Mangahelpers Video Game News Digest #1

Starting today, Mangahelpers will have a monthly news post about video games. This new feature will provide information about games and hardware from Japan and Asia. ^_^

Here is the news from August:



In a Bloomberg report, SMBC Nikko Securities analyst Kazuharu Miura predicted that Sony will sell 2.5 million Vita units and 7 million software units by the end of the current fiscal year (March 2012). However, he added that it would depend on whether Sony releases interesting software for the handheld. In that same article, Ace Securities analyst Hideki Yasuda also commented that video game developers are having a difficult time developing games due to the Vita's high resolution.

Miura also predicted that Sony will lose ¥5,000 per system at the beginning but the loss will decrease to ¥2,500 by March 2013. By then, he believed that 8.5 million units of Vita and 28 million games will be sold.

The Vita will be out in Japan at the end of the year while NA and Europe will have it early next year.

Original Source



For those people who did not have a great experience with online play, Nintendo might have an answer for you. They has filed a patent for a "Massively Single-Playing Online Game" in which a player can go play online without interacting with other players. Even though you may not interact with another player, your actions can still affect the gameplay mechanics. For example, you can affect the game economy if you buy a large quantity of a certain object, which makes it rare and therefore, more expensive for other players. Even though players cannot interact with each other directly, they can send NPC messengers to relay messages.

Just a reminder that this is just a patent so Nintendo may not actually implement this idea to any of their games just yet.

Original Source





Square Enix now has a digital magazine in which they discuss their upcoming games. The first issue, which contain interviews with FINAL FANTASY XIV's Noaki Yoshida, Crystal Dynamics' Karl Stewart, etc., is already available.

Original Source, 1



British star, TJ Ramini, posted on his twitter account that he will voice a character named Salim, who is a "friend of Drake's who will help him on his quest!"

Original Source

Mahou Shojo Madoka Magica Has a PSP Game

Namco Bandai is making a video game based on the popular anime series, Mahou Shojo Madoka Magica. Mahou Shojo Madoka Magica Portable is a dungeon RPG, which will have multiple scenarios and endings.

There will be two editions for the game - Standard and Limited. The standard edition has a special box and a DVD with special videos while the LE will have a figma figure, a Blu-ray with special videos (same like the DVD version from the standard one), a pouch, a handkerchief, a special box with an illustration from Shaft, and a special picture label version of the game's UMD.





The game will be out in Japan on March 15, 2012.

Original Source





Speaking of Namco Bandai, they will also release an anime crossover video game called Heroes Phantasia. The series are included:

• s.CRY.ed
  
• Darker Than Black: Ryusei no Gemini
  
• Darker Than Black: Kuro no Keiyakusha
  
• Sorcerous Stabber Orphen
  
• Sergeant Frog (Keroro Gunsou)
  
• R.O.D: Read or Die
  
• Slayers Revolution
  
• Rune Soldier (Mahou Senshi Riui)
  
• Mai Hime
  
• Blood+

According to the story, there are two worlds - the real world (mostly in Japan) and the world of Adroas. The latter is facing a great threat so characters from different anime series arrive there to prevent it. The battle system is turn-based and there will be a four-player party.

The PSP game will be out in Japan this winter.

Original Source, 1

Wii's JRPGs Might Arrive in NA under One Condition

In an IGN's interview, Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime said that the Nintendo will consider bringing The Last Story, Pandora's Tower and Xenoblade over to North America if the games do well in Europe.

Hopefully, they will sell well since the Wii hasn't have any good JRPGs lately.

Original Source

Final Fantasy Type-0 Preview for PSP

Originally announced as Final Fantasy Agito XIII in 2006, this week Square Enix released a free demo of the Japanese version of the game via PlayStation Network and its official Final Fantasy Type-0 website. Type-0 stands out from its previous Final Fantasy brethren due in part to its darker and more mature themes. This is evident even in the opening cinema sequence, after which players are thrown into a war-torn world where soldiers meet bloody deaths and chocobos are aggressive steeds willing to die for their riders. The demo features four missions with increasing difficulty ranging from "normal" to "nearly impossible", a battle party composition, creation of powerful spells via the Altocrystatium system, summons, and role of moogles. Type-0 will be released officially in Japan on October 13, 2011. Square Enix has not made any official statements regarding a western release of the game though many feel hopeful since the sequel to Final Fantasy XIII was announced to release only several months after Japan.

Original Source



The Japanese game developer Prototype announced at its "Prototype Fan Appreciation Day 2011" event on Saturday that it will sell a Little Busters! Converted Edition port for Sony's PSP successor, the 'PS Vita'. The release date and price are to be determined. The bishōjo game brand Key released the original romance adventure game for personal computers in 2007, and it already ported it to the PlayStation 2 and PSP platforms.



The PS Vita (960x544 screen with 520,000 pixels) will actually have better graphics than the original computer version (800 x 600 with 480,000 pixels). The game's baseball practice, cafeteria serving, target-shooting, and other mini-games will be updated so the user can play them exclusively with the PS Vita's touch screen (or with the regular buttons if the user chooses).

Original Source, 1

OnLive Launches in UK

Since OnLive first launched in the US in 2010, its expansion has largely been limited to platforms like HDTVs, iPads, and Android-based tablets. On August 11, 2011, OnLive announced it would be debuting in the UK on September 22, 2011. OnLive gives gamers access to its library of games, including Homefront, Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, and Borderlands. Customers can purchase the games, rent them for up to five days, or get unlimited access to about half the service's catalog. When it launches, OnLive members will be able to try out free demos, voice chat with other players, or simply watch games in progress. It also will be "fully integrated" with its North American counterpart, allowing for cross-continent multiplayer. OnLive has said it will "steadily expand" throughout Europe and into other continents in the wake of its UK debut.

Original Source

A New Zone of Ender Game Hinted?

In one of his tweets, Kojima posted an interesting picture (posted above). In the background, you can see the words "Z.O.E 3DS". Is Konami finally making a new Z.O.E game? However Kojima commented that he was confused about what is going on though. Perhaps we will find out more information at TGS later this year?

Original Source, 1

Sony Slashed PS3 Price and Introduced a Cheaper Version of PSP

At Gamescon, Sony announced that they are lowering the price on the PS3. The new price, which will be effective immediately, will be 249 Euros (Europe), 249 dollars (America) and 24,980 yen (Japan).

They have also introduced a new PSP model which will not have Wi-Fi. It will cost 99 euros. Sony has detailed the device’s specifications. For starters, the E-1000’s screen size will remain the same as as other PSP models, coming in at 4.3”.

The device will be a tad bulkier than the PSP-3000 and will also be a little heavier. While the PSP-3000 weighs 189 g, the E-1000 will weigh 223 g. Similar to the PlayStation 3 Slim model, it will have a black matte finish. Finally, as some have noticed, it will come with a Monoaural speaker, instead of Stereo speakers.

The device will lack Wi-Fi functionality. You’ll still be able to play digital content on it by downloading it from the PlayStation Store via Media Go on a PC, and transferring it to the PSP using a USB cable.

Original Source, 1, 2



Twitter, Facebook, Foursquare, and Skype will be accessible as apps for the Vita. The apps will be free downloads on the Playstation Store.

Sony also revealed that all Vita software will be accessible online but some will still be available on the Vita memory cards.

Original Source, 1



Namco Bandai revealed the ten classes that players can choose from when they play Dark Souls. They are: Warrior, Knight, Wanderer, Thief, Bandit, Hunter, Sorcerer, Cleric, and Deprived.

The company also released a trailer showing off some of the bosses:



Prepare to die when the game arrives on Sept. 15th (Japan), Oct. 4th (NA), or Oct. 7th (Europe).

Original Source



In the latest Famitsu issue, Atlus confirmed fans' speculation that they will make a Persona 4 remake, which is heading to Sony's upcoming handheld, Vita. The port, which is called Persona 4: The Golden, will be updated with the following:

• 3G and Wi-Fi support
  
• New event scenes
  
• Added Personas
  
• Added character outfits
  
• New character Marie or Mari (マリー), voiced by Kana Hanazawa. She's a "mysterious
• girl" who appears before the main characters.
  
• When you're about to die in a dungeon, you can send a message seeking help to other players. It's not specified how this system will work exactly.
  
• Additional anime movie scenes, with new voices
  
• 1.5 times more dialogue than the PS2 original
  
• New song for the opening movie
  
• An element that has been highly requested by fans
  

Unlike Persona 3 Portable, Atlus has confirmed that there will NOT be a female main protagonist. The game will be out in Japan next spring.

In surprising news, Atlus will be collaborating with Arc System Works (maker of Guilty Gear and BlazBlue series) to make a 2D Persona fighting game called Persona 4: The Ultimate in Mayonaka Arena. The game will take place two months after the events in Persona 4 in which characters from Persona 3 and Persona 4 will participate in a fighting tournament, P-1 Grand Prix, hosted by Teddie (Kuma). So far the confirmed characters are:

• Yu Narukami aka Persona 4 MC (Fool Arcana)
  
• Yosuke Hanamura (Magician Arcana)
  
• Chie Satonaka (Chariot Arcana)
  
• Aegis (Fool Arcana)

The fighting game will have these modes:

• Arcade Mode: Face off against CPU opponents while following the story
  
• Story Mode: Delve deeper into the arcade mode's story. This will be exclusive to the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions of the game.
  
• Score Attack Mode: Face off against CPU opponents to get the high score
  
• VS Mode: Face off against a CPU or human opponent
  
• Online Battle: Face off against players throughout the world in online combat

Persona 4: The Ultimate in Mayonaka Arena will be available first in arcades next spring then arrive on the PS3 and Xbox 360 next summer for Japan.

Finally, Persona producer Katsura Hashino stated that Persona 5's preliminary development is almost complete so actual development will begin soon. The key staff (director Hashino, character designer Shigenori Soejima, and music composer Shouji Meguro) will be returning as well. He also added that the themes the staff wished to cover have been finalized and that they planned to try out more new things compared to Persona 3. Unfortunately, expect a long wait for Persona 5 to be out.

Original Source, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6