VGW: Anyone with even a passing interest in Japanese games knows that, sadly, not everything that comes out in the land of the rising sun will make it to English-speaking shores. We don’t mean to tease, but it’s better to know what you’re missing then never know it at all, right? Some of these games are probably going to get localized, some are great candidates for future US releases, and others may never see a translation into English, but one thing’s for sure: Japan never ceases to produce quality titles for a myriad of platforms. Check out our top picks for the summer months, complete with tips for those looking to import, below.
2D games are great, right? If there is one Japanese developer that has embraced the idea of them and ran with it, it is Vanillaware. The company is committed to the idea of games that are incredibly artistic and totally flat. Just recently, Dragon's Crown came back into the spotlight with a PlayStation 4 release. But what do you need to know about this developer? Let’s go over some of the more important details.
It takes a ton of work to produce 2D graphics lavish enough to strain a contemporary game system. This is in fact George Kamitani's modus operandi, exemplified by both Dragon's Crown and its artbook. If the preface in the artbook is anything to go by, Dragon's Crown is George Kamitani's love letter to gaming as a whole.
It’s no mystery that Sega loves crossovers between its franchises, and this time they’re really going overboard. As part of the Phantasy Star Online 2 Thanksgiving 2013 event that will start on June the 12th to celebrate the game’s first anniversary, Phantasy Star Online 2 is going to receive the extreme crossover treatment.
Alongside the news on the event and crossovers the publisher released several screenshots and two trailers.
Sega really does love their crossovers.
But no VC3.........
I can't let that go. xD
There's no reason to let that go, the lack of the valkyria 3 localization is one of the worst mistakes Sega made this generation, and I'm afraid Yakuza 5 is gonna follow suit.
That's pretty much what I thought, I wish they'd bring it over, but it's unlikely being arcade.
I just want Yakuza 5, also I rather enjoy Yakuza in Japanese. Putting English dubs cost $$$ which I think Sega is trying to save.
@Abriael You're right. I just assumed he meant English voice dubs.
I really wish Sega would show NA a little more love. Sega publish a lot of my favorite games this generation (Valkyria Chronicles, Vanquish, Resonance of Fate, Yakuza, Binary Domain).
The PSP has been winding down in North America over the last few years, and with the Vita on the market, publishers are hesitant to bring over games late in the portable’s life cycle – many of which are RPGs. As an RPG fan, I yearn for and wonder about these games. Maybe an opportunity will arise to bring them digitally to PSN for play on both the PSP and Vita, but until then, I’ve selected eight games that came late in the PSP’s lifespan. Sadly, we will probably always pine for these to release in English.
I would love to see Sol Trigger and Final Fantasy Type-0 come stateside. They both look interesting and Type-0 looks like the first breath of fresh air we would get since 13.
I'm ok with that. They would sell more Vita's if they would just localize these games for download.
I'm not so sure about them not getting released in other regions. The Vita will eventually get these PSP games and then they'll have a second market to aim for. To me it makes financial sense to release them worldwide.
I don't know if it's a bad thing. Many of these games will be localized, and because the PSP itself is pretty cheap, it's more incentive to pick up the system and get these games.
Some of the games would never have made it West anyway, but with the digital aspect of things picking up- and the Vita promoting such play- developers and publishers may find it worth it to release the game digitally. And even though it might be more promoted for the Vita, it'd still be available for those who have PSPs.
Still waiting to see Type-0 and it's kind of an annoyance that it hasn't been released yet.
Really..? Well damn thanks for at least letting me know the reason. Sucks that it falls on that :(
Mistake in the article
odin sphere, muramasa are rpgs. So it wont be vanillawares first
i want them all ..
BUt tales of xillia , GRAND KNIGHTS HISTORY and Noora and the Time Studio: Witch of the Misty Forest are in my must play list ...