Good News for Nippon Ichi & Atlus Fans

[Ambrienne]

It's been a while since I've checked up on what's new in the import game arena. Well, I'm glad I did, because there's a better than decent chance that these games will make it over here.

First up, for the Wii:

Phantom Brave

I was not expecting this one for a redo. Though, mechanically, I sure remember it needing it. As usual, the review they give on this site is extremely unhelpful. So, while you can tell from the screenshots that it's been graphically improved, one can only imagine what else has been given a boost.

Too bad it's for the Wii. That means I'll never get to play it, even if it does show up on these shores. :: sighs ::

Okay now... Get ready for this.

For the PSP:

How many of you ever got to play the first Persona? It's back and better than ever. Surprisingly enough, they actually give you details like 'new songs' and 'event movies'.

If those new songs are anything like P3 and P4's openings, I'll have to lay claim to them, too.

Last, but not least (not by a long shot), we have Disgaea 2 Portable. It has a new Akutare (Axel) secenario, and they hint at having some other new characters, techs, and goodies as well.

I'll be able to give more details on the PSP games later, because, well... I just ordered them. There went a month and a half's worth of pay.

And yes, I really do get paid that little for what I do. Don't ask. Just know that I used to get paid almost three times as much for doing the same thing and now they can't afford to do so. But that's better than the past year where they weren't paying me at all.

[Anon Mous]

I can tell you that Phantom Brave was on our reserve lists. I didn't see it on the other day when I looked, but it had been planned earlier. However, it was marked as $49.99. Considering I just beat the PS2 version about a week ago, and it's $50 for a remake . . . I won't be picking it up.

As far as the PSP titles, I am not at all suprised that those are 2 of the 90 titles Sony had planned to release this year. Not bad at all.

[skylark]

In related news, Mana Khemia 2 is coming out in America in August. Bout damn time. I just hope NISA gets their act together again on translation. (Apparently, their recent work with Ar Tornelico II and Rhapsody DS were crap.)

As for Disgaea 2... the Axel Mode is a nice touch and- Oh! Kitty! And female Ronins? Dammit, I wish I had a PSP... >_<

[Ambrienne]

I wouldn't call the Ar Tonelico 2 translation 'crap' so much as I would a rush job that they could have taken a little more time with. They must have had too many things on their plate at once, because every time you go to pick up an IPD, you get a bit of untranslated text which basically says, "Cloche-sama." Not to mention a few other random spelling errors in places. As far as the stabilizing of IPDs, though, I don't think that's so much lousy translation as said IPDs all being a bit crackers.

...Of course, if your issues include the English VA work, I wouldn't know. I kept it on Japanese voice. I usually do. Even though it ticked me off a bit when they didn't use subtitles on the cutscenes. Not that it wasn't perfectly obvious what was going on. It's just one of those things.

Good to hear about MK 2. I was beginning to wonder whether someone had put it on a shelf somewhere and forgotten about it.

[Ambrienne]

Disgaea 2 Portable and Persona finally showed up last night. Here's what I've discovered so far.

D2 Port:

Axel Mode: I started on this through the beauty of the same code that allows you to start on Etna mode in the D1 PSP game. I haven't gotten that far in it, but I can already tell that the wackiness factor is high. His first stage is named 'Rehersal', for crying out loud. I think he's on a quest to regain his no. 1 status if the way he reacts to someone calling him 'Hero no. 2' is any indication. He's supposed to have a new song in this mode, but it'll probably be a while before I find out what it sounds like.

Certain features from Disgaea 3 like the Magichange combo and level spheres have been incorporated. The Geo Cubes are still pyramids, though, so that's one less thing to worry about. I've only witnessed the Magichange from the wrong end of it so far. Leveling runs between stages are likely to be a lot more vital versus the original D2.

Apparently, there's downloadable content for the Japanese version. Two of the characters downloadable by this method are Pram (from Makai Kingdom) and Gig (of Soul Nomad) according to the advertisement in the back of the manual.


Persona:

Game mechanics/non-cutscene graphics: I haven't gotten into battle yet, but from what I can see so far, these have remained pretty much true to the original. ...It took me a few seconds to recognize one of the main characters, though. After all, they made him black when they ported the PS1 version over here. I wonder if they'll do that again or keep him as he is this time.

Cutscenes: What I've seen so far looks pretty good. It's on a par with the stuff we've seen in P3 and P4. The opening was also treated to this facelift.

Music: I got a nice surprise in that they included a 2-CD soundtrack with the game. So, this part is something I can give a little more substantial review on. There are six completely new vocal incorporated songs, the opening and ending themes, a 'walking around the school' type of theme, and three battle songs. I think the female vocalist is the same one who did the P3 opening to give you an idea of the general feel of it. Instrumental-wise, there are several pieces that I suspect are completely new or at least re-version/embellished upon (they sound like they'd fit in just fine alongside the P3/P4 music), but I can't say for sure. It has been a long time since I last heard the original Persona music, after all.