Fragile: Commercials, Flashlights, and Delicious Bugs

By Roy | Published: December 19, 2008

Fragile’s Japanese release is about a month away, so Bandai-Namco has released this commercial to generate some hype.  The girl in the video seems to be hanging out with her friends, having a good time.  She suddenly thinks to herself ”I am with everyone, but why am I all alone?”  This is a reference to the game’s first trailer way back when.  The song in the background is by Teshima Aoi and is included in the OST which comes with the game in Japan.  Soon I will begin a mad search for the OST for download.

In addition to the CM, some more information about Seto’s gear has been revealed.  This time it’s about the different flashlights he can wield.  I didn’t even realize there were more than 1, but there are actually 3.  The following screens are of the 3 different flashlights all being shown on the same spot:

Standard FL High-Performance FL Strange FL
Standard FL High-Performance FL Mysterious FL

As you can see, the standard flashlight provides the weakest amount of light and will probably be an initial equipment.  The high-performance flashlight on the other hand, is extremely bright.  With it, Seto will be able to spot ghosts and demons sooner, and the light will weaken enemies a bit.

When it comes to the mysterious flashlight, it has no affect on enemies, but it does have one special purpose:

nothing... or is there...
The caption on the wall reads “It seemed like we were saved“

Certain walls and other areas have hidden messages that only the mysterious flashlight can reveal.  What could be the benefits of reading these messages…

Some info on conversing with the ever comedic P.F (personal frame) has been explained as well.  At any time while exploring, by standing the Wii remote vertically, the P.F will make some random humorous commentary:

mmm bugs...
P.F: “If you should become hungry, please refrain from eating any strange bugs.”

For some reason I imagine the P.F’s voice sounding like C-3PO.  If the Wii wasn’t region protected, I think I would seriously consider ordering myself a copy and camping out in front of Foxes’ Wii.  I guess I will just have to hold my breath until Bandai-Namco (hopefully) announces a NA release.

Related Entries:
All Kotowari articles concerning Fragile can be found here

Posted in fragile, namco, nintendo wii, preview, videos | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

Metal Gear Solid Touch: I Was Wrong

By Roy | Published: December 17, 2008

Konami announced recently several games they would be releasing for the iPod Touch/iPhone.  Among the 4 titles is none other than the previously teased about Metal Gear title, now revealed to be Metal Gear Solid Touch.

I had previously suspected that the teaser was concerning a Metal Gear title for the Xbox 360.  Many people also assumed that the title would be a continuation of the Ac!d series due to the use of the “!” in the bizarre teaser equation.

It turns out the only element in the equation that mattered was the “i” for iPod, since the rest of the elements seem to have no purpose at all.  I guess I gave Konami too much credit.

The game takes place in the same world as Metal Gear Solid 4, but Konami said that there would be original content.  I am not sure if this means it will be ALL original, or partially original.  The touch panel will be used mainly for aiming and zooming in on targets (pictured top right).  The game will include 8 stages, and more can be acquired while playing.  Other goodies players can earn are wallpapers for their iPod and exclusive videos.

Among the other titles being released are Silent Hill: The Escape, Dance Dance Revolution S Lite, and Frogger.  I don’t know what is more exciting, iPod sneaking action, or iPod avoid-moving-vehicles-and-jump-on-logs action.

Related Entries:
Konami: A Next Metal Gear Is…

Posted in action, iPod, konami | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Final Fantasy XIII: In The Sleep

By Roy | Published: December 16, 2008

The Final Fantasy XIII trailers which Square-Enix showed at DK?3713 and this year’s Tokyo Game Show have finally been uploaded on the web.  This time it’s not a video of the trailer taken with a digital camera…  The videos are really nice quality and show some impressive graphics.

Final Fantasy Versus XIII - Trailer 5:02

This video lacks any voice acting by the game’s characters.  I am not sure if this is done because Square-Enix does not want to reveal who they have chosen to do the voice acting, or they don’t want to reveal anything about the story.  You can tell that in some scenes sound effects have been added, but still no voices.  Curious.

The game has a very Western look; many people including the main character Noctis wear black suits.  Also the surroundings are primarily urban, but much more spacious than urban areas in Japan.  The unknown figure at 3:27-3:32 looks a lot like a member of the Italian mafia, fully equipped with a pin-stripe suit.  Some people believe that he and Noctis are related due to similar eye features.

We still know nothing about the battle system of the game, which is both exciting and frustrating.  What we do know is that many team members from the Kingdom Hearts series are listed as working on Versus.  Also, there are many scenes of Noctis flying through the air smacking the crap out of some poor saps.  This sounds like evidence that we can expect a more action-oriented title.

I love the part where Noctis confronts Stella (3:55-4:11) and it seems like they are going to embrace each other or something, but they end up fighting instead.  I love misdirection.

Can anyone tell what the guys are looking at when they get out of the car?  It looks like the bridge is underwater or something.

Final Fantasy XIII – Trailer 3:11

This Final Fantasy XIII trailer starts with Pulse, the wilderness below the futuristic Cocoon.  Some large fauna wander the Pulse, which appear unthreatening since Sera/Sara/Sarah seems to live along side them peacefully enough.

A few summons, Siren, Ifrit, and Carbuncle are shown.  Carbuncle is summoned by Sera from a strange disc.  Summons appear to play a large part of the story in Final Fantasy XIII, having some connection with the mysterious fal’Cie.  This makes me wonder what part summons will play in Versus…

Soon after, Lightning’s raid on Cocoon begins.   Cocoon in contrast to Pulse seems dangerous, a parallel I find kind of cool and different from most RPGs.  Usually towns and cities are safe havens from the creatures that live in the wilderness.  This feeling may only be for the early stages of the game, it’s hard to say.

Final Fantasy Agito XIII – 1:29

This is the Final Fantasy XIII I admit I know the least about.  The title seems to be a strange fusion of MMO and Final Fantasy, providing both standard and online content.

The battle system reminds me of Crisis Core and even Final Fantasy X-2 to some degree.  It appears turn-based (ATB to be specific) and battles seem quick and smooth.

I am excited about the prospect of a partially online Final Fantasy.  I never got into FF11 out of fear of forfeiting my life.  Perhaps Agito is a good middle path between addictive and normal gaming.

Related Entries:
Exciting Square Enix News From DK?3713
Fabula Nova Crystallis Final Fantasy XIII Update

Posted in final fantasy xiii, preview, ps3, psp, square enix, videos | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Kotowari: 10 Games of 2008 You Need to Play

By Roy | Published: December 15, 2008

As the year draws to an end, we owe it to ourselves to take a moment and reflect on the games which graced our consoles and our hearts.  Quite a few games were released this year, but not all of them will be remembered as “good” or even “decent.”  The following games, I consider to be truly great.  I did not arrange them in any particular order, since it’s just too damn hard.

Fallout 3

I spent way too much time playing this game and I still want to do more.  I love the Sci-Fi aspect of the game, as well as the nearly unlimited freedom.  You can play the way I did and be a Regulator, or you can play like a friend of mine, slaughtering all and becoming a Pirate of the Wastes.

  • BUT: There are an alarming number of bugs and a lack of downloadable content for the PS3

Metal Gear Solid 4 + Metal Gear Online

The more hype a game gets, the harder it can fall upon release, and it doesn’t get much more hyped than Metal Gear Solid 4.  While the length of cutscenes may have upset some, I found the game very enjoyable as a whole.  It provided a dramatic end to an epic series, along with some excellent sneaking action.  The addition of MGO sweetened the pot for those who are more interested in the action the game has to offer.

  • BUT: If you have never played a Metal Gear Solid title, you may want to study up before trying to understand the story.

Disgaea 3: Absence of Justice
The Disgaea series continues its legacy of providing a comical story, ridiculously high numbers and awesome character design.  A great game for casual fans of tactical games, and even the most hardcore.  Disgaea 3 proves that the second dimension has a place in the next generation.

  • BUT : It’s looking increasingly unlikely that we’ll be seeing DLC for this title in North America.

LittleBigPlanet
LittleBigPlanet proved to the world that simplicity can be damned good fun.  When playing with your friends, you will find that time really flies by.  Making an outfit for your character is probably my favorite part.

  • BUT: Level creation proved to be rather awkward, and I pretty much ignored the option entirely.

Valkyria Chronicles
This title shocked many, since its release was rather muted.  I daresay this game is a perfect war/strategy game.  It’s great for fans of shooters and RPG addicts alike.  The CANVAS graphics engine provided breathtaking visuals.

  • BUT: Some people seemed to struggle with the many customizable aspects of the game.

The World End With You
TWEWY is without a doubt the most creative and original RPG of 2008.  It gained a huge following of obsessed fans hungry for more (and knowing Square-Enix, there will be more).  The game’s unique style and battle systems are tied for awesomeness.

  • BUT: Some people are a bit sick of Tetsuya Nomura’s character design.

Patapon
Playing God is what video games are all about, but Patapon makes it fun and cute.  The rhythm-based gameplay was super addictive and there is no way the songs didn’t get stuck in your head.  The game’s use of color and design was brilliant.

  • BUT: External stimuli can make keeping the beat difficult.

Persona 4
Persona 4 oozes style in every way possible, creating a great cohesion of all elements.  The game’s dark story has a touch of humor which is refreshing but not over the top.  Since it’s for the PS2, it’s highly affordable.

  • BUT: Looks awfully familiar…

Persona 3 FES
Persona 3 was the RPG of 2007.  In the wake of its massive success, Atlus was nice enough to give us version 1.5.  A great decision on their part since the game is very affordable, provides hours of gameplay, and made it easier to get a copy of the original P3.

  • BUT: I got nothing.

Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII
The story of Final Fantasy VII is classic, and Crisis Core accentuated it well without going over the top.  The game’s unique battle system, Digital Mind Wave, combined action with gambling…finally.  I consider the game to be a welcomed addition to the various Final Fantasy VII spin-offs.

  • BUT: I got nothing.

BONUS #11: Wii Fit
The Wii Fit helps prove that video game players are not the sedentary lumps most people think they are.  The game has a variety of fun mini games and a progress tracking system to let you see your results.  I found myself winded, but couldn’t help insisting on “one more” mini game about 5 times.

  • But: A little hard to get a hold of

I feel that 2008 was an especially good year for me in terms of games.  There were a few games which I anticipated feverishly, mainly the Persona titles, Disgaea 3 and LittleBigPlanet.  There were also games which seemed to come out of nowhere and surprise me, like TWEWY , Fallout 3, and Valkyria Chronicles.  Sometimes I think I prefer the later category of games – surprises are nice.

2009 has some big shoes to fill, but with several Final Fantasies and a new Resident Evil on the horizon, it looks like there will be some stiff competition.

Posted in top 10 | Tagged | 4 Comments

Prinny: Can I Really be The Hero? Site Goes Live

By Roy | Published: December 12, 2008

Yesterday NIS America launched the website for their upcoming PSP title, Prinny: Can I Really be the Hero?   The launch of the site is 5 days earlier than previously announced by NIS. It appears to be an exact replica of the Japanese site (with some minor spelling/grammar errors), as is often the case.  There are a few short videos displaying the game’s features. 

On the main page there is an empty link which reads, “Pre-order available soon!”  Anyone care to guess what the pre-order bonus may be?  I am still hoping for the Prinny plushes.

Related Entries:
NIS America Announces Prinny: Can I Really Be the Hero?
Prinny: Is it OK if I am the Main Character Dood!? Update
Prinny: Is it OK if I am the Main Character Dood?! for PSP

Posted in nis, psp | Tagged , | 1 Comment