Tokyo Game Show 2017 Special! Part 5

More games from Japanese developers on display at Tokyo Game Show this year!
(Part 1 here.)
(Part 2 here.)
(Part 3 here.)
(Part 4 here.)

Note: games may not be free/ have a release date.

Continuing from last week... we have three games from the same developer, Left Foot Games based in Okinawa! Spoiler alert, I'm going to reveal the language difficulty first...

Language Difficulty: ☆☆☆ ( 0 / 3 )
That's right, they're all available in English and Japanese!

[Action] Angel Arrow
by Left Foot Games
for iOS, Android
available now
free



It seems to be their first game, released last year. The premise is simple: shoot arrows (of love, seeing as how you're an angel and all) and restore the hearts of humans, who ruined the environment and sent your best friend angel into a rage, causing her to be banished from heaven. Oh, and you can upgrade your arrows!

And from there...


[Action] ABADUST
by Left Foot Games
for iOS, Android
available now
free



Somewhat more refined, somewhat more polished. This time, you are to save the planet in a format reminiscent of Space Invaders, but in order to shoot your high-powered weapons you must use... math?! Why, that's for rocket scientists! Lucky for you, there are instructors available to help you learn how to use an abacus and, with the power of Addition and Subtraction, you can either use your problem-solving prowess for good or tackle a never-ending horde. The power... is in the beads.

Getting closer to the present...


[Action] Linked Memories
by Left Foot Games
for iOS, Android (Switch??)
available now
free



Returning to sidescrollers, Left Foot Games seems to have grounded their visual style and keeps it simple with a story about a boy sending a paper airplane to a girl. All you have to do is avoid obstacles, but it takes some quite delicate finger movements (take that as you will). Also, the black border is counted as an obstacle, which fits into the sidescrolling genre but doesn't initially feel intuitive with the freedom of flying through the air. Anyway, it's short and sweet, which six levels in your "collection".

Lastly, I feel terrible to know that, with last week's delay, I wasn't able to promote Left Foot Games's crowdfunding campaign for their latest game that ended yesterday!


[Puzzle] Awawababurun
(loosely put, Bubbly Bubbles)
by Left Foot Games
for iOS, Android
in development
free?

They've finally got around to my love in life, puzzles, and I couldn't do anything to help them! Forgive meee...!
It looks like they were able to acquire some funding, at least, and you can tell the format right away from their gameplay video. Of course, any part of it is subject to change, but with the cute graphics and their emphasis on personifying each "bubble" in their crowdfunding page, I have no doubt you'll want to pick it up when it "pops"!

And, of course, I'll be here with the news when it does! If you can't wait for the weekly updates, follow their Twitter account directly!


That's all for this week's roundup!

[Action] Inishie Dungeon

Rest assured, I'm not just picking these games at random! For the most part I try to feature games from freegame-mugen- as they've given me the permission to translate pages from their site- that have already received high ratings from Japanese players. In other news, now that Flash has been announced to end in 2020, we have to enjoy browser-based games while we can and hope that they'll be migrated to another platform before they disappear forever. One such game is...

[Action] Inishie Dungeon
(イニシエダンジョン)
by miya
for browser




One thing I love is that it throws you straight into the action. No lengthy introductory cutscene, just a name creation screen and bam! You're in the dungeon with instructions to use the WASD keys and your mouse.

I was also quite taken by the name: the first word, Inishie, sounds like it would be a French word for "initial", and its Japanese meaning is close to "antiquity". Then with Dungeon, you know straight away that you're getting into a dungeon crawler. No fuss, no muss.

The more you play, the crazier it gets. I'll let the developer explain (translated from freegame-mugen):

Dungeon Crawler Action RPG
An action RPG with the added bonus of hack-and-slash gameplay!
You, the player, are an adventurer exploring dungeons overrun with ferocious monsters to claim the lengendary treasure "The Elixir of Life".

Highlights
- Controlled by keyboard and mouse
- Characters are lost once dead
- Play time: over 10 hours

... okay, so the developer doesn't have much to add. What you'll find after playing the game for a bit is that there is, in fact, a story, and you're not just aimlessly grinding your way down staircases. It's also quite smooth and simple, so anyone can just pick it up and figure it out as they go.

Language Difficulty: ☆☆☆ ( 0 / 3 )
Although it took some digging to find, there's already a quite well-done English version! It's still in its testing phase so you might have some untranslated portions, and in that case, please let the creator know! (Or you can tell me and I'll pass on the message!) If you want to show off your loot or swap war stories with other players, this reddit page started 2 months ago is the place for you!

For those with Japanese language skills who want to assist with the translation, look no further than the forum! The English version of the game is, after all, still in testing.


That's all for this week's feature!

Tokyo Game Show 2017 Special! Part 4

More games from Japanese developers on display at Tokyo Game Show this year!
(Part 1 here.)
(Part 2 here.)
(Part 3 here.)

Note: games may not be free/ have a release date.

Please accept my sincere apologies for the week-long delay! By no means does it foretell the end of this blog; I simply suffered from chronic Intermittent Internet Connection. Terrible illness. Wouldn't wish it upon anyone. Onwards!

Continuing from last (last) week...

[Adventure] Strange Telephone
by HZ3 Software
for iOS, Android, PC*
available now (PC version to be released in 2017)
480 yen, $3.99 USD



From the video you can probably tell that this developer loves pixel art, and he shares quite a bit of it on his twitter account. It's basically a point-and-click adventure in which you can access different dimensions by entering phone numbers. Numbers associated with each dimension do not change across sessions, so you could even share your findings with your friends and work together to solve the mystery!

I'm a sucker for cooperative games like this, and doesn't the access-by-numbers remind anyone of the level combinations in .hack? Considering that they boast "about 3,000,000 different worlds" available in the game, you may need the help! Unfortunately I didn't get the chance to play it at either BitSummit or Tokyo Game Show this year, but I'm tempted...

Language Difficulty: ☆☆☆ ( 0 / 3 )
There's an English-language version!


[Adventure / Rhythm] Giraffe and Annika
by Kamipallet
for PC
to be released in 2018
price unknown



I happened to be stationed right next to this title during Tokyo Game Show and finally got a chance to play on the very last day! It's soft, bright, and fairytale-like while possessing a delightful similarity to the cartoonish 3D puzzle-solving platformers of the original Playstation and Nintendo 64. Most gameplay takes place in that vein, with the main exception being the lack of a weapon, forcing you to find creative ways to avoid enemies and other dangers. However, upon reaching a boss battle, you find your surroundings transformed into speakers and beat-makers, with which you have to match timing to deflect the boss's attacks.

According to their website, gameplay is conceptually based around a movie-like experience, with total gameplay not expected to exceed more than a couple of hours. The simple act of walking is itself a treat in the charming world, and although the musical segments are new to the genre, their quality doesn't disappoint. Oh, and the cutscenes are adorable comics!

There is a demo version, but the download password is only available to those to visit their booth in-person... for those in Japan, their next event is the Digital Game Expo on November 12 in Akihabara! They'll also be selling goodies like figurines of the main character!

Language Difficulty: ☆☆☆ ( 0 / 3 )
They're promoting an English version, as well!


[Action] Heads Run
by kass_stwa
for PC (Windows, Mac)
to be released in 2017
Expected price of around 150 yen



...You'll notice that the name of the video doesn't match the title of the game on the list. The website doesn't provide videos for games in development, but apparently this is the basic premise which is being improved upon. Apparently it's being compared to Super Meat Boy, as in this gameplay video:



This game is available for download on PC (Windows and Mac) from their website, so while you're waiting for the release of their newest title, get in some practice! It's known for its difficulty!

Language Difficulty: ☆☆☆ ( 0 / 3 )
... except in terms of language. You won't need to know any Japanese. Its predecessor has been quite well-reported, so I didn't feel the need to share in much detail, but keep an eye out for the release!


That's all for this week's roundup! The weekday game feature will also return, so be back soon!

[Rhythm] Girls Star Melody by Egames

This will be the first rhythm game I've shared on this site! It also happens to be a browser game, which reminds me a lot of Flash Flash Revolution, but as you'll see the developers were adamant about blazing a new trail in the rhythm game genre. Take a look!

Girls Star Melody
(ガールズスターメロディー)
by: Egames
genre: rhythm
2017
browser

Translated from Freegame Mugen:

A Spectacular Rhythm Game! Girls Star Melody

Hit the right notes flowing from the right! Choose from a plethora of songs in the collection!
You can essentially play this spectacular rhythm game for free!
Plus, all characters are fully voiced!

Controls
Press the J key to play red notes, the F key to play yellow notes, and the D or K key to play blue notes.
Clear the level by finishing the piece without letting your life reach 0!
Form a band of your favorite characters and reach for a high score!

Voice Cast
Hirano Hikari (hana10)
Furukawa Akane (ぱせり [paseri])
Shimizu Aoi (frisk0x0)
Mochizuki Rin (とりこ [toriko])
Moriya Kurumi (真宮ひな [Mamiya Hina])
Tsukimiya Hotaru, Namiki Moe, Kuro (楠絢芽 [Kusu Ayame])
Tachibana Reina (蓮子 [Renko])
Shinomiya Shiina (蠍媛 [Sasorihime])
Kikuchi Karin (るりま [Rurima])
Kamegon (天音ロア [Amane Roa])
Old lady (武川楓 [Takegawa Kaede])

Highlights
A rhythm game like you've never seen!
Unique characters!
All characters fully voiced!
Besides the rhythm game, try changing up the decorations in your clubroom and a variety of other game elements!

Pay Special Attention To...
An "EASY" difficulty level that even beginners can play!
When you're up for it, try out "NORMAL"!
For a change of pace, rearrange your clubroom!

Message to Players
Feel free to stream plays!
We'd love it if you'd link to our site, too!
http://egs-net.info/game/girls/

Players are impressed by the cute characters, well-matched voices, and carefully-considered events. The difficulty levels are also scaled nicely for all kinds of players and the frequency of events and song additions- as well as story updates and rewards- keep them coming back.

Japanese language difficulty: ★★☆ (2/3)
Sure, if you've played rhythm games before you can probably figure out most of the basic controls, but it would be such a waste not to understand the story or the character dialogue! Plus, you'll have a hard time getting through the menus, as they're quite well-explained... in Japanese.


One of many interesting things about this game is the ability to form your band and develop their abilities. Some contribute to performances, others allow access to items for your clubroom, and some affect your fishing equipment. No, I didn't know that fishing had anything to do with playing music, either, but it's there!

To play, all you have to do is press the orange button under the social media icons! First-time players will have to register: after "click to start", press the blue button at the bottom of the screen, then the blue button at the bottom right (to agree to the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy), then enter first a username, a password (careful, it'll show on the screen!) and then enter the hiragana characters in the bottom row and press the blue button. That'll be a hurdle for people who don't have a Japanese keyboard installed, but if you're serious about studying the language, go ahead and install it!


That's all for this week's showcased game! Another Tokyo Game Show Special comes on Saturday.

Tokyo Game Show 2017 Special! Part 3

More games from Japanese developers on display at Tokyo Game Show this year!
(Part 1 here.)
(Part 2 here.)

Note: games may not be free/ have a release date.

Continuing from last week...

[Action] The Tower of Permanence (常世の党)
by commentout
for PC, Mac, iOS, Android
to be released within 2017
price unavailable

It's a platforming side-scrolling dungeon crawler... that generates a new dungeon every 24 hours? With P2P combat between players from all over the world? And a variety of characters and magic abilities? Giving you a choice between speeding to the end or fighting your way through?

Granted, there's not a lot of concrete information out yet, but I can see why people would be hyped. And, looking at the official Twitter account, it appears they may be working on marketing it to an English-speaking audience...?

@saebashi Currently we are developing an indie game " #常世ノ塔" for home game machines and PC / smartphones trailer: https://t.co/6GTIXLUmNW

— さえばし (@saebashi) 2017年10月9日

Language Difficulty: N/A
The site doesn't explicitly say anything about an English version except for the existence of an English title and the tweet above. If I had to guess, there's going to be an English version, but there doesn't even appear to be any Japanese in the gameplay segments of the trailer there. However, it's possible you'll see Japanese written by users on the grave sites of players they've eliminated. There's just too little information to make a guess at this point, so I'll have to update later. Keep an eye out on Twitter!


[Action] Headbutt Factory (ヘディング工場)
by Gemdrops
for Playstation VR
available now
2,200 yen



It doesn't look like much, but once you get the gear on and start bobbing your head towards the balls that come flying towards you, you start the appreciate the simplicity. Even the plain-looking characters- what look like angular bouncing bowling pins- are quite expressive, and the writing and gameplay- emphasizing the need to "use your head" to solve puzzles- are refreshing. With bright, open visuals, it might be a good way to wind down at the end of the day.

I can praise it so highly because I got the chance to play it at BitSummit this year! While all you see are slight head movements, there's a lot more going on behind the scenes.

Language Difficulty: ☆☆☆ (0/3)
You'll have no problems headbutting through the English version!


[Action + Adventure] Kwaidan (吾妻邸くわいだん)
by gudouan
for PC
to be released within 2017
price undecided

It's the beginning of the Showa Era in Japan. At night, when the demons come out and attack, it's up to you to save the residence's inhabitants.

What's interesting is that you not only have 3D action reminiscent of 90's platformers but also a point-and-click adventure mechanic as well.

You can try the free demo here. (At the moment they're working on making a Unity version due to issues with Nvidia video cards after the Anniversary update of Windows 10, so sit tight for a bit!)

Language Difficulty: ★★★ (3/3)
There's no mention of an English version, and hoo boy are they taking the "Showa Era thriller" thing and running with it! I'll bet you'll have plenty of uncommon and outdated words to sift through and vague premonitions of things to come.



That's all for this week's special! Come back next weekend for another roundup from TGS, or during the week for a featured game.

[Action] New Super Hook Girl by Qpic

If you search for "New Super Hook Girl", you'll find a bunch of speedruns and, possibly, an aggregate site for downloading different games.

Don't do that. Download from the source.

Here, I'll make it easy for you!

New Super Hook Girl

(ニュー・スーパーフックガール)
by: Qpic
genre: action
2016
for PC, Mac

Translated from Freegame Mugen:

Super-fresh mouse-controlled hook action!

Feel the rush of your mouse-controlled hook!
Here's an action game in which you use your trusty grappling hook "Hook Shot" to strategically make your way way through all kinds of levels.
With only the simple control of your mouse at your disposal, you're in for some high-speed grappling action!
You're in for a treat with original music for all levels, animated character graphics, and a high degree of freedom in how you decide to clear each level.
On your mouse! Get set! Grapple!

Recommended especially for the following:
- Those who like figuring out how to clear levels in games like the "Mario Brothers" series with "simple" controls but "high difficulty"
- Those hooked on the hookshot mechanics of "The Legend of Zelda"
- Those who enjoy the quick death-and-recovery cycle of games like "I Wanna Be the Guy"
- Those who like the "Umihara Kawase" series

CAUTION
This game prides itself on the brutal difficulty of its later half, made especially for action game pros.

○ For updates
Find them at the official website!
⇒http://superhookgirl.noob.jp/
We also post the most up-to-date information on our official Twitter account (@SHG_jp). Feel free to follow us!

○ About fan works / gameplay streams...
We haven't especially set any restrictions, and we'd be glad to have you show off our game.
The development team would be even more glad if you'd send it to us through our official Twitter account or the email address in the Readme file!

○ Mac Version Download
[Use the Freegame Mugen website link above and find "Mac"!]
You can find the Windows version through the usual download link at the bottom of the page.

○ Walkthroughs (if you get stuck)
There are videos on Niconico Douga to help you get through the first four stages.
Use as needed!
Level 01 - Level 03: http://www.nicovideo.jp/watch/sm28270390Level 04: http://www.nicovideo.jp/watch/sm28284233

○ Now Selling the Soundtrack Album!
Crossfade Video: http://nico.ms/sm28635555iTunes: https://itun.es/i6Yp9LdAmazon mp3: http://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B01EETLJ8Y

○ Reviews / Media
Mogura Games 爽快フックアクションのフリーゲーム『ニュー・スーパーフックガール』。任天堂作品のような巧みなゲームデザインが光るVector 操作はマウスのみ。空中を飛び回って障害を突破してゆく“爽快”なフックアクションゲームFreesoft Gekikara Game Review イチオシレビュー「ニュー・スーパーフックガール」Appears in Shinyusha, "Windows100%" May 2016 issue
Appears in Sansai Books, "Game Labo" June 2016 issue
* To change from fullscreen to window mode (Windows version only)
Access the Options menu by opening the exe file while holding the Ctrl key. There, you can change display settings and set the game to window mode.
For details, check out the Readme.txt file!

Watch on Youtube!

Watch on Niconico Douga!
http://www.nicovideo.jp/watch/sm28117328

Highlights
・Simple, mouse-only controls
・High-speed action using a hookshot throwing you up, down, and around unrestrained
・High level of freedom in clearing levels as you please
・Besides the game engine and some sound effects, completely original work
・Tough to beat

Developer's Point of Pride
Level design with a with a high degree of freedom in using the hook

Message to Players
This work is the result of wracking our brains for a year to make an unprecedented game.
We're glad if you can recognize just how much "we wanted to play a game like this!"
So, if you have any comments, reviews, requests, or other messages, contact us anytime! We welcome your feedback.

To me, at least, a game like this being available for free is kinda unbelievable. It looks awesome, gameplay is smooth and simple- yet challenging!- and you can tell the developers have a lot of pride in it.

Language difficulty: ★★☆ (2/3)
With some basic knowledge of Japanese, you shouldn't have too much difficulty understanding how to play and the dialog seems simple enough at first glance.

To download, follow the link in the title and find the green button (OR find the link for the Mac version).


That's the featured game for this week! Let's see if next week's game can measure up to this kind of quality...