Category Archives: Anime

Anime, Compile Heart, Gamacademi, Gamindustri, Hack 'n' Slash, MegaTagmension Blanc + Neptune VS Zombies, Neptunia, PlayStation Vita, RPG, School Girls, Tamsoft, zombies

MegaTagmension Blanc + Neptune VS Zombies Review

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Let’s show some school spirit and fight zombies while we are at it!

Tamsoft, Compile Heart, and Idea Factory add another Neptunia game to the franchise. MegaTagmension Blanc + Neptune VS Zombies is a fun spin-off of the series. With school girls. And zombies.

Story
The Gamindustri cast is studying abroad at Gamacademi when suddenly, ZOMBIES?! If you enjoy the random exploits of our beloved Gamindustri cast, then you’ll have fun playing through the story mode.  The girls are just as silly as you remember them, and the plot is all over the place; in a good way. The story itself is lighthearted and strays away from anything serious.

Gameplay
Throughout the game you pick two characters, go into a “scene”, then hack ‘n’ slash your way through hordes of zombies.  If you’ve played Hyperdimension Neptunia U: Action Unleashed the game is easy to pick up. Although moves and combos are simple to access, you do need to strategize your moves.  Enemies can be knocked out of your range with special moves and your attack can easily be aimed in the wrong direction.  Also keep in mind that some characters will re-sheathe/re-load/rest/etc. after an attack or combo causing a second delay before their next move.

On top of the main cast, we are introduced to 4 new characters: Plutia, Tamsoft, Peashy, and Uzume. Unfortunately, (Spoilers ahead!) you don’t unlock all of them until Scene 10. You don’t get much screen time with them in the story mode to try out their new moves and combos. Online Mode, however, has every character already unlocked for you.

When you tire of the story mode you can jump onto the Online Mode where you can rank up, go item hunting, or level up your character.  Both online and ad-hoc mode allows you to play with up to three other players. On top of the Online Mode the game also has an option to upgrade and customize your characters.  You’re also offered support characters, that you can also customize, who buff your main character in battle.

Graphics
Since this is a zombie game, the color scheme for the game is pretty dark in some areas; a contrast to previous games that take place in the Gamindustri world which are bright and vibrant. There are only a few maps to play on, and they’re simple; they just create the space you slay zombies in.  Some maps feel like they’re empty; you will have so much space but zombies will only populate in one area.  Other maps are so small the camera glitches. In the Gamacademi Campus level, I defeated a Shadowen simply by getting it stuck behind a wall. Speaking of camera, it always seems to conveniently fall at the perfect panty shot angle… Just so you know.

Replay Value
At the end of my initial run I discovered that I didn’t unlock everything in my gallery.  If you’re a completionist, you’ll have to revisit certain scenes, select the correct characters, and play through the mission.  Revisiting the scenes gives you a chance to try out different duos you may not have originally picked.  There are also a lot of items you do not find during the initial run through so you have to go back to find them. Fortunately, you don’t have to replay the story to obtain the items since you can do that through the Online Mode. 

Verdict
 Cons:There really isn’t much variation in enemies.  Most of them are taken from previous games and given a slight zombie spin. The game is also really easy. Sure, I was taken out a couple times by some big guys, but once I figured out a strategy and leveled up my characters I went through the levels fairly fast.  Once I made it to the end, the boss fell extremely short; there was almost no challenge. New characters, aside from Tamsoft, are introduced late in the game. You go about four Scenes without unlocking any new characters and when you do unlock them you’ve already leveled up your favorite characters.

Pros: The game is really easy to pick up.  I didn’t have a hard time figuring out buttons or controls. It was also easy finding different strategies to defeat certain bosses.  While the story wasn’t the greatest, it was still pretty fun to just jump in, take out some zombies, and play around with combos.  The customization also has a lot of depth.  Not only do you get to pick an accessory you decide where it goes, how it will sit on your character, and how big/small you want it.  Aside from altering your character’s appearance you can also use “ability points” to upgrade your character; the more you upgrade, the more combos you can unlock.
 
You can pick up MegaTagmension Blanc + Neptune VS Zombies on the PlayStation Vita now.  Which is your favorite game in the Neptunia franchise? Let us know in the comments!
Anime, FGC, Fighting game, Koihime Enbu, PC, Steam

Koihime Enbu Review

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Review

It has been a very exciting last couple of years being a fighting game player thanks Valve’s digital distribution platform, Steam. If you wanted to play the latest efforts in the genre from places like China or Japan, you would have to bypass Sony’s PSN region lock by registering a PSN ID from the respective market where the game is able to be published at the moment, follow an online guide to navigate through the now foreign PSN store, activate the prepaid card you purchased from an import website,  AND THEN buy a game in which you still needed the same online guide brought up previously to be able find the training and versus modes in the main menu once you launch the game. Thankfully, Eastern publishers are starting to see the benefits on bringing over their catalog to Steam and it is now easier than ever to play games such as Koihime Enbu in the US market.

The UI is well organized and nice to look at!

Originally an arcade fighting game, Koihime Enbu was ported to consoles back in January, but only available in Japan. Thanks to publisher Degica Games, an English release is now available here in the West on PC. Now, what this means is that the game itself is mostly the same from its console counterpart. The original text has either been replaced or supplemented with smaller, English text. There’s not a lot of options when it comes to graphics: just an option to set the game either windowed or full-screen mode, plus an stretch filter to try to smooth out the graphics. Thankfully, you can use a separate key configuration tool to set up your DirectInput controllers or arcade sticks before launching the game. Even better if you have an XInput device, since the game supports them automatically which allows you to just plug in and play.

The Game Configuration Menu

Going back to the game itself, you have your standard game options you come to expect in most fighting games nowadays; a versus mode that allows you to play against someone next to you, a training mode to practice your execution, a story mode to continue the franchise’s overall story, and online play. There’s also Versus CPU, Replay, and even a gallery. There’s no tutorial mode, but it is to be expected. If you’re used to playing Japanese fighting games you know this comes with the territory. Other than that, the publisher was able to integrate Steam Community features such as trading cards, backgrounds and emoticons. A nice little upgrade from the console release to keep players interested.
 [Note: There are websites such as Dustloop (http://dustloop.com) or the Mizuumi Fighting Game Wiki (http://wiki.mizuumi.net/w/Koihime_Enbu) that can assist you in learning the mechanics of this game.]

The Main Menu

The game play is similar to most anime fighting games currently available, it even features the same  A/B/C and special button layout. You’re able to choose over 13 different characters, but every one of them follow the same commands when it comes to execution. What this means is that the learning curve when learning a characters is much lower which can allow you to play more characters faster. Additionally, you are able to choose one of two assists that act more as a special move rather than a separate character, which changes the perspective of the game from a team based game to more of a traditional 1 on 1 setting in which you’re allowed to choose over two special move before a match. A major game play mechanic in this game is the Fatal Counter system, which gives you access to certain moves that have special properties when used correctly. This turns the game into more a Street Fighter type of fighting game, where you will need to mind your spacing and footsies, no need to worry about air-dashing here.

“Dat hitbox doe”

With its cute art style and surprisingly deep game play system, Koihime Enbu is a fine addition to Steam’s ever-growing list of fighting games options. Not a game to be recommended for the starting fighting game fan due to its confusing story and lack of information on how to learn the game, but one that any experienced player or fan of the Koihime Musou series should definitely check out. As a PC port, I believe it does the job well, no issues or bugs were to be found upon launching and playing the game. Do be aware that the online mode was not able to be tested for this review, so your mileage may vary once the game goes live. Koihime Enbu will be available on May 19th on Steam for $40 on release, let us know if you’ll pick it up (or if you already got a waifu selected).
 

Anime, Fairy Fencer F, Fairy Fencer F: Advent Dark Force, Gaming News, JRPG, PlayStation 4

The first English screen shots of Fairy Fencer F: Advent Dark Force

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Screenshots and new character profiles for Fairy Fencer F: Advent Dark Force are here!

 

Some new features to the game:

  • Three new story routes: The Goddess Story, Vile Goddess story, and Evil Goddess story
  • Three different endings based on which path you choose
  • Up to 6 characters on the battlefield
  • Three difficulty settings: Easy, Normal and Hard
 

There has also been three new characters added (everything is coming in 3’s!)

Pippin: A fencer whose biological origins are unknown.  He’s talkative and nags a lot.  He also seems to have  sword stuck in his head.  Fortunately, it doesn’t look like it bothers him.





Soji: Pippin’s fairy partner.  He is mistaken for a fencer because of his human appearance even though he is Pippin’s fairy.





Pappin: Called “father” by Pippin, but it’s not clear whether or not he is Pippin’s father. He has a strong allegiance to the path as a Fencer.




The game’s release date has also been announced to hit North America July 26th for the PlayStation 4. Are you looking for the next installment of Fairy Fencer F? Let us know what you think!

Anime, Corpse Party, Corpse Party review, Corpse Party: Blood Covered, PC, Review, Steam, visual novel

Corpse Party: Review

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The horrors of Corpse Party make their way to the PC.  Originally a Japan only release, the original version of Corpse Party hit North America April 25th, 2016 for the very reasonable price of $14.99.

Story
After the school festival Kisargi Academy’s class 2-9 must say goodbye to their cherished classmate who is transferring schools.  To always stay together -in spirit, anyway- they perform the Sachiko Ever After charm.  Unfortunately, the charm is a ritual that transports the eight students and their teacher to the separate nirvana of Heavenly Host Elementary school: a school that looks like, well, a corpse party. As you play through the game you experience horrors that have taken place in Heavenly Host Elementary School and hope your characters make it out alive. Descriptive passages and complex puzzles make the game a horrifying, yet challenging experience.  Through the game, you must discover the mysteries and events that occurred within the walls of the Heavenly Host in an attempt to make your escape.

Graphics

Graphics are presented in 2D sprite graphics and 16-bit style, with top down game play and hand drawn anime-style portraits. Unlike the remastered PSP version, character design does not look fully finessed and you don’t get those extra creepy shots that make your skin crawl.  Sorry, there also aren’t any fan service shots either. The gore also isn’t overly visually represented.  Most of the text guides you through the grotesque so the graphic simplicity works well with the visual novel style of storytelling.

Audio/Music
Corpse Party includes the original sound track and voice acting.  For those who have played Corpse Party: Blood Covered on the PSP you’ll note some subtle differences with voice portrayal and characteristics, some original voices are better (Morishige), and some make you appreciate Blood Covered (Ayumi). Background music fits the tone of the story, and when you get those horrible moments of silence you can’t help but wish for the background music to kick back in.  Floors creak, ghosts echo ominously through the building; tension is built very well throughout the game. Even as an experienced Corpse Party player myself, the music still gets my heart racing. The best way to play this game is with a set of headphones in dark room… if you dare.

Replay ValueWhat I love the most about Corpse Party games is that they are not easy.  One wrong move and it’s a horrific end for your character.  Even after having played the game before, I still managed to get a wrong end! For the completionist, you’ll find yourself trying to obtain all the endings; wrong or right. And trust me, there are 20 different endings to experience. For those new to the franchise; good luck! You’ll be more than satisfied knowing you made your way to the end after all those horrible, horrible wrong endings.

Verdict
The original PC version of the game is the best choice for players not interested in the overly extensive back story and character development. Even without the creepy anime portrait cut scenes, the dialogue and description is so well done, your imagination fills in the gaps for you. Essentially, you get the game without all the filler which is nice when you just, you know, want to play the game.

Are you brave enough to face the ghosts and horrors or Heavenly Host Elementary School? Let us know what you think!

Anime, Deals, PC, Sales, Steam

Steam is Having Another Anime Sale

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YAY ANIME!!!!
Do you usually miss the Anime Weekend Sale on Steam every year? Well this time we are here to inform you about it. The sale consest from, Anime shows, fighting games, JRPG’s, shooter bullet hell games, all the way to your visual novels, and with up to 90% off titles, you won’t want to miss these deals this year. Will you be picking up any particular game, or maybe an Anime?  Leave us your comments and be sure to follow the link below to see all of the titles to choose from.

ANIME WEEKEND SALE