Let’s take a trip back in time! Twenty years back, to be exact. In this edition of Let’s PlayPlay, we look at the April 1998 edition of Sony’s Japanese PurePure demo disc series, showcasing some choice PS1 titles.
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Most otome games tend to be rather straightforward affairs. You have a heroine, someone who is often devoid of personality so the player can better envision themselves in the role, and an excuse for her to be exposed to multiple men she could plausibly romance. It is rare for other story elements to appear around this and be explored, but it does happen from time to time. The Charming Empire is one of those games that offers a little extra exposition. Yes, the heroine is suddenly exposed to five men who all happen to be single, but players also get to deal with the troubles that can come from being thrust into a royal life.
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Long left to niche status in the West, the Yakuza franchise has spent the last year punching its way to larger global prominence with Yakuza 0 and Kiwami. Those games, which also reintroduced the series to much of Japan, set the stage for a game that doesn’t need the exposition or explanation to be understood, that can stand without supports on the backs of those that preceded it. Yakuza 6 is Kiryu’s last story, and that clearly meant a lot to those who crafted it.
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The demo for Valkyria Chronicles 4, one of our most-anticipated games of the year, is out on Japanese PSN! We check out a story mission, as well as the demo-exclusive extra mission, and show you what’s going on in this new installment of the strategy franchise. Watch, if you’d be so kind?
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SNK’s next fighting game release, SNK Heroines: Tag Team Frenzy, is releasing later this year and headed West courtesy of NIS America. We were able to ask some questions to the project’s leads about what they’re hoping to accomplish and how the game will differ from a standard King of Fighters.
Michibiku: SNK Heroines: Tag Team Frenzy seems to follow in the footsteps of cult classic Neo Geo Pocket Color release Gals’ Fighters. Was this intentional? Will we see references to Gals’ Fighters in the new game?
Yasuyuki Oda, producer: The story is not necessarily directly connected, but the concept is quite similar. It’s a new title, but it’s unmistakably a spiritual successor.
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People who are looking for a little romance in their virtual lives were able to celebrate quite a landmark in February 2018. D3 Publisher released the first otome game on the Nintendo Switch. The system has its own version of The Men of Yoshiwara: Kikuya. It may not be the most elaborate game out there, but it feels like a stepping stone and proof that this console could be a good fit for similar titles. This basic title lays a foundation, one that fans of such games may want to consider while they wait for other companies to foster new relationships.
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