BRAND NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS
[Vita] Soul Sacrifice
Already discussed in its thread
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=470654
[3DS] AKB48 + Me ( Kadokawa Shoten)
2012
The PSP AKB48 games were packed full of photographs and videos of the actual AKB48 members. Kadokawa Games is taking a different approach for the 3DS AKB48 game. Famitsu reveals that the AKB48 girls will appear in the game in Mii form.
The aptly titled AKB48+Me puts players in the role of a prospective AKB48 candidate. Over a three year period, you'll need to interact with the AKB48 girls in the hope of eventually becoming a member yourself.
The game includes the full gamut of AKB events, including television appearances and hand shake meets. The stage events take the form of a rhythm game, with the AKB48 member Miis dancing and singing.
Outside of this Success Mode, the game also has an "AKB Theater" mode, where you create your own stage, and a mode where you can enjoy trying on new outfits.
AKB48+Me will see release on 3DS some time this year.
[3DS] Senran Kagura: Burst ( Marvelous AQL )
30th August, 2012
¥ 5,980
One major missing element from the original Senran Kagura was 3D support. For one of its first 3DS titles, Marvelous left out the stereoscopic 3D for most areas of the game, most notably the primary action gameplay.
Senran Kagura Burst, a sequel that was announced today in Famitsu, fixes the issue, somewhat. Marvelous AQL has added additional 3D support to the game, but not for the action part. You'll now be able to view the locker room, where you dress your busty female ninjas up, in 3D. This was apparently a major request from players of the original.
For a look at what was 3D and what was 2D in the original Senran Kagura, see this story.
Burst makes one other major change from the original Senran Kagura. Instead of Asuka, Ikaruga, Katsuragi, Yagyu and Hibari, the playable cast of the original, the sequel gives you control of their rivals. The rival girls will be joined by their teacher Suzune, who with her 97cm bust size and low cut dress helps to explain the origins of the Burst name.
You can see how the rivals "stack up" in this image that Dengeki Online shared last year.
Senran Kagura Burst is currently 81% complete and will be released on August 30, priced ¥5,980. As a bonus item, Marvelous AQL will include in a visual book, drama CD and soundtrack CD. The cover girl of the book will be selected by fan voting at the game's official site.
Famitsu also briefly mentions that plans are currently in place for a Senran Kagura anime conversion.
[PSP] New Class of Heroes ( Acquire )
19th July, 2012
Acquire is readying a new take on the Class of Heroes dungeon RPG franchise. How new? Get rid of the "dungeon" from the genre, and you'll end up with New Class of Heroes.
In development for PSP release on July 19, New Class of Heroes does away with the 3D dungeons of past titles. Sinobi, which picked up this week's Weekly Famitsu in advance, says that the game is now a standard field-type RPG, and the start of a new Class of Heroes series.
Although the 3D dungeons are gone, fans will be pleased to learn that the game's character creation component is in place.
NEW INFOS ON ALREADY ANNOUNCED ONES
[PS3/360] Persona 4: Arena
2nd August, 2012
Joining the release date that we wrote about earlier (August 2!), Famitsu has first solid details on what's new for the home version of Persona 4 Arena.
As one might expect given Arc System Works' previous home conversions, the home version of P4 Arena adds a story mode. You'll initially start this mode with access to four characters. Others can be unlocked for play.
The story mode will feature a large number of new scenarios that were not in the arcade version.
Famitsu also reveals that pre-orderers will receive an arrange soundtrack CD as a bonus item.
[3DS] Guild 01
31st May, 2012
¥ 3,980
Level-5's Guild 01 is four games in one... or so we've been told. It turns out that the game may have a fourth game, or at least part of one.
According to Sokuho@Hokanko's summary of this week's Famitsu, the magazine's preview of Guild 01 reveals that a demo of Time Travelers is locked away in the game. You'll need to clear certain conditions to access the demo.
Outside of this surprise, Famitsu has an introduction to the characters of Crimson Shroud, one of the collection's four games. We'll hopefully get an official online look later in the week.
Time Travelers was actually announced before Guild 01. An original adventure game from Jiro Ishii, the game was originally announced for 3DS, but is now multiplatform, with releases planned for PSP and Vita as well.
[PS3/360] Final Fantasy XIII-2
Snow and Walfodr download content
A few additional details on Final Fantasy XIII-2's Snow and Valfodr download content have surfaced from Famitsu.com and our usual early Famitsu source, Sokuho@Hokanko.
As detailed earlier in the day, the Snow and Valfodr download content will be released on the May 15th. Famitsu does not list a price.
Snow will have a new episode. The idea behind the episode came from the game's female staffers, character modeling director Hideo Kubota told Famitsu. The episode, whose theme is "Don't fight for me," will show the feelings Snow and Serah have one for one-another.
Director Motomu Toriyama said that the episode will clear up some mysteries behind the coliseum itself. We'll also apparently learn about Snow's mission as a L'Cie.
Valfodr appears in the second half of Snow's episode. He appears to be quite the foe, with the ability to use weapons, magic and summons. You'll apparently have to defeat him multiple times throughout the episode. Each time, he comes back at higher level and with additional abilities.
According to Toriyama, Valfodr was added to the game with the idea of having him appear as something like the Coliseum's last boss. He's the strongest opponent you'll face in the Coliseum, and when at his maximum level is the most powerful monster in Final Fantasy XIII-2 as a whole.
Snow has a 30% crystal conversion rate (this indicates how easy it is to make him into a party member). Valfodr's rate depends on his level, but at maximum level the rate is 100% (which should give you an idea of how hard it will be to defeat him).
When in your party, Snow is an attacker with a focus on punches and kicks. Valfodr is a blaster with the same strength as an attacker. Among his learnable arsenal are Hellflame, Hellspark, Hellstorm and Hellfreezer.
[PS3/360] Tekken Tag Tournament 2
At Tekken Tag Tournament 2's home console unveiling a couple of weeks back, Namco Bandai hinted that the game would have additional characters over the arcade version. Famitsu reveals this week that we can expect a big boost to the roster. While the arcade version had 44 characters, the home version will have over 50.
Famitsu also has details on other areas of the home version. Most of the information was shared in an interview at Famitsu.com earlier today.
The magazine details the new Fight Lab mode. In this mode, you build up a robot. You'll have to play mini games and engage in boss fights. Clear these, and you'll get parts which can be used to customize your robot. Eventually, you'll end up with a robot decked out with parts and skills to your liking.
Famitsu also confirms that the game will have four player support and new battle fields
[PSP] Little Battlers eXperience: W
Despite near simultaneous releases for two portable games in Beyond the Labyrinth and Frontier Gate, it seems that tri-Ace isn't done yet with portable development. Game Jouhou reports that Level-5 has tapped the studio to develop Little Battler eXperience W. The site did not provide a source (although it's presumably this week's Famitsu).
tri-Ace is known for such franchises as Star Ocean and Valkyrie Profile. In addition to Beyond the Labyrinth on 3DS and Frontier Gate on PSP, both published by Konami, the studio contributed to Final Fantasy XIII-2's development.
Little Battler eXperience W is a PSP sequel to last year's Little Battler eXperience. It was announced alongside Little Battler eXperience Explosive Boost on 3DS.
RELEASE DATES
[PS3/360] Medal of Honor: Warfighter - Fall, ¥ 7,665
[PS3/360] Spec Ops: The Line - 30th August, ¥ 7,140
[PS3/360] Max Payne 3 - 6th September
FAMITSU'S SCORES
[WII] Mario Party 9: 9, 8, 8, 9
[3DS] Dynasty Warriors VS: 8, 8, 8, 8
[3DS] Shifting World: 7, 8, 7, 7
[3DS] Mame Goma Yoiko Maruiko Genki-na Ko: 7, 7, 7, 6
[PS3] Resident Evil Operation Raccoon City: 7, 7, 8, 6
[360] Resident Evil Operation Raccoon City: 7, 7, 8, 6
[PSP] Conception: 9, 9, 9, 8
[PSP] Blue Exorcist: 7, 7, 7, 7
[PSP] Even in a Game, Listen to Me, Girls. I Am Your Father!: 7, 7, 7, 6
[PSP] Mirai Nikki 13-nin-me no Nikki Shoyusha Re:Write: 7, 8, 7, 7
P.S. There a game for 3DS by Bandai Namco the title of which, through Google Translation, is something about Hunters, Strongest in History, but I'm not posting it. It's on Hokanko...if someone is so kind to translate it XD
Thanks to Andriasang (
http://andriasang.com/ ) and Sokuho@Hokanko (
http://hokanko-alt.ldblog.jp/ ) for their costant work in collecting / translating what comes out of Famitsu's issues
