Joystiq

Clan of Champions thumps PSN November 20

Sinan Kubba — Fri, 09 Nov 2012 17:30:00 EST

Clan of Champions rampages onto PlayStation Network on November 20. The multiplayer brawler which seeks one ultimate warrior was developed by Acquire, makers of Way of the Samurai and Tenchu games. It bustled onto Steam last month. and now NIS America is bringing it to North America's PSN in two weeks time. A European release is scheduled for a later date.

With no sight of the Xbox 360 version initially mentioned by NIS America, it seems the Clan may settle down on PS3 and PC for now. And by settle down, we mean beat the bejeezus out of each other until one warrior is left standing. It's a clan with a plan.

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Clan of Champions thumps PSN November 20 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 09 Nov 2012 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Orgarhythm review: Laying down godlike beats

Heidi Kemps — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 15:30:00 EST

If it's possible to have a favorite "type" of game - not genre, mind you, but favorite "type" - I'd have to say that the games I love most are "ambitious but imperfect." These are games that try to do intriguing, daring things: meld genres together, build themselves around an interesting theme, tell a story in an unconventional manner. Often they run into more than a few technical and design hiccups, perhaps because the developers' ambitions outstripped their team's capability to realize them. But in spite of their flaws, there's something secretly awesome about them that makes wrestling with all their foibles worth it.

Having read all that, you've probably already guessed that Orgarhythm falls into this category. It's a bizarre mix of god-sim, rhythm game, and RTS that mostly - mostly - works. When it shines brightest, it's a fabulous and unique experience.

Gallery: Orgarhythm (10/23/12)

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Orgarhythm review: Laying down godlike beats originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 02 Nov 2012 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Clan of Champions muscles onto Steam on October 30

Jessica Conditt — Fri, 12 Oct 2012 04:30:00 EST

Clan of Champions, a multiplayer action game from NIS America and Tenchu developer Acquire Corp., will hit Steam on October 30. It's set to launch on PSN at a later date.

The first we heard of Clan of Champions, NIS was planning a release on Xbox 360 and PS3. Looks like plans have changed. Clan of Champions enables single-player or online multiplayer, with warriors fighting to become the one true champion using short-range magic spells or close-range combat. Remember: There can only be one. Unless you're on a multiplayer run.

Gallery: Clan of Champions

Clan of Champions muscles onto Steam on October 30 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 12 Oct 2012 04:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Orgarhythm combines rhythm and strategy into one weird game

JC Fletcher — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 12:15:00 EST

Pikmin 3 might have been the best-known crowd-control strategy game at E3, but it wasn't the most memorable. That distinction goes to Orgarhythm, a Vita game demonstrated to me during a meeting with publisher XSEED.

Orgarhythm mashes up two of the least mashuppable genres imaginable: rhythm game and strategy. Players control a giant, strutting god who follows a predetermined path through each level. The god has the ability to direct elemental troops, representing earth, water, and fire, to fight enemy troops who are also elemental, being sure to attack with the element that those enemies are weak against. Each element has multiple attack options, including melee, ranged, and even a catapult attack to affect enemies on a higher plane.

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Orgarhythm combines rhythm and strategy into one weird game originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 14 Jun 2012 12:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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XSEED announces rhythm/strategy title 'Orgarhythm' for Vita

Jordan Mallory — Sat, 05 May 2012 16:00:00 EST

Move over Theatrhythm, there's a new absurdly titled and unpronounceable handheld rhythm game in town: Orgarhythm. Developed by Acquire (in association with Neilo) and set to be published in North America by XSEED sometime this year, Orgarhythm is a hybrid rhythm/strategy game for the Vita.

Acting as the God of Light, players do battle against the diametrically named God of Darkness by commanding armies of elementally-themed soldiers. The game's soundtrack, described as "a hypnotic mix of rock, club and tribal music," affects how and when your units attack, with the beat of the music acting as a quantifiable resource to be spent on stronger attacks. The music also dynamically alters itself depending on the circumstances of the battle, adding additional layers of complexity as more troops enter the fray.

As implied by the rather artsy trailer above, commanding your army is handled entirely by the Vita's touchscreen - tapping to select troops, swiping to direct them towards the desired target, etc. Said troops also have a Pokemon-esque relationship with the enemy, due to the fact that every unit is either an Earth, water or fire-type, with all the inferred weaknesses and strengths you'd expect from such a system.

Eventual DLC is mentioned by the press release tucked away after the break, but no specific plans are actually outlined. If you're an aspiring musician, however, take note: XSEED will be looking for independent artists sometime in the near future to bolstier Orgarhythm's aural catalog.

Gallery: Orgarhythm (Announcement)

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XSEED announces rhythm/strategy title 'Orgarhythm' for Vita originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 05 May 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MonkeyPaw and Gaijinworks Kickstart a Class of Heroes 2 localization

JC Fletcher — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 10:30:00 EST

MonkeyPaw Games and GaijinWorks, two companies dedicated to bringing classic Japanese games to the west, are testing the utility of Kickstarter for localization of Japanese games, with the most random test subject imaginable.

Class of Heroes 2 is a sequel to a PSP dungeon crawler released here by Atlus in 2009. Like the original, it's a game about first-person, turn-based dungeon battling. The two companies plan to release it digitally -- but also, for supporters, in a crazy physical limited edition that promises to outpace any of the giant boxes sold by Ireland's former company, Working Designs.

Bonuses in this Deluxe Pack include a custom box, a soundtrack, and other secret items that are still being prototyped. In addition to this, Kickstarter rewards include lapel pins, posters, plushes, pocket watches, and music boxes. Higher-level backers get things like trips to LA to go to E3 and meet with the team, and in-game credits in the placement of their choice.

The Kickstarter is designed not to sell the game, but to fund both the digital and physical releases. "Our Kickstarter project is designed to allow fans that plan to download it digitally to support the game now," the companies explain, "helping it reach the funding threshold and expand the scope and depth of localization for BOTH the digital and physical releases." If successful, the companies hope to localize other Class of Heroes releases as well. "So if you're along for the whole ride, you'll eventually have a line of awesome Class of Heroes games on your shelf."

MonkeyPaw and Gaijinworks Kickstart a Class of Heroes 2 localization originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 28 Mar 2012 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rovio buys fellow Finns Futuremark Games Studio

Jessica Conditt — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 16:30:00 EST

Rovio, the team responsible for Angry Birds and Angry Birds Space (and parts of this), has acquired Futuremark Games Studio, creator of Unstoppable Gorg and Shattered Horizon, among other titles. Futuremark Games was founded in 2008 and is based in Finland alongside Rovio, which may explain why Rovio chose to acquire this particular smaller studio over your own basement operation in Florida. Maybe.

"They are an incredibly talented and experienced team, and we are thrilled to have them on board," Rovio Entertainment CEO Mikael Hed said. "Rovio's success is founded on the excellence of our team, and Futuremark Games Studio is going to be a superb addition."

That might also be why Rovio chose Futuremark Games, but if it helps just keep telling yourself that this is a classic case of nationalism.

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Rovio buys fellow Finns Futuremark Games Studio originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 27 Mar 2012 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Shinobido 2: Revenge of Zen trailer says it all

JC Fletcher — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 04:00:00 EST

This weekend, we saw the announcement of Sumioni: Demon Arts for PlayStation Vita. Today, Namco Bandai released a new trailer for developer Acquire's other Vita launch window game: Shinobido 2: Revenge of Zen, a game that has stealthy ninja action, and, apparently, kind of a lot of voice acting. We'd expect ninja to be more reticent.

Shinobido 2 will be a launch-day release in both North America and Europe, shipping February 22.

Shinobido 2: Revenge of Zen trailer says it all originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 20 Dec 2011 04:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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XSEED inks publishing deal for Vita platformer Sumioni: Demon Arts

JC Fletcher — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 15:30:00 EST

XSEED is one of the most doggedly prolific PSP publishers, and it's continuing the trend with the Vita, announcing plans to publish Acquire's Sumioni: Demon Arts this spring in North America.

Sumioni casts the player as an "ink demon," fighting through a sumi-e landscape. It combines traditional button controls for locomotion and combat, and touchscreen-based drawing to make new platforms, summon fire and lightning, and perform other feats. It's also, like, way pretty.

You don't need us to tell you that! Gawk at the above trailer and see for yourself. Thanks, XSEED, for localizing one of the more interesting Japanese Vita launch games! It's not like we can just buy it from PSN in Japan.

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XSEED inks publishing deal for Vita platformer Sumioni: Demon Arts originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 17 Dec 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wizardry: Labyrinth of Lost Souls dungeon crawls to iOS

JC Fletcher — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 00:30:00 EST

Wizardry: Labyrinth of Lost Souls, the aggressively old school first-person game from Acquire, has now journeyed from PSN to iOS. You can download it for free and explore the first floor of a dungeon; if you survive that, the rest can be unlocked for $10.

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Wizardry: Labyrinth of Lost Souls dungeon crawls to iOS originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 04 Nov 2011 00:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Famitsu reveals new Vita games

Justin McElroy — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 17:45:00 EST

In this age of A/V overload, it's rare that you get the opportunity to really flex those imagination muscles, but today presents just such a chance. Famitsu got its hands on nine Vita games, but since details are scarce on some and we don't know if others will actually come to America, it's the perfect opportunity to revitalize that atrophied fantasizing gland.

A big chunk of the nine were previously announced Ubisoft games (including "Luminous Electronic Symphony," which we assume is the Vita Lumines game). But the magazine also featured some new titles like Game Arts' Ragnarok Odyssey, a "hunting action" game that borrows elements from MMORPG Ragnarok Online and, presumably, the Monster Hunter series. Also, D3's bringing Dream Club Zero to the portable, but since it's a port of a 360 dating sim/visual novel that will never, ever come to the U.S. you probably don't want to waste too much imagination on that one.

Perhaps the most intriguing on the list is Acquire's Sumioni, a 2D action game with an inky art style (as you can see in the screen Siliconera ran). Apparently, you'll use both touch pads and an analogue stick to brush away enemies with your ... magical, brushy, ink powers. (C'mon, imagination!)

Rounding out the list is Moe Moe Daisensou Gendaiban++, the latest in a strategy series that mysteriously hasn't caught on in the US.

Famitsu reveals new Vita games originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 07 Sep 2011 17:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wizardry: Labyrinth of Lost Souls finds a home on PSN

JC Fletcher — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 22:30:00 EST

The positively historical first-person RPG series Wizardry will continue in North America and Europe in as modern a manner as can be: a downloadable PSN game for PS3. XSEED is localizing Acquire's Wizardry: Torawareshi Tamashii no Meikyū for the West as Wizardry: Labyrinth of Lost Souls. Though the series started in America (in 1981!) in recent years it's been more popular in Japan, with sequels developed by Japanese companies and released only in Japan. That explains why this version looks a bit more anime than the original did.

Players will be able to explore a grid-based dungeon and fight 120 different monsters, all with hand-drawn 2D sprites, sometime this spring.

Gallery: Wizardry: Labyrinth of Lost Souls (PS3)

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Wizardry: Labyrinth of Lost Souls finds a home on PSN originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 23 Mar 2011 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Way of the Samurai 4 is exclusive to PS3

JC Fletcher — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 01:00:00 EST

Way of the Samurai 3's North American release was handled in an unorthodox manner, with Agetec publishing on PS3 and UFO Interactive publishing on Xbox 360. That may not be an issue with the newly-announced fourth entry in Acquire's free-roaming samurai action series, because it's been revealed as a PS3 exclusive. Of course, the Xbox 360 port followed the PS3 version in Japan by four months, so Xbox players may still see the way.

According to Siliconera, the exclusivity was announced in a Famitsu article, which also offered some details about gameplay. You'll be able to choose your samurai's age, and then, through actions, choose to align them with one of three feuding groups. You'll also have more available actions within event scenes. Of course, during the gameplay scenes you'll always have the "slash" action.

Way of the Samurai 4 is exclusive to PS3 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 28 Oct 2010 01:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gladiator Begins review: Do I not entertain?

Mitch Dyer — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 12:00:00 EST

Despite its long list of problems, Gladiator Begins gets the most important thing right: beating, bashing and slicing dudes feels good. It's just as well, because that's the only thing this PSP game ever lets you do.

The premise is simple to a fault: You hop in a box with Roman slaves and then stab 'em until they're dead. That's it. For some, non-stop brawling makes for the best kind of action game; the beat-'em-up genre's survived on this kind of repetition. Gladiator even takes advantage of a handful of elements inspired by role-playing, which keeps things from getting stale too quickly.

Gallery: Gladiator Begins

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Gladiator Begins review: Do I not entertain? originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 08 Sep 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Holy localization, Badman! It's No Heroes Allowed for PSP

JC Fletcher — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 09:15:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

Though a European trailer for No Heroes Allowed, the third game in the What Did I Do to Deserve This, My Lord!? series, was released during Gamescom, news of a North American release remained up in the air (instead of buried in a hastily-dug dungeon, where it belonged). SCEA has revealed plans to release the game, but did not offer up a date for the God of Destruction's resurrection.

No Heroes Allowed offers 100 daily dungeon design challenges, along with a new cooperative play mode that stars Badman and his daughter, Badmella. In the new addition, two players collaborate to dig a deadly, devious and dangerous dungeon.

Gallery: No Heroes Allowed (PSP)

Holy localization, Badman! It's No Heroes Allowed for PSP originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 09:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Third 'Badman' game coming to Europe as 'No Heroes Allowed'

JC Fletcher — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

The Yuusha no Kuse ni Namaikida series has undergone a number of name changes in localization. NIS America originally released the PSP's evil overlord hideout design game under the hilariously unwieldy title "Holy Invasion of Privacy, Badman! What Did I Do to Deserve This!?" Shortly before the release of the sequel, a trademark complaint forced NIS to change the series title to "What Did I Do to Deserve This, My Lord!?"

Now, a trailer released during Gamescom has revealed Sony Europe's plans to localize the third game, called Yuusha no Kuse ni Namaikida 3D in Japan, under yet another completely different title, the much pithier "No Heroes Allowed." This third game adds the ability to flood your dungeon with water in order to destroy any invading heroes, and also allows for competitive or cooperative multiplayer. Check out the trailer after the break, My Lord!

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Third 'Badman' game coming to Europe as 'No Heroes Allowed' originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 17 Aug 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gladiator Begins fighting for North American PSP audience

JC Fletcher — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 19:50:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

Acquire's Kentoushi Gladiator Begins, a PSP game more famous for its advertising than for its gameplay, is headed to North America, courtesy of Aksys Games. In Gladiator Begins, you'll get to master several fighting implements like the sword and shield, polearm, and even your own fists in your quest to defeat other gladiators, entertain bloodthirsty crowds, and attract the attention of one of five patrons.

While Aksys didn't announce a release date for the game, a subsequent announcement lets us know exactly when we'll get to play part of the game. A demo for the arena combat game will be available on PSN July 13.

Gladiator Begins fighting for North American PSP audience originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 28 Jun 2010 19:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PSP RPG adopts 'freemium' model in Japan

Andrew Yoon — Fri, 28 May 2010 12:15:00 EST

Acquire and Zero Div are working on a new PSP RPG -- and it'll be completely free. Bakumatsu Revolution will be free to download via PlayStation Network and will feature a full ten-hour quest, which can be played solo or cooperatively with up to three others (Monster Hunter style). According to IGN, players will even be able to freely distribute the game through PSP-to-PSP wireless connectivity.

Of course, there's always a catch. While the core game will be free, for-pay add-ons, such as downloadable items and quests, will be available after release. Essentially, this is the "freemium" model that's been successfully utilized by many PC MMOs and casual titles, especially in Asian markets.

Bakumatsu Revolution will be available on June 25 in Japan; but no plans for a North American release are currently in the works.

PSP RPG adopts 'freemium' model in Japan originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 28 May 2010 12:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Class of Heroes 2G attending PS3 this year

Andrew Yoon — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 13:16:00 EST

Acquire's Class of Heroes is graduating from PSP to PS3 later this year, despite the old-school dungeon-crawler not ranking very high in the PSP popularity contest last year. Still, the RPG series is supported by a devout clique of players, and while Atlus has passed on publishing the PSP sequel in North America, an apparent PS3 version is in development for Japanese release.

Class of Heroes 2G is presumably an HD port of the PSP game, and Siliconera reports the game may have full voice acting, an expanded character edit mode and is planned for release in mid July.

Considering the old-school gameplay and relatively simplistic presentation, Class of Heroes 2G would make an ideal candidate for a PSN release in North America. That is, if anyone decides to localize it.

Class of Heroes 2G attending PS3 this year originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 14 Apr 2010 13:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony puts together Patchwork Heroes demo for March 4

Randy Nelson — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 18:30:00 EST

Known as Million Ton Barabara in Japan and the work of ~~Holy Invasion of Privacy, Badman!~~ What Did I Do to Deserve This, My Lord?! dev Acquire, Patchwork Heroes is hands-down the coolest-looking PSP game about sawing up giant airships we're ever seen. Okay, so it's the only game of the type we've ever seen -- viva la originality! Sony has announced that we'll all get to experience the (we hope) joys of dismantling flying war machines tomorrow, Thursday March 4, when a demo of Patchwork Heroes hits PlayStation Network as part of the service's usual weekly update. It all goes well, it should fulfill our weird 'n wacky gameplay needs through the entire weekend.

Sony puts together Patchwork Heroes demo for March 4 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Holy trademark, NIS! 'Badman' games to be renamed [update]

JC Fletcher — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 15:28:00 EST

What did I do to deserve this, my lord!? That is both the question on NIS America's mind and the new title of its series, once known as Holy Invasion of Privacy, Badman! The publisher announced that it's changing the name of the Acquire-developed action-strategy game in response to "a conflict of interest with an existing IP." We're guessing the trademark issue in question is with a certain comic book franchise owned by Warner Bros. -- Plastic Man, obviously.

This week has not been kind to NIS. Just yesterday, the Japanese parent company reported a 95 percent drop in profits, and now the American branch has to change the name of one of its franchises midstream. May 4 is the new release date for what is now called What Did I Do to Deserve This, My Lord!? 2.

[Update: May is indeed a new release date for the game: it was originally slated for March.]

Holy trademark, NIS! 'Badman' games to be renamed [update] originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 15:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Million Ton Barabara getting localized as Patchwork Heroes

Griffin McElroy — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 17:30:00 EST

Fans of Qix, airships, and systematically disassembling airships in a Qix-like fashion, rejoice! Sony announced that it will bring Million Ton Barabara, from Acquire, the developer behind the ostentatiously named Holy Invasion of Privacy, Badman: What Did I Do to Deserve This, to Europe and the U.S. under the moniker Patchwork Heroes. The title might have lost a bit of catchiness in translation, but at least we'll now be able to read what the game's adorable characters are saying.

PlayStation.Blog has a bit of information about the game for folks who didn't follow its Japanese iteration. Basically, you and your team are tasked with carving chunks off of a massive, flying warship while avoiding the vehicle's turrets and other defense systems. You can get a sliver of gameplay in the Japanese trailer posted after the jump, along with the greatest theme song ever. Hopefully, that won't get left out of the localization.

Continue reading Million Ton Barabara getting localized as Patchwork Heroes

Million Ton Barabara getting localized as Patchwork Heroes originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 20 Jan 2010 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Million Ton Barabara demo coming to Japanese PSN next week

Griffin McElroy — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 16:45:00 EST

We'd gone ahead and written off Million Ton Barabara, the upcoming project from Holy Invasion of Privacy, Badman creator Acquire, as a simple, extremely Japanese Qix clone. That is, until we watched the super catchy, seemingly Wes Anderson-inspired trailer posted after the jump. Upon viewing it, we fell instantly in love -- and became all the more excited that, according to AndriaSang, a demo for the game will find its way onto the Japanese PSN sometime next week. Importing stuff from the PlayStation Store is a huge hassle -- but something tells us this one will be worth it.

Seriously, folks -- if you're looking for some good whistling material for the next few hours, check out the trailer just past the jump.

Continue reading Million Ton Barabara demo coming to Japanese PSN next week

Million Ton Barabara demo coming to Japanese PSN next week originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 13 Jan 2010 16:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tenchu: Shadow Assassins' price silently slashed

JC Fletcher — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 16:15:00 EST

Newegg has been the place for heavily discounted M-rated Wii titles lately. The latest game to have its price reduced to a negligible amount: Acquire's Tenchu: Shadow Assassins, one of the first major Wii releases of 2009. At just $9.99, even wannabe ninja who spent all their lunch money on caltrops can afford to pick it up!

If you've waited all year to play a game about using ninja cats to distract sort of British-sounding targets, and you somehow missed this game, now's your chance to make that right.

[Via GoNintendo]

Tenchu: Shadow Assassins' price silently slashed originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 03 Dec 2009 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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One Million Ton Barabara falling onto PSP in Japan

JC Fletcher — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 19:30:00 EST

Acquire has teamed up with the Playstation C.A.M.P. project once again to produce another quirky and unique PSP game idea -- the last collaboration produced Holy Invasion of Privacy, Badman! What Did I Do to Deserve This? In the new game, One Million Ton Barabara ("bara bara" being a Japanese word describing something breaking up or scattering), you play the leader of a town's protection force, charged with destroying the giant airships that loom over your city Independence Day-style.

To do this, you and your squad grab onto the ship and tear pieces off. When enough of the ship lies in ruins on the ground, you've completed the level. It's kind of like tower defense meets Qix, or something.

Last week, Sony launched a teaser site which provides a look at the game's aesthetic. One Million Ton Barabara will be out in February in Japan.

[Image via Wii Everyday]

One Million Ton Barabara falling onto PSP in Japan originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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TGS 2009: The worst logo of the show

JC Fletcher — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 11:30:00 EST

There were plenty of game titles at TGS that we couldn't read because they were all in Japanese, but only one that we couldn't read in English.

In fact, it was only because of the Japanese title underneath this logo, for an Akella-developed MMO published in Japan by Acquire, that we could parse this unfortunate image at all. Good luck!

TGS 2009: The worst logo of the show originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 27 Sep 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rikimaru's turn to impress in Tenchu: Shadow Assassins

JC Fletcher — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 13:40:00 EST

Filed under: Video

Okay, now we're at a crossroads. Last time, we said that Tenchu's Ayame was edging her counterpart Rikimaru out as the ninja to fear in Tenchu: Shadow Assassins. In this latest trailer, Rikimaru delivers his own campaign platform. Between his gravelly, menacing voice (good job, Ubi!), his lightning-fast movements, and, well, all those dudes he kills, he makes a pretty good argument for his own badassery. And at the end of the day, no matter which ninja is cooler, the real winner is ... whoever isn't a guard in feudal Japan.

The trailer is after the break for reasons of violent, somewhat bloody content.

Continue reading Rikimaru's turn to impress in Tenchu: Shadow Assassins

Rikimaru's turn to impress in Tenchu: Shadow Assassins originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 13 Jan 2009 13:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tenchu 4 PSP trailer showcases plenty of ninja action

Alan Tsang — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Video

From Software just released a Japanese trailer for the PSP version of Tenchu 4 and it has everything one would expect from a game of the stealth-action franchise. Check it out after the jump -- badass ninjas sneaking around at night, check. Villain with a maniacal laugh, check. Blades piercing various people, check. Damsel in distress, check. The graphics also look like they haven't suffered a downgrade compared to the Wii version. Still no word yet on a US release.

And last but not least, the trailer confirms the inclusion of kittens in the game. Is it too early to crown Tenchu 4 GOTY?

[Via Siliconera]

Continue reading Tenchu 4 PSP trailer showcases plenty of ninja action

Tenchu 4 PSP trailer showcases plenty of ninja action originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 12 Jan 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tenchu: Accent Assassins

JC Fletcher — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 10:55:00 EST

Filed under: Video

We've taken two things away from this English-language trailer of Tenchu: Shadow Assassins: first, that Ayame is totally hardcore, and knows all kinds of ways to just kill a dude with her bare hands (and legs, and such). Although she has no compunctions about using weapons, either. Previous footage has presented Rikimaru as a badass, but for our money, Ayame is the scarier stone-cold killer.

The other thing we learned is that in the absence of a large British population in ancient Japan, locals were unable to properly learn to imitate British accents. We're impressed with the accuracy with which Ubisoft has rendered this historical fact.

Tenchu: Accent Assassins originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 08 Jan 2009 10:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tenchu 4 devs worked to satisfy audiences of all skill levels

JC Fletcher — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 20:25:00 EST

Filed under: News, Interviews

Acquire's goals with Tenchu 4 (Tenchu: Shadow Assassins, as they're calling it now) are pretty lofty. They wanted to create a game that expanded upon the classic Tenchu stealth gameplay in new ways that longtime fans and hardcore gamers would enjoy, while making the series more accessible.

In this interview with 1up's James Mielke, Acquire's Keisuke Kanayama and Takuma Endo described the ideas that informed Tenchu 4's design. "... We looked at this game as a way," Kanayama said, "with the Wii and its motion control, to allow someone to really feel like a ninja playing the game -- really attacking and blocking and hiding." And yet, Acquire made sure to include the ability to "go through cities in different ways using different tools, and to explore at their own pace ... " That seems like the kind of smart design that truly takes advantage of the platform.

The interview is also noteworthy for Acquire's rather diplomatic discussion of the Tenchu games developed in their absence, and the stories found within, as Endo alludes to in a statement about Rikimaru's apparent death in Tenchu and his mysterious resurrection later: "As I said earlier, we had our own ideas of where the story would go, but since it's already done, we will follow the already established Tenchu story where Rikimaru inexplicably survived."

Tenchu 4 devs worked to satisfy audiences of all skill levels originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 29 Dec 2008 20:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Two bonuses for Tenchu 4: Better boxart and bandana

JC Fletcher — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: News

The Tenchu 4 (or, rather, Tenchu: Shadow Assassins) boxart we spotted on Ubisoft's site didn't really meet with the Internet's approval. While the image on the official site has yet to change, retailer GameCrazy is displaying a different boxart, which is quite likely to be a newer revision of Tenchu's North American box image.

We happen to think it looks better, though there's an odd mixture of art styles on display here due to the combination of art from the other American box and Japanese character art -- Rikimaru is a lot more realistic-looking than Ayame.

After the break, have a look at the preorder bonus being given away at Gamestop. It's pretty nice, for a video game-related bandana.

Continue reading Two bonuses for Tenchu 4: Better boxart and bandana

Two bonuses for Tenchu 4: Better boxart and bandana originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 22 Dec 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tenchu 4: Surprise boxart attack

JC Fletcher — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: News

We don't know how long this preview boxart image for Tenchu 4 has been on Ubisoft's site. We suspect it hasn't been very long, because the name change (to Tenchu: Shadow Assassins) is a very recent development, showing up just last week on GameStop.com.

The image is regrettably tiny, but detailed enough for us to see what's going on -- and what's going on is that Rikimaru is cutting the head off of whoever picks the game up off the shelf. We've enlarged the image a bit. It's not as beautiful as the Japanese box, but it does have a certain "video game ninja" quality about it.

We're not sure the name change was the way to go; while Shadow Assassins is both more descriptive and exciting than 4, if we were Ubisoft, we'd want to emphasize however we could that this game was somehow different from all the other non-numbered Tenchu games not made by Acquire.

If you're in a Tenchu mood, be sure to browse the official website. And if you're Australian and in a Tenchu mood, good news! The OFLC has rated the game for release.

Tenchu 4: Surprise boxart attack originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 20 Nov 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tenchu 4: Stealth waggle

JC Fletcher — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 20:09:00 EST

Filed under: News, Imports

There's been some confusion about the motion-control content of Tenchu 4, at least on our part -- how pervasive is it? Is it all waggle all the time, or is it basic Tenchu with added motion flavor? What we really needed was for someone to play it and describe it to us.

According to Siliconera, motions abound. Spencer describes lifting the remote to jump and shaking left and right to dive behind bushes. Stealth kills are accomplished by following QTE-style button prompts. In fact, Spencer said the game "felt more like a path of rapid fire quick time events rather than a traditional stealth game." So the motion controls are pretty frequently used.

Tenchu 4: Stealth waggle originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 14 Oct 2008 20:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tenchu 4 to hit PSP, not Wii exclusive after all?

Majed Athab — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: News

There isn't enough ninja on PSP. There aren't enough pirates either, but Tenchu 4 can't solve that. It can, however, save us from a current lack of stealth kills and rooftop trespasses. Speaking to a Tenchu 4 rep, Siliconera got word that the famed neck-snapper would be going to PSP.

Later, they found out that the game was also listed on the OFLC (Australia) as a multiplatform release. Is this all just coincidence or an early leak? We guess the one place to find out would be at TGS starting next week.

Tenchu 4 to hit PSP, not Wii exclusive after all? originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 04 Oct 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dungeons & Dam: Two great structures in one game

JC Fletcher — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 10:48:00 EST

Filed under: Screens, Imports

Acquire's Dungeons & Dam, or "Dandam" for short, is a pretty strange concept. We don't know how some designer got the idea to combine dungeons and rushing water, but it seems like it could work. We first saw this game in Famitsu last week, but this is the first actual information we've been able to figure out about it.

We were just talking about how great it is to have controllable characters in a tower defense game, and it looks like Acquire agrees. Well, this isn't "tower defense" so much as dungeon defense. During the day, you'll recruit adventurers who will mine for materials and build defenses around the city, including dams. At night, creatures will come, but so will flowing water which, depending on how you have directed it with your dams, can help hold back or defeat enemies. At the same time, you'll be traversing the dungeon and fighting. We fully encourage more developers to experiment with defense-type games!

Dungeons & Dam: Two great structures in one game originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 01 Oct 2008 10:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Still images of Tenchu 4's motion controls

JC Fletcher — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 18:11:00 EST

Filed under: Imports, Screens

Tenchu 4 may purport to be a "return to form" thanks to the return of original developer Acquire, but it won't be exactly like the old games. While they've all had context-sensitive controls, Tenchu 4's will, of course, involve motion. Sometimes you'll be waving the Wiimote downward to put out lanterns, and sometimes you'll flick the remote left and right to stab someone in the back. We've seen motion at work in Tenchu 4 before, but these new screens show a bit more.

It's nice to know that Acquire decided on the WIi as a platform for Tenchu for reasons other than the low cost of development. For our tastes, traditional controls with a bit of added motion work great for action games.

Still images of Tenchu 4's motion controls originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 24 Sep 2008 18:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ubisoft sneaking Tenchu 4 into America, Europe in '09

Ludwig Kietzmann — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: Nintendo Wii, Action

If, like us, you've recently had the urge to draw a blade and quietly assassinate someone in the dead of night, you should probably seek the assistance of a good or physically attractive psychiatrist as soon as possible. If, however, you've recently had the urge to draw a blade and quietly assassinate someone in the dead of night -- in a game -- you'll be pleased to note that Ubisoft is bringing Acquire's ninja sim, Tenchu 4, to North America and Europe in "early 2009."

Aside from offering two playable characters and the ability to "fight, dash, jump and kill like a true ninja," the Wii exclusive is almost certain to provide one of the most novel uses of the nunchuk yet -- you know, as a nunchuk. Probably.

Either way, Ubisoft is confident enough in Tenchu 4's merits to lay down a fairly specific prediction in the press release: "Tenchu 4 will come to a North American and European audience where it will be well-received by both fans of the series as well as Wii owners who have been looking for an edgy and exciting game." It will be well-received ... hmm, perhaps it's more of a command?

Ubisoft sneaking Tenchu 4 into America, Europe in '09 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 23 Sep 2008 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tenchu 4 sneaks onto North American and European rooftops in early 2009

JC Fletcher — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 09:55:00 EST

Filed under: News, Video

Ubisoft's distribution deal with From Software and Acquire will benefit would-be assassins in North America and Europe early next year. The company has announced that they'll publish Acquire's Tenchu 4 in both regions within that time frame. People who go on and on about the lack of "core games" for Wii: here you go. This is one of those.

Along with the announcement, Ubisoft sent IGN the first English-language trailer, made mostly of footage from previous trailers with new English narration. It's cool and atmospheric enough to make us think that maybe this Tenchu really will be good, unlike all those other recent Tenchu games.

Tenchu 4 sneaks onto North American and European rooftops in early 2009 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 23 Sep 2008 09:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tenchu IV's new Wii-style combat mode

JC Fletcher — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 10:50:00 EST

Filed under: Imports, Screens

When your sneaky ninja assassin is discovered in Tenchu IV, the target shakes your hand, laughing heartily while exclaiming "Ohhhhh, you! You almost got me that time! I gotta watch this guy!" Of course we're kidding -- he tries to murder you. In situations when you've been noticed, rather than just giving up or retrying, you now have the option to actually fight in a new first-person mode.

In alternating attack and defense phases, you use Wiimote gestures to simulate a one-on-one swordfight, battling until one of you is dead or your sword breaks. It's like Rose & Camellia, except with to-the-death ninja fights instead of Victorian-era face-reddening! Being a ninja and therefore a total jerk, you can also throw knives while fighting.

Tenchu IV's new Wii-style combat mode originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 02 Sep 2008 10:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tenchu IV is jerky, graceful

Chris Greenhough — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 20:30:00 EST

Filed under: Video

Tenchu IV's animations are the very definition of a mixed bag. The player-controlled kittens, as seen above, look graceful when they move (as cats tend to do), but we're not exactly convinced by the human death animations, which seem to feature enemies jerking about like electrocuted dogs. In the second of the three videos posted after the break, the downed enemy seems to perform some kind of bizarre humping motion in his death throes.

Not that we mean to pick on Tenchu IV or anything -- being overly picky about this stuff is just part of our job.

Continue reading Tenchu IV is jerky, graceful

Tenchu IV is jerky, graceful originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 05 Aug 2008 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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