Famitsu #986, reviews and news #1
Reviews first, purely since they're quickest to translate. Week of angry reviewers.
Cooking Mama 2 8587 = 28
Dungeon Explorer (DS) 7577 = 26
Game Center CX 8889 = 33
Hamekomi Lucky Puzzle DS 6777 = 27
Won't Forgive You 8788 = 31
* Supposed to play with the system upright, which felt right (What? This has gotta be me misreading something)
* Even with the main part just being reading through, it feels good getting to the core of the story
* Even if you reach a bad end, you can try again from the previous situation; this removes stress and makes it feel more like a book
* "Warning System" rejuires many small decisions, takes some getting used to
* It's too bad a one-handed play mode wasn't added
* The story's feel is well influenced by the female protagonist, and it remains original
* Stressless gameplay is abnormally relaxing
Dungeon Explorer (PSP) 7767 = 27
Money Dice Kabukoro 3543 = 15
Hayarigami 2 7887 = 30
Votoms 7776 = 27
* Being able to fight and scout on foot is fun.
* AT piloting feels "right"
* AT motion feels right for a game, not necessarily for "realism"
* Good amount of pilotable ATs
* Sticking to plot keeps the enemy too weak
* Too easy on foot, and weapon ranges are too short
* ATs move around lightly, but can be knocked down and have hard time getting back up
* Stages become monotonous
* Music and database are nice fanservice
Resident Evil Umbrella Chronicles 8888 = 32
* Difficult; even in easy, simple wandering enemies almost rise to the "miniboss" level
* Multiplay is kinda fun
* Most difficult bosses in a while
* Lots of weapons, and it's fun just to blow things up
* Zombie shuffling increases headshot difficulty
* Pattern-learning helps to aim for weak spots
* Practicing has a nice feeling of payoff
Heavenly Sword 7788 = 30
Family Stadium DS 7767 = 27
News because Amirox apparently tore himself away from SMG to complain
High-speed Card Battle "Card Hero" (Nintendo/DS/December)
* "Speed Battle" seperates both your and the opponent's play areas into "front" and "back", for a total of four fields
* Familiar card shop "Roundbeard's" appears
* Over 100 cards
* Supports DS Wireless and WFC for play and trade
* Includes expert battles
With the addition of "speed battle", fields become wider and more monsters can appear. Is the character in the bmiddle of the field the player? (Making it like the GB version where the player occupies the center of the front field, with monsters in the back)
Hatsune Miku RPG/AVG (N1/???/???) IS APPARENTLY NOT HAPPENING
Populous DS (EA/DS/2008-02-21)
* Challenge, Free Play, VS, Gallery modes
* Both touch and pad controls.
* Includes movies for some of the more flamboyant miracles you can trigger
* Includes many popular old map types (Jidaigeki, Persian)
Final Approach 2 (Princess Soft/PS2/2008-02-28)
* Set in previous game's "Western Plains" region, with many familar faces and settings.
* Characters: galgame names make my head hurt, the info's out there but unless someone says they care I'm not bothering.
Shiren the Wanderer 3 (Sega/Wii/2008)
* Ofuda appear for the first time in the series, as an item you can stick to enemies to inflict various status like "sleep"
* This time, the player leads a party, selectable from among Shiren's comrades
* They saw pictures of new weapons, but not names and effects; still, look for Japanese glaives, folded paper fans, poison needles, chainsaws.
Dates which we mostly already knew
12/20 SIMPLE DS Vol.30 THE Table Game
Winter Indian Math Drill DS (provisional)
2/14 Tokimeki Memorial Girl's Side 2nd Season
2/21 Populus DS
Spring Crayon Shin-chan Cinemaland that Calls Forth the Storm
2/14 Medal of Honor Heroes 2
March Monster Hunter Portable 2ndG
12/27 Pachislot Mobile Suit Gundam II ~Soldiers of Sorrow~
2/14 Medal of Honor Heroes 2
2/14 WWE2008 SmackDown vs Raw
2/14 WWE2008 SmackDown vs Raw
2008 Metal Gear Solid 4
12/27 Gundam Musou International
2/14 WWE2008 SmackDown vs Raw
Sorry, none this week
Next Week
Winter Lineup Roundup
Scoops on White Knight Stories, Prof. Layton
Dynasty Warriors 6 strategy
DQIV feature