Random JRPG News Thread

[Siveon]

XSEED has always been a good source on their localization methods. I check out their localization blog almost religiously, it's so fascinating.

Though, sadly, sometimes a bit spoiler-y.

 

[Jacob]

http://nichegamer.com/2015/12/ys-viii-lacrimosa-of-dana-has-base-building-new-story-details/

They trying to bandwagon in on Fallout 4?

Since I never played any Japanese games that has it, though, I'm curious about how Japanese does base building.

 

[Siveon]

Old news. Doesn't hurt to bring it up again, I guess?

 

[Vikter]

Look on the bright side: it's coming to the apparently three only relevant gaming platforms for japanese games.

Also, why is it so hard to make it at least enter the old school "enemy up party down" perspective when in combat instead of the generic MMO system? That alone would make the entire thing much more palpable.

 

[Abu Antar]

Old news. Doesn't hurt to bring it up again, I guess?

Old news, new trailer, I think.

 

[Crooked Bee]

Hopefully Namco can crank out better pc versions. Monster Hunter clone on pc would be nice but I still have nightmares after trying to play Toukiden.

Toukiden runs fine if you just enable maximum performance + multicore support (or whatever it's called) in NVIDIA Control Panel. I've played it on and off for several dozen hours so far and the performance is stable 30 FPS in-battle (it is 5-10 FPS lower in town but that doesn't matter much).

Beats me why Tecmo-Koei wouldn't optimize the game themselves, given that it's so easy to do.

 

[Martius]

Toukiden runs fine if you just enable maximum performance + multicore support (or whatever it's called) in NVIDIA Control Panel. I've played it on and off for several dozen hours so far and the performance is stable 30 FPS in-battle (it is 5-10 FPS lower in town but that doesn't matter much).

Beats me why Tecmo-Koei wouldn't optimize the game themselves, given that it's so easy to do.

Thanks for info. Maybe I should check again if price will drop bit more. I have just one question. Game still runs slower or faster depending if fps will go under or above 30? That was really strange on release.

 

[Crooked Bee]

I have just one question. Game still runs slower or faster depending if fps will go under or above 30? That was really strange on release.

Not sure about going above 30 FPS, but it is a bit slower in-town for me -- not to the same extent as when you're playing it without fiddling with NVIDIA Panel first, though (I remember it being extremely slow when I ran it for the first time). However, the performance and speed are completely stable in-battle, and I'm not getting any speed drops.

The game itself is pretty good. It does get repetitive after a while, but I haven't played any other Monster Hunter(-like) games so I can't compare.

 

[vonAchdorf]

Some random information from different studios regarding 2016:

http://gematsu.com/2015/12/japanese...quel-cyberconnect2-anniversary-surprises-more

Director Yoshito Okamura (Atelier Sophie): “In 2016, I want to make great strides with Atelier.”

Level-5

President Akihiro Hino (Yo-kai Watch, Ni no Kuni, etc.): “Level-5 is always thinking of and proposing new things to the world. I can’t let out the details yet, but in 2016 too we have all new ideas and various new titles to announce. Among them, there is also a sequel to a very popular series.”

 

[Abu Antar]

Final Fantasy IX to be released on Steam, iOS and Android and it doesn't look like utter shit. My money will be spent.

With high-definition graphics, newly added achievements, auto-save, high speed mode, and several game boosting features, the game is easy to pick up and play no matter where you go.

will support Android 4.1 and later + iOS 7.0 and later on Android and iPhone
iPhone 5s and up, iPad 4 and up (Mini 2 and later), and iPod Touch 6th gen

http://www.jp.square-enix.com/ff9/en/


http://app.famitsu.com/20160101_627529/ More screens at link.

 

[Dreed]

 

[Siveon]

Nice. We'll probably get Final Fantasy Tactics soon enough, and then FFX & FFX-2 HD. And probably even FFXII HD.

The port is probably just an upscaled emulator, but the high-speed mode is tempting. I might buy it too.

 

[Abu Antar]

FFX and FFX-2 were leaked in the Steam database, so I think those will happen. I'll get those. Been itching to replay them.

If Final Fantasy Tactics makes it to Steam, I will buy five copies.

 

[Siveon]

It already has an iOS port. I think Square is porting all of those for the cheap bux.

However, that might also mean Dragon Quest. I wonder how they'll pull that off.

 

[Viata]

Well, FF9 never had a iOS/Smartphone port or anything, so this is the first time SE is doing some "real work".

 

[Abu Antar]

It already has an iOS port. I think Square is porting all of those for the cheap bux.

However, that might also mean Dragon Quest. I wonder how they'll pull that off.

Dragon Quest Heroes has piss poor sales performance on PS4 in the west. The PC version has sold around 20k copies. I hope they don't judge things based on that.

DQVII and DQVIII are coming to the west on 3DS, but we'll see what they decide to do with DQXI.

 

[Siveon]

Well, that's mostly on Koei.

DQXI seems likely, since the 3DS ports seems to be there to renew fan-interest? I think they'd do well to port their iOS remakes of DQ I - VI, they don't seem to mind doing it for Final Fantasy.

 

[flyingjohn]

Even better is the fact that dq vii and viii already have a android port so it would be possible to port the entire 1-8 games easily.

 

[Rahdulan]

Still no FF1 and FF2 for some reason.

 

[Abu Antar]

Still no FF1 and FF2 for some reason.

Save that for the 30th anniversary, maybe?

 

[Damned Registrations]

Dragon Quest Heroes has piss poor sales performance on PS4 in the west. The PC version has sold around 20k copies.

That's a shame. Imo it's a better Dynasty Warriors knockoff than, well, Dynasty Warriors. The cast actually plays differently from eachother and the difficulty eventually ramps up to something decent, which I've never seen in DW at all unless you purposefully hobble yourself. Way better enemy and stage variety too, with things like artillery, gates, and teleporters actually used during the battle instead of gimmicks in what amounts to a cutscene you have no real control over.

RIP actual decent DW game. Ye were hardly known.

 

[Executr]

Japanese games market falls to lowest point in 26 years, declines 13 per cent year-on-year
Things continue to look exceptionally bleak for the Japanese console games market, according to data from Famitsu.

In 2015 the sector’s games market generated ¥321bn, a 13 per cent decline year-on-year. Meanwhile, software sales dropped 16 per cent to ¥191bn, and console sales dipped to ¥130bn – a 8.5 per cent drop off.

The 13 per cent drop to the overall sector is the lowest point the market has fallen to in 26 years – dipping below 1989’s ¥358bn, and just ahead of 1988’s ¥319bn (thanks NeoGAF). Last year, the market dropped to its lowest point since 1990.

Of course, this data is purely physical and doesn’t take into account the digital data. And while boxed games still account for most of the console market, Japan’s mobile market is booming and the value of that is not represented in these figures.

Of the Top Ten bestselling games of the year, eight of them were on 3DS. It should come as no surprise then that the 3DS was the best-performing hardware in Japan for 2015.

Spoiler

Below is the software Top Ten for 2015 in Japan:

1. Monster Hunter X (Capcom) 3DS – 2,441,977
2. Yo-Kai Watch Busters: Akaneko-dan / Shiroinu-tai (Level 5) 3DS – 1,965,202
3. Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer (Nintendo) 3DS – 1,282,880
4. Splatoon (Nintendo) Wii U – 1,064,897
5. Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King (Square Enix) 3DS – 864,865
6. Super Mario Maker (Nintendo) Wii U – 674,194
7. Monster Strike (Mixi) 3DS – 636,709
8. Yokai Watch 2: Shinuchi (Level 5) – 3DS – 625,223
9. Rhythm Heaven: The Best+ (Nintendo) 3DS - 607,343
10. Fire Emblem Fates: White Kingdom/Black Kingdom (Birthright / Conquest) (Nintendo) 3DS – 538,669

And here is the hardware rankings:

1. Nintendo 3DS (including 3DS, 3DS LL, New 3DS, New 3DS LL) 2,189,900
2. PS4 1,205,163
3. PS Vita (including Vita TV) 959,342
4. PS3 188,207
5. Wii U 82,304
6. Xbox One 18,093

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/japa...n-26-years-declines-13-per-cent-year-on-year/

 

[vonAchdorf]

Ignoring "digital" doesn't really give a comprehensive picture of the Japanese games market though:

 

[Siveon]

Oh, I got hopeful. I thought their production of too many similar games was gonna crash. Turns out it's the same as usual.

I fell for the click bait.

 

[Archibald]

Article should be titled "traditional video game sector of Japan in decline" or something like that.