Hiding in a game world

Promotional Video: Gravity Rush

2012-01-27T23:17:00.003Z

You may have seen this already if you follow me on Twitter but I thought I'd leave it here - just in case you need to find it again. It's a great promotion of the game and I feel it should make a great advert for the game and Vita in general.

The video came in a package sent to certain press teams in Japan, along with an apple and the message "You will control gravity for the first time".

The game is due out on 9th February in Japan and believed to be released on the Playstation Vita launch date (22nd February) in Europe and US. Note that the European release is apparently PSN-only.

Source: 4Gamer via Andriasang

Hands on: Playstation Vita

2012-01-14T21:15:00.004Z

Having just returned from the Vita Rooms event in Manchester and I've put some of my impressions below. Apologies if it seems really brief but my talent for writing is RUBBISH ;).

General

The device itself is quite light but felt really sturdy in my hands. The analog sticks themselves were smaller than I had thought and did take some getting used to. Overall though, I liked the look of the device and throughout the 3 hours I spent at the venue. There weren't any problems with the touch screen, though I did at times accidentally hit the rear touch panel which sometimes caused some minor gameplay issues. The screen looked brilliant in all the games I played. Speaking of which, here's a few opinions of what I played:

Little Big Planet

I tried 2 levels of LittleBigPlanet, the first being a standard platform level (which you've probably seen around online), while the other was an Air Hockey level for 2 players. The main level was good to demonstrate how the screen and rear touch panel would work with the game and in general looked really good.

Everybody's Golf

Played 6, birdied 6 :). The game actually looked a bit low-res at times but ultimately, it's Everybody's Golf :). I did test out all the new camera options and enjoyed playing the game.

Escape Plan

This was one of my favourite games at the event and out of our group of 3, the most played as well. The demo we played put us in as Lil and using the touch and rear touch screen to help Lil escape. If you mess up, you return to the start of the current room. The game shows a lot of promise and left a great impression on all of us.

Gravity Rush

Another favourite from the event and has been regarded as one of the most interesting games of the launch. The demo was basically a tutorial and a run up to and including the first boss. I sadly didn't really see anyone else playing the game but it's certainly the one that I'd purchase without thinking - just for the visuals!

Other games I played:

WipeOut 2048
Top Darts
ModNation Racers
Reality Fighters
Uncharted: Golden Abyss
FIFA Football
Touch my Katamari
Michael Jackson: The Experience (a guilty pleasure at the show!)
Hustle Kings
Super Stardust Delta

Overall, a good day out and a great chance to see what to expect when the Vita launches on 22nd February 2012. I've added a couple of games to my list of wants, and confirmed a few games that I'll decided to leave.

If you want any other impressions on games I didn't cover above, let me know on the comments, or via my Twitter (@HiddenAway1).

What I've been playing - 31st December 2011 to 8th January 2012

2012-01-09T19:41:00.007Z

A new year and a new aim (a bit cheap to call it a resolution I suppose). To reduce my backlog to manageable levels. If you haven't noticed, I've already started logging my games via Backloggery so feel free to have a peek at the list. Bear in mind that 90% of the Steam stuff was all from last year - stupid sales...

Purchases
...and I didn't start off very well either. Steam-wise, I grabbed Puzzle Agent 1 and 2, as well as Gemini Rue (I'm a sucker for adventure games like this). On PSN's festive sale, I acquired the 2 Penny Arcade Adventures, Patapon 3, Metal Slug XX and a collection of 5 minis which I won't list here. Thank goodness the PSN sale was slightly disappointing aside from that.

Oh, and I finally pre-ordered the Playstation Vita. I went for the Wi-Fi version with a 16GB card (seriously, I would have grabbed the 32GB if you just let me Sony...) and Everybody's Golf - because I love the series. I can't help it, alright?! :)

Chantelise
After purchasing it last year, I finally got started on Carpe Fulgur's follow-up to smash hit Recettear. An old adventure game where you and your sister are fighting to try and reverse a curse that a witch has put on you, turning your sister into a fairy. The game itself was fairly easy to complete (without going overboard with the collectibles). It also had fishing! I love fishing mini-games. I still haven't seen one that competes with Dark Chronicle though. Fishing for food, fish breeding, fishing contests and fish racing. Overall, a decent game, but one for fans of the genre only.

And Yet It Moves

This seemed interesting from the word go. The aim is to rotate the world around you to navigate through the levels. For example, you see a platform above you and the only way to get to it is to turn the world upside down. Numerous deaths later, the game was complete, though i haven't delved into the additional content yet. That's for another time. Enjoyable game. Reminded me a bit of LocoRoco.

Wallace & Gromit Grand Adventures
Did I mention that I loved point-and-click games? Well, I do. Needless to say, every time I launched Steam and spotted the 3 unfinished episodes in my list, I was never happy with it. After AYIM was done, I started on Wallace & Gromit and finished the 3 episodes. Fans of the series will love it and it's about as close to the actual characters as it's going to get. Wasn't a fan of the last episode though...

Limbo

Now here's something I missed last year (or was it the year before?). I had played through the demo of the game on the PS3 but I played through and finished it on Steam. Probably the best of the games I've finished so far. Your job is simple. Your sister is lost, and you have to find her. Out in the bleak world though, you find loads of unscrupulous monsters or obstacles in your way and practically anything will kill you. After dying 100 times via spikes, drowning and being speared by a spider leg, there's not much hope for me to finish the game with fewer than 5 deaths. So, I'll just leave it as completed :P.

Sequence

DDR meets RPG-based battling? You bet. First of all, I must thank the developer and his exceptionally kind offer to give this game out on Steam over on the NeoGAF forums. It's a great concept and well written. I was close to finishing it last night until fatigue and a growing number of TV programmes stopped me short of finishing the last floor. The game is also available on the 360 - grab it!

Also playing: Dissidia duodecim Final Fantasy and Fortune Summoners (demo)

Other news
We're all still floating into our offices I suppose so news is scarce - aside from the 360 account hacking that seems to be gaining traction. Also heading out to Manchester to check out the Vita prior to it's release next month. Let me know if you'll be there!

My gaming in 2011

2011-12-30T18:49:00.009Z

Well, another year is about to fade away and of course the world supposedly ends in 2012. Let's hope it doesn't happen because I have a nasty backlog to get through now :P. It didn't start out like that. However, once I re-discovered Steam, their massive sales and the indie bundles, I went crazy - especially in July when I bought around 14 games in their Summer Camp sale. Some I haven't even started yet.

In a bit, I'll list some of games on my "to play" list and reasons why I haven't started or continued them. First of all, I better tackle the games I've been into this year...

Xenoblade Chronicles - Wii
Anyone following me on Twitter knows I absolutely fell in love with this game. After the mild disappointment of Final Fantasy XIII last year, I wasn't sure where the next JRPG masterpiece was going to come from. Then (thanks mainly to Operation Rainfall and NoA's refusal to discuss the game's localisation in US), I caught my first look at Xenoblade Chronicles. I pre-ordered it - ironically because I wanted to get a copy before it became one of those rare titles that I'd never find again.

(Note: There is a lot more than just running in this game ;). I'd show the full trailer but that alone is full of spoilers in it's own right. If you're just looking at the game and don't care for spoilers, you can find the full trailer here)

The game arrived and I was glued in from start to finish. So much to do, breathtaking scenery, loads of twists and turns and a fantastic soundtrack. I loved every second that I played of the game and I just want to be able to play it again when I forget what happened. That's unlikely though as it'll probably stick with me for some time. Essentially, this was my game of the year.

BONUS! A few links for some of my favourite songs from the game :)

Battle music
Unfinished Battle - used only once :(
Boss Music
Gaur Plains
The title theme (give it time :))

Portal 2 - PS3 (also on 360)
Portal - Cake - Puzzles. I loved Portal when I had a chance to play it on the PC and Portal 2 was just as good. Some great new mechanics and attempts to shake the game up. Loads of cracking dialogue in between some real head-scratchers. I'd buy the 3rd game if it ever came out but I think everyone else just wants Half-Life 3 now, right?

Ico/Shadow of the Colossus HD - PS3
The games were brilliant enough of the PS2 but when given the lick of paint for their HD remasters (or in the case of SotC - fix the frame rate), they looked stunning. Ico certainly benefited from the treatment. SotC was nice too, but something wasn't quite right with it. Regardless, it felt good to return to the games after so long. Let's just hope The Last Guardian can follow their colossal footsteps.

Stacking - PS3 (also on 360)
I didn't get to play this until near the end of the year but it was a fantastic game and certainly unique. The idea of using Russian dolls to solve puzzles gave the game charm and humour in spades. Just solving the puzzles in different ways was good fun - not to mention the amount of fun one can have by punching other dolls with a nice right hook.

Beat Hazard Ultra - PC/PS3
So good, I bought it twice. This twin-stick shooter uses your music (or music from online Radio - or it's own music) to generate waves of monsters primed to shoot you down. It's a great game and well worth looking at if you are a fan of the genre.

Other games worth mentioning:

Aquaria (PC/iPad) - a superb looking game set underwater and to some great music
Dissidia duodecim Final Fantasy (PSP) - well, I suppose if you liked the previous game...
LittleBigPlanet 2 (PS3) - A great sequel to the original game, now allowing you to create really complex levels - or even games.
OMG-Z (PSP/PS3) - A fantastic little game where you have limited bullets to fire at zombies to spark off a chain reaction of acid, explosions and friendly fire. Fantastic game, though a little on the short side.
Child of Eden (PS3/360) - A great looking game and a great experience.

So, that backlog...

Some of the notable games that are on my "to play" list - and my excuses...

Aquaria - I loved what I played but I got lost and haven't been back since
Valkyria Chronicles - There isn't one. I just can't get into the mood to play it for some unknown reason
Persona 3 Portable - Blame Dissidia duodecim and it's "consecutive days played" count for this...
Corpse Party - Err, the first ending scared me enough. Want to get back to it though!
Chantelise - I haven't got a clue why I've not started on this yet. It's supposed to be right up my alley!
Trails in the Sky - Gave it to my sister while I played Persona 2: Innocent Sin. Sadly, another 2 victims of the Dissidia duodecim curse.
The 3rd Birthday - See other PSP games...
Bastion - Had trouble on the first playthrough before failing to get past the title screen
All the Indie Bundle games - ARGH!

...and with that, I'll conclude that this year has been great in terms of finding new games. Not so great for my backlog. Looking forward to next year - and more games that I'll struggle to find time for. Have a great new year and see you in 2012!

What I've been playing - 19th to 30th December 2011

2011-12-30T14:03:00.009Z

Christmas has been and gone and now I'm relaxed enough (finished work early \o/) to sort through what I've been up to since my last post.

Purchases
I finally got to purchase Laughing Jackal's latest PSN mini, Orbit and their previous release, Fighting Fantasy: The Warlock of Firetop Mountain. The former has been played a lot (more below), the latter hasn't been touched at all.

The Steam sales have also arrived but mercifully, I've managed to stave off my cravings. Except to purchase The Binding of Isaac - which everyone has been harping on about.

Christmas arrived and left me with Child of Eden (another game I've been playing a lot this week) and Professor Layton's latest game (which won't be played until I start/finish the previous game).

Dissidia 012 duodecim Final Fantasy
Just a few more characters to max out. Here's a video of one of the recent battles I had against the computer. Enjoy (me being rubbish)!

Orbit
A PSN mini from UK based developers, Laughing Jackal. This game sees you and your scientific colleague roam the planets of the solar system to explore every nook and cranny of the world. The aim is to fly around the planets (side-scroller style), in search of relics and money to upgrade your ship. Once you've flown around the planet once, you move on to the next planet and the game basically repeats this for each planet, getting larger as you go along.

Quite an addictive game and the characters do have some great lines (and the obvious Uranus jokes). Not as brilliant as OMG-Z (a chain-attack strategy game with zombies) but well worth a look and costs £2.49.

Child of Eden
This is a musical shooter where the aim is to save Project Lumi from a virus attack as the project nears completion - which would eventually reproduce a human in the world of Eden (where the much appreciated game, Rez takes place). The game uses either motion controls (i.e Kinect or in my case, PS Move) or the standard controller to give you 5 beautiful levels of on-rails shooting action. The way it works is that you lock on to enemies with your reticule and then unleash the bullets in quick succession. Firing the maximum number of bullets in time to the music nets you extra points and your score is tallied up at the end.

It's quite an experience with Move. After some fiddly calibration, the game plays brilliantly and in Trance mode (i.e. another controller in your hand - vibrating to the music) it's even better. I'd love to try this out with Kinect at some point, just to compare it with the PS3 version. I've completed the game but there's a lot to do (killing all the enemies, picking up every item or just achieving a perfect game) and it will take a few goes before I can start eating away at those trophies.

Other news
There's the cancellation of The Last Guardian that turned out to be a mistake (phew!) and Playstation Vita selling well in the first 2 days in Japan - before collapsing. A collapse that has led many a forum to cry "DOOM!"

Keep an eye out on the blog for my personal look at 2011.

What I've been playing - 12th to 18th December 2011

2011-12-15T21:34:00.009Z

It's nearly Christmas and as such, I usually rein in my spending on games and various other trinkets I might buy without hesitation.

I say usually. It didn't happen obviously...

Purchases
It was bundle week this week - bad news for a backlog. I couldn't resist some Point-and-click fun so I grabbed the Blackwell trilogy as part of the Indie Royale and I also roped myself into buying Humble Indie Bundle because it had a few games I was looking into. Finally, I bought Corpse Party (more on that below)

Dissidia 012 duodecim Final Fantasy
Some background here. I'm trying to get the game completed 100% because I'm obsessed with this - and also with keeping the in-game day counter running. It was literally a few weeks after I retired the original Dissidia (a full year of playing the game) that they announced the sequel.

So, current state? Slowly getting the characters to SSS status. Just 10 to go...

LittleBigPlanet 2
Managed to finish the game with my sister and Celedin. Great fun playing all the levels together. Just missing that one extra player that we need to get the last few items in the game.

As for community levels, I've seen some mind-blowing creations. The most impressive one I've seen is Little Big Fantasy - Goddess War, which is basically, a JRPG in the LBP2 engine. Not much in the way of battling (the level was maxed out as it was) but it shows a lot of promise.

If you're after some speed, Kaleida's Maze is superb fun and you can always try to Ace it as the ultimate challenge.

Corpse Party
For the uninitiated (and for those not reading up on Japanese games, that means you :P), this is a horror game that just got released on PSN as a download exclusive for the PSP. The game's unique selling point is the audio, which simulates a surround effect for maximum scare potential (when wearing headphones). This means you can end up hearing whispers direct in one ear, or a ghostly sound flying around you, with it's wails circling from one ear to the other.

I've just encountered the first of the "incorrect" endings in the first chapter. It's certainly an unsettling game and one that horror fans should look into - if only for something different. Just be warned that you'll not see any zombies here!

Other news
Big week in Japan as the Playstation Vita finally went on sale, and it's not even been a year since it's unveiling back in January. Early indications are that the touch screen seems a bit poor in "textural" quality and the Wi-Fi cuts out when you're not using it. Uncharted doesn't seem to be as good as expected (in the graphics department) and in-game screenshots make the games look worse.

The other big news that struck me this week was the confirmation that Fumito Ueda (who's been the creator of Ico and Shadow of the Colossus) has left Sony, but will still work on the exceptionally late release of The Last Guardian.

Until next week, let me know what you think of the format. Too long? Too short? No pictures? (I know, I'll try and get some next week - promise!)

Changes

2011-12-10T23:53:00.005Z

So, as per my first post in over 2 years, here's what I'm looking to do.

More personalised - The fact that this was turning into something like a news blog just didn't sit well with me after a while. So from now on, I'll be giving more of my own opinions and sharing thoughts on games I've played every so often (eventually spanning to weekly posts - if I can). I'll try not to bore you with all the details - or worse, spoil something!

Shorter reviews - It's a sign of laziness creeping in that I can't write an essay any more. With that, the review style of old is out of here. Instead, it'll just be a quick list of likes, dislikes and whether I recommend a purchase. Depends on how much of the backlog I'm playing though...

More updates - Yes, I'll try my absolute best to get some more posts in each week. Though bear in mind that only personal opinions pieces (like "what I'm playing" or reviews) will be posted to my Twitter account (*shameless plug*: I'm @HiddenAway1)

Hopefully, you'll stick with me while I sort myself out and dust the cobwebs off. See you around!

Resurrection!

2011-12-10T23:22:00.003Z

Hello everyone! You might have noticed that the blog got "mothballed" for a few months (OK, years). Just so you know, I'll be looking to start posting stuff again, though I'll be looking to keep it a bit more personal rather than just chucking news at you (I'll still do that, but less of it :)).

Please be patient while I find time to start writing again in the next week or 2!

Oh, and yes, I'll clear up that sidebar before the new year :P

European release date confirmed for Persona 4

2009-02-13T22:00:00.003Z

Square-Enix finally fixed their sights on a largely rumoured 13th March 2009 date for the European release of Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4. The critically acclaimed RPG will come with a bonus 24 song CD and at the moment is holding a budget price of £17.99 on most online retailers.

The game centers around a small town where strange murders are happening. For some reason, these tend to correspond to the weather in the town. Just like in Persona 3, you have to balance your school life but with Persona 4, the pace will pick up as there is no telling when the weather will turn bad.

Official website

Source: Press release

Trailer: Muramasa: The Demon Blade

2009-02-09T06:53:00.002Z

This period of gaming may well be quiet for those without RPG tendancies, but in the future, things are looking rosier. Take this for example. Here's a gameplay trailer for Muramasa: The Demon Blade for the Wii. The game is made by Vanillaware, the makers of Odin Sphere. Now you know why it looks so similar. Judging by the visuals, we're seriously hoping this game triumphs in the gameplay department as well as the visual content.

Trailer: Star Ocean: The Last Hope explores Europe on 24th April

2009-01-18T08:03:00.005Z

One of the bigger Square-Enix franchises, Star Ocean, finds a new platform and a release date for Europe as The Last Hope was given a release date of 24th April 2009. The series, making it's first appearance on the XBox 360, focuses on battling within an arena in real-time while exploring new worlds. Have a look below for a trailer taken from the Tokyo Game Show last year.

Update: It seems the release date isn't quite as solid as expected. Square-Enix just announced that the game will be released in Europe in Spring 2009.

Source: Gamekyo

European Release Dates as of 7th January 2009

2009-01-07T22:35:00.003Z

A new year has just begun but we are getting some confirmed release dates already! A remake for the classic RPG Chrono Trigger will be released on the DS on the 6th February. This will be swiftly followed by the PS3 release of Eternal Sonata on the 13th February and to cap it all off, Disgaea 3 will appear on your store shelves on the 20th February. What more do you want?!

(Well, Persona 4 on the 27th February I suppose...)

Chrono Trigger - 06/02/2009
Eternal Sonata (PS3) - 13/02/2009
Disgaea 3: Absence of Justice - 20/02/2009
Persona 4 - Spring 2009
Valkyrie Profile: Covenant of the Plume - Spring 2009
Muramasa: The Demon Blade - November 2009
Disgaea DS - 2009
Patapon 2 - 2009
Star Ocean: Second Evolution - 2009
Star Ocean 4: The Last Hope - 2009

The final completed games list of 2008

2009-01-05T07:00:00.000Z

All of the games I completed last year are listed below. It goes from latest to earliest (sadly that's the way the blog does it)

* Rayman Raving Rabbids TV Party (Wii)
* Magical Starsign
* Loco Roco 2
* Elite Beat Agents
* Odin Sphere
* Jeanne d'Arc
* Portal (Steam)
* Professor Layton and the Curious Village
* Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII
* Space Invaders Extreme (PSP)
* Gitaroo Man Lives! (PSP)
* Everybody's Golf 2
* flOw
* Ape Quest
* Dragoneer's Aria
* Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3
* Gurumin: A Monstrous Adventure
* Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria
* Patapon
* Zelda: Twilight Princess (Wii)
* Exit (PSP)
* Rayman Raving Rabbids 2
* Zack & Wiki
* Sam & Max: Season One (PC)
* Brave Story: New Traveler
* Link's Crossbow Training
* Pokemon Pearl
* Dreamfall: The Longest Journey (PC)
* The Longest Journey (PC)
* Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance (PS2)

Happy new year!

2009-01-05T06:59:00.002Z

OK, I'm late as always but a happy new year to everyone and lets hope this year will bring us more left-field games on all the consoles!

It's coming! Persona 4 for Europe in 2009! Disgaea 3 as well!

2008-12-08T23:20:00.003Z

Rejoice again European fans! Square-Enix have rescued Persona 4 from European release limbo and have scheduled the release for Spring 2009. The latest installment of the Persona series includes a new setting of a country town gripped with a murder mystery that is somehow related to the weather. Instead of going up the endless tower, you'll be sucked into the TV instead, just as the Americans will be when they get the game tomorrow. Pray that we don't wait too long for what could be the last great PS2 game.

While we're on the subject, Square-Enix have picked up the rights to release Disgaea 3 for the PS3 in Europe. No solid release date was given but we should be able to look forward to more level 9999 goodness next year.

Source: Eurogamer

Trailers: Loco Roco 2 and Patapon 2

2008-10-15T20:32:00.005+01:00

You've waited patiently enough! Here are the trailers for Patapon 2 and Loco Roco 2 from Tokyo Game Show 2008. This should bring a smile to your face!

There are actually 2 trailers for Patapon 2 but I've only embedded one. You can watch the other one here (slight spoilers for Patapon!).

Some more information on Patapon 2. It will (according to Joystiq) have double the levels, almost triple the items and it will include a multiplayer mode which can be done either using ad-hoc or using the PSP's game sharing feature! So you only need to own one copy of the game!

Muramasa: The Demon Blade slashes it's way to Europe

2008-10-14T23:06:00.002+01:00

Rising Star Games has announced that the latest game from Vanillaware (who made Odin Sphere), Muramasa: The Demon Blade, will be published for Europe in 2009. The new Wii exclusive game is actually renamed from it's Japanese title, Oboro Muramasa Youtouden but that doesn't matter. What does matter is that the visual style is similar to Odin Sphere, which looked brilliant on the PS2. The game puts you in the (silent) shoes of a ninja in the Genroku era of Japan. The game will feature 2D levels that run horizontally as well as vertically.

A gameplay video taken from the Tokyo Game Show floor has been embedded below. Have a look!

Source: Rising Star Games, Gamekyo

Team ICO missing from TGS (again)

2008-10-10T22:06:00.003+01:00

After Nobi Nobi Boy, now the most disappointing news of the show. Team ICO weren't present. Again. VideoGaming247 broke the news as a rumour but with the press days of the show over and just the consumer days remaining, there's almost no chance it will be appearing, despite Sony telling us it was coming "soon" a few months ago.

An interview by Eurogamer with Sony Worldwide Studios boss Shuhei Yoshida failed to get any concrete information apart from the fact that they he is in contact with the team. It looks like another year will pass with nothing more than a chain going down a well...

Nobi Nobi Boy - what have they done to you?!

2008-10-10T22:02:00.003+01:00

Almost taking the top spot for disappointment at TGS 2008 was the first trailer for Nobi Nobi Boy. It looked just bizarre and nothing like it's 3D form when it was first unveiled. Hopefully there's been some kind of mistake, or the creator is just teasing us again...

Noby Noby Boy 'TGS 2008' trailer

Trailers for Level 5's Ninokuni, Ushiro and Cardboard Senki

2008-10-10T21:38:00.005+01:00

Level 5 were at TGS 2008 to show off their newly announced handheld RPG's and the press received a DVD with trailers for each game (and more) as well as a look back at the last 10 years, including Professor Layton and the Curious Village, Jeanne d'Arc and Dark Chronicle. Obviously it wasn't long before those trailers got onto the net so here are the trailers for the 3 new games.

Ninokuni:

Ushiro (user movie):

Cardboard (or Danbol) Senki (user movie):

Source: Joystiq

LocoRoco 2 delight Europe this year, Patapon 2 do the same next year

2008-10-10T21:20:00.005+01:00

From no information, to huge blow outs at the Tokyo Game Show 2008, we got a release window for Europe for both games.

The sequel to the original game for the PSP will be released in Europe in November. That's (wait for it) at least a week before Japan! The new game features slightly fewer levels than the original game, but our bouncing multicoloured friends can now swim and meet more strange creatures. There will also be a few more mini-games, including a multiplayer game where the object is to force your opponents onto the spikes, separating them and eating them. Meanies!

It was slightly less good news for Patapon 2, but the confirmation is still there. Patapon 2: Donchaka will be released early next year (possibly February as a guess). The new game continues in the same fashion as the original and also includes a multiplayer aspect. It looks to revolve around the players teaming up to kill a monster and then to open an egg to claim the prize. Japan will be getting this on November 27th for those keeping up. You can visit the new website - complete with new music - right now which also includes 2 new trailers under the "Special" section.

Update: MCV UK has detailed the release list for Sony in Q4 and LocoRoco 2 will be released on 21st November 2008.

Source: SCEE PressCentre (Loco Roco 2), SCEE PressCentre (Patapon 2), MCV UK

European Release Dates as of 4th October 2008

2008-10-04T01:28:00.004+01:00

October is looking to be a bumper month for all kinds of gamers and those who aren't major fans of the upcoming blockbusters can keep their heads down too with the "not so well known" games coming up. Remember, the FEStival starts on 17th October. Don't miss out!

Persona 3: FES - 17/10/2008
Exit DS - 17/10/2008
LittleBigPlanet - 24/10/2008
Star Ocean: First Departure - 24/10/2008
Valkyria Chronicles - 31/10/2008
Professor Layton and the Curious Village - 7/11/2008
The Last Remnant - 20/11/2008
Time Hollow - November
Away: Shuffle Dungeon - Autumn
Chrono Trigger - 2009
Disgaea 3: Absence of Justice - 2009
Disgaea DS - 2009

Star Ocean first departing for America and Europe

2008-10-04T01:19:00.003+01:00

Square-Enix's remake of the first Star Ocean, Star Ocean: First Departure, has been given official release dates for the US and Europe. The US version of the game will be released on 21st October while the Europeans will have to wait just 3 more days to get their copies on the 24th October. The remake of Star Ocean 2, called Star Ocean: Second Evolution, will be released in 2009.

Source: PSP Fanboy

Valkyria Chronicles release date announced with demo

2008-10-04T01:12:00.002+01:00

Sega's sublime canvas style tactical RPG for the PS3 has been officially dated for Europe for the 31st October 2008. It was originally planned to be pushed back to November but it seems the developers want us to get our hands on it early. Something gamers will enjoy unless they're busy with the rest of the October schedule.

People who are unsure of the war-time game will be able to play a demo of the game when it hits the Playstation Network for free (in Europe at least, US users will need to pay for the latest Qore episode) on 9th October 2008.

Source: Eurogamer

Professor Layton finally comes to Europe

2008-10-02T20:50:00.004+01:00

It's been an agonising wait for the non-importing Europeans but finally, after over one and a half years of watching Japan get their hands on two of the Layton games, Nintendo of Europe announced that Level 5's Professor Layton and the Curious Village would be released on 7th November 2008. I personally got fed up of waiting so imported it from America just a couple of months ago so call me impatient if you have to.

The hit game from Japan has you following Professor Layton and his young apprentice Luke in solving puzzles to unravel the mystery surrounding St. Mystere. The game has 135 puzzles in it's banks and with the promise of more released every week online for download. Each puzzle solved will bring you one step closer to finding out the secrets of this mysterious town.

Having played it, I heartily recommend it!

Source: Nintendo Europe

Level 5 celebrates 10 years with handheld heaven

2008-10-01T23:29:00.006+01:00

I should have covered this the day it broke. Ah whatever. The point is that Level 5 held their Vision 2008 conference on 29/09/2008 and showed a lot of things - that Famitsu showed a few days earlier. However, they covered it in more detail and since the conference, there have been a small smattering of screenshots. Some of the games announced were Inazuma Eleven 2 for the DS, Inazuma Eleven Break for an unnamed console (99% chance it's going to be their first Wii game) and the final part of the Professor Layton series. They also announced 2 other DS games, namely Sloane and McHale's Mysterious Story and *deep breath* Akira Tago's Brain Exercise Vol.1 Travel Around the World Solving Puzzles.

However, there were 3 other games buried in this pile of games that you should be keeping an eye on. Not much detail is available for these games but visually, they look stunning.

Ninokuni: The Another World (yes it did have that subtitle)

Ever heard of Studio Ghibli? They made Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke and other animated film classics. In what was the most surprising and wonderful joint ventures, Level 5, with their 10th year under way announced that Studio Ghibli would be creating the animations for Ninokuni. The game is to include a magic book which you use in game. Ninokuni is due for release on the DS and an unnamed console (probably the Wii again). With Studio Ghibli's reputation, this game is the most likely to arrive in Europe.

Cardboard Senki

I'm not as informed about this one as the others but it is apparently a "new" type of RPG where you play as a small robot playing in a world made of cardboard. The early images look like they come from Dragon Quest VIII on the PS2. I'm not confident about this title getting out of Japan but let's hope for the best. This title is due for release on the PSP.

Ushiro

As soon as I heard about this game, I thought it was interesting. Then I saw the screenshots for it and it suddenly shot to the top of my most wanted list. The game casts you as a Shinigami (like a Grim Reaper if you're frantically searching) and you attach yourself to people who are about to die and try to fulfil their last wishes. The game sounds quirky but a quick look at the screenshots will tell you that it could potentially be on for great things. This is due for release on the PSP and let's hope it comes to Europe or the US at least.

Prinnies invade the PSP

2008-09-05T23:34:00.002+01:00

Now here's something unexpected. the lovable prinnies from Disgaea have done enough to spawn their own game called "Prinny - Is it OK for me to be the main character, dood?"

The game will be getting a Japanese release in Japan on November 20th 2008 and a Playstation Store demo will be released on the 29th September 2008. No confirmation of a US or UK release but let's just keep an eye on it for now and see how it fares. You can watch the first trailer in the meantime on the official website.

European Release Dates as of 20th August 2008

2008-08-20T23:46:00.002+01:00

Haven't done one of these in a while now! Here's a quick round up of some upcoming release dates for Europe.

Final Fantasy IV - 05/09/2008
Infinite Undiscovery - 05/09/2008
Dragon Quest: The Chapters of the Chosen - 12/09/2008
Persona 3: FES - 17/10/2008
Star Ocean: First Departure (PSP) - October
LittleBigPlanet - 29/10/2008
Valkyria Chronicles - November
Time Hollow - November
Away: Shuffle Dungeon - Autumn
Chrono Trigger - 2009

Time Hollow was the latest addition to the list. Meanwhile, LittleBigPlanet got a solid release date thanks to the Sony conference in Germany earlier today. FES also gets added thanks to Koei's decision to release it for us fans.

Chrono Trigger remake for DS

2008-08-20T23:40:00.002+01:00

Another critically acclaimed RPG heads to remake land with Square-Enix announcing that Chrono Trigger will be remade for the DS and released this year in the US and Japan. European territories will have to wait until 2009 to see the game make it's debut in the PAL regions. The following has been taken from the official press release:

When a newly developed teleportation device malfunctions at the Millennial Fair, young Crono must travel through time to rescue his misfortunate companion from an intricate web of past and present perils. The swashbuckling adventure that ensues soon unveils an evil force set to destroy the world, triggering Crono's race against time to change the course of history and bring about a brighter future.

Yggdra Union hits the US in September

2008-08-20T23:17:00.003+01:00

Riviera: The Promised Land (as I learned to my surprise) was part of a series of games. Guess what? Yggdra Union is part 2 of that series, and the US will see it's release for the PSP on September 16th 2008. The game will boast a few extra features from the original GBA game including new characters, missions and a dual-language voiceover track so those who hate American voice acting can listen to the Japanese instead.

The game has not been confirmed for Europe.

Europe welcomes Persona 3 Festival

2008-08-20T22:59:00.002+01:00

Yes, the news came as a surprise to many and the delight to others who thought that the PS2's twilight years in Europe would not see the expansion of the original Persona 3. Yes, you read that headline correctly. Persona 3 FES will be coming to Europe on 17th October 2008.

The announcement was made through Koei's message boards and the many European fans of the original Persona 3 (including myself) squealed in delight. The new version of the game adds bonus features to the original game, additional personas, a weapon creation feature, the ability to change the characters clothing and a 30 hour add-on in which you can gain more of an insight into the game.

The game also allows you to carry over your current save file from the original P3 into FES. The pre-order price is too good to miss as well with many online retailers starting at £17.99. Don't miss it!

Trailer: Geemu no Nanatsu

2008-06-06T22:42:00.005+01:00

This new game by Square-Enix (known for now as "The game with no Name") for the DS is a horror title which has ties between the old Final Fantasy/Dragon Quest games. According to cubed3, the game tries to trick you by mimicking the DS menu screen and sending random messages while the game itself apparently contains players who die 7 days after playing one of Square-Enix's major monoliths. Confused? Have a look at the trailer. It's Japanese but it is well worth keeping your eye on it.

The game will be released in Japan on Thursday 3rd July. Here's the official site for more information and another trailer.

Source: Cubed3

Trailer: Disgaea DS

2008-06-06T22:36:00.004+01:00

Yes, if you haven't heard the news already, Disgaea is going to terrorize your DS, with the US release stamped for September. The game is going to be just like the first Disgaea but, of course with added features. Here's a trailer to whet your appetite. Prepare yourself!

Trailer: Away: Shuffle Dungeon shuffles to Europe

2008-06-01T21:36:00.004+01:00

Virgin Play have announced a deal with AQ Interactive to bring DS RPG, Away: Shuffle Dungeon to PAL region DS's in the Autumn. The game is based on a village where it's residents randomly disappear with no warning. The phenomenon is known by the villagers as "Away". You play the hero of the story who is saved from being another vanishing villager by a girl. Her actions however, cause the rest of the village to disappear instead. So, as is normal with a game like this, you have to save everyone - because it was your fault apparently...

A gameplay trailer has been embedded below for your enjoyment. You can also see the official Japanese website to see the style of the game.

Source: Pocket Gamer

European Release Dates as of 22nd May 2008

2008-05-22T23:33:00.004+01:00

As May starts to wind to a close, a look into the future sees a heaven of games to help you cope with those games that you just get bored of hearing about wherever you go for gaming. Coming up is:

Everybody's Golf 2 (PSP) - 06/06/2008
Etrian Odyssey - 06/06/2008
Echochrome - 06/06/2008
Okami (Wii) 13/06/2008
Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII - 20/06/2008
Baroque (PS2, Wii) - 27/06/2008
Final Fantasy Tactics Advance 2 - 27/06/2008
Final Fantasy IV - Summer
Infinite Undiscovery - 05/09/2008
Dragon Quest: The Chapters of the Chosen - September
LittleBigPlanet - October
Valkyria Chronicles - Autumn

Dragon Quest IV, V and VI remakes coming to Europe

2008-05-21T23:39:00.003+01:00

Thought you would be getting some free time? Well, start crying. Square-Enix have announced that the 3 Dragon Quest remakes for the Nintendo DS will be hitting Europe, starting with Dragon Quest: Chapters of the Chosen in September. The games that will follow, will also have strange subtitles to mask the numbers (just like Dragon Quest VIII, The Journey of the Cursed King). Dragon Quest V will be known under the subtitle "The Hand of the Heavenly Bride", while Dragon Quest VI will go under the subtitle, "Realms of Reverie".

No release dates have been given for the other 2 installments. There is also no mention of Dragon Quest IX as yet.

Trailer: Infinite Undiscovery release trailer

2008-05-21T23:31:00.003+01:00

A trailer for the latest XBox 360 RPG was released soon after the press release was given out. Have a gander at this exceptionally promising game, due on 2nd September in the US (unconfirmed reports saying worldwide release)

Infinite Undiscovery given release date, confirmed worldwide launch

2008-05-21T23:12:00.004+01:00

News on the XBox 360 exclusive RPG by Square-Enix and Tri-Ace has been thin on the ground lately, but the game suddenly exploded onto the gaming news with a release date. The press release states that the RPG will be shipping in the US on the 2nd September 2008. However, the mention of a "simultaneous release" in the press release suggests that the game will be launched worldwide, including in Europe, on the same day (though it will likely be on the Friday of the same week - confirmed - Europe get this game on 5th September).

The RPG is dependant on the discoveries you make in the game. Any discovery made in the game will be immediately reflected in the game world and as a group of enemies are encountered, separate tactics are needed to dispatch them.

Source: Joystiq (stating global release), Kotaku (press release)

Game review: Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3

2008-05-20T21:00:00.003+01:00

Game - Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 (PS2)

Remember your school days? I bet they were full of days out with your friends and just generally surviving exams and tests. That said, I don’t think it will have gotten as eventful as the characters from and near Gekkoukan High school. That’s mainly because there’s more than 24 hours a day, there’s a load of people going "Uhhhhh" and there’s even a few who own gun-shaped weapons that they use to shoot themselves. Welcome to the surreal world of Persona 3.

School

As you can already tell, the game has a unique twist to the RPG genre. First of all, you’re playing a year in the life of the main protagonist (named by you) as he goes through his first year after being transferred. Every day at midnight, the dark hour starts, during which time, electronic equipment dies and people turn into coffins. Except you, as it appears you have the "potential". This potential eventually shows that you’re able to summon a Persona (or to be precise, more than one), which you do by using an evoker (which looks like a gun) and firing it at your head. Your other friends in your dorm can also summon a single Persona each and together form SEES - a squad dedicated to eliminating Shadows.

Story-wise, that’s all you need to know. From this point, apart from dedicated storylines, the game’s progress is pretty much up to you. Every Monday to Saturday, you go to school to participate in lessons, answer quizzes and even take the dreaded exams from your youth. After school has finished, you’re able to go out with one of your friends or, if you’re a loner, go out and do some activities by yourself, some of which may help you later on. For example, studying in the library can help improve your academics, which means better progress in the exams.

Fighting

When evening falls, you have the option to go to Tartarus, the mysterious tower that appears during the dark hour. It is here where you hope to answer questions about the shadows and the dark hour itself. This is where the bulk of the fighting takes place. Persona 3 uses a turn-based system, but you only control the main character’s actions. Everyone else is controlled by the AI. Thankfully then, the AI is pretty good in most situations. You can fine tune the tactics of your team members as well, in case you want to do something specific.

For example, you might want your team-mates to attack the opponent’s weaknesses. If they do this, the enemy will be knocked down, which is rewarded with a bonus attack. If all of the enemies are knocked down, you can call an all-out attack, which produces major damage to all foes. As your personas level up, you are able to use more abilities to help you out and target more of their weaknesses. So, how can you pick up these amazing things?

Going nuclear

Well, you can pick some up (as well as some bonus weapons, money or experience points) after battles. The personas you pick up in this way tend to be poor or have an obvious weakness. What’s the best way to get round that? That’s where fusion comes in. When you have 2 or more personas, you can fuse them together in the Velvet Room where you can create a new persona. These fused personas gain some of the abilities of their previous forms. Not only that, but there’s a way to make them start out even stronger. That is based on social links, the relationships you have with your friends during the day.

Basically, if you establish a social link that is the same type as the persona you're creating, your new persona will gain bonus experience points. The better the relationship, the more experience you will gain and the more abilities you can pass on. Also, if you gain enough experience points, you can gain a lot of the abilities that you would usually have to wait for by levelling up normally.

The combinations you can make are huge and the risks of creating something poor are minimal. That’s because the result of every fusion you attempt is shown to you so you can tailor the persona to what you want, which means there’s no excuse not to experiment with fusion, which suddenly starts to feel like a challenge. Can you make the best Persona you can with all its weaknesses covered? While you are in the Velvet room, you can take on a number of requests to gain items and money. You can also store your Personas in a compendium as they are, and take them out for a fee, which potentially makes fusion even less of a risk than it already is. You can quite easily get your Persona back if you use it in a fusion but want to keep the Persona you used.

Balance your life

With everything said, you need to balance school life and your trips to Tartarus carefully. You can spend a long time studying, but then you’ll be unprepared for future trips to the tower. Furthermore, every month in the game, you will have a major story incident which will usually involve fighting. You can’t train on the day it happens so if you’re not good enough, you could potentially be stuck completely. Going all out in Tartarus is not a good idea either. The game is lenient enough in the hardest setting to not make you have to grind your way through the story and your studies will suffer as a result of grinding. While this doesn’t completely affect your progress in Tartarus, some social links and the exams require you to study more until you’re smart enough. Also, trips to Tartarus tend to get slightly tedious as well if you train too much.

By balancing school life and Tartarus, you will find that the pace of the game is well set. You can run through a set of days in a few minutes, then follow it up with a trip to Tartarus, which depending on your style, can take about an hour per trip. The game is voice acted during major cut-scenes and in general, well presented. There are anime cut-scenes for major story events but around that, the graphics style looks great and suits the game perfectly. This is matched by a bouncy Japanese pop soundtrack which gives the game an urban feel. The story is also solid enough to keep you going to the end and as the relationships with your friends get better, you get to know them better yourself, which is something I really like about the game. It provides a distraction to the main story and makes you want to delve deeper into their mini stories, with potentially great rewards at the end.

There are some minor issues though. The AI in the game isn’t perfect for one thing. In my completed attempt at the game, the AI would very rarely cure status ailments unless the tactics were just right. Their inventory also seems to consist of a large potion and a load of smaller potions. The start of the game can be a little dull as well with little in the way of serious action until you’re about an hour in. Saving is also fairly sparse as you can only save at your dorm, or on the ground floor of Tartarus.

Conclusion

In the end though, these are just minor drops in what is a very large ocean. The game is huge and can take about 70-80 hours to complete. If you get into fusion and social links, expect the game to last over 100 hours and if you want to find every single persona in the game, you can spend up to 200 hours finding them all. That’s value for money right there. The game requires a huge commitment of time but what time you spend in your life playing this, you get back with interest with quite possibly one of the most engrossing RPGs released on the PS2. You will sometimes wish it would never end. Thankfully it does, otherwise, we might never see you again. Prepare that evoker, and get ready for a journey of school and shadows that you’ll remember for a long time.

Score: 10/10

Platinum Games (Seeds? Clover Studios?) developers announce 4 games with Sega

2008-05-20T20:35:00.004+01:00

Some of the developers from the now-deceased Clover Studios have signed up to Sega to release 4 games. Shinji Mikami, Hideki Kamiya and Atsushi Inaba have previously been responsible for Resident Evil, Devil May Cry, and Okami respectively. Three games were put in the spotlight, with the 4th game currently under wraps.

First of all is Bayonetta, which has been described as a stylish action game for the PS3 and XBox360. Then there is Infinite Line for the DS which is an RPG set in space, allowing you to customise and control up to 150 spaceships. Finally, there is MADWORLD for the Wii which is a game which boasts a black & white graphical style and over-the-top violence.

All 3 games will be released in 2009.

Source: Kotaku

Final Fantasy Tactics Advance 2 gets solid European release date

2008-05-19T22:57:00.003+01:00

The sequel to the great GBA SRPG Final Fantasy Tactics Advance finally got it's release date set in concrete today as we finally learned that the game will hit Europe on 27th June 2008. The game, along with the long subtitle, Grimoire of the Rift will be released on the DS and will look to sap all the remaining hours of your life as you run through the story and battles in traditional strategy RPG fashion.

Source: Pocket Gamer

Late news: SMT: Persona 4 announced and shown

2008-05-15T17:59:00.003+01:00

Late story but one that should be covered. Persona 4 was unveiled by Japanese magazines and at the time of the reveal, the game was heading straight for a 10th July 2008 release in Japan - on the Playstation 2. The game is separate (apart from recurring themes) from the critically acclaimed Persona 3 in that the setting will be much more rural and is more of a mystery thriller with fog replacing the full moon in the game. A large DVD trailer was given out in Famitsu and various videos have sneaked their way onto the Internet. The 2 trailers making up the DVD are embedded below with the much smaller introduction movie below that.

No word on whether this will make it to Europe though the US should get it easily.

Crisis Core gets a definitive release date in Europe

2008-05-15T17:40:00.005+01:00

At last, European non-import gamers can rejoice as Square-Enix finally announced that Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 will be out here on 20th June 2008. The PSP game sees you playing as Zack from the main FF7 storyline and going through his history. The RPG sees materia return in a new form and a slot machine game used to settle the outcome of battles.

The UK version of the game will boast challenges not seen in the Japanese version and will also be available with a slipcase cover and hardback art book for those who pre-order the game online in the UK.

Source: Pocket Gamer

Japanese RPG companies team up to bring you Cross Edge

2008-05-07T23:41:00.003+01:00

The latest issue of Famitsu has shown a potentially epic (or potentially poor) idea from some of the main Japanese developers called Cross Edge. The game, to be released on the PS3, is an RPG collaboration from Capcom, Nippon Ichi, Namco Bandai, Gust and Idea Factory. The game will feature characters from games such as Disgaea and Darkstalkers. Currently, it's known that the battles will be turn-based and the plot is something about rescuing souls.

The game is scheduled for a release on the PS3 in Japan in September. A US release is not likely and a European release has a near zero chance of happening. PS3 games are import friendly though so you might want to take the plunge!

Source: Kotaku

Clover Studios written out of Okami Wii credits

2008-05-07T06:43:00.004+01:00

In recent news, Hideki Kamiya from the now defunct Clover team was disappointed with Capcom's and Ready at Dawn's removal of the credits sequence in Okami. It wasn't that they weren't getting credit for their work but more because of the fact that the sequence is an integral part of the game and shows a "combination of thoughts, emotions, and messages" which is a reward for the players that reach the end.

Players of the original Okami were not happy at the cutting of this great scene (and also the great ending song Reset by Ayaka Hirahara was removed), including me. Capcom say that this is because they weren't able to edit out the Clover Studios logo at the end of the credits as they didn't have the source files and couldn't explicitly say that it was a Clover Studios production.

So, if you're playing the Wii version, once you finish, have a look at this YouTube video (I won't embed it as there are potential spoilers) to see what you're missing. This is also the latest gaffe surrounding Okami on the Wii, with the US box art and the US strategy guide using an image supposedly from IGN. We found out because they left the watermark on it...

Back again!

2008-05-02T18:41:00.003+01:00

Hello!

Apologies for the sudden disappearance but you can be rest assured that I have returned once again. The reason for my absence? Well, I suppose it's because I was struggling to find myself time to post a story when it breaks. I've survived this patch though and I'm back. There are a few changes though that you should know about.

First of all, I'm no longer doing a weekly round-up - at least not in it's current form. I might just list the stories that I posted in the week. I haven't fully decided yet. Apart from that, there will be no more "regular" features for the time being. This really sapped my time up and when you're playing games in the middle of everything, it becomes nearly impossible. Finally I did a quick tidy up of the tags section on the right. Well, actually, I got rid of it. The list became too long to be useful. The archives are still around and of course the search function at the top will prove useful.

So, what can you expect? Well, apart from the weekly features going, you'll get more news as I stumble across it with as much information that I can give as well as a source. There's not much to it. I'll be sticking the odd review in as well. The first on my hit-list being Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3.

I hope you enjoy the blog to read what gems we can find!

Trailer 2: Time Hollow

2008-03-06T23:36:00.004Z

This trailer shows a lot more gameplay than the previous trailer. We can see that you need to draw on the scene to reveal clues of some kind.

We're still not sure what to make of it but we'll keep an eye on it...

Official UK release date for The World Ends With You

2008-03-06T23:31:00.003Z

Square-Enix have announced that the fresh looking DS title, The World Ends With You, will be unleashed in the UK on 18th April 2008. The game is an action RPG where you only have a limited amount of time to complete your adventure, or die in a modern day Tokyo.

Source: Eurogamer

Echochrome demo released

2008-03-06T23:15:00.002Z

A Japanese demo of the upcoming headache making puzzle game Echochrome was released today which consists of 3 full levels and 5 tutorial sessions. The demo can be picked up on the PSP Demo Center or the official Japanese Echochrome website. The game sees you manipulating the level to try and get your character to retrieve all of the shadows. The level can be rotated to block out obstacles, or use them to your advantage, for example, blocking a gap with a pillar.

Disgaea heads to the DS

2008-03-06T23:08:00.003Z

The Playstation exclusive JSRPG giant is no longer exclusive to the Playstation family. This week's Famitsu magazine in Japan has shown that Disgaea will be released on the DS, confirming a lot of rumours that have been hitting the gaming news sites for a while. The only thing that has been revealed though is that the translated title is Disgaea DS: Prince of the Demon World and the Red Moon. More news as it comes through, but for now, DS owners can rejoice!

Source: Pocket Gamer

Last Week (25th February to 2nd March)

2008-03-06T23:05:00.002Z

The big story of last week was the announcement that Valkyria Chronicles will be released in Europe and the US in the Autumn. There was also an update to the latest release dates for Europe.

Upcoming release dates (Updated: 28th February 2008)

2008-02-28T09:11:00.003Z

It's time for an update to the list of games that are coming out soon:

Beautiful Katamari - 29/02/2008
Lost Odyssey - 29/02/2008
Persona 3 - 29/02/2008
Fading Shadows - 07/03/2008
Odin Sphere - 14/03/2008
Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates - 21/03/2008
Riviera: The Promised Land - 28/03/2008
Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII - Spring
The World Ends With You - Spring
LittleBigPlanet - September

Renamed Valkyria Chronicles comes to Europe this Autumn

2008-02-25T19:46:00.003Z

The seriously brilliant looking Valkyria Chronicles (formerly Valkyrie of the Battlefield) has been confirmed for Europe by Sega today for the PS3. The game takes place in a make-believe Europe in the 1930's with two ruling powers, the Empire and the Federation attempting to take over the neutral Gallia. The game has been given a vague Autumn 2008 release period for the game in both America and the US.

Source: Eurogamer

Last week (18th to 24th February)

2008-02-25T19:37:00.002Z

There were 2 announcements last week. For the PS2 posse, Odin Sphere got a fully confirmed release date, and for the Puzzle Quest fans, there was some information on Galactrix.

Galactrix shown at GDC 08

2008-02-23T13:08:00.003Z

Galactrix has finally come out of the shadows with some limited details of the game being shown at the Game Developer's Conference 2008. The game, which now boasts the Puzzle Quest moniker to become Puzzle Quest: Galactrix, is going to be similar to surprise hit Puzzle Quest, but the game will now be played on a hexagonal board in a sci-fi setting. Also, the state of gravity in the game (blocks falling to the bottom of the board) has been revamped to expand on the sci-fi theme and gravity will come in different directions, meaning that the blocks may not necessarily fall downwards like in the original Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords. No confirmed release date has been given but the game has been announced for the DS, PC and XBox360.

Source: Gamespot

Odin Sphere release date set

2008-02-23T13:01:00.004Z

The PS2 RPG that I never thought was coming to Europe got a solidified release date of the 14th March 2008 this week. The official European website has also been spruced up with new information about the characters, story and the world of Odin Sphere. The wait is almost over...

Source: Eurogamer

Last Week (11th to 17th February)

2008-02-23T12:58:00.002Z

There wasn't much to go on, but the Patapon demo came out a week early, and a new RPG called Soma Bringer was given the trailer treatment.

Trailer: Soma Bringer

2008-02-14T22:39:00.002Z

An interesting looking trailer for Soma Bringer on the Nintendo DS has surfaced on Gametrailers. I'm not aware on what it is but it certainly looks like your standard "Hero needs to go out to save the world" type thing. More information as I get it.

Patapon demo out today!

2008-02-14T22:27:00.002Z

All of a sudden, SCEE have decided that Valentines Day is the perfect day to release a demo for Patapon which can now be downloaded on the PC Playstation Store! The demo allows you to play the first 3 levels of the game and also allows you to save your progress at the end which you can bring forward to your full game, including a rare Spear of Protection, which will be unavailable in the full game without the special save file.

The demo was brought forward a week to coincide with the release of the same demo on the US version of the store.

Source: Eurogamer

Last Week (4th to 10th February)

2008-02-14T22:23:00.002Z

Last week, I put out the European release list for games that I'll be looking out for. Also, there was a trailer for Lost Odyssey.

Upcoming release dates (Updated: 6th February 2008)

2008-02-06T00:27:00.000Z

"When is X coming out?"

Well, hopefully, I'll have an answer for you. By subscribing to the European Releases label, you will be able to get the latest list of release dates for games in Europe that I think you might be interested in.

If you spot a problem, do tell me about it ;-). Without further ado, here are the latest updates to the list (which you'll find nestled on the right hand side):

Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings - 15/02/2008
Patapon - 22/02/2008
Beautiful Katamari - 29/02/2008
Fading Shadows - 29/02/2008
Lost Odyssey - 29/02/2008
Persona 3 - 29/02/2008
Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates - 21/03/2008
Odin Sphere - 28/03/2008
Riviera: The Promised Land - 28/03/2008
Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII - Spring

To subscribe, the feed URL is here.

Trailer: Lost Odyssey

2008-02-05T23:46:00.000Z

How this game slipped my radar, I don't know. One thing is for sure though. It looks superb. This trailer from the Tokyo Game Show shows some stunning moves that should appeal to most RPG veterans.

The game will be out in Europe at the end of the month.

Last Week (28th January to 3rd February)

2008-02-05T23:43:00.000Z

Some excitement last week. Patapon was confirmed along with the previously US-only demo. Persona 3 was also confirmed for Europe in the end of February, making it a great month for the unusual games to come out.

Patapon confirmed for Europe - and with the special demo too

2008-01-30T11:46:00.001Z

Well, after a lot of bitterness and anger over the demo fiasco, all those worries have fizzed away, along with the news of Patapon's release in Europe. Patapon will be released in Europe on the 22nd February 2008 (that's just a few days before the US gets it) and SCEE gave us an extra surprise by telling us that the demo of the game, featuring a rare weapon that can be brought to the full game, will be released on the PSP Store the day before!

So, the only gripe is that we're getting charged over the top for it, and it's not available to pre-order in many places. Don't let that stop you getting the free demo at least though!

Source: Eurogamer (demo), Eurogamer (release date)

Trailer: SMT: Persona 3 coming to UK at the end of February

2008-01-29T19:55:00.000Z

Koei has announced that the dark RPG, Persona 3 will be coming to the UK on February 29th 2008. The PS2 game is a stand-alone part of the Shin Megami Tensei series of games and no previous knowledge is required to play, which is good news for me...

Despite recent problems with other controversial games, the press have thankfully missed this RPG's controversial Evoker weapon, which you use to shoot yourself in the head to bring out Personas to help you in battle. The game is based on you doing well in your school (yes, school) studies to increase your abilities during the day and fighting at night when the monsters come to play.

Here's a trailer for you to see the game in action (Not for the younger viewers!):

Source: Eurogamer

Last Week (21st to 27th January)

2008-01-29T19:49:00.000Z

Two major stories brushed the news this week with the first "hint" of the 3rd game from Team ICO finally revealed. Hopefully there will be more information next month. Also, it was announced that my most anticipated release for the year, Patapon, will be retailing for $19.99 on release. Sadly, it looks like that Europeans will be charged the full price for the game as well as missing out on an exclusive item in the UMD demo.

Update: Sony confirms that the demo of Patapon will be on the PSP Store - and will include the same demo save to full game feature!

Patapenny for Patapon

2008-01-25T21:29:00.000Z

My most anticipated game of 2008 is coming soon to your PSP and SCEA have decided to give the Patapon buying nation a treat - by cutting the price of the game to $19.99 (About £10). If you're serious about buying this game, the US has suddenly become the first port of call!

Source: Kotaku

ICO 3 screenshot appears

2008-01-25T21:09:00.001Z

The rumours of Fumito Ueda of Team ICO being in the GDC in February have been around for a while but nothing prepared anyone for the sudden appearance of what looks to be a screenshot from the team's latest project. The screenshot came to light when a job advert coming from the team appeared with the picture. It was the original place for the previous job advert. At the moment, it seems to show a chain, going into a hole, which might be hiding someone or something deep within.

Hopefully it will make sense next month. The Games Developer Conference starts from 18th February and finishes on the 22nd February 2008.

Sources: Job listing

Last Week (14th to 20th January)

2008-01-25T21:06:00.000Z

Err, before I catch up on this week's news, here's a quick look at last week.

Basically, it was all about announcing release dates for PAL gamers last week. Namely, Beautiful Katamari, LittleBigPlanet and a couple of Square-Enix games too.

FFCC:RoF dated while Crisis Core gets vague release "season" in Europe

2008-01-17T18:15:00.000Z

Things are never fun for gamers in Europe. We suffer delays, overcharges, less downloadable content, did I mention delays? Square-Enix have made 2 announcements in the past 2 days with a very vague "Spring" release date for Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7. The game is already out in Japan and helped boost PSP sales.

Also announced was an official, concrete, release date for Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates on the DS on 21st March 2008.

Sources: Eurogamer (CC: FF7), Eurogamer (FFCC: RoF)

LittleBigPlanet heading to PS3's in September

2008-01-15T22:04:00.000Z

The rumours were flying around for quite a while but a few days ago, Sony finally committed to a September release (although it isn't clear whether or not this will be worldwide or US only) for the user-generated game LittleBigPlanet. The game sees people making levels for others to download and play.

Source: Eurogamer

Beautiful Katamari rolling towards Europe

2008-01-15T21:56:00.000Z

It's taken a long time in coming, but the third full game from the Katamari series will be rolling up European XBox360's in February. For those who don't know, the katamari games are all based on one objective. To roll up as much stuff as possible with a very sticky ball. Cars, planes, buildings, people, UFO's, continents, planets. Yep, you can roll them all up in a bid to make as large a katamari as possible!

Source: Kotaku

Last time (Christmas Eve to 13th January 2008)

2008-01-15T21:54:00.000Z

Well, there wasn't much. At least you can marvel at the list of games I completed last year!

The final completed games list of 2007

2008-01-03T12:29:00.000Z

All of the games I completed last year are listed below. It goes from latest to earliest (sadly that's the way the blog does it)

* Shadow Hearts: From the new World
* Rogue Galaxy
* Loco Roco
* Riviera: The Promised Land
* Final Fantasy XII
* More Brain Training (DS)
* Everybody's Tennis
* Rayman Raving Rabbids (Wii)
* Cooking Mama (Wii)
* WarioWare
* Wii Play
* Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords
* PoPoLoCrois
* Okami
* Everybody's Golf (PSP)
* Kazook

Last time (17th to 23rd December 2007)

2008-01-03T12:24:00.000Z

Happy new year!

Quick update on what happened the last time I was here. It was the end of the year so I had a look into crystal ball for the games that I'll be looking to in the future and in this year. I also completed a review of the games in 2007.

The Hidden Review 2007

2007-12-20T18:58:00.000Z

Also in keeping with Christmas tradition, here's the best and worst of 2007:

Best overall game - Okami

This game which is compared to many of the Zelda games is just sublime. The graphics and the music go a long way into making this a complete package and the gameplay elements fit together to create a 40 hour adventure that I personally will never forget. The fact that it's coming to the Nintendo Wii ensures that it will have another crack at the market. I just hope it isn't ruined because this game doesn't deserve a bad port with Wii controls added on just because we all want it.

Best PS2 game - Okami

Pest PSP game - Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords

A game of Bejeweled mixed with RPG elements. The concept sounds crazy but the game was as addictive and many hours can be lost to just walking the map. An essential buy for handheld owners.

Best DS game - More Brain Training

I'll admit that I haven't had much of a chance to use my new DS but this is the big highlight of the console. I enjoyed it immensely and played it religiously. 42 All Time Classics deserved to win this but it was out in 2006 and doesn't qualify...

Best Wii game - Wii Sports

As with the DS, I haven't had much of a chance to play the Wii either but as with Brain Training, I also played Wii Sports religiously. It probably shouldn't win as it was out last year but it's tricky to judge when it is released so close to Christmas!

Biggest Disappointment - Final Fantasy XII

The story was poor and the battling was plain boring. Maybe I expected too much of this game. I had every right to be as it's been out for so long in the US. However, that doesn't excuse the lack of fun I had playing this game.

PSP in the future - Patapon
DS in the future - The World Ends With You
PS2 in the future - Odin Sphere
PS3 in the future - Little Big Planet
Wii in the future - Zack & Wiki
360 in the future - Infinite Undiscovery

That's the review complete. Unless some ground breaking news comes up, this is the last post of 2007 (minus the weekly review). See you in 2008!

Have a great Christmas and a happy new year!

HiddenAway

The hidden game guide 2008

2007-12-18T12:37:00.000Z

It's that time of year. Stockings are filled, presents are opened, special nativity plays are run and it's freezing cold. So, what better time than now to look at the games you should be looking at next year! Here are some of the "less famous" games that you can look forward to next year!

Patapon - PSP - Early 2008

Okami - Wii - 2008

Odin Sphere - PS2 - First half 2008

Everybody's Golf 5 - PS3 - First half 2008

Zack & Wiki - Wii - January 2008

Little Big Planet - PS3 - Late 2008

The World Ends With You - DS - Spring 2008

Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings - DS - February 2008

Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker - DS - First half 2008

Echochrome - PS3/PSP - 2008

Also, we hope to hear more about:

ICO 3 - PS3 - 2009
Final Fantasy XIII - PS3 - 2009/2010
White Knight Story - PS3 - 2010
Steambot Chronicles 2 - PS3 - 2009
Galactrix - No known formats - 2008/2009
Nobi Nobi Boy - PS3 - 2009
Operation: Darkness - XBox360 - 2009
Valkyrie of the Battlefield - PS3 - 2009
The Last Remnant - PS3/XBox360 - 2009/2010
Infinite Undiscovery - XBox360 - 2009/2010

Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core arrives in March for the US

2007-12-18T12:27:00.000Z

A quick post to announce that for the importers among you, Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core will be released in the US on 25th March 2008. The game, when coincided with the release of a special edition PSP Lite and the release of the PSP Lite itself, sold quite a lot of copies in it's first 2 weeks.

Also announced for the US were the following:

Dragon Quest Swords: The Masked Queen and the Tower of Mirrors - Wii - 26th February 2008
Final Fantasy Crystal Cronicles: Ring of Fates - DS - 11th March 2008
The World Ends With You - DS - Spring 2008

Source: Kotaku

Trailers: Patapon blow out

2007-12-17T20:06:00.000Z

There's no denying it. I absolutely can't wait for Patapon. At all. I've been waiting too long. Have I made that clear yet? It's getting so hard waiting for this that I'm going to link to IGN! Have some short fun videos from me! If you only watch one, make it the last one. Tree dancing wins!

Kill the beast!

Game Introduction

The Dancing Tree!

Last week (10th to 16th December)

2007-12-17T19:57:00.000Z

Christmas is coming and news is scarce. However, there was still something to shout about. Yes, Patapon has been confirmed for Europe and the US in around February 2008. Then, a trailer of Disgaea 3 showed up, a game where the maximum level is 9999 and the damage limit is err uncountable! Sony then gave us more good news as Everybody's Golf 5 for the PS3 was finally confirmed for Europe and the US. How can it take so long to localise a golf game?! Finally, the final (judging by lack of exciting releases next week and the week after) UK release list of 2007.

This week's UK releases (14th to 20th December)

2007-12-13T18:20:00.000Z

Every Thursday, I report on what is being released this week on all consoles. Releases are subject to last minute delays and changes.

PLAYSTATION 3
Half-Life 2: The Orange Box
The Elder Scrolls Oblivion - Game of the Year

WII
The Legend of Spyro - The Eternal Night

PLAYSTATION 2
Mr Bean

PC GAMES
Space Force - Captains
The Golden Compass

PSP
Beowulf
Disgaea - Afternoon of Darkness
The Golden Compass
Wipeout Pulse

Source: Eurogamer

Everybody's Golf 5 chips up to Europe and US

2007-12-12T21:56:00.000Z

It's been almost an eternity for this game to arrive after the Japanese release but the wait is almost over. The US recently announced that EG5 (Hot Shots Golf 5 in the US) was coming out in March 2008 and Sony Europe also confirmed that they hope to bring the game here around the same time. EG5 is the PS3 incarnation of the great EG series and supports online play (so did EG4 on the PS2 but I didn't have online facilities back then).

Source: Eurogamer

Trailer: Disgaea 3 trailer

2007-12-11T21:01:00.000Z

This trailer is apparently on the Japanese PSN so you may get some better quality there. For those of us who are just dreaming about PS3's and Disgaea, we'll have to make do with a Gametrailers trailer...

Oh, and remember that PSP fans can get a dose of Disgaea this week when Disgaea: Afternoon of Darkness is unleashed on Friday.

Source: NeoGAF

Edit: Gametrailers have the new trailer up and I trust their quality a lot more than Youtube obviously...

Jealousy ensues as Patapon is up for US release in February [Update: Europe too]

2007-12-11T20:11:00.000Z

The American people can celebrate hard as Patapon was given a release (month) date of February 2008. The game, from the makers of LocoRoco, sees the little Patapon characters fighting all sorts of things based on the sounds of drums. It's up to you to direct them on how to fight or advance.

Annoyingly, there's no confirmation of a European release yet (hence the jealousy) but you certainly shouldn't be worried. This news story did come after SCEE went home for the night. Surely it'll be announced tomorrow. Please?!

[Update: The game has been confirmed for Europe in "a similar time-frame" to the US version. It is fully confirmed for Europe, delayed or not]

Source: Joystiq, Eurogamer

Last week (3rd to 9th December)

2007-12-10T18:13:00.000Z

Well, with Christmas coming up, news stories are thin on the ground. This week did see the rolling Square-Enix train of releases continue with a European release announcement of the previously titled "It's a Wonderful World" (now called "The World Ends With You"). Then, there was more clarification of the Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings release date for Europe as it was apparently put at 15th February 2008. The week was helped along with the first official trailer for Patapon which comes out in Japan this month. Finally, we had a standard list of this week's UK releases.

This week's UK releases (7th to 13th December)

2007-12-07T14:01:00.000Z

Every Thursday, I report on what is being released this week on all consoles. Releases are subject to last minute delays and changes.

PLAYSTATION 3
Medal of Honor - Airborne
SingStar
Timeshift
Uncharted - Drakes Fortune
World Series of Poker - Battle of the Bracelets

XBOX 360
Dancing Stage Universe
Soldier of Fortune - Payback

WII
Alan Hansen Sports Challenge
Alvin and The Chipmunks
Catz
Cheggers Party Quiz
Cranium
Dogz
Pokemon Battle Revolution
Tomb Raider - Anniversary
Who Wants to be a Millionaire

PLAYSTATION 2
Alvin and The Chipmunks
Mr Bean
Yu-Gi-Oh! GX Tag Force Evolution

PC GAMES
Juiced 2 - Hot Import Nights
Soldier of Fortune - Payback
Sudden Strike 3
The Golden Compass

DS
Alvin and The Chipmunks
MYST
Steel Horizon
Ultimate Mortal Kombat
Warhammer 40000 - Squad Command

PSP
NBA Live 08
Pimp My Ride
Pursuit Force - Extreme Justice
SOCOM: Tactical Strike
Sonic Rivals 2
Telly Addicts
Yu-Gi-Oh! GX Tag Force 2

Source: Eurogamer

Trailer: Official Patapon trailer [Updated]

2007-12-05T20:43:00.000Z

The official Patapon website had a huge update recently, and includes a new video of the game. Unfortunately, it took me a few attempts to finally watch it all from the site (thank goodness for VideoLAN). From what I could see though, there was a lot to do and a lot to think about. The game is released in Japan on 20th December 2007. A February release is rumoured for Europe.

To get to the trailer, go to the website, click "Enter", then click the special menu (hover over the bottom part of the pop-up to see the menu) and click Movie. Good luck loading it!

[Update: Gametrailers video embedded below!]

Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings release date fully set

2007-12-05T19:06:00.000Z

More news from the RPG giants, Square-Enix as they fully confirmed the release date for FFXII: Revenant Wings. The game was already set for a 2008 release in Europe but now it looks to be coming on February 15th 2008. Start planning some time off!

Source: Pocket Gamer

It's a Wonderful World when Square-Enix like Europe

2007-12-05T18:50:00.000Z

You heard that right everyone. It's A Wonderful World is approaching Europe in Spring 2008. Except it's not going to be called that. Nope, it's instead going to be called "The World Ends With You".

Ugh. Oh well, at least it's coming. I was a little worried when things went quiet...

Source: Cubed3

Last week (26th November to 2nd December)

2007-12-03T10:09:00.000Z

Well, in comparison to last week's "last week", this won't take very long.

The week started with a 30 second teaser of Fragile, a new post apocolyptic RPG for the Wii. Then came news of Coded Soul coming to the PSP, with hints of a link-up to PS3's Folklore. Then we had a slew of releases from the UK.

Arguably the biggest news of the week was the announcement that Square-Enix were bringing over Odin Sphere for the Europeans in early 2008. This 2D-ish RPG, while criticised for its slowdown during major battles, has been receiving a lot of praise for the graphical style and gameplay. Finally, there was the introduction video from Yggdra Union for the PSP. Although, you shouldn't be seduced by the graphics exhibited in the trailer, I don't mind if you get seduced by the music which is the best I've heard from a trailer for a while.

Trailer: Yggdra Union Introduction

2007-11-30T20:59:00.000Z

This game from the makers that brought you Riviera: The Promised Land finally came out of hiding (again) to show off a new, stunning intro of the game, along with some small video clips of gameplay. They are all scattered around the official website while the intro can be found in the section marked "Movies". The trailer can also be seen below but the movie on the website is much better. The game is released in Japan in the back-end of January 2008.

Oh, and don't buy the game just because the intro looks cool. I do tend to fall for it a lot but I don't expect this game to have anime cut-scenes throughout! The music on the other hand...

Odin Sphere comes to Europe (at last!)

2007-11-30T20:41:00.000Z

Just when you thought it was safe to scratch another game off the PS2's RPG list, comes news that Square-Enix is making an unprecedented move to publish the Atlus USA game Odin Sphere for Europe. This is the first time that Square-Enix have published a game that is not their own. The game looked destined to never come here but it looks like it will happen after all! The game will arrive in Europe in the early part of 2008.

Source: Eurogamer

This week's UK releases (30th November to 6th December)

2007-11-29T23:28:00.000Z

Every Thursday, I report on what is being released this week on all consoles. Releases are subject to last minute delays and changes.

PLAYSTATION 3
Blazing Angels - Secret Missions of WWII
Cars Mater-national
John Woo Presents Stranglehold
The Golden Compass

XBOX 360
BlackSite: Area 51
Hitman: Blood Money (Classics)
Looney Tunes - ACME Arsenal
The Golden Compass
World Championship Poker 2: All In

WII
Ben 10
Big Catch - Bass Fishing
Bratz The Movie
Looney Tunes - ACME Arsenal
My French Coach
My Spanish Coach
Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles
The Golden Compass

PLAYSTATION 2
Barbie Island Princess
Boogie
Dogz
Hard Rock Casino
Hot Wheels - Beat That!
Looney Tunes - ACME Arsenal
Mr Bean
Realplay Golf
Realplay Pool
Realplay Puzzlesphere
Realplay Racing
Telly Addicts
The Golden Compass

PC GAMES
BlackSite: Area 51
Cars Mater-national
My Horse and Me

DS
Arcade Classics - Volume 1
Big Catch - Bass Fishing
Boogie
Bratz 4 Real
Crazy Pig
Ed, Edd n Eddy
Guru Guru
Jenga
Konami Arcade Classics
Looney Tunes - Duck Amuck
Monster Bomber
Monster Puzzle
SNK Vs Capcom Card Fighters
The Golden Compass
Winx Club - Mission Enchantrix

PSP
Alien VS Predator - Requiem
Football Manager Handheld 2008
Medal Of Honor Heroes 2
Syphon Filter: Logans Shadow

Source: Eurogamer

Coded Soul creeps to PSP

2007-11-28T18:21:00.000Z

The latest issue of Famitsu has some details on a new RPG called Coded Soul. The game is being made for the PSP by Kouji Okada, creator of the Shin Megami Tensei series of games. He also brought Monster Kingdom: Jewel Summoner to the PSP. Just like this game, the game will feature ad-hoc play and focus on the collection of monsters for battle. Famitsu also reveals that the game will somehow link up to the PS3 RPG, Folklore (FolkSoul in Japan). Possible release in February for Japan.

Source: PSP Fanboy, RPGLand with scan

Trailer: Fragile teaser

2007-11-26T12:10:00.001Z

Remember Fragile? Well, there's a trailer for it below. It doesn't last long but moving pictures are better than stills aren't they? Also, for those that don't see the updated post, the official website is open.

Last week (19th to 25th November)

2007-11-26T06:45:00.000Z

It's been a huge week around here but thankfully, the weekly update will squeeze all the week's news into 1 story.

First of all, I'd like to personally welcome Alex Rowe who will be (and already is) helping me out on the blog. Alex is the leading person from the Team ICO Gamers group and to have him contribute around here is very welcome.

Also, I forgot to put in the previous "Last Week" story so there is a story that need to be rounded up. Not important but it was the UK's release list between 15th October and 21st October.

To this week now and boy did we have a lot to get through! I missed a lot of stories during my time off so I briefly covered them on Monday. I also provided details on how to play the Japanese demo of "For a Hero, You're Pretty Impudent". There was also a good trailer of Operation: Darkness for the XBox360.

There was some brief news about a new RPG called Fragile, coming to the Wii and showed off by Famitsu. There was also the shock news that the PSP Store for PCs had launched, followed up by sales figures for Super Mario Galaxy. I followed up on the PSP Store launch with my first impressions of beats which was a game that was relatively unknown in gaming circles and is one which I did like.

Following on there were releases for the week as normal with quite a few big hitters this week (possibly the last week of big shots this year). I spotted a gameplay training video of Valkyrie of the Battlefield, which won't make much sense unless you're fluent in Japanese. I then found out that I was neglecting the weekend posts so I thought I'd make one, detailing my plans for the weekend. (and they were not as accurate as I thought they would be).

Even after that though there was still plenty to get through, with the classic Sega Saturn game NiGHTS getting a re-release for the PS2 (unlikely for Europe but we'll see), and the first trailer for Fading Shadows on the PSP which I criminally forgot to report on in my round-up! I also posted up a video of Nobi Nobi Boy, which had been doing the rounds online for a while.

I had overlooked a decent trailer for Valkyrie Profile 2 on release, so better late than never, I found the European launch trailer which includes quite a lot of what the game is about. Then, I spotted a new DS RPG called Steal Princess, of which I have absolutely no idea about (except that it includes a fairy and female character with an eye-patch). I also spotted a possible release date for Patapon in Europe, which confirms other sources. Finally, I finished writing up a review of the superb LocoRoco on the PSP.

Phew, I'm beat!

Game Review: Loco Roco

2007-11-24T14:22:00.000Z

Every second Wednesday (OK, every so often then...), I write about a game that I've played in a short/long review. These are only my thoughts and I'm not responsible if you buy a game based solely on my review and you hate the guts out of it...

Game - LocoRoco (PSP)

Games that break convention don’t come very often. We’re increasingly looking for realistic graphics, realistic gameplay and expecting complex control systems to go with it. Well, guess what? LocoRoco isn’t one of those games. In fact it’s just good, clean, simple fun that anyone can enjoy. One that deserves all the accolades it gets.

The basic premise is that the LocoRoco, round yellow creatures, lived on their planet, taking care of it and singing their troubles away, until the Mojas come down from space to take over the planet. Being a peaceful bunch, you have no choice but to help them out by tilting the planet and guiding them to rescue everyone. How do you do this? You simply tilt the world left and right and also shake the planet to cause the creatures to jump. That’s it!

Gameplay

Well, almost. First of all, as you eat berries, you will start to grow. This is a good thing as you need to grow to save some of your friends (like the blue MuiMui). Unfortunately, that also means that you’ll have trouble getting through narrow gaps. To get through these small gaps, you need to scare the LocoRoco and force them to split up into smaller LocoRoco to get through to the other side (and possibly eat a few more berries along the way). You can get to a size where you eventually split into 20 small LocoRoco in each level.

Finding the berries isn’t always easy. Sometimes they are hidden from view until you hit the right area, and some are hidden further still by being hidden in secret areas that you won’t see until you jump into them. Finding these areas is great fun and prolongs your stay in the game. A level can be finished within 3 to 4 minutes but by finding every single berry, you’ll end up taking 10 to 20 minutes to explore and jump into every single avenue.

There are many other things to see and interact with while you do all this. There are a few mini-games, a mini-house and eventually a small level editor to make your own level and send to your friends. The game has a huge amount of charm with a bubbly soundtrack that your yellow friends (and others) will sing to you as you explore the levels and make you grin from ear to ear. You also start to feel guilty when you hit an enemy who suddenly gobbles up one of your LocoRoco, which is a disaster if you’re trying to find them all.

Conclusions

This game is quite simply superb. Easy to pick up, difficult if you’re aiming for everything. The game has one the most simple control systems you’ll see on the PSP, using only 3 buttons in a level (2 for tilting the world, and one to split the LocoRoco up). The game just makes you feel warm inside thanks to the soundtrack and the colourful graphics. If there was one gripe about it, I’d say it might be that it’s too short. There are enough levels for the person wanting everything, but not enough for those who just whiz through. Also, the game might get a bit frustrating at times. For example, the ice levels can be a nightmare when avoiding the dangerous spikes. However, don’t let that put you off. If you’re a PSP owner who wants an original game, you should not miss this unless you really don’t care. Quite frankly, you must be pretty cold if you don’t.

Score: 9/10

Rumour: Patapon to reach Europe in February? (Update 1)

2007-11-23T23:34:00.001Z

Earlier in the month, Team ICO Gamers reported that Patapon would be getting a February 2008 release. Although I had my doubts, it seemed plausible since some of the niche titles (coincidentally, like Shadow of the Colossus, We Love Katamari and Okami) tend to release in that month. Well, just to give the release date more credibility, the game is listed on Play.com as being released at the end of February. Of course there's so little text in the game that a release so close to the Japanese version (which seems to be heading for a 20th December 2007 release) is entirely feasible.

Play.com aren't the most reliable when it comes to release dates but it looks like we might be heading to February to start shouting Pata Pata Pata Pon! Until the fateful day that this arrives in Europe, have a gander at their official Japanese website.

Update: Patapon was confirmed for a February release

Steal Princess revealed

2007-11-23T21:43:00.000Z

Climax, the makers of the Shining Force series have opened the website for it's first DS title. Named Steal Princess, the game is an Action RPG that will make use of the Nintendo Wi-Fi connection capabilities. That's about all I can muster. However, the website also says something about December. Maybe we will find out more details then...

Trailer: Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria European Trailer

2007-11-23T21:15:00.000Z

This superb trailer was put up just a couple of weeks before the European release of the game in September. It shows a bit of the gameplay, the puzzling platform game aspects and "those" really nice CG sequences.