Doukutsu Monogatari ("The Story/Tale of the Cave"), which we already annoyed you with earlier this month, has received spectacular yet appropriate praise and love in the past few weeks. Yet some players might have had issues with the adventure/puzzle elements of the game, which featured a few riddles in japanese. This is why two translations of Pixel's freeware have been in the works, one of them already being available as soon as today. It's been taken care of by none other than the AGTP and can be found here. They also included a translation of the music player, Gord bless'em. There, no more excuse to avoid Doukutsu Monogatari.
Announced back in December, the Sega Ages 2500 [Vol. 18] version of Dragon Force has an official website since yesterday. Some direct-feed screenshots there, showing that in-game illustrations will have a true high resolution display. Release date is 28th of April in Japan.
Whereas Konami struggles in the fitness club business and Capcom allegedly almost lost everything in shady real estate investments, it is little known that Sega Sammy has diversified its Japanese business by adding trendy darts bars to game sales and pachinko parlours. Darts Bar Bee is the name of the franchise and a dozen of places already exist, the newest one opening this weekend in the Kyoto area. The whole concept is to provide a classy and comfy atmosphere for parties, providing food through a buffet and entertainment thanks to trendy music, electronic darts games (with nationwide scores stored online), pinball machines and board games, all of which is, interestingly, pretty much what Sega started their business with about 50 years ago.
Japanese developer Milestone, creator of the arcade, Dreamcast, and soon-to-be GameCube versions of shooter Chaos Field, is developing a new arcade shooting game for Sega's Naomi GD-ROM arcade hardware, apparently titled Rajirugi [Radio-Allergy?] It will be exclusively one player, and features some... distinct [?!] visuals, to say the least. Thanks to Guest at the click-stick BBS for the tip-off.
News: Ultracade announces Breeder's Cup arcade game
DIY Games is noting that the playable PC demo of Darwinia has been released, giving "a single level from the [real-time strategy action] game, which is scheduled for release on March 4th, called Pixel Mines." Darwinia is from from the UK-based Introversion, also creators of the excellent 'War Games'-style hacking simulation Uplink, and Darwinia itself has a good unofficial Beta guide available for it which also helps explain the gameplay, Darwinians, Centipedes, Triffids and Jellyfish alike.
News: Iris no Atelier - Eternal Mana 2 - revealed.
There's no need for the previously reported countdown any more, since Famitsu has confirmed that Gust's new PlayStation 2 title will be the direct sequel to Eternal Mana. This time, both, the boy and the girl will be the main characters.
Iggy found what are apparently development notes of Zoku Ore no Shikabane o Koete Yuke on PSP, a sequel to the acclaimed, yet far too little-heralded PlayStation RPG Ore no Shikabane o Koete Yuke (more conveniently abbriged Orenoshi by fans). The original game, "set in Japan sometime during the Edo era", which some of you might have heard of through an insightful post by IC forum member Cocaine Socialist, was the child of Shouji Masuda, praised scenario writer of the two first Tengai Makyou games, director of Linda Cube and producer of Sony's latest foray into the RPG business, Waga Ryuu o Miyo.
Although Nintendo Power had leaked it a couple of weeks earlier, Namco has officially announced the signing of Game Boy Advance 'RPG with an action-packed shooter battle system', Sigma Star Saga. The game is developed by Shantae (yay!) and Ping Pals (uhm?) creator Wayforward, who were recently interviewed by Monsieur Sheffield for Gamasutra, and there's an official website up with some interesting screenshots of the side-scrolling 2D shooter and RPG overworld parts - it's due out in June 2005, but looks dangerously cultish already.
Microsoft's Xbox Live Arcade seems to be a great idea - paying for easily downloadable, 'casual', often indie Xbox titles that get downloaded straight to your HD. Although it's somewhat underpromoted and, some say, overpriced ($10-$20 per game, instead of $5-$10), it already has neat titles such as Fuzzee Fever. Now, PomPom Studios has announced that its rather beautiful, Jeff Minter/Robotron-inspired psychedelic shooter, Mutant Storm, is available via Xbox Live Arcade. This, we reckon, is good news.
News: New Gust title - Iris no Atelier - Eternal Mana 2?
Gust's homepage, known for its Atelier series, revealed the countdown for a new game yesterday. January, 28th will be day to know if it will be the direct sequel to Eternal Mana, as Souta Hosoi homepage has hinted at this info.
Cave has launched an official site for Ibara. Included so far is a story outline, character descriptions and artwork, and a handful of screenshots. The game will be present at AOU 2005 on February 18, 2005. [UPDATE - S! - Namako Team has an excellent geeked-up analysis of the game's screenshots, looking at new stylistic influences: "So, while original Cave staff are likely handling at least background art, the responsibilities of former Raizing staff working on the game would seem to comprise at least game design/direction and sprite design."]
Skonec, of Psyvariar fame, and one of the initially announced supporters of Taito's Type X PC-based arcade system, had previously announced its new title 'Homura', a new shooter with 3D art, and apparently, the Type X version is currently on location test at Akihabara Hey in Tokyo - more info/screens soon. [UPDATE - Neo-Arcadia now has location test screenshots of the game.]
On the IC forums, Fort90 gives us advance warning of an art exhibit opening in New York tomorrow (Jan.15th), called 'Super Mario Movie' by long-time game-related artist Cory Arcangel and Paper Rad. Apparently: "it is a hacked Super Mario Bros [NES] cartridge... instead of the game, you are presented with a 15 minute movie using all original graphics from the game." There's no news on the appearance of Hoskins, Leguizamo, and friends, mind you, but the exhibit will be showing at Deitch Projects until February 26th. [UPDATE: Fort90 has now posted a report on the opening, including pictures of the alt.movie in action.]
Inevitably, any sampling of shareware/indie PC games must include a near-lethal percentage of Breakout/Arkanoid clones. However, Spanish developer Nurium Games' BreakQuest blends smart abstract physics and cool-looking, neatly-designedlevels, along with a full story mode and a soundtrack by C64 legends Maniacs Of Noise to create something that, judging by the free demo, almost transcends the genre. Oh, and apparently it won GameTunnel's prestigious Arkanoid Game of the Year for 2004, as well, gaining further affirmation from the ball-bat interface cognoscenti.
This might well be the longest piece of insert credit writing ever. It's tim's year-end review of...pretty much anything and everything. Contained within, you'll find an interview with kazunori yamauchi of GT fame, a Metal Gear Solid 3 review, a discussion of yaoi game Gakuen Heaven Boys' Love Scramble, and a Dragon Quest viii review in four parts, among other things. It's long. But you might want to read it from the beginning.
Here's the new FFDOG, volume four, if you're counting. And here you'll find the accompanying review, which is about FF VI. Technically, so is the feature! What co-ordination, it is.
Dengeki Online has the news: 'Do Donpachi Dai-Ou-Jou & Espgaluda Perfect Remix' (January, 31st, 2,200 yen) and 'Senko no Ronde Image Soundtracks' (February, 4th, 1,050 yen) music CDs are coming in a limited production form, with Super Sweep behind the arrangements and distribution. Messe Sanoh will be taking preorders from January 17th.
After being taken off the release lists for some time now, the PlayStation 2 version of Ys 3 is back on schedule. The game will be released on March 24th, 2005, and the limited edition will contain an extra CD. Thanks to Iggy for pointing it out.
Enterbrain has just published the results of the home videogame market in Japan for the year 2004.
Overall, the Japanese market was down 0.7% compared to last year, for a total of 427.9 billion yen.
Game publisher/developer results:
1st - Nintendo - 7.33 million games sold, 28 titles.
2nd - Square Enix - 6.41 million games sold, 10 titles.
3rd - Pokemon Company - 4.34 million games sold, 5 titles.
4th - Konami - 2.99 million games sold, 6 titles.
5th - Capcom - 2.20 million games sold, 7 titles.
Game hardware results
1st - PlayStation 2 - 2.75 million units.
2nd - Game Boy Advance SP - 2.37 million units.
3rd - Nintendo DS - (final numbers not available at the time of the report.)
Capcom has lost another director to Game Republic, who are currently making Genji for Sony. Takenaka Yoshinori, who worked on Megaman X: Command Mission, has joined the legendary Okamoto's team, according to his blog. A curious future awaits.
<edit> Previously had the wrong name, and pointed to the wrong guy. This guy is AKA BAMBOO in his credits. Thanks to vava for the correction.
A long time ago we ran video captures from Rugal, and we've plans to work with him again, and have gotten several requests to that effect. But until then, check out some of his latest videos via the mmcafe bbs, which incidentally is up and running again. Videos include Samurai Spirits RPG, SAR and Psycho Soldier.
Some news posted by Chaz in the forums:
"Warning Forever's final version is now available.
And more importantly this game came out. The name is Doukutsu Monogatari, and it's designed by a guy who calls himself Pixel. It's an ultra cutesy action game with adventure and puzzle elements, a Dokodemo Issho-like design, catchy BGM, and a nice level up / level down weapon system. There are also a few oldschool riddles - if you're stuck, simply ask here. Download now!"
Majoria News (news I generally attribute to Rid Hershel) has moved to a popup-free host. There's not as much game news as he used to have, these days, but still a great resource for game illustration info, and the super-fringe idol culture.
Toy manufacturer Radica Games has announced Play TV Legends: Street Fighter II Special Champion Edition, an all-in-one 'TV game' costing $34.99 and featuring two six-button Sega Genesis controllers, both Street Fighter II: Champion Edition and Street Fighter II: Turbo (included in the original Genesis version of SFII: SCE), plus a bonus game, the Genesis version of Ghouls 'N Ghosts. Radica's previously released Sega Genesis collections, available in two separate North American 'TV game' incarnations, include Sonic, Altered Beast, Vectorman, Phantasy Star & Golden Axe (Volume 1) and Sonic 2, Ecco, Gain Ground, The Ooze, Columns, and Alex Kidd & the Enchanted Castle (Volume 2), and seem to have been reviewed fairly positively.
According to Jonny 'Game-Science' Ram's weblog, it appears that Metal Gear Ac!d for PSP has a special password function that will unlock specific real-life Japanese 'idol' cards, while simultaneously showing short UMD-streamed movies of the models, who include Yuka Kosaka, Asaki Yoshida, Yuu Saitou, and Eri Shibuya. Apparently, these codes were given away exclusively in "Japanese men's mags". However, fap-happy players should probably be aware that the cards you unlock are fairly useless, and Snake starts bleeding in-game after you view the movie - ouch, girl trauma.
'Ender's Game' author and noted sci-fi novelist Orson Scott Card has announced that he's "entered into an agreement with eGenesis, the game company that created A Tale in the Desert", to create a "non combat centered community-building [PC MMO] game." A Tale In The Desert, one of the pioneering 'indie MMO' titles, received promising reviews and a loyal, if niche fanbase for its non-combat based, socially oriented gameplay "set in ancient Egypt, where players work together to build the perfect society." Since Orson Scott Card's novels are morally resonant, this seems like an interesting next step.
Review: Silent Hill 4: The Room
January 07, 2005, 02:23 AM
by brandon, via eric-jon rössel waugh/ ic - [permalink]
"When I come home, it all matters. It's all that matters. Home is reality. Today, I'm safe. No bills. I still have to call someone and grit my teeth and get some money that's not mine moved around, so I don't get kicked out of my home. That's not so bad, though. There are no new surprises. I can relax. I am safe, for now."
The french developed GP32 title Blue Angelo has been released, and publisher Shibuya Interactive is having quite a contest - more of a drawing, really. If you purchase the game, you have a chance of winning a weeklong trip to japan, staying in shibuya and chiba. You business registration for the next Tokyo Game Show, a free passport for Sega Joyopolis park, and an evening at 'the most fashionable restaurant in shibuya', whichever that may be. Quantities are apparently limited, so your odds are pretty decent. The list of GP32 games is here. And check out the Blue Angelo trailer while you're at it.
RIGG, the group behind the well-received Xak III translation, has released a new, and very english language patch for the PC Engine: Ys IV: The Dawn of Ys. Check out the page here. The translation is considered to be finished, but is labeled .95, just in case something is missing somewhere. Once again, very nice work from the Nightwolve and the RIGG group.
We previously reported on neat-looking Czech 2D side-scrolling PC shooter, Jets'n'Guns, back in November. However, since then, Swedish game music metal band Machinae Supremacy has updated its discography page with full standalone MP3s from the Jets'n'Guns soundtrack, as well as the entire >50-minute score in freely downloadable MP3 and OGG flavors. Try Theme From Jets'n'Guns for a taster of the insane hair-metal shooter theme goodness to be enjoyed, post-download.
Thanks to faux-hipster, cigarillo-smoking hyperfiction blog Grand Text Auto, we have information on Christian Bok's 'The Cyborg Opera', an audio album from 'the fastest-selling poet in Canadian history', in which 'parts of the poem, using ordinary English words, imitate the sound of the music from different segments of Super Mario Bros.' There's a MP3 excerpt from the album in which the Mario-related track, called 'Mushroom Clouds', starts at 01.15. We think we vaguely recognize the fast bit at about 02.00, and encourage everyone to listen for similarities until they go absolutely insane, which will likely be quite swiftly.
The head of french indie developer Gaming-Side, known (on IC at least) for their efforts to bring their shooter Hill Project to the PSP, has put up his copy of ICO on ebay. It's signed by creator Fumito Ueda - and all of the proceeds will go to the red cross, to benefit the victims of the tsunamis and earthquake in south asia. Check out the auction here.
Arcadia has released their picks for the top (read: their favorite) arcade companies of 2004. The top five are not too surprising, but after that it gets a bit muddy. Curious, curious.
1st place Konami
2nd place SNK Playmore
3rd place Capcom
4th place SEGA
5th place Sammy
6th place CAVE
7th place Namco
8th place Taito
9th place Dimps
10th place Alpha System
Thanks to click-stick for pointing it out. Original post here.
For the MOK-KOS curious, here's a new flash, with Gundam Seed stylings. Kim Jong Il and Koizumi make appearances. Found by Iggy. The hub for MOK-KOS activity has migrated here, incidentally, so take a look if you dare.
Marvelous Interactive is today's name for the old Victor Industries' video-game faction. They have made public recently their forthcoming Nintendo DS titles, with well known names such as Bokujou Monogatari (Harvest Moon), Lunar and Kawa no Nushizuri. Most surprising, though, is finding Rumiko Takahashi's classic comic series Urusei Yatsura there. 25 years and still making noise.
This review does several things. For one, it names Iggy's game of the year. For another, it does it's best to parody the IC style, while, by virtue of the author, remaining unintentionally directly within it. Most importantly though, it provides insight into the world of gay oriented doujin games, and in fact, gay culture in japan as a whole, all of which is quite tough to break into. Read and learn children - in MOK-KOS vision, it's Ie, Tatemasu!
Note: this review contains language and imagery that may put off some readers. But I'd like to think that any reader with such a closed mind wouldn't want to read my website in the first place.
Over at the world's flea market, eBay, Waterloo, Ontario's 'deepgirl (5)' is currently auctioning a rather fetching Katamari Damacy-themed hat, made with acrylic yarns, and styled to resemble a Katamari ball. The bidding's already up to $83.51, so you'd better get a move on - just make sure nobody lops off your head and rolls it around in the name of 'object accumulation'.
Last we heard from Parappa The Rapper designer Masaya Matsuura, he was creating incredibly odd calligraphy games for the Japanese PlayStation 2. But now, according to his newly scheduled Game Developers Conference lecture, he's helped set up Recommuni, a Japanese invite-only "online music community... that actively champions author rights without oppressive DRM constraints." Could he be considering working on the same concept for games, or is Recommuni completely non-game related? Either way, should be interesting.
Singapore-based site Experience Gaming has an interview with Realtime Worlds' studio manager Colin Macdonald which includes the admission that the Scottish company is making Korean-specific MMO products: "We're hoping to achieve greater success with this than Western companies have had in the past because we're now based in Seoul as well." You should keep an eye on Realtime Worlds, even if you haven't heard of them. Why? Well, they were founded by Dave Jones, co-founder of DMA Design, now Rockstar North, and the creator of Lemmings, Unirally (!), and, of course, Grand Theft Auto - a provenance that can't be ignored. The Real Time Worlds jobs page provides hints that the company is working on at least two MMOs, evidently Western-developed and aimed at least partly at the Korean consumer, one 'heavily character-based' and the other 'heavily vehicle-based' - intriguing.
But this isn't an isolated case. Other companies either providing 3D tech or development for the up-to-now 2D Eastern MMO markets? Try Australian developer Auran, who are confirmed to be developing "a soon to be announced 'Triple-A' MMOG being developed with leading Korean publisher Hanbitsoft", and fellow Aussies Micro Forte's BigWorld Technology, who has opened a Japanese office, and also notably licensed its tech to Joy City Entertainment for, wait for it, Shenmue Online. Do we spy the start of a trend here?
For a while now, the Osaka-based chip music site VORC has been faithfully keeping up with the latest chiptune happenings, and site owner Hally has now prepared his best VGM and chiptune of 2004 round-up. Some of the recommendations are music on retro gaming systems, such as FamiCompo Mini, and others are more directly game-related, such as Nobuyuki Shioda's NES remakes of his NES/SNES/GB game tunes for Kid. Any way up, there's definitely some interesting bleep-friendly material here.
Following a gargantuan countdown, indie gaming site GameTunnel has released its 2004 Game Of The Year awards. There are literally tens of thousands of words to peruse in total, but the overall Top Ten Indie Games piece is a good place to start. There are certainly some underpromoted PC indie titles here, too, including Reflexive's very Bionic Commando-esque Wik & The Fable of Souls, and Ninja Bee's cute-looking 'space station tycoon' title Outpost Kaloki.
Doukutsu Monogatari ("The Story/Tale of the Cave"), which we already annoyed you with 
Further inspection of Funny Character Cafe, the 
The 
Professor Jiji has been researching again, and has 
For members of the continuing Cosmos cult, the Japanese FC Cafe site has 
Announced back in December, the Sega Ages 2500 [Vol. 18] version of Dragon Force has an 
Whereas Konami struggles in the fitness club business and Capcom allegedly almost lost everything in shady real estate investments, it is little known that Sega Sammy has diversified its Japanese business by adding trendy darts bars to game sales and pachinko parlours. 
Japanese developer 
Sega's 
A new 
DIY Games is noting that the 
There's no need for the 
Although Nintendo Power had leaked it a couple of weeks earlier, Namco has 
Microsoft's 
There are already a bunch of collectible oddities for Sony's EyeToy, from 
Skonec, of Psyvariar fame, and one of the 
On the IC forums, Fort90 
The German 
Inevitably, any sampling of shareware/indie PC games must include a near-lethal percentage of 
This might well be the longest piece of insert credit writing ever. It's tim's year-end review of...pretty much anything and everything. Contained within, you'll find an 
After being taken off the release lists for some time now, the PlayStation 2 version of Ys 3 is 
Capcom has lost another director to Game Republic, who are currently making Genji for Sony. Takenaka Yoshinori, who worked on Megaman X: Command Mission, has joined the legendary Okamoto's team, according to 
Toy manufacturer Radica Games has 
According to 
'Ender's Game' author and noted sci-fi novelist 
A review wherein eric-jon 
The french developed GP32 title 
RIGG, the 
We 
The head of french indie developer 
This review does several things. For one, it names Iggy's game of the year. For another, it does it's best to parody the IC style, while, by virtue of the author, remaining unintentionally directly within it. Most importantly though, it provides insight into the world of gay oriented doujin games, and in fact, gay culture in japan as a whole, all of which is quite tough to break into. Read and learn children - in MOK-KOS vision, it's 
Over at the world's flea market, eBay, Waterloo, Ontario's 'deepgirl (5)' is currently auctioning a 
Singapore-based site Experience Gaming has an 
Following a gargantuan countdown, indie gaming site GameTunnel has released its 
