Gamertell

Title: Bleach DS 2nd: Kokui Hirameku Requiem
Price: JP: $48.90 NA: $29.99?
System(s): Nintendo DS
Release Date: JP: 2/15/07 NA: Summer 2008
Publisher (Developer): Sega (Treasure)
ESRB Rating: US Rating Pending
Pros: Lots more fighters, new story mode layout, two on two battles are better (if you pick the right pair), better Wi-Fi battles experiences
Cons: Some fighters were tweaked more than necessary, spirit cards aren’t really necessary, difficult to unlock certain items without a guide

Originally I was going to do a fantastic preview of Soma Bringer, a Japanese action/role-playing game that a friend of mine is considering importing. However this week marked Sega’s update that, yes, the second Bleach DS game is going to be released in the US. In the wake of such an announcement, it seems only fitting that today’s column preview this really cool sequel…

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Title: Imagine: Figure Skater
Price:$29.99
System(s): Nintendo DS
Release Date: March 4, 2008
Publisher (Developer):Ubisoft (Spike)
ESRB Rating: “E” for Everyone
Pros: Intuitive gameplay, decent graphics, quirky minigames, lots of outfit options, game like this hasn’t appeared on the DS in the U.S. yet.
Cons: Very girly, sometimes performances can feel a bit repetitive

The Imagine line of games have received mixed reviews from gamers. Some are happy to see games for young girls that don’t star Bratz, Barbie or Disney princesses, while others find the girly themes somewhat condescending and sexist. Personally, I’m glad to see a company like Ubisoft stepping up to localize Japanese girls’ games for North American audiences. Imagine: Figure Skater is the next scheduled Imagine title, and it is a localization of a very popular Japanese game called KuruKuru Princess: Figure de Kira Kira Koori no Angel.

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After five movies, two television shows, an animated cartoon, a Japanese Anime movie and numerous novels and comics, the Highlander franchise is finally coming to next-gen consoles in 2008.

Eidos Interactive has announced it is brining the highly acclaimed Highlander franchise to the Xbox 360, PS3 and PC. This will mark the first Highlander game released in more than a decade.

If you were expecting to wield the swords of either Connor MacLeod (Christopher Lambert in the original Highlander movies) or Duncan MacLeod (Adrian Paul in the 1990s Highlander TV series), then you might be unhappy. Or perhaps pleased, depending on your views of the two actors. The game will feature a new lead character named Owen MacLeod who isn’t directly related to the MacLeod clan but is, instead…

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Gamers who have never experienced Rockstar’s Bully will be given a second chance for this generation’s consoles, as 1UP recently reported that Rockstar will be porting the third-person simulator to the Xbox 360 and Wii consoles later this year (2008).

According to a 1UP preview, Bully: Scholarship Edition will sport improved graphics, additional content and in the case of the Wii, a different control scheme. Although graphical improvements are to be expected given that the original Bully was released for the PS2, Rockstar indicated that they do not intend to place unnecessary emphasis on the Wii’s motion control capabilities that ports (both good and bad) are notorious for, opting to use primarily analog and button controls.

Of course, it wouldn’t be Rockstar at the helm if they didn’t allow players to simulate fist fights with motion controls, which was demonstrated in a fight tutorial. Also exclusive to the updated port is a…

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Perhaps you remember the Wii-launch title Red Steel, which looked extremely promising in the run-up to the Wii launch but eventually betrayed all that pre-launch promise and hype.

It was supposed to be the title that would underline the new gameplay experience that the motion-perceptive Wii had in store. But it was dwarfed by other titles – especially Wii Sports – and rightly so, for its gameplay was very frustrating. Now Ubisoft has a sequel of the game in the works.

In the Issue 26 of Official Nintendo Magazine, there is a very terse preview of the sequel. Ubisoft has managed to keep the details of the game a secret but promised that the game will be better in all aspects than the original Red Steel. It doesn’t have a proper name or a specific release date, however, a 2008 release is promised.

I thought that Ubisoft might have retired the game by now but it lives on. Now, hopefully, the original Red Steel’s experience has faded away in the minds of the Wii gamers so that its sequel doesn’t have to battle with any negative predispositions.

Read [Gaming Target] Via [Shack News]

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Title: Final Fantasy IV
Price: JP: $50, NA: TBA
System(s): Nintendo DS
Release Date: JP: 12/20/07, NA: TBA
Publisher (Developer):Square Enix (Matrix Software)
ESRB Rating: TBA
Pros: It looks beautiful, there’s a fantastic story, lots of features, amazing music, voice acting and new animated cutscenes
Cons: Battles move slowly
Overall Score: 10/10

If you choose to view Final Fantasy IV for the Nintendo DS as just another port, then you’d be gravely mistaken. Rather than just altering a few things, adding some goodies and slapping the game on a new system, Square Enix has taken its time and remade one of the best games in the series. If a list would be made tomorrow of the best DS games released in Japan, FFIV would be in the top five. This is the best RPG available for the system, and I can’t wait for the announcement that it will be released in English.

It follows the classic story of dark knight Cecil, Cecil’s best friend Kain, Cecil’s girlfriend Rosa and the summoner Rydia. A conflicted Cecil and Kain are sent on a special mission after Cecil questions the king’s motives behind his last attack. When Cecil and Kain discover the horrible truth behind the mission, it sends him on a journey where he must realize who he really is, what is really important and what should be done…

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Title: Harvest Moon: Island of Happiness
Price: TBA
System(s): Nintendo DS
Release Date: TBA 2008
Publisher (Developer): Natsume (Marvelous Interactive Inc.)
ESRB Rating: TBA
Pros: Tons of villagers, rice is once again a crop, farming gets more in-depth and players have the option to play as a boy or girl.
Cons: The music grates on the ears. Some notes only dogs can hear.

Harvest Moon: Island of Happiness will be the best portable Harvest Moon. It not only revisits all of the Harvest Moon gameplay aspects fans have come to love, but finds a way to add even more down-home goodness. Kudos to Marvelous Interactive and Natsume for making such a quality game. I am glad to have had the pleasure of playing the Japanese version.

HM: Island of Happiness for the DS doesn’t begin in the traditional manner. The player, who can choose to be a boy or girl, is on a ship taking a trip when a storm destroys it. The player ends up on a deserted island with a family of four and a merchant and his son. They decide to make the island their home, and the player is charged with being the food/revenue producing farmer.

Farming is totally different in HM: Island of Happiness. There are different weather conditions each day, and certain crops do better in certain conditions. Also you don’t have to water every day, as some only need water every two days. Rice also is available as a crop (you plant it in spring and harvest in fall) and once again mushrooms and orchards can be grown.

The village life is revitalized as well. The town starts with only six villagers. As you reach certain farming milestones, more people come to live there. While there are a set number of characters with portraits and actual parts in the ‘story’, the island can grow to be home to 100 people.

The method of acquiring animals is tweaked as well. You aren’t just ‘given’ a dog and horse. First you need to befriend certain townspeople, then they will bring you the animals or the event will occur. Also the dog and horse must be fed. The touch screen petting game from Harvest Moon DS has been retooled as well, and now when the animal feels like it you can pet it for a love boost.

Probably the most drastic change is in the control system. All movement, menu selections and rucksack sorting is controlled with the stylus. The directional pad (or action buttons if you’re left-handed) serve to activate and use one of the four tools or items assigned to it. Initially this may seem complicated, but after 15 minutes becomes more comfortable than previous control schemes. Don’t worry if you’re left-handed, there is an option to adjust the controls to make them more comfortable for you.

HM: Island of Happiness also looks amazing. Instead of looking like a GBA title (ahem: Harvest Moon DS), it is perfectly tailored for the DS. It reminds me a bit of an Animal Crossing-Harvest Moon hybrid. Plus there is such attention to detail, like in summer you can even see cicadas on some trees.

But don’t all go placing preorders for Harvest Moon 2 at GameStop. The Harvest Moon 2 in their systems is most likely Harvest Moon DS: Cute, the girl’s version of Harvest Moon DS. Harvest Moon: Island of Happiness probably won’t be out until Fall, 2008.

Read [IGN] Site [Bokujou Monogatari: Kimi to Sodatsu Shima]

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Title: Subarashiki Kono Sekai: Its a Wonderful World Price: TBA System(s): Nintendo DS Release Date: NA: TBA EU: Spring 2008 Publisher (Developer):Square Enix (Square Enix with Jupiter) ESRB Rating: TBA Pros: Revolutionary battle concept, innovative story, beautiful graffics and great, mp3 quality music. Cons: Absolutely none that I can see.

Subarashiki Kono Sekai: Its a Wonderful World is going to be one of those revolutionary, blockbuster titles. The game not only provides solid game play and a fresh new take on the modern day RPG, it also features phenomenal music, great graphics, engaging characters and a story that draws you in. I recently got the chance to play this Japanese gem, and I’m smitten. Square Enix has done it again.

As mentioned in an earlier Gamertell story, Neku, along with Shiki, Joshua, Beat and Rhyme, are trapped playing the Shinigami’s Game. They must accomplish certain missions throughout Shibuya, Japan, in an effort to save their lives. They each have seven days left to live.

The first thing you’re going to notice going in are the graphics. They’re edgy, urban and modern. In fact, they’re reminiscent of another Square Enix title, the PS2 game Brave Fencer Musashi. When not in battle, the top screen will either feature character portraits of people you’re talking to or the upper portion of the landscape. The bottom is a 2D side-scrolling landscape (like in the Valkyrie Profile games) with loads of fashionable NPCs and the character running through the streets of Shibuya. The characters themselves look great as well, in fact, I want clothes like Shiki and some of the female shinigami.

The next thing that grabs you is the sound. It is just phenomenal. Its all a blend of hip-hop, techno and R&B. I don’t think I have ever seen an RPG with a soundtrack like this, and I like it. It really helps set the tone for the game. It is mp3 quality and makes me want the soundtrack. I leave the DS open and running at times just so I can listen to the tracks. There is also a bit of voice acting as well, which is always a treat in a DS game.

Of course the two things which really set Its a Wonderful World apart are the means of gathering information and the battles. Let’s start with information gathering, as it redefines NPC-interaction. You can’t just randomly walk up and talk to most people. Instead, Neku concentrates to read their minds. You tap a skull badge on the bottom screen, and all of a sudden a blue light covers everyone and thoughts pop up. You read the thoughts to discover new information and quests, which then advance the story.

The battle system though is what Its a Wonderful World is rapidly becoming known for, and for good reason. It encompasses two screens. Neku fights on the bottom and his partner fights on top. At first it is incredibly awkward, trying to manage the top character’s attacks with the directional pad and Neku’s with the stylus. It does get easier though, and after a while you memorize top character inputs so you can focus on rubbing out noize on the bottom. If you don’t enter anything on top for a while, it goes into auto mode so if it is too much for you, that is always an option.

This game is going to be a treat for DS owners. In fact, it may just be the Must Buy game for 2008. I can hardly wait.

Read [IGN] Site [Subarashiki Kono Sekai]

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Originally set to be released October 2007, fans of Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto series were recently told that they would have to wait until early 2008 for the fourth installment of the worldwide phenomena to make its first appearance on next-gen consoles.

With little actual video and less information about what fans can expect from GTA IV released to the public, Rockstar this week at least revealed the box art for the forth game and first true sequel in the series to wet our GTA cravings.

At first glance, gamers can see the departure from the art style that GTA had used for its previous outings on the PS2 and Xbox. Now the artistic style seems to be going for a more natural, comic book painted feel. Still keeping to the tradition to the series, the box art for GTA IV manages to reveal a number of key characters and possible events.

Also mentioned on Rockstar’s official web site was the announcement that fans will be getting a new peek of game, as a new trailer will be released for viewing on December 6th.

Read [Kotaku] Also Read [IGN] Site [Rockstar Games]

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Lets face it, it has been really hard validating why you are a Star Trek fan these days. After the failure of the TV series Star Trek Enterprise and Nemesis movie, the once beloved franchise has falling on hard times.

Now with the forthcoming release of Star Trek 11 in 2008, a film that instead of moving the franchise forwards has decided to retell and recast the original series, one might hope that Star Trek will find some momentum in the video game industry. Star Trek is a great source to draw endless ideas and adventures from. Unfortunately, the final frontier hasn’t quite gotten up to warp speed on the home console.

If Bethesda Softworks has its way, Star Trek: Conquest just might be the answer for the boredom that Trek fans have been looking to fill.

Bethesda Softworks, the creators of the highly acclaimed Elders Scroll IV and the upcoming Fallout 3, announced that Star Trek: Conquest will be released for the Nintendo Wii and Sony’s PS2 home console systems in North America. Conquest, the latest outing for Bethesda which has worked on a number of Star Trek titles, will feature a mix of strategy and tactical gaming. Set during Next Generation era, fans will be able to take command of a number of prized Federation, Klingon, Romulan, Cardassian, Dominion and Breen starships as they move their fleets towards ultimate conquest of the Alpha Quadrant.

Conquest will feature plenty of strategic game play for you RTS fans as players will have to manage your empire’s limited resources, building support structures and units, develop new advance technologies, and engage your enemies in intense real-time combat.

Star Trek: Conquest, rated E for everyone, will retail for a barging basement price for cash strapped gamers. Expect the Wii version of Conquest to retail for around $29.99 with the PS2 version for a low $14.99.

Read [GameIndustry Biz] Site [Star Trek: Conquest] Site [Bethesda Softworks]

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