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!

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!

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.

Tokyo Game Show 2017 Special! Part 2

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

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

Continuing from last week...

[Shooting] Rising Arch (demo)
by Banraku Games
for PC (browser-based demo available)
to be released
free demo

Whaddya know, this was also displayed at BitSummit this year! (Sorry to Banraku Games, I didn't get the chance to see everything...)  It's an exciting 2D sidescroller in which you use clicks/taps to make your way through obstacles and defeat enemies. I appreciate the thought the developer put into the characters and abilities: for example, all of your abilities revolve around electricity, including a teleportation ability called "electro-portation". With cute pixel graphics and fast-paced gameplay, it'll electrify you!

Not only can you download the demo on their website (only until May 2018!), but you can also play a browser version; look for the fourth banner from the top that starts with "Web" and has a picture of a pink-haired character). It comes with 10 levels, plus a boss fight and a "Sudden-Death Mode" in which you can try to get through all levels in one go.

Language Difficulty: ★☆☆ (1/3)
If you really want to understand the story, you'll need some help, but at least for the demo version you'll find that the Level Clear screen is all in English and the menu options aren't too hard to follow. All you need to know is that you can teleport by clicking/tapping and use the titular "Rising Arch" (your electric bow and arrow) by dragging away from your target and releasing.


[Visual Novel] The Midnight Sanctuary (demo)
by Cavy House
for PC, Oculus Rift, HTC Vive
to be released
free demo

From such bright, colorful graphics it's hard to tell that this game labels itself as "occult suspense", but from the summary it actually sounds quite interesting. Basically, a small town tries to modernize and forget its religious foundations, but the appearance of a mysterious person claiming to be Saint of their legends throws the townspeople into disarray.

This may be one of the first visual novels to take place in VR (I say that having played a 3D visual novel at TGS with its own set of incredible features). Even if you don't own any VR gear, putting yourself into the story- instead of the flat character-against-background presentation we've seen so far- this way has got to be unreal.

The website lists the full version with an estimated 3 to 6 hours of gameplay.

On the DL... you can get this game from DLSite (follow the image link) for 1080 yen, but I'm pretty sure the localized version is only on Steam.

Language Difficulty: ☆☆☆ (0/3)
You probably could've guessed that score once I mentioned a "localized version". As it's being handled by the team that localized Recettear, you know it's in good hands!


[Puzzle] Crystal Clash
by Cold Fusion
for Android, iOS, PC
Available now!
free

Usually when you hear "Puzzle RPG" you think of match-3, right? This time, Cold Fusion has brought nonograms into the mix! Plus, it's realtime multiplayer, so in addition to figuring out the number grid and keeping your units strong, you'll have to match wits against your opponent!

I'm a huge sucker for nonograms and always wanted a game that would expand on the idea. Looks like this is it!

Language Difficulty: ☆☆☆ (0/3)
Completely in English! That really helps if you haven't become acquainted with nonograms (why).


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.

Tokyo Game Show 2017 Special! Part 1

To make up for the lack of a Twitter Roundup last week, I'm gathering up the Japanese games from the Indies Corner at Tokyo Game Show this year! I only got a chance to play a few, but trust me, there's a reason they were on display!

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

In alphabetical order by developer name...

[RPG] StarMined
by 4th cluster
for iOS / Android
to be released by end of 2017
free

An RPG for smartphones. Interestingly, the random encounters of RPGs are there, but proceeding through the map is a totally different experience. Instead of a chibified version of your character, you have only a pinhole view of the screen and proceed between glowing points. We'll see as it gets closer to the release date!

Japanese Language Difficulty: ★★★ (3/3)


[Card] The Fiend with 17 Faces
by Alpha Code
for iOS / Android
to be released
price undecided

Among the VR games at TGS, this one felt the most like a party game. Your goal is to catch the fake detective by looking at the suspects on your screen and matching their features with the cards on the table in front of you. I can totally imagine this being played at a board game cafe- as long as everyone has a smartphone- of which there are several in Tokyo, not to mention other cities in Japan. With the majority of VR games at the moment focusing on a single player's immersion, often involving horror/suspense or nausea-inducing motion, this game took a stab at the social game arena and, in my eyes, succeeded.

I have a feeling it's just an updated version of their previous game, SPYvsSPYvsSPYvsSPY, but, hey, it works!

Japanese Language Difficulty: ★★★ (3/3)
There's a lot to keep track of! Once you figure out the rules it should be possible to go through the motions without understanding the text, but you'll want someone there to explain for at least your first try.

[Sim] TINY METAL
by Area35
for Switch / PS4 / Steam
to be released Autumn 2017
price undecided

I simply could not write a post about Tokyo Game Show's indie scene without including the title my friend fell in love with while there. It's a turn-based strategy game- haven't seen one of those in a while!- developed by self-described "grizzled" developers. The graphics look cute, but it's definitely a war game, and a polished one at that.

Japanese Language Difficulty: ☆☆☆ (0/3)
It will come out in English as well!


That's all! Feel free to ask for more information about any of these games or this year's TGS through my Twitter account (to the right).