 Here's an odd one! Biz Taiken (loosly, 'hands-on business') is a new series (we'll see if they make it past one) for the PSP, which teaches you practical business sense in an adventure/visual novel-like scenario. Bottom left link on the site shows you a movie, if you want to cut to the chase, but I'll explain a bit more for those of you who are interested. It's got a pretty Gyakuten Saiban (Phoenix Wright)-like art style for the characters, which are often laid over photographs that have been doctored to look a bit more illustration-y. But in spite of the cartoonish style, it seems to be aimed at serious business folks.
It stars a 29 year old average salaryman, who has an average job, and a steady (average?) girlfriend. She's probably someone he could settle down with. But deep in his heart, he's thinking - "Is it alright for me to just be a salaryman my whole life?" Then one day, his life is changed. Randomly on the street, he meets a guy from his school days, who he never thought much of. But it turns out he was doing very well in business, and basically living the life of a celebrity, with a big house, a model for a girlfriend, and other enviables (I just made that word up! oho!). Shinbu has to deal with the harsh reality of his salaryman status, and see about changing his life.
Within the game, your aim is to gain status, learn business terms, and become top in your company. Theoretically, the game provides simple explanations for complex business ideas, tactics and lingo, in a method that's 'so fun you won't realize you're learning.' It's got multiple endings of course, so you have to go through and learn by repetition. The game charts your progress, and also occasionally submits you to tests of knowledge. In many ways, it's like an odd japanese serious game.
Something particularly odd is that the game is by a company called Kokuyo. This is their first game, as their primary business is stationary and office products, such as ledgers (which they began making in 1905), office chairs and cubicle partitions. They do seem to be thriving as a company though, so perhaps their insight will be useful. As another odd note, the company only seems to employ relatives as high executives, with Zentaro Kuroda, Shonosuke Kuroda, Yasunosuke Kuroda, and finally Akihiro Kuroda comprising the full list of company presidents through history. I wonder if that's in the game? "To succeed in business, be born into the right family!"
Biz Taiken came out on march 9th for 4,800 yen, and predictably did not chart in the top ten. Number 10 for the month was the aging Monster Hunter Portable, with 17,282 units. Soooooo. Still an interesting idea though. You could even buy it if you're some kind of weirdo.
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