Video Game News Monthly Digest #8

More anime-to-video game conversions announced, remakes galore plus more are in this month's gaming update!



Namco Bandai will publish a Hunter x Hunter action-adventure game for the PSP. The game, Hunter x Hunter: Wonder Adventure will focus on Gon and Killa as they take the Hunter exam. The former uses rapid fist attacks and activates the Change Drive to pull out a giant rod; the latter has hand-to-hand attacks and a skateboard. You can also use the Change Drive to switch character.

The game will be available in Japan this winter.

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Even though Japan will get both episodes for One Piece: Unlimited Cruise SP, Europe only got the first episode, which Namco Bandai claimed that they didn't have enough space due to the various languages. However, it looks like that may change. The Australian Classification Board has posted a listing for One Piece: Unlimited Cruise SP2. Namco Bandai and Nintendo of Europe have not confirmed this information though.

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Toriko: Gourmet Survival 2 will be out in Japan on July 5th. In this game, you'll control Toriko and the Heavenly Kings to complete 100+ missions. Even though it is an ad-hoc hunting game, there will be elements of beat 'em up. The game will have three-man party and if you're playing solo, two AI-controlled characters will join you.

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The upcoming anime, Saint Seiya Omega, will have a video game as well. The only available information so far is that Namco Bandai will be the developer.

The game will be available this fall.

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The latest Ao no Exorcist: The Phantom Labyrinth trailer reveals more information about the game play and story line. While the game has some RPG elements, it is mostly a visual novel with branching paths.

The game will be out in Japan on April 26th.

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Namco Bandai is keeping busy with anime-to-video game adaptations. This time, they are developing a PSP and PS3 game of the light novel, Accel World, which will also have an anime. Accel World Stage 2 will be a strategy game in which Duel Avatars will face off against each other.

The game will be released in Japan this fall.

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While there haven't been any Macross video games lately, Macross: Do You Remember Love’s Hybrid Pack will be bundle up with a video game titled My Boyfriend is a Pilot 2012. The game is being developed by the same staff that worked on Macross Frontier.

The Hybrid Pack will be out in Japan on July 26th.

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The release date has been announced for Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Battle Destiny. The PSP game will be out in Japan on June 7th. In this game, you can side with either Earth Federation or Zaft and there will be an original story line that wasn't in the anime series.

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Developer 5pb. has revealed the new opening for the PS3 remake of Stein;Gate. The game as well as the fan disc Steins;Gate: Hiyoku Renri no Darling will be out on May 24th.

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According to Nitroplus, the visual novel, which is a prequel to the anime series, will have a 12-minute animation. Production I.G. will produce this animated short and the original anime staff will be in charge of it. While the game tells how "The Lost Christmas" incident occurs and how it leads to the events in the anime, the animated short will tell a different story.

The game will be out in Japan on May 31st.

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Sega has announced that the PSP game K-On! After School Live will have a HD remake. The PS3 game will support save data-sharing with the PSP version, stereoscopic 3D display, and multiplayer via Adhoc Party.

K-On! After School Live!! HD Ver. will be available in early summer.

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Similar to Macross: Where is the Love? Hybrid Pack, .hack//Sekai no Mukou ni Hybrid Pack will also have a video game. .hack//Versus is a fighting game developed by CyberConnect2 and will support stereoscopic 3D. So far, the only characters revealed are Sora, Haseo, and a mystery character called "9". Sora is a twin blade user and her special skill, "Exceed", increases her attack and speed. Her ultimate skill, Final Rush, is triggered a coordinated team attack with her comrades. On the other hand, Haseo can switch weapons in mid-battle - his first form uses twin blade; second, a great sword; third form, scythe; and Xth form, dual pistols. His ultimate attack is called "Terror of Death Scythe".

The hybrid pack will be out in Japan on June 28th.

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Suda51's zombie hack-and-slash, Lollipop Chainsaw, will have some anime collaborations. Juliet Starling, the game's heroine, can dress up as anime and manga characters. These costumes, which will be available worldwide, are:

• Saeko Busujima and Rei Miyamoto (High School of the Dead)
  
• Shiro (Deadman Wonderland)
  
• Haruna (Is This a Zombie?)
  
• Manyu Chifusa (Manyu Secret Sword Scroll)

The game will be available on June 12th (NA), June 14th (Japan), and June 15th (Europe).

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According to Kotaku, a reliable source has information on Sony's next-gen console, which supposedly will come out next winter just in time for the holiday season. Orbis system will boast an AMD x64 CPU and a AMD Southern Islands GPU, which can display games up to a resolution of 4096×2160. Games in 3D can be shown in 1080p. Unfortunately, this next-gen console will not have backward compatibly.

Just like the rumored Xbox next-gen console, Orbis will block pre-owned games. If you play a pre-owned game, you will be limited to trial mode or restrict content unless you pay to unlock full game mode. New games will be available on Blu-ray or on PSN. Discs will be locked to only single PSN accounts, which then you can be played the game off-disc, save it to your hard drive, or download it for free at a later time. In order to play the game, you must apparently be online the whole time.

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Kid Icarus: Uprising twitter feed has more details about the animated shorts. Production I.G.'s focuses on Pit's battle against one of Medusa's minions, Thanatos. Studio 4°C's short is about Medusa and her rivalry with Palutena, which will be far into Pit's past to the present, while Shaft's is about Palutena and “her attempts to deal with a great catastrophe in her Skyworld home”. The latter involves a cooking challenge of some sort.

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In Fire Emblem: Awakening, you can create your own main character (male or female) via "My Unit" feature. He or she will then meet Krom, Prince of the Iris Kingdom, who is the game’s other hero. Even though Krom is one of the main characters, a mysterious character who looks similar to Marth is in the game. It is uncertain whether this is the real Marth or an impostor.

Your customized character also have another purpose - you can share your character to other players via StreetPass. Another mode, Dual Tag, will allow players to cooperate with each other via local wireless. Players can also download maps via Wi-Fi by using SpotPass Mode. One of the game play is the Dual System feature. Allies that are next to you can join you in battle and boost your stats. Characters can also develop bonds with each other during battles. The game has over 40 character classes and you can switch characters' jobs.

Fire Emblem: Awakening will be out in Japan on April 16th and sometimes this year in Europe.

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Imageepoch has announced its last PSP game titled Sol Trigger. The story is about a group of freedom fighters who fight against a controlling church. The people in the resistance are people of light, who can control the power of Sol. Farrell is the main protagonist and is the next-in-line to become the leader of the group, Sol Triggers, because he is one of the few to control the "Golden Sol". His Sol weapon is a one-handed sword. Ema, Farrell's childhood friend, uses a gun and recovery magic while Valter, who seeks revenge against the church due to his best friend's death, has a scythe.

The power of Sol is the main focus of the game play. You can use Sol for skills, which becomes stronger as you use them. Likewise, using your Sol weapons will add more skills, which is known as "Sol Awake". A unique game feature is that if your HP reaches zero but you still have Sol left, you can recover. However, if you lose all of your Sol, you will reach the state of near death and have to go to home base to recuperate. You can also use your Sol for a kamikaze attack. In this attack, you will use up all of your Sol and will enter double-speed mode by pushing a single button; afterward you will die.

The game will be out in Japan this summer.

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During a special event at a Blue-Revo BlazBlue: Continuum Shift 2 tournament, Arc System Works announced one of two games in its "adventure project". The video game company has not revealed which game system the game will be for or if it's related to the BlazBlue series.

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Two more characters are joining the Persona fighting tournament. This time Elizabeth (Persona 3) and Shadow Labrys are the new challengers. The former's Persona is Thanatos, which was Persona 3 main character's persona, while the latter has Asterios. Atlus and Arc System Works also revealed that Labrys summons Ariadne as her persona. While Labrys is now available in the arcade version, Elizabeth will be out on April 5th while Shadow Labrys will be available on April 19th.

The PS3 and Xbox360 versions will be out in Japan this spring and on Aug. 7th in N. America.

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While the Vita remake has a lot of new events and game play features, there are also upgrades as well. The composer, Shoji Meguro, has composed new battle music for the game. This music will be played if you did not attack an enemy from behind; the old music, "Reach Out to the Truth", will play if you use a back attack successfully. The background has been updated as well.

In other news, Mari, the mysterious girl, will create the Aeon social link with the main character. You can also venture out in town and shop during evening. Atlus also revised the pop quiz questions during the school hours. The game also have another feature; the internal chat log function will help you keep track of events.

Persona 4: The Golden will be out in Japan on June 14th.

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Square Enix is developing a card batting game for smart phones. Kaku-San-Sei Million Arthur is supposed to about the "true" story of King Arthur. To Aru Majutsu no Index creator Kazuma Kamachi is in charge of the story while over 50 illustrators are working on the card illustrations. They include: Takehito Harada (Disgaea), Kohaku Kuroboshi (Sky Girls), Yuichi Tanaka (To Aru Majutsu no Index), BUNBUN, and VOFAN (Bakemonogatari).

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