Goddamnit, Konami.

Shadow Hog · Post by **Shadow Hog** » Thu Feb 01, 2007 10:22 pm

The good: Dracula X: Rondo of Blood is FINALLY making it's US debut!
The bad: <a href="http://www.1up.com/do/previewPage?cId=3156904">...on PSP</a>.

I STILL don't have any intention of picking a PSP up, but hey, at least I know that when I do, there'll be a fair amount of nice games to play on it via Capcom's remakes and this one.

Still... I hope to God you're porting the thing to the Wii's VC, Konami. Seriously. I won't say you owe it to us or anything, I just really hope you are - I want to play this game (legally), but I'm not shelling out money for a portable I don't own nor want just to do so.

Ngangbius · Post by **Ngangbius** » Thu Feb 01, 2007 11:20 pm

Hey, at least you Wii owners are aso getting the Elebits creators' new game, Dewy's Adventure which actually looks fun and pretty.

And yeah, I want the Dracula X Collection(among other PSP games), but I wich Sony would drop the friggin' price of it already.

Zeta · Post by **Zeta** » Thu Feb 01, 2007 11:57 pm

Dewey may be the most adorable videogame character ever.

cjmcray · Post by **cjmcray** » Fri Feb 02, 2007 1:36 am

Zeta wrote:Dewey may be the most adorable videogame character ever.

Cuter than this guy?

My mom thinks he's cute.

& I sortof agree. Have you heard his voice?

Post by **Segaholic2** » Fri Feb 02, 2007 2:30 am

...Getting this thread back on topic, this announcement is awesome and I can't wait to buy it.

James McGeachie · Post by **James McGeachie** » Fri Feb 02, 2007 7:20 am

I don't care for Rondo of Blood but it does amuse me that despite having been the main systems to hold original 2d Castlevania games for years now, Nintendo consoles are the only systems at the moment which you can't play Symphony on the Night on (As you can now play it on the ps1, ps2, ps3 (I assume), Saturn, 360 and now the PSP.)

It's also slightly irritating that Kojima is creating art for this upgraded port but hasn't worked on either of the DS games, which feature some of the shittiest most generic anime tripe I've ever seen.

Anyway on the other hand though Dewy's Adventure looks like a really fun and creative game, it's nice to see strong third party titles popping up which aren't upgraded ports or poorly executed launch "tech demos".

KitsuneDarkStalker · Post by **KitsuneDarkStalker** » Fri Feb 02, 2007 9:58 am

Well at least Konami's TRYING to make a comeback (unlike SEGA *cough cough*). They still aren't worthy of readopting the old logo though.

And I love Rondo Of Blood, but I hate the TG-16 version of the soundtrack. Too KORG M1-ish for me, and I love the SNES (Castlevania: Dracula X) version of Opposing Bloodlines FAR more. Hopefully we get both soundtracks.

Locit · Post by **Locit** » Fri Feb 02, 2007 12:01 pm

Are you guys excited? I'm pretty excited. I mean, wow. New Rondo, old Rondo, and SotN. Excitement.

Shadow Hog · Post by **Shadow Hog** » Fri Feb 02, 2007 12:19 pm

I'd be excited if it were for a console I intended on owning.

I mean, if the fates decree that I somehow end up with a PSP, I'm getting it. No questions asked. But otherwise, it's yet another promising title for a system I don't feel like spending money on.

Tsuyoshi-kun · Post by **Tsuyoshi-kun** » Fri Feb 02, 2007 12:35 pm

James McGeachie wrote:It's also slightly irritating that Kojima is creating art for this upgraded port but hasn't worked on either of the DS games, which feature some of the shittiest most generic anime tripe I've ever seen.

Amen to that. The cover to Potrait of Ruin made me want to punch the artist in the face.

Post by **Segaholic2** » Fri Feb 02, 2007 2:25 pm

If you like games, there's no excuse not to own a PSP at this point with what's out now and what's coming out eventually. People still holding out are just plain stubborn. I bought a PSP just for Power Stone Collection and I haven't regretted it.

Post by **Delphine** » Fri Feb 02, 2007 2:52 pm

Segaholic2 wrote:People still holding out probably have bills to pay and don't spend outside of their budget if they can help it.

KitsuneDarkStalker · Post by **KitsuneDarkStalker** » Fri Feb 02, 2007 4:14 pm

Segaholic2 wrote:People still holding out are sometimes out of work and looking for a steady paying jobs barely making ends meet.

James McGeachie · Post by **James McGeachie** » Fri Feb 02, 2007 8:04 pm

I have plenty of money but I wouldn't buy a PSP unless the line up really improves. As far as what interests me is concerned, there's really not a whole lot I want on it and in general I've always played different types of games on handhelds as opposed to console, so any titles that are essentially just portable versions of PS2 franchises don't interest me (for example, titles like Liberty/Vice City Stories).

The only reasons I currently would like a PSP are 1: for a couple of ports that are slightly appealing and 2: emulation. I can't justify an expensive purchase like that simply to play games available on other systems, I'll only do it if there's a good number of exclusives that I feel are essential for me to play.

Psxphile · Post by **Psxphile** » Sat Feb 03, 2007 11:22 pm

James McGeachie wrote:2: emulation.

Funny you should mention that. I've been playing a great deal of my old PS1 games on my PSP recently due to hacked firmware. Currently playing through Persona, and quite enjoying the experience of doing it whilst at work.

Post by **Esrever** » Sun Feb 04, 2007 4:11 am

It's not like it's a conspiracy. The PSP just has the least inspiring lineup of every other mainstream console and handheld that has existed during it's lifespan. There is an excuse not to own one, and that excuse is that you don't already own a PS2, Cube, Xbox, Xbox 360, and DS.

I do really like Loco Roco and Luminies, though! And the new Metal Gear looks pretty neat. But still, that's a lot less hot stuff than even the 360, and it's only been around for a year!

That said, it's not like I've never bought a console for one single title just because I love it so much. I'm just guessing Power Stone Collection is not going to be that kind of game for most people.

Post by **Green Gibbon!** » Sun Feb 04, 2007 11:06 am

I actually didn't like LocoRoco that much. It's not bad, but it's basically a big flash game. Watching it is as fun as playing it, and once the novelty of the visual squishiness has worn off, it's pretty tedious. I had to force myself through the last dozen or so stages, and I have never felt any compulsion whatsoever to run back and get perfect scores or find all the jigsaw pieces. The general aesthetic sense is also grating - it lacks the wit of comparable styles like Katamari and so ends up just being irritatingly saccharine. The chimpmunk music was an especially dubious choice (though the main theme is pretty catchy).

That said, I have still found more to enjoy on my PSP than my DS and 360 combined and the local aversion to the platform continues to baffle me. It's still too expensive, but y'know... so is everything else right now.

Protodude · Post by **Protodude** » Sun Feb 04, 2007 1:34 pm

Has anyone here played Exit? I've had it since Christmas but only got around to playing it the other day. I'm only on one of the last "training" levels, but so far it seems like a good game.

Post by **Green Gibbon!** » Sun Feb 04, 2007 3:16 pm

I like Exit. I only got about halfway through before I'd had my fill, but I've always been that way with puzzle games. My only big complaint is that it's too hard to time running jumps, which gets frustrating later on.

Post by **Esrever** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 6:41 pm

What PSP games are the ones that you've enjoyed, GG? And you too, 'holic! You've guys have clearly found more to like than I have, but maybe I just haven't been paying attention.

I'm surprised you're finding so little to play on the DS, though. I think I must have over a dozen games for that thing by now (and for me, that's a lot.)

Post by **Green Gibbon!** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 7:59 pm

For PSP I have Exit, Goku Makaimura, LocoRoco and of course Lumines. I ordered Jeanne d'Arc, but it hasn't come in yet - apparently there's a bit of a shortage. (Not like I'll be able to play it until someone releases it in English anyway.) I bought Sengoku Cannon when it came out, but I sold it because it sucked.

For DS I have Made in Wario and Touch Kirby (which is surprisingly good, as sick as I am of the overmarketed pink puff). I actually really liked Another Code, which I borrowed from my sister a little while back. I don't own it, but I would. I've also been through New Mario, Lost in Blue, Meteos, and Caduceus, but didn't really like any of them.

For 360 I still have nothing except Lumines Live, which is not really any better than the PSP version except, of course, screen size.

I'm open to recommendations for all three platforms. How's Cooking Mama and Wish Room?

Post by **Segaholic2** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 9:20 pm

Power Stone Collection, Lumines, Metal Gear Solid PO, LocoRoco, Gitaroo Man Lives!, etc.

Can't say I was a fan of Cooking Mama. It felt almost exactly like WarioWare, except with a cooking gimmick instead of randomness.

Ngangbius · Post by **Ngangbius** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 9:31 pm

You didn't like Meteos? I actually prefered it to Lumines myself. Currently, I'm into Elite Beat Agents myself. While some may complain about the song list, Ouendan didn't have the Japanese equivilant of the greatest music ever made either. The game had a Morning Musume song, for goodness sake. There are some structual improvements to EBA such as the ability to skip the song intro and to save your replays and broadcast them to other players. I'm not sure if the games are your cup of tea(what is your cup of tea?), but they are by iNiS and I enjoy them.

Post by **Esrever** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 10:56 pm

If you liked Another Code, I can't imagine that you wouldn't like Wish Room/Hotel Dusk.

Wish Room plays very similarly to its predecessor. There are a few major tweaks... exploration is now handled in first person, the DS is held sideways to accommodate larger and more thoroughly animated character art... but all these things mainly just improve and streamline the familiar style of the previous title, rather than alter it dramatically.

The biggest change is the kind of narrative being presented. By comparison, Wish Room is a more "adult" game... not so much in terms of suggestive content, but certainly in terms of the style, pace, and complexity of the story. As a result, there is a much, much heavier emphasis on character interaction, and you will find yourself spending a lot more time reading dialogue and navigating question trees.

Personally, I'm enjoying it a lot more than Another Code. Maybe it's just because of the heavier emphasis on dialogue, or that the artwork is bigger and more expressive, or even just that the protagonist is an adult (and kind of an asshole) this time around... but I think the characters are a lot more interesting this time around, with much more well developed personalities. I never really got too invested in the story of the last game because a lot of the cast felt like they were dead behind the eyes.

It's not perfect... the dialogue has that tendency to seem a bit overwritten and stilted in places. For my money, the writing still can't compete with the Phoenix Wright series. But it's a solid game, with a really unusual setting (for video games at least) and absolutely top notch production values. Honestly, I have trouble believing Nintendo actually approved and published such a bizarre, totally unmarketable title.... but I'll take it, thanks!

I was going to talk about other games for the DS that I like, but after blathering on that long about one title I think I should probably take a break. :)

Post by **Green Gibbon!** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 7:24 pm

I'm not really sure what I liked about Another Code. The CG looked about a decade outdated, the characters were shallow, and the puzzles weren't that clever. It felt like a launch game, but it had a sort of bright, early 90's Japanese text adventure vibe that tickled my fancy. It's all chill and bright and the music is cool. I want to play Wish Room, but I'm afraid I'd find the more adult setting a bit less engaging. The grown-up world continues to intimidate me.