superior from technical standpoints, one cannot argue that Sony’s entrance to the videogame business was nothing short of monumental, with an investment so large and successful that people around the world have ceased to employ the words “SEGA” or “Nintendo” as substitutes for “console”. Popular games like Final Fantasy VII, Metal Gear Solid, Parappa the Rapper, WipeOut or Gran Turismo have helped change the face of videogames forever. This is not a celebration of the past as it is a celebration of the present and future, as the PlayStation brand is still out there and just as popular as ever - despite the unusual market configuration of today and the period of transition.

This cake picture was shared today by Shuhei Yoshida (via Facebook). It is on display at the SCE lobby together with a original model of the old 32-Bit system. The sweet logo design was made by someone - not specified - from the Liverpool Studio. It is a homage to different PlayStation systems and accessories with one notable exception: the famous virtual rubber duck which is just as iconic as the dual shock or the buzzers. While I enjoy eating as much as the next person, I’d never be able to slice through this cake and the magnificent logo. Congratulations! We’re forever grateful.

Fly, you rusty metal termites! - One Million Ton Bara Bara

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 23:08:57 +0000

One Million Ton Bara Bara is the upcoming game from Acquire (together with Playstation C.A.M.P.) the same developer who brought us Yuusha no Kuse ni Namaikida. This seems to be a very good year for the group, also on its way to release Gladiator Begins in 2010 - also for the PSP. While the mechanics seem promising - if also very familiar - the visual aesthetics are absolutely stunning. So original I felt like pinching my arm to check if I wasn’t dreaming. Please give the official website a look. Meanwhile, here’s the best possible quality version of the trailer for a streaming format I uploaded today.

Photo

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 17:40:00 +0000

THIS IS ENO

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 14:31:20 +0000

THIS IS ENO:

route24:

　詳しくはこちらを。

Arzach, by Jean Giraud.

Sat, 28 Nov 2009 06:51:17 +0000

Arzach, by Jean Giraud.

NIGHTS Into Dreams... Interview with Yuji Naka from 1996

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 12:57:00 +0000

Hobby Consolas is a Spanish magazine by Hobby Press that has begun in 1991. Lenghty and diverse, it was known for its passionate game review methods and extensive game guides, while never reaching the same quality of contents as the ones presented by its major contender in Spain, Zeta’s Super Juegos. The following interview belongs to a rather special issue from 1996 where Mario, Sonic and Crash appear on the cover, linking to an article featuring the new games for each of the mascots: Mario 64, Crash Bandicoot and the unreleased Sonic Xtreme. However in this precise moment there was also another new mascot being brought to life by Yuji Naka and Sonic Team: none other than Nights.

While there is no dispute that Mario 64 was the superior platform title of its day, Nights is best left out of that particular category. Its system still elludes genres even today; its gameplay gave new meaning to the word unique and its visual style reminded many that aesthetics outclass polygon count. The quality of the game was acknowledged by the public and critics, but also by other game designers who couldn’t contain their enthusiasm due to the relentless innovation of this Sega Saturn classic.

The interview, also featuring a tongue-tied Naoto Oshima, focuses on some important issues regarding the creation of Nights - from character design to game philosophy - which I hope to be of any interest not only to the admirers of the game but also to SEGA history buffs. Most will surely spot a critical gaffe in the text box below, as the writers credited Outrun and Space Harrier to the wrong Yu. Yes, these were the days before the great online videogame databases of today where facts can be easily verified; moreover, Hobby Consolas was particularly skilful in publishing this sort of bloopers.

Another interesting aspect lies in the listing of these Sonic Team members’ favorite games: they’re not afraid of showing their reverence for Mario. In fact, this links to another story where Toshihiro Nagoshi said he went to look for a job in Nintendo before heading to SEGA as a second choice. While being interviewed for the position, he said he felt comfortable mentioning Mario as one of the most influential games of his life. At a certain point, it seems like enjoying Nintendo games was a prerequisite for becoming a member of the SEGA company - which only makes perfect sense.

This idea to publish this particular piece came from my negative reaction to Prope’s new Ivy the Kiwi? for Windows Mobile and (possibly) Nintendo DS: a game so ordinary that it becomes hard to accept as a 21st century creation by the same author who had once brought us Sonic and Nights. I thought that a mere sight of Naka’s pompous sneer could bring to mind the glory days of the Japanese game design hegemony. As this delightful tradition seems to vanish, now that most Japanese studios are being affected by all sorts of afflictions, an interview such as this one may remind the oldschool reader of better times - especially for Yuji Naka himselfm whose creativity is now reduced to the degradation of cardboard box tapping.

SONIC TEAM - THE CREATORS OF SONIC AND NIGHTS

The members of the software house Sonic Team – with Mr Yuji Naka in charge of it – are the true “fathers” of Sonic. Now they have put their favorite son aside for a while dedicating themselves in full to a new challenge under the name “Nights”. Hobby Consolas wished to know more details about this promising title, which is why we sent our Japanese correspondent to the Sega headquarters, where we kept this interesting chat about the creative process of one of this new generation’s most spectacular games.

> How many people composed the programming team?

YUJI NAKA. When we started to work in Sonic we were about 7 people. Then more and more programmers arrived and we’re 20 people at the moment.

> When did you begin to work in Nights?

YN. We started right after finishing Sonic & Knuckles. In that moment we were returning to Japan from the USA and started to create the first projects. That took us about six months. The programming job actually took place in April 95.

> What is the importance of character design to the game?

YN. In order to have this game be a success we had the impression that we should not just create a protagonist that would please most of the people. Our intention was to create something revolutionary within our own Japanese culture, something that would distance itself from the usual concept of the games we know.

> Where from did the idea for the protagonist originate?

NAOTO OSHIMA. To create this character I investigated deeply into the European and North-American cultures and travelled through many countries. In the end I got to the conclusion that I’d like to make a character that would resemble an angel, mostly in its gestures.

Yuji Naka and Naoto Oshima in a moment of the interview with our Japanese correspondent, Nicola di Costanzo.

> Your initial idea of the game is the same you have now?

YN. First we wanted to create a game with a slow pace, one which the player could enjoy leisurely… but during programming we went increasing the speed, progressively, until we arrived at the rhythm the game has now. In reality, the speed is very close to that of the Sonic games, although its gameplay sensation seems much better to us.

> The character seems to be flying during most of the game. Why did you chose to bestow this ability to it?

YN. The desire to fly like a bird is a feeling that is common to the whole world. We wanted to make this dream into a reality for the users. It’s a fundamental aspect of the game. We want the players to enjoy, flying through the air and feel like playing again. Moreover, the factor of time as the life of the protagonist constitutes a new concept for the gameplay.

> What are the basic characteristics of the game?

YN. One of our premises was to create a world where the players were able to improve their abilities after playing a few times. We didn’t want to make a game where after finishing the first level you’d get right to the next one. We wanted players to have different options and have fun creating their own levels. We have also made it so the game is different every time you play. For instance, we have created the “feeling parameter” that allows the characters of the game to sometimes be allies to Nights and sometimes be against it. These characters live their lives during the game. We have made Nights with from the perspective of the player.

The Sonic Team group counts with 20 people at the time. Yuji Naka – center – is the maximum responsible for all of them.

> Why did you create a whole new character and did not reuse Sonic?

YN. Yes, it would have been a good idea to use Sonic, but we believe that we’re looking for something more, so that’s why we created a new character and a new world. We didn’t want to saturate people like other companies do. Moreover, it is hard to continue the series with the same type o game.

> Do you think you have created a master-piece?

YN. We’re no geniuses! There are better games than ours in Europe and the USA. We’ve simply did what we had in our own dreams. Anyone can make a game… but to make a good game you need to have a good team. If you have a good idea and a good team you can make a game like Nights. We don’t think it’s the best game of all time (laughs)… but yes, we believe we have worked as best we can, trying to bring together our own ideas to those of users as much as possible.

> Is NIGHTS played in a truly tridimensional world?

YN. The world of our NIGHTS is absolutely a “truly tridimensional world”. However, if all the levels were to be played in a 3D space the gameplay would suffer. That being, we have made the game so that all players could be able to fly without any difficulties.

> Is NIGHTS using 100% of Saturn’s capacities?

YN. We’re entirely satisfied with Saturn. In my opinion we still haven’t used 100% of the console’s hardware. We believe it is possible to make something much better. Nights is our first Saturn game and, thus, we couldn’t take full advantage of the system. We have studied a lot of possibilities that we could have used and we haven’t even tried them. Just the basic manual has three volumes (laughs). This time we have limited our own abilities.

> What was the most annoying part of the programming process?

YN. We can’t talk about the word “annoying”. There were parts that were more difficult than others, but we really had a great time creating this game.

NO. Although there were some parts we had to repeat several times over…

YN. Right. It was hard for us to get to this definitive version. There are many final versions we did that have little in common with the one being released for sale.

> What type of hardware have you used?

YN. We’ve used SGI for the design. We’ve also used a PC for the CD-Emulator and a Hewlett Packard for programming.

> What is Night’s biggest adversary?

YN. The game’s strongest contender is Sonic.

> What would you tell me about a hypothetical comparison between Nights and Mario 64?

YN. There is a great difference in the 3D concept of each game, so a comparison is hard to make. Nights is a unique game, very different from Sonic and Mario.

> Do you believe Nights will have the same impact on the Saturn as Sonic had in its day on the Mega Drive?

YN. We have not set that goal for ourselves this time but we believe that Nights will have a great impact on the Saturn. We have full confidence in it.

[ Published by HOBBY CONSOLAS nº 59, year V. Original pages in Castellano: 1 and 2 ]

XI : the forgotten story of wee devils and tumbling dice

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 02:06:00 +0000

XI pre-release pack, published by Sony Computer Entertainment in 1998. This edition contains a demo of the game together with an exclusive short story book featuring illustrations by North-American artist Dan Yaccarino, put together by CWC.

Initially designed as a Net Yaroze project, XI ended up being released worldwide under the name Devil Dice. As a puzzle game, it consisted of little devilish figures that could walk over tumbling dice that would disappear from the screen once the player was able to unite a group of dice displaying the same face. For instance, if the player placed three dice showing three dots next to one another, those would clear from the board. However, the game was far from simple and, like many other SCEE puzzle titles of its day - see IQ - it was considered to be extremely difficult on occasions.

Shift, the team that created the original title, has also published XI Little for the WonderSwan, as well as XI Colosseum for PSP and XI Go - Bombastic in the west - for the PS2. Finally, XI has also been published in a 2D version for mobile phones.

XI, read sái, is a letter from the Greek alphabet. Its use in this context derives from the Japanese word Saikoro ( 骰子 in its Kanji form) meaning dice.

The following is a translation of the small adorable story included in the preview disc. My thanks to Sorrel Tilley for the translation and ever enlightening knowledge of the Japanese language and its many secret meanings.

~ THE XI STORY ~

There was a family of devils called the Aquis. Mummy Aqui, Daddy Aqui, and 5 Aqui brothers. They lived together happily as a family.

Daddy Aqui told all his children, “In the future, grow up to be fine devils”, and gave them the Aqui family name.

However, 5 of the Aquis were not in the least bit devilish. They easily made friends with the flowers and the butterflies and the birds.

They say that long ago, Grandma Aqui fell in love with an angel. So maybe this is why.

Daddy Aqui sent the little Aquis to Devil School. Now they would surely grow up to be fine devils!

Well, the 5 little Aquis don’t know about that. Today they are playing happily. Somehow, it seems like fun, so I think I will join them.

See also: full page scans @ Pixels at an Exhibition gallery

Nishi on DS's Sakura Note

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 12:48:22 +0000

Nishi on DS's Sakura Note:

route24:

　前にLOVEDELICで一緒に仕事していた友人より新作「サクラノート」が届く。
　丁寧に一筆添えられていた。

　どうもありがとう。
　遊んでみるね。