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◎ 12-13-2002 14:41 MST jiji

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From Software's Shadow Tower Abyss site is open! ##)(%*#()%*#()%*#()$....Okay, okay, there's not really anything there, but at least we know the game is still alive. More info will be available on January 17, it seems, and I've heard that Famitsu will have more information on the game in the coming month or so.

※ http://www.fromsoftware.co.jp/top/soft/stabyss/

By the way, for those unfamiliar with Shadow Tower, it was a first-person 3D dungeon crawler for the Playstation that was released in the US back in 1999 to critical revulsion and similar sales. However, its addicting gameplay, wonderfully dread-filled atmosphere, and excellent enemy designs gained it some fans (including myself). It's a cousin to the King's Field series of first-person action RPGs, except that it's set in a much more constricting environment, while the KF games each have wide-open worlds with no loading or transition times between areas, ever. Both ST and KF are acquired tastes, as their slow pacing and often brutal difficulty turn away practically all casual players. However, once you're hooked, you're hooked for life.

The third main character in FFX-2 has been revealed, and it's...not Lulu. It's a new female character named Pine. Her outfit is pretty neat, but some of those poses (especially where she's got her arms folded) make her gender a bit ambiguous. I know that hair wouldn't be out of place on one of Nomura's prettyboy male characters. The shorts + leggings + suspenders create a strange effect though...lederhosen? Thanks to Quiter for the scan.

※ ffx2-pine.jpg

Some FFT-A tidbits here:

※ http://www.gameforms.com/news/?641

and some artwork here:

※ http://www.the-magicbox.com/game121102d.htm

Apparently US Xenosaga exists after all, and it's still on track for March of next year:

※ http://ps2.ign.com/articles/380/380216p1.html

Magic Box has screens of Nintendo Puzzle Collection for GC, including Panel de Pon with its original artwork in all its high-res glory:

※ http://www.the-magicbox.com/game121202a.htm

D3 Publisher has announced the latest in their apparently DOA-inspired series of Simple 2000 games, Love Upper. This time, instead of a horrible tennis game or an awful strip mahjong game, it's a boxing game that looks like it may be merely average. Tamsoft is developing this time, and their track record seems to consist mostly of unremarkable titles, rather than just plain bad ones. The character art looks much nicer this time around, as do the in-game graphics, but somehow I doubt this game will be anything more than average. It's set for release in Japan on February 27, 2003, for 2000 yen of course.

※ http://www.d3p.co.jp/s_20u/s20u_006.html

Jong-guru★Project received an average score of 5.3 out of 10 from Dorimaga. I hear that's lower than the score they gave the Dreamcast port of Suchie Pai 3, Idol Janshi wo Tsukucchaou. That doesn't seem to bode well for the quality of the game, but we'll see how things turn out.

NCS did get the budget release of Prismaticallization in after all. So, for those interested, here you go:

※ http://hh141.hiphip.com/templates/frmTemplateR.asp?CatalogID=4767&SearchYN=N&subFolderID=1


◎ 12-11-2002 17:30 MST jiji

Another popular ADV is getting a budget rerelease on PSX: Prismaticallization (developed by Arc System Works...you know, the Guilty Gear folks). It's strange though...I remember hearing about this one back when it was released and I don't really remember there being anything hint of a dating sim or visual novel about it...but the mists of time obscure the past. Anyway, the art looks rather nice, and the gameplay seems to revolve around a Groundhog Day-style premise, with the same day recurring over and over again with small variations until you manage to get everything right and you finally reach 'tomorrow,' i.e. the end of the game.



...Ohhh, THAT'S what I remember about this game...the cover art, with that girl in a blatantly short skirt. Now that I think of it, why am I even writing up this news item at all? Oh well, I suppose there's somebody out there who'd be interested in this. It's a slow news day after all...don't blame me too much...

※ http://www.success-corp.co.jp/software/sl/prisma/outline.html

Hm, that's out today, isn't it? I didn't see it in NCS's new stock though...it seems that they did the Wizard's Harmony Superlite 1500 series rereleases, however.

NCS has the PSOne Books release of Summon Night in stock. I might take this opportunity to pick it up, as it sounds neat, and the art is nice (isn't that always an excuse with me?). At least it's not an ADV this time; rather, it's a simulation-RPG. Yeah, I know I never get anywhere in those if they're in Japanese, but damn, I'm persistent, aren't I?

※ NCS: http://hh141.hiphip.com/templates/frmTemplateR.asp?CatalogID=4874&SearchYN=N&subFolderID=1
※ http://www.hotline-web.com/summon/


◎ 12-10-2002 13:18 MST jiji

Impressions of the PSX Inu Yasha fighter here:

※ http://ga.gamesquad.net/showthread.php?s=1cf69b82e8661231276f803d7e38fa35&threadid=7860

I've never heard of a first-printing bonus like this. Apparently if Idol Janshi R Jong-guru★Project is purchased from a Softmap retail store, the buyer may exchange the receipt for one of 300 numbered tickes to attend a talk show with several of the game's voice actors. Big news if you're a seiyuu otaku living in Tokyo, I guess. *shrug*

※ http://www.watch.impress.co.jp/game/docs/20021210/idolj.htm

w00t! NCS has posted a feature on Yujin's 2003 capsule toy (gachapon) lineup. ... Okay, okay, it's mostly Disney and Ultraman crap...okay, there's not really much there that's interesting at all. Still.

※ http://www.ncsx.org/2002/ncs120902/capsule_01.htm

Yujin has a treat for Komugi fans:

※ http://www.hlj.com/cgi-local/hljpage.cgi?YUJ92567

Magic Box has posted new screens of and information on Final Fantasy Tactics Advance. So pretty... It's interesting how the battle maps generally look Tactics Ogre-ish, yet they've preserved the gradient "void" background from PSX FFT. The "Law System" still reeks of gimmickry to me, but this new business about Law Cards and Anti-Law Cards sounds kinda interesting.

※ http://www.the-magicbox.com/game120902b.htm

Nippon Ichi has released a preview video of Disgaia, their upcoming La Pucelle-ish strategy/RPG.

※ http://www.nippon1.co.jp/product/disgaea/
※ http://www.nippon1.co.jp/product/disgaea/_download2.htm

From Magic Box as well:

- Although Sega has stopped producing Sega Dreamcast long ago, but a few developers are still supporting the system. Takuyo recently announced they will release two more Dreamcast titles in Japan next spring, both games will have a CERO content rating of 18+ Only.

Interesting...so Takuyo's getting in on the 18kin games market as well? I wonder how reliable this report is...but I assume we'll find out soon enough.


◎ 12-9-2002 17:04 MST jiji

Beautiful.

※ http://www.armyoftrolls.co.uk/aot_website/graphics/stuff/edge_wallpaper_1024.gif

Namco Hometek prove their incompetence here. However, I have to give them a little slack...they seem to be in the same boat as many other US branches of JPN-based game companies (i.e., being kept in the dark about nigh on everything).

※ http://dynamic4.gamespy.com/~mmcafe/forums/bbs/messages/14420.shtml


◎ 12-9-2002 16:29 MST jiji

New Otogi wallpapers up at From Software's site. I'm not sure what to think of this game just yet.

※ http://www.fromsoftware.co.jp/top/soft/otogi/download/index2.html

New Strident shots have leaked out...apparently this one is scheduled for late Q3/early Q4. So far away...I'd better forget about this one for another year or so, so that I don't have to bear the wait...

※ strident.jpg
※ strident2.gif
※ strident3.gif

More Asuka...this time wallpapers. Some very nice art here:

※ http://www.zdnet.co.jp/gamespot/pc-game/asuka/wall/index.html

Oh, and apparently that demo was just so that people who are already familiar with the game can see how well the game runs on their computer. Perhaps "test" or "tech demo" would have been better descriptive terms, as far as how that demo compared with what we're used to seeing for US PC games. Oh well. If I buy that game, I'll likely be getting the DC version anyway.

Interesting...Datel's renaming the Gameshark to "Action Replay," just like its long-running European counterpart. A GC version of the unit is coming out this month. Joy. Hope you had fun while it lasted, GC PSO players.

※ http://www.gamers.com/news/1279455

My lame 1/144 Kaempfer model inches close to completion...about all I have left to do on it is touch up the white stripes on the horn and epaulet spike and to paint the vernier interiors yellow. I'll probably finish up that much tonight, and then after it's dried, I'll put an acrylic dull coat on the thing. That kit has really left me underwhelmed. It feels like a very complex design that's been crammed into as few pieces as possible, what with all the detail painting I've had to do. Plus, with the test-fitting of arms and legs I've done, the polycaps seem rather loose...hopefully it will stand up in the end. I'm not planning on posting pictures of it, as the Tamiya Color purple I used for the base coat turned out too ugly. (I don't think I'll be using anything from Tamiya but properly thinned Neutral Gray.) Go look at this if you want to see pictures of a well-crafted and -modelled Kaempfer kit.

I bought an HGUC Z'Gok over the weekend, which will likely be my next big project. I'm planning to add an LED eye assembly to it (yes, I keep saying that...but this time I'll do it...that Rick-Dom II kit disappeared from the local Target and so I chose something else nearby that should be fun to build), and I want to make it look like it's been out of military service for years, being used as an underwater salvage vehicle. Hmm, after looking at that photo again, it seems my imagination has carried me closer to my original inspiration than I find comfortable...but I'm not trying to rip off Kamanami's work...seriously! Anyway, lots of wear and tear, rust, and discoloration are in order...though I'm still trying to brainstorm what to use for the base coat.

I ripped apart the HGUC MS-06S Zaku II that I bought a while back and assembled without glue or paint (or much care). I'm going to be slowly reassembling it, filling and sanding seams as I go and using what I've learned from working on the Kaempfer. I tried wet sanding for the first time on the Zaku, and I must say, I don't think I'll be going back to dry sanding.

Eye candy: http://gaplant.hp.infoseek.co.jp/samplegunplulist.html


◎ 12-5-2002 17:23 MST jiji

Gamespot has impressions of US Zettai...nothing about any Black Ops though:

※ http://gamespot.com/gamespot/stories/news/0,10870,2901042,00.html

Incredibly detailed Zelda: Kaze no Takuto impressions here:

※ http://www.tokyopia.com/reviews.asp?reviewsid=46

P.T.O....IV?! I didn't know the series was that popular. And it's coming to the US, on PS2...if anything, Koei has some serious balls when it comes to their US releases.

※ http://gamespot.com/gamespot/stories/news/0,10870,2900888,00.html

GAAAAAAAA GAAAAAAAA

※ http://www.neotaku.com/doax/screens_misc4.html


◎ 12-5-2002 15:34 MST jiji

A demo of the Windows version of Fuurai no Shiren Gaiden Asuka blahblahblah has been released. I need to try this out, to see if the DC version is worth my time/money.

※ http://www.watch.impress.co.jp/game/docs/20021205/demo1205.htm
Download: http://download.watch.impress.co.jp/game/demo/200212/asuka.lzh

Preserving this url for viewing at home, as it seems to be rather unsafe for viewing at work...it seems to be a dojinsoft developer with a couple-few Azumanga games...

※ http://www.studio-74.net/index-f.html

Hrm, it looks like the December issue of Newtype USA is out. I'll pick it up, if somehow a $10 bill magically appears in one of my pockets...I'm so poor...

I was really skeptical about Newtype USA when I first picked it up, as it has practially zero editorial content...far less than Animerica. It's practically all promotional crap. I suppose my waning distaste for this sort of thing is an indication of my downward spiral back into otaku-dom. However, I still have enough pride not to have picked up Issue #1 of Raijin (manga anthology) or its promotional sister publication, Fujin (sic). I've never seen a magazine that so blatantly panders to rabid fanboys (and girls).

However, I suppose I do have one legitimate reason for wanting to pick up Newtype USA: For the Barrel does sound really interesting.

To our readers...we apologize for the production error which resulted in part of For the Barrel being missing from the December issue. We will be reprinting the installment in its entirety in the January 2003 issue.

Boahahahaha.

※ http://www.newtype-usa.com

Preserving this too...looks like a rather nice H-CG site...

※ http://plaza16.mbn.or.jp/~RAKU_SOUKUTSU/index2.html 18+

Some scans of info on Super Robot Wars Alpha 2...yum yum. The battle scenes are still in 2D! Woo! So pretty...

※ supa1.jpg
※ supa2.jpg

Ugh, tired...


◎ 12-4-2002 15:37 MST jiji

Ellen Feiss? Yes? No? Almost? It's cool, regardless...

※ http://pomi.sandwich.net/jukebox/ineedhelp.mpg

o_O
http://watch.impress.co.jp/game/docs/20021203/ps01.htmhttp://watch.impress.co.jp/game/docs/20021203/ps02.htm

And now, a little entertainment, courtesy of Slick Vic:

※ http://www.workingdesigns.com/scripts/wwwthreads/showthreaded.pl?Cat=&Board=general&Number=99023&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&vc=1#Post99023


◎ 12-4-2002 14:53 MST jiji

Woohoo! GSJ has released the OP for Idol Janshi R Jong-guru★Project. Hey, that comes out on my birthday...perfect timing. That'd be a great present...anybody? No? Aww...

※ http://www.zdnet.co.jp/gamespot/movie/jong-guru/index.html
※ http://stream.zdnet.co.jp/gamespot/movies/jong-guru/jan.wmv (20MB, 1m32s)
※ http://game.pccw.co.jp/jong-guru/

New Sonic Advance 2 shots. Pretty... I still need to grab the first game, though. There's a commercial there, too.

※ http://www.the-sugoi.com/compose.php?Ndate=04122002&Nnum=1

NCS will be stocking a 6" figure of Sumomo from Chobits. It's very cute, but $20 is a bit much for a 6" figure...so cute though...

※ http://www.ncsx.org/2002/ncs120202/ncs1202w.htm

Sega's updated their Dorikore voting page once again, with the final survey results, but no word on what's actually going to be released under the label. The page says more information will be added later. The final lineup:

1. Record of Lodoss War (=)
2. Napple Tale ~Arsia in Daydream~ (=)
3. Mysterious Dungeon Fuurai no Shiren Gaiden (+)
4. Shenmue II (+)
5. Blue Sub #6 -Time and Tide- (-)
6. Ikaruga (+)
7. SeGaGaGa (+)
8. Mobile Suit Gundam Federation vs. Zeon & DX (+)
9. Crazy Taxi 2 (+)
10. Air (+)
11. De La Jet Set Radio (-)
12. Kanon (=)
13. Eternal Bond: Second Coming (=)
14. Rez (+)
15. Sister Princess (+)
16. Giga Wing 2 (new)
17. Ever 17 -the out of infinity- (new)
18. Sakura Taisen 4 (-)
19. Zero Gunner 2 (-)
20. Eternal Arcadia (-)

Welcome to Pia Carrot!! 2.5 and Berserk both fell off the list, and Giga Wing 2 made it back on while Ever 17 was a new entrant. I think Napple Tale is pretty much a given, as is Record of Lodoss War, as long as its licensing holds out. I hope Gundam Fed vs. Zeon DX makes it, as I'd love to get a cheap copy of the nicer-looking DC version (I still haven't splurged on the US PS2 version).

※ http://sega.jp/dc/dorikore/

This is very strange...Tir-nan-og 4, an RPG for Japanese Windows that bears resemblance (graphically) to your usual amateur-developed American shareware RPG, yet it's a full-priced 9800-yen JWin release. It looks even worse than Arcanum. I guess the US isn't the only place whose PC RPGs' graphical aspect is often several years behind the times. The prerendered graphics look simultaneously kind of nice (the town graphics) and awful (field battles and character graphics). It seems to have randomly-generated scenarios and the character art is rather nice, but to tell the truth, I'd rather stick to Nethack...even Falcon's Eye.

※ http://www.ss-alpha.co.jp/special/tirnanog/

It seems Nintendo has developed another semi-legitimate use for the GBA-GC link cable: it will be possible to download previous console versions of Panel de Pon (yes, the original), Dr. Mario, and Yoshi's Cookie to the GBA from the GC Nintendo Puzzle Collection. I wonder what makeover Panel de Pon will get for the US release of the collection...I always did like the original art better than whatever licensed characters they slapped in its place (same with Puyo Puyo). I would've preferred a separate GBA cart for the collection, but I guess Nintendo has to sell GCNs somehow.

※ http://www.gamers.com/news/1278290

Hm, Natsume's releasing Geki-oh Shienryu for PSX in the US. I've never played the PSX version of Shienryu, but I haven't heard good things about it (and I was ambivalent on the Saturn version anyway). Still, it's odd...Sony killed Metro 3D's planned US release of Dodonpachi for PSX, but they're allowing this? I guess the PSX is far enough gone that they don't care too much about 2D games tainting the system.

※ http://www.gamestop.com/product.asp?product%5Fid=261543

BTW, duck, how's Dragon Quarter going?


◎ 12-3-2002 15:34 MST jiji

Apologies for the lack of updates over the past week or so. I've been busy with a newly-rediscovered hobby, plastic modelling - only this time, with Gundam models. I completed an HGUC Gundam GP-03S, and it came out rather well. I'll have pictures of it up soon. Right now I'm working on a Kaempfer (1/144 kit, not the MG), and I've had a bit more difficulty with it. I'm just learning how to use putty to cover up seams, and I'm not too good with it yet. Also, I tried spraypainting the parts today with a can of Testors CheZoom Teal Pearl paint, and the results were not pretty. Somehow I doubt a Kaempfer is supposed to have a finish similar to a brand new Ford Taurus. The parts are soaking in Pine-Sol right now, and when the paint is stripped, I'm going to just brush on purple Tamiya Color acrylic (with a little water for thinning). I know that the 1/144 0080 Kaempfer kit has received some rather bad reviews around the web, but I'm still going to try to get it to look decent. For my next project, I'd like to get a 1/144 0080 Rick-Dom II and add a green LED for the eye. I'm not sure how I'll power it - maybe I'll lead the wires down from the head, through the torso, and out under the skirt and terminate them in a connector that I can plug a battery case into. Hmm.

This new 3D-AGES stuff looks neat. Sega's finally released details on the PS2 remakes of their classics that they're releasing in conjunction with D3 Publisher (who's responsible for the endless line of Japanese PSOne "Simple" budget series). The Phantasy Star remake looks absolutely incredible. I can't wait to see what the rest of the remakes look like, especially if they remain 2D (where feasible). The list of titles scheduled for remakes is available at the Sugoi link, and an additional Phantasy Star picture is at the Watch Impress page. As for the Dreamcast-to-Xbox ports of Blue Stinger, Illbleed, Dynamite Deka 2, and Rent-a-Hero No. 1, I think only one word is necessary: WHY?!?!

※ http://www.the-sugoi.com/compose.php?Ndate=03122002&Nnum=7

※ http://www.watch.impress.co.jp/game/docs/20021203/sega.htm

ｷﾀ━━━━（ﾟ∀ﾟ）━━━━!!!!!! Yujin's releasing a set of 2channel ASCII art character-inspired gachapon figures.

(*ﾟーﾟ) http://www.yujin-net.com/newitem/backnum/gacha/2002_11/kao.htm

The first public alpha build of the open-source Star Control 2 remake, "The Ur-Quan Masters," has been released. Go get it, but only if you don't have any pressing projects to finish.

※ http://sc2.sourceforge.net/