Capcom has revealed some information regarding their Monster Hunter themed festivities happening at Universal Studios Japan this year. The event, dubbed “Monster Hunter The Real“, will not be a permanent part of the park. It launches August 2nd and runs until September 30th, so fans of the series living in Japan should plan accordingly.

A number of elements of the world of Monster Hunter are being replicated in “real” (1:1 scale) size for fans to ogle, including but not limited to:

• A 20 meter Silver Rathalos
• Weapons
• Armor
• The player’s home from Monster Hunter Portable 3rd
• The gathering hall (including the hot springs!!!!) from Monster Hunter Portable 3rd
• The village from Monster Hunter Diary: Poka Poka Felyne Village
• A poogie, aka, a pet pig

If you’re a hardcore hunter only interested in showing off your skills, there will also be a time attack tournament for fans who come with their PSPs in tow.  There will be two halves to the tourney: the first taking place from August 2nd to the 31st and the second half from September 1st to the 30th.  The recent press statement from Capcom Japan does not mention if these are quests unique to the event, or if they will simply select standard quests.  The winners will be awarded with a trophy and a present not yet revealed.  I can haz exclusive digital contents?

Those seeking to simply team up with other hunters may do so in the real gathering hall — just remember to bring a loin cloth if you want to take a dip in the hot springs.

A number of Monster Hunter x USJ goods will also be available to purchase at the event.  Few details were revealed at this time, other than some cellphone charms and “well done meat flavored popcorn”.  I’m not gonna lie, that sounds like a horrifying combination, but I would try it.

Exploring the world of Monster Hunter on a 1:1 scale?  That is an amazing opportunity and I daresay a first for video games.  This may be a good time to come clean with you guys, but I have been planning a Tokyo Game Show trip this year.  That means I would be a bullet-train ride away from USJ in Osaka for the latter half of Monster Hunter The Real.  With any luck I can stop by the event and provide some in-depth coverage that only an obsessed fan like myself can.  If you want to see this happen, or just want to help the Kotowari cause in general, remember that we do accept donations! HINT HINT.

This week I asked my Mom to help me pot a tomato plant to keep on the balcony of my apartment.  Since moving out over a year ago, I’ve amassed a small collection of potted plants in varying states of health.  My favorite plant to keep on hand is basil, as it’s relatively hardy and a simple chiffonade of some fresh leaves makes nearly any dish infinitely more interesting.

I’ve always felt especially drawn towards plants which provide me with some form of return, whether it’s fresh basil leaves or tomatoes.  I even acquired a peace lily to improve the air quality of my apartment.  Flowers aren’t so much my thing — sure, they look nice, but you (generally) can’t eat them and they drive people with allergies up the wall.  No, I prefer a symbiotic relationship with my plants: you feed me, I feed you.

Getting back to the tomato plant, as I was potting it my mind wandered to video games (as it often does).  I remembered the first tomato I harvested in Harvest Moon: Another Wonderful Life.  By the time the crops yielded their fruit, my character was sufficiently starving.  Other than doubling over with stomach pangs, being hungry in Harvest Moon doesn’t really affect much. I took advantage of this loophole and instead sold everything I grew to repeat the process on a larger scale.

Quite a few games feature similar, if not as in-depth, gardening mechanics.  The simplicity of plant life translates well to the cold world of programming: if water, then grow, and so on.

In some games, this feature is simply something that exists alongside the main game, such as Nier:

Click here to view the embedded video.

In other games, gardening is more in the forefront, almost serving as a microcosm to the game’s ideals.  I’m about to get a little Monster Hunter crazy all up in here — you’ve been warned.

I believe that one of the main messages of the Monster Hunter series is that everything that we need is in nature.  This isn’t so much expressly told to the player through the game’s sweeping story, because as many people know, Monster Hunter is weak in the story department.  It’s more something the player will experience.  If you’re out on a quest, nearly any issue can be resolved with something harvested from the fat of the land.  Hungry?  Slaughter an animal to harvest meat which can be cooked on a spit.  Weapon dulled?  Catch a fish and sharpen your weapon on it (yeah, figure that one out).  Low on health? Gather some herbs to combine into a potion.  Yes, nature is your one stop department store, and plants are her manager.

The more I thought of titles which featured gardening and plant mechanics, the more I recognized a distinct trend: they were almost exclusively Japanese games.  I asked Twitter for some examples of Western games that required a green thumb.  While a number were mentioned, including The Sims and Plants Vs. Zombies (I’m still not convinced this one counts), there are markedly fewer.  Does the West not appreciate plants and gardening the way Japan does?

I remember driving through the muggy streets of Okinawa several years ago and getting an idea of how people lived.  Their yards were nonexistent, as land is scarce in Japan, but where there was room, potted plants overflowed.  When studying abroad in Osaka, a local family provided us with a basket of mikan, or satsuma oranges, which come into season early fall.  The plant is extremely easy to care for so many families grow their own. And how can I forget the zen-inducing effect of visiting a traditional Japanese garden?  There is no question about it: Japan does love their gardening.

Back in the West, my mom has been an avid gardener for as long as I can remember.  I grew up helping out, and thus became a part of the cyclical nature of plants.  Early spring meant hauling bags of mulch and possibly squeezing in a few leafy greens, which grow quickly.  By summer, tomatoes would be planted and staked — much to the pleasure of various critters who made a habit of making off with some spoils.  By fall, it was time to pack it all in to repeat next year.  It’s clear that there are those in the West who love plants enough to toil for them.

So why aren’t plants in more Western games?  Assuming that a love of plants is, in fact, universal, and gardening mechanics are easy to program, why can’t I plant an apple tree in Call of Duty?  Or some root vegetables in Duke Nukem Forever?

I offer a possible explanation: it’s generational.  The code monkeys and idea men out there churning out our games grew up during the shift to industrialized farming and/or corporate farming.  With food being produced on the massive scale that it is by equally massive corporations, gardening seems increasingly less relevant to the modern man.  Those who remember a time when food production was a more intimate engagement between farmer and consumer are few and far between (or are too old to have anything to do with video game development).

_{Japanese Rice Field Art (image source)}

Lightning-fast modernization has taken its toll on Japan’s farming industry as well, decreasing the number of farmers and dramatically raising their average age.  Despite this fact — and only 15% of the country being suitable of cultivation — the government keeps farming in the hands of farmers.  They do this by keeping the prices of rice in check with the average wages of those not working in the agricultural industry.  Long story short, it still pays to be a farmer in Japan, so people do it, not massive corporations.

Having farms all over the country creates niche products.  Certain prefectures excel at growing a certain crop and celebrate them to boost tourism.  For instance, one would have a hard time visiting Awajishima without having to buy onions to take back to your family.  Think of Wisconsin for cheese and Maine for blueberries, but on a country-wide scale.  There you have a celebration of local agriculture still occurring today, readily apparent to any active member of society — including those in the gaming industry.  Could this be the reason that Japanese games celebrate gardening so much more? It certainly seems plausible.

I am a believer that games are a reflection of the society that produces them and can be analyzed to recognize ideals.  It’s clear from the numerous Japanese games with gardening mechanics that the art is still something relevant and celebrated in Japan.  Conversely, the relative lack of such in Western games is worrisome.  Further distancing ourselves from nature and things that grow is not something I want gaming to perpetuate.  The recent popularity of organic and local foods in the United States gives me hope that, in time, respect for the art of gardening will work its way back into our generation and then make its mark on a new generation of games.

_{info source}

Japan has really come together in an impressive way over the past week.  Everyone is pitching in — even Hideo Kojima offered some words of encouragement on his blog.  Long story short, Kojima asks that we continue to pray and think of those effected by the quake.  He encourages Japan to continue to do their best and stay together for the sake of the future generation of the country.

At the bottom of the post you may notice a number of downloadable Twitter icons displaying hopeful kanji characters such as “hope”, “dream”, “courage”, etc.  There is also an image of Ken from Zone of the Enders: 2nd Runner drawn by Nobuyoshi Nishimura:

“Everyone, let’s do out best together!”

Finally, he leaves us with a quote from Solid Snake at the end of Metal Gear Solid:

“Spring brings new life to everything. It’s a time for hope.”

Let’s hope Snake is right.

It should be no secret that Japan has played a big part in the cultivation of the mixed up dude writing this article.  I normally do not get political or ask that people take up a cause, I just need you to know what Japan means to me, and what it has done for me.

It started in my middle school days: a deep interest in the dramatically different historical landscape of a very foreign feeling country.  Compared to the stuffy history of most Western nations, Japan was like a whole other world.  I remember an image of the kinkaku-ji nestled in the extremely truncated history of feudal Japan in our text book.  It was like nothing I had ever seen before — I must have read that chapter a dozen times, but never got sick of looking at that picture.

This interest gained momentum in high school, when I formed a strong interest in a number of video games out of Japan, which all told stories in a way I was not accustomed.  They brought well developed characters, imaginative settings, and everything was backed by very real and relatable emotion.  I am sure I don’t need to name names, but I played them over and over.  It was as if I was re-reading a favorite copy of a cherished book.

In my college years I decided, rather on a whim, to take a class on the Japanese language.  It was in doing so that I met the professor who would be my advisor upon switching my major to international studies.  He showed me a new side of Japan, one which was more thought provoking and more genuine than I had imagined.

The memory of watching Tokyo Story in his class is one which I will never forget.  At my desk, surrounded by what I imagine were considerably less interested students, I am confident I witnessed a masterpiece.  This film captured an era and all that encompassed it and presented it simply — in the form of an average family living in Tokyo.  I encourage everyone to watch this film.

Soon, I was introduced to the work of other great Japanese artists like Murakami, Basho, Miyazaki, and Soseki.  All of them have left indelible impressions on my mind, and ultimately who I am today.

By my senior year I applied to study abroad at Kansai Gaidai University.  After a bit of jabberwocky, I was accepted and 3,000 miles away from home.  My lifestyle changed dramatically.  I rode a bike everywhere, sometimes for miles.  I had a newfound appreciation for food, due largely to the high cost of meats (I can’t tell you how much of a culture shock it was to come back to America and walk down the meat section).  I felt like I was genuinely becoming a healthier person, mentally and physically.  I met some amazing people and learned a lesson which I daresay is worth the full tab of my college career: everyone is the same.  Every damn one of us. We all want the same things, we are all afraid of the same things, and none of us want to suffer.

I don’t need to tell you this, but there are a lot of people in Japan who are suffering.  They are scared, their homes were destroyed, and some of them may not know if their friends and family are alive.  So if you can, please help in any way you know how.  And to anyone with friends or family in Japan, you are in my thoughts.

Japanese fans and Western fans have been rumoring of Final Fantasy XIII-2 for a few weeks now.  The unannounced title has even made its way onto a list of the top 7 games that gamers want to see come to life.  Now, it seems that their cries may have reached Square Enix.

The domain “http://www.finalfantasy13-2game.com” was registered on Janauary 10th.  The company that is listed as the registrant (dumb word, right?) is Corporation Service Company.  They are a major registered service agent, representing a huge number of fortune 1000 companies… possibly including Square Enix, as they are the listed registrant on several other known Square Enix domains:

• Nier
• Gun Loco
• Mindjack

Oddly enough, the original domain for Final Fantasy XIII lists Square Enix Limited as the registrant.

I don’t claim to know if this means the game is actually being considered for production, or if this was simply a defensive tactic employed by Square Enix.  It is exciting nonetheless, and I do hope that the developer will take their fans’ criticisms to heart if they do decide to move forward with a sequel.  I miss me some towns.

Related Articles:
Nomura Doesn’t Want you to Forget Final Fantasy XIII’s Lightning

I find it fascinating to be on the other side of things: watching Japan become excited for a game made in the U.S., rather than the other way around.  As you can imagine this is not the norm. The above ad caught my attention yesterday and it struck a chord. The image features a number of post-apocalyptic looking protesters complaining about the doldrums of Japanese RPGs.  Again this is the opposite of what I am used to, normally having to listen to Westerners complain about JRPGs while stating that Western RGPs are better because you can fuck elves or whatever.

Here are some quotes from the protesters:

• “I think it would be good if the hero had missions that weren’t only about destroying evil.”
• “The player is weak, the enemy is weak. That’s way too convenient.”
• “When did games become something you watch?”
• “Because the story doesn’t change, what’s the point of playing it again?”
• “Games nowadays are focusing way too much on photorealism.”
• “What’s a game that’s moving in accordance to the scenario? It’s the same as living on rails.”
• “Levelling up is time for motivation down!”
• “The stage has been set. After that, you’re free to do whatever!”

_{source (regrettably)}

I want to argue, but am not sure with whom to argue with.  Is it Bethesda?  Japan? Obsidian?  The elf-fuckers?

I don’t claim that JRPGs are better than WRPGs, because honestly, the value of each is unique to the person playing it.  What I do know is that it’s not fair to compare a single game (in this case FNV) with an entire sub-genre — that’s like pitting a pelican against a killer whale, and we all know how that ends. So who do we slap on the wrist for this fine example of successful troll being successful?

Does the fault lie in Obsidian and Bethesda for using this tactic as advertising?  Partially.  Using generalization and polarization to generate attention and publicity is not a new tactic.  By forcing existing opinions to become further black and white, you make people passionate enough to get a sale.  Classy.  I almost fell for it — this almost turned into a post defending JRPGs.  You better believe there will be around fifty of those by the end of the day.

Does the fault lie with Japan?  One could argue so.  The country consumes its own software — especially JRPGs — in record breaking quantities, whereas Western RPGs… not so much.  In the West there are a growing number of gaming distributors that localize Japanese titles and the demand is growing (though occasionally ignored).  This results in the American gaming market being far more diverse whereas the Japanese market is less so.  For this reason I can understand the advertisement highlighting the game as something new or different as a selling point.

Are divisions between genres to blame?  Maybe.  They are a convenient way to lump games, separate them, make them recognizable as quickly and easily as possible.  Lately there have been more games that dip into a variety of genres (Fallout New Vegas is classified by many as an FPS) yet people feel the need to maintain these mental borders.  Naturally, if gamers have these preconceptions they will be targeted by advertising campaigns which force people to pick a side and put their money where their mouth is.

We as gamers and intelligent members of the Internet community should not let this ad accomplish its goal of dividing us with trivial debates.  It can be hard when the source of the problem is unclear, just keep this in mind: gaming is fun for a lot of us, but business to some of us.

Capcom’s dropped fighters

I’ve really been enjoying the latest Japanese fighter to hit American shores, Tatsunoko vs. Capcom. Of course, with every new fighter, there’s that given moment after its release to lament what could have been.  For a game on such a massive franchise-scale as Tatsunoko vs. Capcom, the number of characters you would want to appear in the game from either side can be staggering, so sadly many don’t make the cut.

In an interview with Dengeki Online, three of TvC’s head honchos, Ryota Nizuma, Mr. Bancho and Ryota Igawa gave some insight into the game’s early stages while they were still deciding which characters to include in the game.  The most interesting of which was the inclusion of the star from the Ace Attorney series, Phoenix Wright.  I remember the days when TvC was just newly announced and Phoenix was a definite hopeful to join the game’s ranks.  To find out that they actually did consider adding him to the game is pretty amazing. Although, what’s more amazing is the way thought up on how Phoenix would actually fight his opponents.

Some difficulties came up while deciding on moves for Phoenix. For one, the only movements he really makes in the game are hand gestures, and not much could have really been made from that.  Secondly, for the most part, you only see Phoenix from the waist up in the games.  This led to the decision to have Phoenix and his desk act as one whole character, with wheels attached to the underside, making him some sort of rolling, justice-bringing tank.  While I think this sounds awesome in theory, it would just end up looking really stupid in-game.  Not to mention I expect his hitbox to just be massive.

Other TvC wannabes were Arthur from Ghosts N’ Goblins fame and Ingrid from Capcom Fighting Jam.  Even though none of these made the cut for the first game, Ryota Nizuma said that if a sequel were ever made, he’d work really hard to get these characters into the game.

More revealed on the 5th generation of Pokémon

Remember that new Pokémon game that was teased about a few days ago? I was under the impression that it was just going to be a Pokémon Crystal remake, but it actually turned out to be a whole new generation Pokémon game. This latest piece of news comes straight from Coro Coro magazine, and though the details are scarce, the rag says that more info will become available in the coming month.

For starters, the silhouetted pokémon was revealed to be Zoroark/Zoroaaku (ゾロアーク). Many people mistook him to be the next evolution step for Lucario (myself included), but who knew it’d end up being a new pokémon entirely? Zoroark also has a pre-evolution by the name of Zorua/Zoroa (ゾロア).  Click the above image for the full picture including Zoroa.  The few details on Zoroark is that he’s a Dark-Type and classified as a Monster Fox.  He will also be playing a major role in the upcoming Pokémon film Phantom Champion Zoroark.

The name for the new region has not yet been revealed, and other gameplay details are incredibly scarce at the moment.  I’m also curious as to what the next set of games will be called. The last two were Diamond and Pearl, so I think it’d be a good guess that the next two games would be named after some precious metal or gem. As with the unveiling of any new Pokémon game, I’m incredibly excited and eagerly anticipating more news from Coro Coro next month!

Sega announces bonuses for Yakuza 3

The wait for Yakuza 3 has been a long time; the fact that it was announced at all for an international release still seems pretty crazy to me. Well, Sega announced this morning that they will be offering up some goodies for those who will be purchasing the game, although the sweetness of the deal depends on where you hail from.

Sega Europe is offering a “battle pack”.  The battle pack includes a 31-track soundtrack, a Yakuza Who’s Who which acts as a dossier for all the characters in the game and 4 separate pieces of DLC:

• Battle Survival: A boss-run mode
• All-Star Tournament: A 7 character tournament
• All-Star Tag Tournament: 8 tag-team tournament
• Haruka’s Request: Missions given by Haruka, where you’ll be made to play mini-games to keep her entertained

European pre-orderers will also get access to alternate costumes and two-player mini-games (pool, golf, darts and bowling). However, if you’re in North America, the deal is a little less sweet as pre-ordering the game will only get you the 4 pieces of DLC.  If your primary place to pre-order from is GameStop, you’ll also get access to the alternate costumes and two-player mini games.

Overall I think this is a good idea on Sega’s part. I know one of the main fears of bringing Yakuza 3 outside Japan was the less than stellar sales of the first two games, so maybe these added bonuses will bring in more buyers.  Hell, if this ends up selling well than we might just have a chance of seeing Kenzan! and Yakuza 4.  I really wish they would go the extra mile for us Americans and give us the Battle Pack.  I’d love to get my hands on that soundtrack and character dossier.

In a recent edition of Dengeki’s Game radio, a member of the show named Eguchi eluded to a sequel of a certain game.  Apparently a friend of Eguchi’s in the developing industry is currently working on this mystery title.  He could obviously not mention the game by name, but gave the following clues:

• If a continuation in the series was released, there would be two parts.
• It’s a sequel to a game that came out last year (Demon’s Souls: February 5th 2009 release in Japan)
• The previous title was very challenging.
• The previous title had a very interesting system.

Naturally most of the Japanese gaming-otaku sites I follow are already calling this as Demon’s Souls II and I can’t say I disagree with them — the clues definitely seem to all point to Demon’s Souls.

Even more exciting is that Eguchi mentioned this title is currently in the works for a release this Fall in Japan.  This means if the game is truly in development, we should be hearing something concerning Demon’s Souls II in the near future!

This was easily my favorite game of 2009 so I am ecstatic to hear that a sequel could be a reality so early.  Here’s hoping this rumor proves to be true!

The Japanese release of Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker is about two months away so it’s time to start baiting fans with some bundles, that’s right plural: bundles.   The first bundle (pictured above) is the Konamistyle version, aka the more expensive version.  Included in the set is the following:

• MGSPW Themed PSP-3000XZC System
• Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker UMD
• Snake-skin PSP pouch and strap
• MGSPW Stand complete with engraved serial number
• Camouflage screen cleaner (no one will see you wiping)
• MGSPW Dogtag keychain with serial number
• Artbook (no picture available)
• MILITAIRES SANS FRONTIERES patch

The cost for this fine collection of battle-ready accessories is 36,980 yen, which converts to a staggering $400 USD.  Is there anything more “modestly-priced” you ask?  I have just the thing for you:

The second bundle is not Konamistyle, but is certainly for the more money-conscious consumer.  Included in this set is the following:

• MGSPW Themed PSP-3000XZC System
• Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker UMD
• Camouflage screen cleaner (no one will see you wiping)
• MGSPW Cloth Pouch and strap
• MILITAIRES SANS FRONTIERES patch

This set will run you 26,980 yen, or $300 USD — that’s still about $100 more than the average PSP bundled with a game, but I am sure hardcore fans of the series are already blinded by all that facial hair and camouflage to care about a measly $100.

If you plan on importing Peace Walker, it’s likely these sets will be on Play-Asia or etc. in the near future.  If money is no object and you want to purchase the konamistyle version, act fast since there are only 1,974 of them being made (that’s also the year the game takes place, durp!).  I sure do want this, but I am not even going to pretend I have that kind of money.

Why would size be a concern I wonder?

(image and source credits)

Oh, that’s right, it’s because the game is also being ported to a less powerful game system in America!  Before continuing I wish to issue a formal apology to all of Japan, we fucked up your game, you deserve better.

If you are among the fans who imported the game and are wondering what you’re missing out on, here is a list of contents that were cut:

• Lightning’s House with an exterior which is described as “park-like”
• Levraut Store (?????) had an interior which was NORA’s secret base
• In addition to Nautilus being an amusement park, there was also a Zoo
• and more adding up to roughly ANOTHER FULL GAME

More details should come out when the article is officially published, presumably in Dengeki magazine.

I am especially interested in the contents concerning the rebel group, NORA.  I really felt that they were under developed yet strangely emphasized throughout the game.

I suppose there are two different ways that we still may see this content.  The first being DLC perhaps, although this seems unlikely.  The second possibility is an “International” edition of the game which should be released in about a year or so in Japan.  These are generally released with additional contents.  It should also be noted that America has never received a translation of an International version of any Final Fantasy, contrary to the name.

For obvious reasons I am disappointed and my bitterness towards aforementioned rival gaming-system has increased dramatically.  Hopefully this will turn Square Enix off from any similar dealings with Microsoft.