Wednesday, October 25, 2006

Gyakuten Saiban II

Originally released on the Gameboy Advance in 2002, the Nintendo DS release of Gyakuten Saiban features a full English language option in addition to the original Japanese dialogue. Simply tap on the language selector capsule on the title screen and you're good to go. The NDS version of Gyakuten Saiban adds stylus poking functionality and microphone input to the game for new wrinkles to the game play. The lawyer is Ryuichi Naruhodou who's better known as Phoenix Wright to stateside players. A challenging new series of cases are available for Phoenix fans to sleuth through and cross examine like true armchair attorneys. Along with Phoenix, Maya Fey returns to provide guidance and advice. «NCS Case Synopsis»

Otona no Joushikiryoku Training DS

The term "common sense" implies a universal understanding or knowledge that should be second nature to anyone of average intelligence. Some examples: Walking when the light is green, avoiding 20' boa constrictors, wearing woolens when cold winds blow, eating when hungry, washing when dirty, and so on and so forth. To test the common sense of everyday Japanese folk, Nintendo releases a common sense trainer which features about 2000 questions that test the acumen of players in such areas as business manners, economic principles, and other social intelligence questions which don't hew to a cut and dry academic background. Five genres of questions are featured which test «more»

Tales of the Tempest

Travel to the land of Areura where humans have ordered the extermination of the Lycanths - a shape changing humanoid race. At the outset of the game, a lad named Caius Qualls saves a member of the Imperial Guard and is rewarded with a special red crystal. A behemoth comes looking for the crystal and Caius teams up with his adoptive father to beat back the creature. During the battle, the villagers discover that Caius' poppy is a Lycanth and a hunting party is organized. Caius and father leave town in a hurry accompanied by a childhood friend named Rubia Natwick. Before they part, Caius' father tells them that he'll create a diversion so they can escape and points out where Caius' blood father lives... «more»

Jojo Bizarre Adventure: Phantom Blood + Bonus DVD

Jojo's Bizarre Adventure first appeared on Weekly Shonen Jump in 1987 and has enjoyed a healthy run and seven major story arcs since its debut. Jojo no Kimyou na Bouken: Phantom Blood hearkens back to the beginning of the series which introduced Jonathan Joestar and Dio Brando to the world.

The year is 1868 in England and the cries of a baby are heard by a vandal named Dario Brando. He follows the crying to an overturned stagecoach and intends to rob the occupants whom he presumes are dead. He finds a male that is still alive named George Joestar who offers Dario a reward for helping them. Fast forward to 1880 and Dario Brando is dying at bed and tells his son Dio to go to the Joestars to cash in Dario's reward. George Joestar welcomes Dio to the family but son Jonathan is less welcoming when he discovers Dio's true nature.

The game features 27 chapters which tell the complete tale of the Phantom Blood story arc which begins with Jojo defending his girlfriend's honor from two bruisers and goes through all of the major encounters and battles in the game including Jonathan's first battle against Dio. Between the battles, the storyline is laid out in mostly static cut scenes «more»

Shinobido Homura

Towards the end of the Muromachi Era (1336-1573) of Japan's history, the Ashikaga Shogunate suffered from the effects of civil war. The Onin War which spanned from 1467-1477 took its toll on the Shogunate. Were it not for the Asuka ninja clan, the Ashikaga would have fallen sooner against the power of Oda Nobunaga. To speed things up, an all-out assault is launched against the Asuka Ninja Village, killing most of its members which paved the way for the destruction of the Ashikaga and the ascension of Nobunaga.

Gou the Crow has slashed his way through two PS2 games and the assassin suffering from amnesia answers the call to arms for one more time. As the last of the Asuka clan, Gou the Crow goes on missions and quests to take his vengeance against his foes. At the outset of Shinobido Homura, a new mission is offered to Gou but little does he know that the adventure entails more than meets the eye. A total of 80 new missions await the stealthy ninja which involve infiltration, assassination, kidnapping, sabotage, and utter destruction of a target. When Gou attacks an enemy, the blood runs ruddy and sprays like miniature geysers from hacked open bodies. Gou can also scale walls and run across rooftops to evade attackers. The PSP version of the game features a Mission Editor Mode which allows for data transfer from PS2 Shinobido Imashime and Shinobido Takumi so that custom-created PS2 missions are playable on the PSP.