Games

[icycalm]

Port's coming out on the 11th of October in Jaypan, and comes highly recommended by none other than myelf (heh). The publisher will be AQ Interactive (Bullet Witch, Vampire Rain), something which is rather strange, seeing as they've so far concentrated on next-gen 3D stuff... But I guess they know a good deal when they see one -- this game's going to be hotter than Melty Blood.




Arcade version review:

http://insomnia.ac/reviews/custom/arcanaheart/

Some links:

http://www.aqi.co.jp/product/arcana/

http://www.famitsu.com/game/coming/2007 ... 7,0,0.html
http://item.rakuten.co.jp/edigi-game/jan-4582210540096/
http://www.dengekionline.com/data/news/ ... a61f0.html
http://www.dengekionline.com/data/news/ ... bd461.html

And a cute stick from Hori:



http://www.horistore.com/shop/item_detail.php?id=573

[icycalm]

Original Drama CD distributed at the recent Comic Market and phone cards that will be sold with the game in selected stores:

http://www.dengekionline.com/data/news/ ... dcd27.html

The Story mode of the PS2 port will include a new opening animation sequence:

http://www.dengekionline.com/data/news/ ... 4f39a.html

These guys are serious. I can't remember any other arcade port that had so much crap released alongside it.

[Kaede]

Thanks for the heads up on this, Icy. This game looks pretty sweet and it looks like I'm gonna have to get that 'girly' stick as well. :oops:

[Fei_Yen_Kn]

This looks amazing. I've wanted another 2D fighter for so long.

[filterpunk]

This looks amazing. I've wanted another 2D fighter for so long.

Likewise. I've been tiding myself over playing old-school goodies like Kizuna Encounter (via MAME) all day. It's funny how poorly a lot of 3D fighters stack up against 2D fighters that are 10+ years old.

[icycalm]

Quite cool trailer of the port:

http://insomnia.ac/archive/games/playst ... railer.mov

[icycalm]

famitsu gave it 26 lol

[icycalm]

that's out of 40, for those not familiar with famitsu

[MAXCHAIN]

they really are the eastern egm.

[icycalm]

By the way, the game's out already. Not sure if the stores in Japan are selling it right this minute, but Play-Asia is currently shipping out pre-orders.

[AlphaONE]

Great review on the game Icy.
I had the privelage of playing this game in Kyoto,
I loved it so much. Only thing that sucked was no one was playing it :(
Mainly GG:XX AC and T5:DR :(

I just ordered it from Play-Asia
I go back to Osaka then Kyoto EARLY next year hopefully alot more competion will be around. ;)

[alerith]

Anybody else addicted to this game yet?

I got my copy and I gotta say I haven't had this much fun with a fighter since I first played Guilty Gear XX.

Very nice review by the way, I have a feeling this game is going to be big.

On a side note, I think Famitsu was more rating the quality of the port rather than the quality of the game itself. Load times are a tiny bit long, which makes continuing at the end boss (you have to fight two seperate battles with dialogue scenes in between, if you're in story mode) almost not worth it :P But as ports go, its pretty good. It has the typical extras (animated OP, gallery modes, training) so there's nothing to complain about. :) Also keep in mind Famitsu gave Accent Core a 30, even though it's riddled with bugs.

[icycalm]

I go back to Osaka then Kyoto EARLY next year hopefully alot more competion will be around. ;)

I am sure there will be. For Arcana Heart 2 ;)

On a side note, I think Famitsu was more rating the quality of the port rather than the quality of the game itself.

I am gonna have to lol at that one. Even Famitsu reviewers are not that dense.

What I'd like you to tell me is if the port supports progressive scan. That's the no. 1 concern with a port of a high-res 2D game.

And, by the way, welcome to this godforsaken corner of the internet.

[alerith]

No progressive scan.

[CosMind]

anybody manage to snatch up the hori stick for this?

if so, how does the quality hold up? and, more important to me, is the stick analog (smooth 360 degree motion) or digital (clicky)?

[AlphaONE]

I go back to Osaka then Kyoto EARLY next year hopefully alot more competion will be around. ;)

I am sure there will be. For Arcana Heart 2 ;)

Wait..................................2 is coming out................................................
I have to be alone right now................;)

Any info on it man?

[icycalm]

Sure, here:

http://forum.insomnia.ac/viewtopic.php?t=1565

No progressive scan.

You sure about that? It would be quite a fiasco if it true. You know you have to press some button combination to activate it, right?

anybody manage to snatch up the hori stick for this?

if so, how does the quality hold up? and, more important to me, is the stick analog (smooth 360 degree motion) or digital (clicky)?

Arcade sticks are by definition digital. The only analog "arcade sticks" you'll see are made by some no-name US and European companies and sold to ignorant Westerners in discount electronics shops. Perhaps even in game shops, I don't know. But certainly Hori wouldn't be caught dead making one.

[alerith]

I'm aware of the "super secret combination". It isn't in the port.

There's also several moderately serious bugs that I've discovered (there are videos of some of them on Nico). The bugs and no progressive scan (and the lack of significant additional features) could account for Famitsu's review scores.

[markedkiller78]

Hi all, it's my first post, so please be gentle :)

I felt I had to register as I've been reading icycalm's reviews for a few weeks now on the main site.

I've been thinking about buying Arcana Heart for months, but the price was never particularly attractive. Following a massive price reduction on the pcb (I'm guessing the PS2 and sequels announced release have played their parts) and your review, I ordered this today.

I'm looking forward to it more than ever now. Please keep up the good work here, the site is excellent!

PS you also played a large part in me buying Ketsui recently, as did GaijinPunches comments on another forum :oops:

[AlphaONE]

Hey where di you order Arcana Hearts at?
I own a Naomi cab at my parents house and would love to pop one in there.

Plus how much did you pay for Ketsu?
I want to play this game but can't find someone who is selling their's for under $1000 :(
Gaijin Punch is cool peeps.

Also IcyC
will you be back in Jpn to do a review of the lke toke test for this game?

[icycalm]

Which game, dude? This is the Arcana Heart thread -- the game is already out.

There's also several moderately serious bugs that I've discovered (there are videos of some of them on Nico). The bugs and no progressive scan (and the lack of significant additional features) could account for Famitsu's review scores.

It'd be nice if you could elaborate on the bugs.

As for the port's quality affecting the Famitsu scores, let me ask you something: Have you ever actually read any Famitsu reviews? Get me the copy of the magazine where they reviewed Arcana and I'll translate them for you. There's not a chance in hell their complaints have anything to do with the lack of prgressive scan or the bugs (I bet they don't even KNOW what progressive scan is). If I am proven wrong I promise to give you my whole game/system collection, worth easily 70,000 euros right now, if not more.

Hi all, it's my first post, so please be gentle :)

Hi, welcome, and don't worry, everyone's gentle here. The one or two rude bastards that join up once a month I make sure to throw out before they get a chance to annoy anyone.

PS you also played a large part in me buying Ketsui recently, as did GaijinPunches comments on another forum :oops:

Wish I could play that game right now.

[markedkiller78]

Well thanks for the welcome :D I've still not been home to play Ketsui, but I am so looking forward to it

To answer the q's

Hey where di you order Arcana Hearts at?
I own a Naomi cab at my parents house and would love to pop one in there.

Fujitacommunication.com. It’s 50000 yen for the Full Version, BNIB

Plus how much did you pay for Ketsu?
I want to play this game but can't find someone who is selling their's for under $1000 :(

More than $1000. It ended up costing $1040 with shipping, commision etc. It does come with some art though, so now I can look forward to searching for the missing bits :)

[icycalm]

I've uploaded some fanart I found on the internets:

http://insomnia.ac/archive/games/custom ... art/fanart

Original links:

http://yaplog.jp/ml-blog/archive/26
http://yana.bufsiz.jp/0701.html
http://kei-garou.net/blog/archives/2006 ... t_166.html
http://kei-garou.net/blog/archives/2006 ... t_167.html
http://www5f.biglobe.ne.jp/~okacyu/
http://www16.ocn.ne.jp/~jingrock/e/burumaninja.jpg
http://windtone.jp/diary.cgi?mode=comment&no=74

A couple of them are not so hot, but most are pretty damn awesome. There are a lot more out there but these are the best ones I've found so far.

[CosMind]

Arcade sticks are by definition digital. The only analog "arcade sticks" you'll see are made by some no-name US and European companies and sold to ignorant Westerners in discount electronics shops. Perhaps even in game shops, I don't know. But certainly Hori wouldn't be caught dead making one.

really? shoot, thanks for that education, honestly. i was under the assumption that most manufacturers would produce the analog slop - which is why i've always looked up to hori's nice clickity arcade sticks. it's cool to know that most others make them the same way, too. perhaps i'll actually give some others a try without simply passing them off before hand as i always have.

[CosMind]

big news for the NAers around here (like myself).
atlus is localizing this puppy and dropping it into our hands on april 8th, '08.
and, for only two-nine-two-nine bones :D

this news came soaked in some personal coincidence-iality that most of you won't care to know about - but that i'll spit anyways, since it's something that we can all likely relate to.

i was literally 5 minutes away from (finally) ordering myself a copy of the japanese rev. play-asia.com posted the game as their weekly special, and i had two 5 dollar down coupons from my recent snatchings of ddp: doj and rhythm tengoku. what better time to grab the 2d fighter i've been jonesing to try out for so long?

so, i jumped by my gmail prior to hitting up p-a for the grab. and, what sits in my in box? a mail from my buddy linking me to the breaking news that the game is being loc'd and base priced quite nicely.

now, i figured that the Father digs Him some gaming goodness, but i wasn't sure if He was watching out for His gamers until now :P