Japanese Niche Games Deals & Discussion Thread 4.0

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shivan128

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Welcome to the Japanese niche games deals and discussion thread!  Feel free to talk about local and import Japanese games here.  Our goal is to maintain a thread dedicated to active deals on niche games including RPGs, Visual Novels (VN), Shoot'em ups (Shmups), Musou, etc.  Also maintained are pre-orders for standard, limited and collector's edition games with key release dates provided.

I've wikified the thread to make it more friendly and open to others that can actively update with important information. You can find the wiki post directly below this one.

NOTE:  Please, leave the censorship discussion away from this thread.  It's common for japanese games to have questionable content outside of the country.  We want to keep discussions to the game itself and not about cultural/societal tolerance.

A message from Thorbahn:

Our CAG Japanese Niche Games Thread also has a community on PS4, where you can interact and game with other members of the thread.

Our moderators are: Draekon, Las_Hole, and Waffleswanton

You can basically friend any of our members, or any moderator, and you will be able to request to join the community under "Communities friends are in" tab, and a mod will approve your request.

You can also leave your PSN ID in the thread, saying you want to join, and we can invite you directly as well.

As always, have fun and enjoy your stay!

 
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BoxPizzaBox said:
Thanks for highlighting the Persona 5 steelbook was available too! Perfect timing, as I have a birthday 10% off coupon. :3
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Awesome, you're welcome! I had about $29 left on a gift card I got for Christmas and applied that right quick lol can't wait to have all 3 Persona 5 PS4 steelbooks!

Happy Birthday, btw! :bouncy:

 
My opinion on BotW has bounced around so much since release. I think where I ended up landing is actually pretty simple, though. It is an excellent open world game that has enough new ideas to actually change and move the genre forward, which is a really big deal. It has some issues--growing pains for the new type of experience--such as the mediocre story, not enough proper dungeons, and the contentious weapon breaking nonsense. But it's still an incredible and important game. 

But here's the kicker: it's a really bad Zelda game. If one wants a game like Twilight, OoT, etc then they aren't going to find it here. I started liking it more when I accepted that it's not really a 3D Zelda game and should be viewed outside of those expectations. 

 
Tothoro said:
I have to disagree with the BotW hype. While I don't agree with every point in it, this article aligns pretty closely with how I feel. In a nutshell - it's a very polished and mechanically sound open world game, but it still suffers from a lot of the standard open world follies and loses a lot of the Zelda charm in the process.
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Thanks for that article, as I always think I'm taking crazy pills when I see all the hype for this game, and I'm like, did I miss something? This article restored my faith in humanity, as it summed the game up perfectly and then some.

Zaku77 said:
But here's the kicker: it's a really bad Zelda game. If one wants a game like Twilight, OoT, etc then they aren't going to find it here. I started liking it more when I accepted that it's not really a 3D Zelda game and should be viewed outside of those expectations.
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Yeah, I totally agree this is not a "Zelda" game, but if it was re-themed to some other "N" franchise or new IP, I wouldn't have spent nearly as much time trying to like this game as I did. I spent 40-50 hours trying to like this game, and I wouldn't have spent more than a few hours if "Zelda" wouldn't have been in the title. As the article above stated, the game wasn't terrible, just nothing I found that lived up to what I personally have enjoyed about Zelda titles over the last 30 years.

 
Zaku77 said:
My opinion on BotW has bounced around so much since release. I think where I ended up landing is actually pretty simple, though. It is an excellent open world game that has enough new ideas to actually change and move the genre forward, which is a really big deal. It has some issues--growing pains for the new type of experience--such as the mediocre story, not enough proper dungeons, and the contentious weapon breaking nonsense. But it's still an incredible and important game.

But here's the kicker: it's a really bad Zelda game. If one wants a game like Twilight, OoT, etc then they aren't going to find it here. I started liking it more when I accepted that it's not really a 3D Zelda game and should be viewed outside of those expectations.
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So, BOTW is basically RE4 then...

 
BotW was indeed a 3D zelda game.  The main thing is they threw in some breakable weapons, food crafting, and made changing your clothes make sense (winter clothes for going into cold areas... etc).   They also made the gameplay less linear like the original Legend of Zelda on NES.   The number of puzzle dungeons was pretty staggering.  The four divine beasts ... that was a great touch... as was the time element in the story telling which gets even more exploited if you play Hyrule Warriors Age of Calamity.   BotW is probably the most Zelda game of the series.  I think a lot of people though prefer the more linear games... the ones that look more open but then aren't actually because you have to completely task 1 to access task 2 and progress the story.  Many give a nice illusion of freedom but they never make you feel that free or that alone in the wild world like the first game did.  Wind Waker came really close though.

 
I haven’t played BOTW, so don’t take this as a comment on that specifically, but the reason the series shifted from the completely open-ended approach of the original to the somewhat more ordered approach of later games is that the latter is better game design. The ordered approach enables the game to present scaling challenges and a structured progression of item usage so that each new item feels useful. You lose some of that feeling of complete openness, perhaps, but clever game design can preserve quite a lot of it.
 
The main gripes against Zelda BotW:

-I don't like the weapon durability system

-"It's not my idea of what a Zelda game is supposed to be"

not much more needs to be said.  It's 10's across the board.  Some people simply struggle with games that aren't an on-rails experience and a lot of folks very clearly didn't grow up on the NES Zelda games. 

 
Nothing- said:
The main gripes against Zelda BotW:

-I don't like the weapon durability system

-"It's not my idea of what a Zelda game is supposed to be"

not much more needs to be said. It's 10's across the board. Some people simply struggle with games that aren't an on-rails experience and a lot of folks very clearly didn't grow up on the NES Zelda games.
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I loved OoT, and liked WW and Twilight Princess, but couldn't quite get into BotW, though admit I probably didn't give it enough time. I also wonder if my enjoyment of Zelda games past was in part because I had more time to do the type of exploration and free-roaming the gameplay asks for. I have to go back to BotW at some point. I also dropped Skyward Sword very quickly, but that was solely because of the motion controls. I really hope Nintendo re-releases that game without motion controls. Skyward Sword seemed fun, but I disliked how there was no option to play it with the classic or gamecube controller.

 
I couldn't get into BotW because it came out at the same time as Horizon Zero Dawn. I loved that game so much, and they just felt like the same type of game, but horizon felt much smoother to me.
I should try picking it up now, its one of the only Switch games I dont have lol. Ive got like 80+ games for it now
 
Speaking of BotW, I just started Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity last night and, while it's pretty fun, I'm already turned off by the time travel mechanic (not a spoiler, it's the opening of the game) and a lot of the story beats and cutscenes have Koei's fingerprints all over them. I also just don't think it's as immediately exhilarating as the first Hyrule Warriors was, though I appreciate that each character so far plays very differently. I've only played three hours so far and look forward to it hopefully impressing me a bit more.

 
Breath of the Wild was one of those "once in a generation" occurrences in video game history IMO. I have played every Zelda game since getting OOT when I was 8, and it is my favorite franchise by a mile. BOTW is nothing like any previous 3D Zelda title, and  it's all the better for it. Sure I have some nitpicks like the weapon durability, the fact that it rains EVERY time you try to climb something and the dungeons were disappointing and felt tacked on. That said, it does so many things right that I can forgive its minor faults. I'm genuinely envious of anyone that has not yet played it because those people can experience the joy of stepping into this game for the first time.

TL;DR--play Breath of the Wild.

For reference, yes I have played the other games releases prior to OOT and I love those too.

 
Got some duplicates from the Fantatical MoeNovel bundle up for grabs (all redeem on Steam).

If My Heart Had Wings - W2CZI-7RV80-BP25F

LoveKami -Divinity Stage- 7TBK3-6IYHI-MX6RJ

LoveKami -Useless Goddess- JE0PH-DHAIX-B9VVB

 
Thanks for sharing! I will check those out right away.



gpn said:
Got some duplicates from the Fantatical MoeNovel bundle up for grabs (all redeem on Steam).

[font=Lato, 'Noto Sans JP', 'Noto Sans KR', 'Noto Sans SC Sliced', sans-serif]If My Heart Had Wings - [/font]W2CZI-7RV80-BP25F

[font=Lato, 'Noto Sans JP', 'Noto Sans KR', 'Noto Sans SC Sliced', sans-serif]LoveKami -Divinity Stage- [/font]7TBK3-6IYHI-MX6RJ

[font=Lato, 'Noto Sans JP', 'Noto Sans KR', 'Noto Sans SC Sliced', sans-serif]LoveKami -Useless Goddess- [/font]JE0PH-DHAIX-B9VVB
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I've never been a big fan of any of the Zelda games. It's pointless to kill most things, so I ended up just running from screen to screen, and it becomes more like a walking simulator, where most of the world is unnecessary.

I played a marble puzzle and some water dragon boss battle in the newest cause the missus wanted me to help her. That's about it.

 
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Some news today now that everyone's waking up from the holidays:

https://noisypixel.net/playstation-5-titles-gelease-windows-project-athia-january-2022/

Not much niche in here, but Ghostwire Tokyo (Evil Within devs' new game) is slated for October.

https://noisypixel.net/square-enix-trademarks-ever-crisis-and-the-first-soldier-japan/

Also some news about whatever's next for FF7R. I normally wouldn't think of trademarks as news, but this is the first thing related to "Part Two" that I can remember.

 
Something tells me PS5's second year is going to match PS4's second year with a bigger game to start the year, such as Infamous: Second Son, and likely Ratchet and Clank for the PS5. I believe Bloodborne was near the end of the that year, but I remember it just being a bit devoid of releases. We'll see for the PS5, but it feels like that already for me anyway. I have a backlog a million miles long, so I don't mind.

 
Tothoro said:
Some news today now that everyone's waking up from the holidays:

https://noisypixel.net/playstation-5-titles-gelease-windows-project-athia-january-2022/

Not much niche in here, but Ghostwire Tokyo (Evil Within devs' new game) is slated for October.

https://noisypixel.net/square-enix-trademarks-ever-crisis-and-the-first-soldier-japan/

Also some news about whatever's next for FF7R. I normally wouldn't think of trademarks as news, but this is the first thing related to "Part Two" that I can remember.
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I'm really really hoping "Ever Crisis" has something to do with Crisis Core. I don't care if they completely redesign Genesis to get around paying Gackt, just rerelease that damn game already. It expanded on not only Zack (one of my favorite Final Fantasy characters), but also Sephiroth, turning the latter into a genuinely sympathetic character. And, with the direction they may be taking with FFVIIR, people need to learn more about Zack.

EDIT: that reminds me, anyone remember that rumor a while back that Crisis Core, Before Crisis, and Dirge of Cerberus were going to be ported to Switch as one package? Maybe that's Ever Crisis. That would be sweet!

 
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dragonx said:
Fun fact: Zelda: A Link To The Past was the inspiration behind Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.

https://www.gamespot.com/articles/castlevanias-koji-igarashi-explains-the-influence-/1100-6481658/?utm_campaign=gamespace_news&utm_content=news_module&utm_medium=partner&utm_source=gamefaqs
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I find it suspect that it was the inspiration—the series had already played with a lot of the same ideas in Simon’s Quest, albeit much less competently—, but I certainly buy it being a really big one. LttP essentially is a metroidvania, just from a top-down perspective and with no platforming. The first time I played a metroidvania (which was neither Metroid nor Castlevania), my own reaction was that it felt a lot like a Zelda game.
 
I finally played the Bravely Default 2 demo cause I was bored. I don't know how I feel about it. I don't remember too much about Bravely Default (did beat), so it felt like a cheaper version of Octopath Traveler (got through most character's chapters and got bored) to me.

 
There are some UPPERS items on the Xseed store (You have to hit $49 for free shipping though). An artbook and a 2 disc soundtrack.

Wonder if they were planning an LE at some point.

Artbook $4.99:

https://store.xseedgames.com/product/uppers-art-book/

Uppers_AB.png


Soundtrack $9.99:

https://store.xseedgames.com/product/uppers-soundtrack/

UPPERS_Soundtrack_Inside.png


 
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Looking for advice on Atelier Ryza 2

I missed out on the LE box.

Thinking I'd prefer the physical copy of the disc and then to buy Season Pass but wondering if that means I will miss out on any items or content that way?

I know if you get the Playstation Store pre-orders you get certain content but no t-shirt bonus for physical...

Any info or advice to help me decide is appreciated.

I will be getting the PS4 version to utilize save wizard, btw.

 
lu4lihyu70661.jpg


Some items will be missed out on, I think. The Nostalgic Straw Hat Accessory is a digital pre-order only apparently.

I'm not sure about the digital deluxe edition costumes. I'm unsure if you can buy separately those if you get the physical edition.

The Sonnet of Dawn costume was listed as 'early access to' in the LE images, so I think that will be available for purchase later.

I believe the shirts are codes that get emailed with a pre-order shipping, going off assumptions like the Best Buy listing (if you add it to your cart, there is an extra 'included free, pre-order bonus' item added).

So I suppose you *could* pre-order a physical + pre-order the digital Ultimate Edition, redeem the email code bonus for the physical, return the physical, and wait for the sonnet of dawn costume to get everything without effectively buying the game twice.. But still technically buying the game twice.

I doubt I'll use all the costumes myself, and I'm only really interested in the black outfits from the DDX, plus the Sonnet of Dawn. So I probably won't pre-order at all, and I'll just wait to see if they offer that outfit outside the Premium Box and then wait for the DDX to go on sale.

 
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BoxPizzaBox said:
There are some UPPERS items on the Xseed store (You have to hit $49 for free shipping though). An artbook and a 2 disc soundtrack.

Wonder if they were planning an LE at some point.
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Oh yeah, they're offloading the stuff they already made for the canceled PS4 physical version. I hope they make some decent money back, that must have been a bit of a financial blow for them. I think I might pick these up if I can find something else I like for the free shipping. Thanks for posting this!

 
BoxPizzaBox said:
lu4lihyu70661.jpg


Some items will be missed out on, I think. The Nostalgic Straw Hat Accessory is a digital pre-order only apparently.

I'm not sure about the digital deluxe edition costumes. I'm unsure if you can buy separately those if you get the physical edition.

The Sonnet of Dawn costume was listed as 'early access to' in the LE images, so I think that will be available for purchase later.

I believe the shirts are codes that get emailed with a pre-order shipping, going off assumptions like the Best Buy listing (if you add it to your cart, there is an extra 'included free, pre-order bonus' item added).

So I suppose you *could* pre-order a physical + pre-order the digital Ultimate Edition, redeem the email code bonus for the physical, return the physical, and wait for the sonnet of dawn costume to get everything without effectively buying the game twice.. But still technically buying the game twice.

I doubt I'll use all the costumes myself, and I'm only really interested in the black outfits from the DDX, plus the Sonnet of Dawn. So I probably won't pre-order at all, and I'll just wait to see if they offer that outfit outside the Premium Box and then wait for the DDX to go on sale.
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Where did you find that chart?

 
Miker525 said:
Anyone know how much shipping is without hitting the $50 minimum. Kinda want the uppers stuff
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There’s a shipping calculator before you check out if you start the process. Ended up being like $7.25 or something for me. I might have gone for it if I had more interest in the actual game.
 
DtroitPunk said:
Where did you find that chart?
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/r/Atelier modified the graphic used by Koei Tecmo Europe. The EU premium box is actually being sold directly through a "Koei Tecmo Europe" store (really the same place Idea Factory Europe and NISA Europe ship from) so their graphic included it unlike Koei Tecmo America.

The Puni shirt (limited to physical console preorder) and straw hat (digital preorder only) are the two things you have to buy before the 26th. Sonnet of Dawn is listed as "Early Access" on the premium box product page so it might become available later.

There's no DDX upgrade pack so you're just making yourself spend another $70 later ($50 for inevitable sales)

In theory the early purchase summer outfits should be free to claim on eShop and PSN, but Steam requires a purchase to get DLC for a game (designed to protect people from buying DLC for games they don't have)

 
Yeah, the chart was from Reddit, but obtained via a google image search. I remembered seeing a chart on Koei Tecmo's site at some point so I just search for "Ryza preorder bonus chart" or somesuch.

 
I don't know if they still do, but in the past Xseed would usually throw in a freebie for orders from their merch store too. I got a soundtrack for The Last Story while buying Senran Kagura cards a few years back that way.

On that note, I do recommend the 'Special' Senran Kagura cards. :3 That Kagura is great

senran-kagura-pinup-speical-card-pack.jpg

 
There's nothing that turns me off from a game more than seeing a fuck ing preorder chart that looks like that. I didn't realize Koei was becoming Ubisoft now.

 
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BoxPizzaBox said:
I don't know if they still do, but in the past Xseed would usually throw in a freebie for orders from their merch store too. I got a soundtrack for The Last Story while buying Senran Kagura cards a few years back that way.

On that note, I do recommend the 'Special' Senran Kagura cards. :3 That Kagura is great
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One time, I ordered some Ys art books and collectibles and got a butt-ton of freebies with it: Last Story soundtrack, Akiba's Beat plush, Fate/Extella cards (which encouraged me to buy the game), a Trails in the Sky poster, and some other soundtracks for games I don't even have. It was a really exciting mail day lol

When I bought SK Estival Versus, I got the Hanzo art cards, then found out later that XSEED put the other packs up for sale. However, they had already sold out when I learned of it. Fast-forward a couple of years and they just reappeared, so I ordered the five other sets and put all six sets in a Ho-Oh/Lugia portfolio (only the best for my shinobi girls). I'm glad XSEED still has the cards in stock, as they are SO worth the price.

When I went to order the Uppers collectibles, I was quoted $7.24 for shipping, making the total $22.22 if I order nothing else. I'm mulling it over, since they'd be cool to have and XSEED is a great company I have no problem giving money to.

 
Sorry for all the image spam lately, but I was curious about what the front of the soundtrack looked like as the store page just shows the inside.

I found a small look at it in this image on their twitter, it's the leftmost object

EnTyGF3XUAI46ku.jpg

 
BoxPizzaBox said:
Sorry for all the image spam lately, but I was curious about what the front of the soundtrack looked like as the store page just shows the inside.

I found a small look at it in this image on their twitter, it's the leftmost object

EnTyGF3XUAI46ku.jpg
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Looks cool, but I just can't get into buying VG merch. It takes a lot for me to buy any of it (price aside). So much of it is just garbage in the end that I'm never going to get much use out of.

The only VG merch I buy is when it just comes stuck with the game. XSeed games typically come with artbooks and other trinkets, which I buy depending on the title. That's about it.

That all said, I do appreciate the post, OP.

 
I ordered the physical Atelier Ryza 2 from Best Buy. 

Now, I really wonder if the T-Shirt DLC will be sent by email and be redeemable without opening the game?

 
Won't know for sure until it happens, but it *seems* like it in my worthless opinion. Mostly because they indicate it's a bonus for pre-orders from "select retailers" which makes me guess it isn't a first print code in the box situation.. But yeah no official confirmation one way or the other.

 
The email confirming my pre-order confirmation states...

If you return an item that came with a free gift and you don't return the free gift, don't worry - we'll reimburse you for the returned item, minus the value of the free gift

Your Gift with Purchase Item

You will receive your free gift when all promotional items are fulfilled •    Your gift with purchase may be canceled if any of the qualifying items for the offer cannot be fulfilled, or they are canceled after your order was placed •    If you return an item that came with a free gift and you don't return the free gift, don't worry - we'll reimburse you for the returned item, minus the value of the free gift

Now, I wonder how and if they could possibly assign value to a free digital item?

 
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cloudmd23 said:
There's nothing that turns me off from a game more than seeing a fuck ing preorder chart that looks like that. I didn't realize Koei was becoming Ubisoft now.
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I agree that these DLC policies are terrible. I really enjoyed the last Atelier game though so I am looking to get as much content and value as I can from my purchase...

 
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