Tokyo Jungle - PS3

Tokyo Jungle was released in Japan last week and while I was tempted to import the retail version thanks to its amazing box art, I bought the downloadable version instead from the Japanese PSN as it was much more convenient. I've now put a few hours into the game so I thought I would share some of my initial thoughts and explain a wee bit about what is going on.

It's a weird and wonderful game where you initially control either the cover mascot - a Pomeranian dog - or a deer and make your way through the post-apocalyptic streets of Shibuya, trying to survive in the crumbling city.

Although there are three modes: Survival, Story and Multiplayer, most of my time over the last few days has been in Survival.

Here, you not only have to fend for yourself on the mean streets of Toyko - which are filled with dogs, cats, chickens, tigers, warthogs, rhinos and a large assortment of other wild animals - but you also have to keep an eye on your hunger meter, which is constantly draining.

Killing other animals and feasting on their remains keeps hunger at bay, although there are stretches of the wrecked city which are devoid of life, which creates panic as you desperately try and find something to eat. Of course, this only applies to carnivores - herbivores have to find plants to survive - not easy, as toxic clouds hang heavily over the land from time-to-time, poisoning you and the city's plant life.

No matter what animal you choose - there are 52, although 50 of them have to be unlocked - you can defend yourself with bites, kicks and swipes. There are plenty of peaceful enemies who will scamper away from you as you approach but it is possible to sneak up on them and take them down. Even if you find yourself chased by a vicious pack of wolves, you can hide in patches of long grass which pepper the city streets. These grassy areas are also useful for sneaking up on - or around -other animals.

The goal in Survival is to stay out of harm's way for as many years as possible but with so many creatures out to get you, death is inevitable. Thankfully, you can mate with a female member of your chosen species, which gives your bloodline a much better chance of survival. Die, and the next animal who loyally follows behind your character, takes over.

Finding a mate takes a bit of work, though. First you have to mark your territory which brings females into the area. But to impress them, you have to rank up to "boss" status before she'll have anything to do with you.

While you pad about the crumbling metropolis, you'll find a variety of objects and items to help you on your way. Medical supplies can be pilfered, while a mind-boggling assortment of clothes can be found and worn - each item giving your character stat boosts. Hats, jackets and shoes can be found but once you die, these items are gone forever.

You'll also find SD cards on your travels and snaffling these unlocks new chapters in the story mode. I've not put much time into the story but from what I've played, it's pretty simple stuff.

All the menus are in English, although the rest of the text is in Japanese. As a result, I'm still not sure how to unlock other animals but I'm sure I'll figure it out. That said, the gameplay is straightforward and the language barrier really doesn't pose much of a problem.

Tokyo Jungle has already thrown up some moments which made me laugh. Watching a pack of domestic cats attacking a bear was one highlight, as was the sight of a Godzilla-sized fish slumped against the side of a building in central Tokyo.

It's certainly not the best game I've played this year, although it is definitely the weirdest and I'm very much enjoying my time with it. With so much to unlock and the promise of dinosaurs prowling the streets in the future, I'll be putting plenty more time into Tokyo Jungle.

A Western release was confirmed at E3 last week, although no release date has been mentioned. Toyko Jungle costs 3900 yen from the PSN, while the retail version weighs in at around 4200 yen.

Sakura Wars: So Long, My Love - Wii

This title from the makers of PS3 classic Valkyria Chronicles isn't your typical role-playing game.

Where most Japanese RPGs focus on a po-faced, spiky-haired protagonist suffering from amnesia, this 2010 release takes great delight in dispensing with this tried and tested formula, resulting in a refreshing take on the genre.

Part turn-based strategy game, part social interaction/dating sim, Sakura Wars is full of chirpy anime characters, giant robots, animated cut scenes and a nonsensical plot which twists and turns through an alternative 1920's New York.

Taking control of Shinjiro Taiga, the son of a Japanese general, you are sent to the Big Apple to assist the New York Combat Revue in their battle against an evil force.

The first three hours or so are spent ploughing through a multitude of conversation topics, with only one battle tutorial to break up a slideshow of anime stills and crude 3D free-roaming sections. Persevere, though, and Sakura Wars blossoms into an engaging and highly entertaining game.

The story runs over a series of chapters, which are delivered in a similar style to a TV series. Each chapter throws up the usual assortment of dialogue trees, but Sakura Wars shakes the formula up by giving the player a limited time to make their conversation choice.

This quick-fire approach means you sometimes have to skim over the choices, leading to a variety of outcomes.

Where the system doesn't work so well is when you are tasked with manually twisting the left analogue stick and the D-Pad on the Wiimote within a tight time frame to achieve objectives. The controls here are less than responsive and lead to moments of frustration.

However, despite some control wobbles, underneath the sugary-sweet anime coating lies a robust and enjoyable strategic battle system.

Here, much like Valkyria Chronicles, the player has a limited range of movement before they can choose to attack. It's a deep and absorbing chess-like experience, with each move running the risk of leaving a squad member exposed.

The battles don't occur every five minutes, either. Instead these epic fights end the chapter, meaning if you don't warm to the story or the friendship building, you could find yourself extremely bored.

While each character has their own range of special moves, links can be created between two units, which increases your firepower. These start off relatively weak, but can be beefed up by interacting with your squad mates between skirmishes.

Forging relationships with the rest of your squad echoes Atlus's Persona games, but it never feels quite as complete. It certainly doesn't detract from the experience, but it just fails to match these PS2 classics.

Sakura Wars' visuals are a mixed bag, with the clean-cut character portraits and epic battles taking most of the plaudits. The blurry backgrounds and rough-looking free-roaming sections unfortunately don't fare quite so well, especially as the game doesn't run in progressive scan mode.

The biggest surprise of all, however, is the fact the game has been released in Europe at all. For years, games such as Sakura Wars were destined only for the Japanese market, so it's refreshing to see NIS America take a chance on such a niche title in the West.

You should be able to find Sakura Wars at a low price these days, so if you see it, snap it up.

Densha de Go!

Taito's Densha de Go! is a series that has always fascinated me. It's a name that kept cropping up as I explored the world of Japanese videogames.

All I knew about it was it was a game featuring train driving. Deciding to explore further, I imported Densha de Go! Pocket: Osaka Kanjousen Hen on PSP from Japan around three years ago to see for myself what the game was about. Since then, I've become something of a Densha de Go! nerd...and I'm not even vaguely interested in trains!

The common misconception is that Densha de Go! is a strict train driving simulation. In actual fact, it's more of an arcade game with simulation aspects.

Basically, the aim of the game is to get passengers to their destination on time. When you are driving, you must obey speed limits and ensure the passengers are safe and happy.

As you journey along the route, marker points are set out. These require you either reach a certain speed or pass the marker point at a certain time on the clock.

When you approach a station, you must bring the train to a gradual and gentle stop within a set zone. Failure to do so will anger passengers and you'll be docked points for sloppy driving. At the end of the route you are given a score and graded, and the aim is to get a gold star rating.

Not only does the series feature different trains, the game also takes place at various times of the day and night. Densha de Go! also features weather conditions such as rain and snow, which affects how quickly you can stop the train.

Densha de Go! has been released on various platforms, including the Game Boy Colour, Dreamcast, PlayStation 2 and even in Japanese arcades. However, it has never - as far as I'm aware - been released in the West.

Densha de Go! Final on PS2 - in my mind the best version of the series - introduced a new scoring mechanism where you would accumulate ‘chains’ depending on how well you had driven the train. Final also features the most comprehensive amount of routes and really is the definitive version of the series.

Despite the fact the graphics are looking slightly dated, driving at dusk in the rain is very atmospheric and some of the lighting effects are very nice, too.

The other version I have on PS2 is Densha de Go! Shinkansen, which gives you control over the famous Japanese bullet train. Unfortunately, due to the high speed and space between stations, it can get a little boring - although you can unlock pictures of Japanese landmarks, sweets and what Japanese train drivers eat for their lunch!

When the PS3 launched in Japan, one of the first games you could get was Railfan. It uses Blu-Ray footage of actual train lines in Japan and Chicago. While it's fun, it doesn't really capture the charm of Final on PS2. In fact, I haven't played it recently, so I should really dust my copy off and take another tour around Chicago.

Densha de Go! is definitely something of an acquired taste, but it's pretty straightforward to play, and the language barrier shouldn't throw up many problems. It's great fun, strangely compelling, and has become one of my favourite series from the Far East.

For people interested in importing, the Densha de Go! Pocket series on PSP is the best place to start. As the PSP is region free, it's probably the most accesible way for Western gamers to experience the series.

Aquanaut's Holiday - PS1

No sooner had I blogged about the return of Aquanaut's Holiday on PS3, when, to my amazement, I discover the original PS1 game was released this morning via the Japanese PS3 store for 600 yen.

My original copy has been misplaced somewhere down the line, and it's a game I've been looking out for over the last few years...to no avail. But tonight I downloaded it again and have put an hour or so into it.

OK, so it's nowhere near as polished as Endless Ocean on Wii, and the draw distance is pretty poor, but it's still got that old magic. Due to the game's minimalist sound effects and eerie music, Aquanaut's Holiday has a sombre atmosphere. But just travelling through the sizeable ocean, peering out into the gloom in search of some landmark or sign of life is as compelling as it was back in 1996.



Each of the pad's shoulder buttons emits a sound. The sealife you encounter all have their favourite sound and when played, they will dance. Squids rotate 360 degrees, while starfish twirl around on the sea bed. You can also set probes anywhere in the ocean which you can then hop between to cut down on journey times. This is especially useful for returning to a point of interest.

As for the points of interest, there are many - from huge stone faces on the sea bed, to mysterious footprints in the sand.

It's been a while, so I'll need to play around with it a bit more to jog my memory about creating a coral reef to attract different species, as right now, I'm puzzled. Still, the game is pretty self-explanatory and although the game is from the Japanese store, menus are in English, with only a smattering of Japanese throughout. Plus, there's the bonus of being able to play it on my PSP. Fantastic!

Boku no Natsuyasumi 3 - PS3

This was one of the first games I bought for my PS3. I was intrigued after watching a video clip of the game, and, as it seemed to have elements of Nintendo's Animal Crossing, I just couldn't resist.
    The game places you in control of a young boy named Boku, who is staying at his aunt and uncle's farm in the countryside of Hokkaido, Japan, for the summer.
    Arriving by train, Boku gets to spend the whole month of August exploring, swimming, and playing in the areas surrounding the farm. He'll get to meet and interact with other characters, and the aim of the game is to allow Boku to have a memorable and fun-packed summer holiday.


It's all very laid back, and you are free to spend your time as you see fit. For example, you could wander down to the local river and dive in, searching the depths for collectable bottle tops, grab your bug net and collect beetles, butterflies and insects, help out on the farm, slide down the surrounding green slopes on a tray, do a spot of fishing, or play your friends at beetle sumo - what you do is entirely up to you.
    Of course you'll have to be back in time for dinner and if you don't hit the hay before 11pm, you'll sleep in and miss morning exercises with the rest of the family the next day.


    Boku no Natsuyasumi looks beautiful. From the hand-painted backgrounds to the clean, fresh look of the characters and interiors, every screen is a joy to look at. The gorgeous style of the game really drives you on to explore new areas, as you never know what will be around the next corner.
    There are also a few options to customise Boku's look. You can download dozens of colourful T-shirts from the Japanese PlayStation store for free and more customisation is also possible thanks to the T-shirt design tool, which is also available for free from the same source.
    The Japanese audio and text can throw up a few problems, but as the game is so laid back, it's almost impossible not to find something to keep you occupied, even if you don't understand the many conversations. There's also little point holding out for a western release, as previous games in the series (for PS1 and PS2) have never been translated into English. So it's just as well the PS3 is region free, so importing isn't a problem.

Tori no Hoshi: Aerial Planet - PS2

When Japanese software company Nippon Ichi release a game, it's always worth taking a closer look. After all, they are the team who brought us the excellent strategy RPGs Disgaea: Hour of Darkness and Disgaea 2: Cursed Memories on PS2. Not only that, but they released Disgaea: Afternoon of Darkness on PSP earlier this year, while Disgaea 3 is set for an autumn release Stateside on PS3.

Tori no Hoshi on PlayStation 2 doesn't seem to have anything in common with their turn-based RPGs, instead it focusses of the beauty of flight. Taking contol of Hugo, you make your way over a watery planet courtesy of your glider, and explore a variety of islands. It looks as though there are plenty of places to discover and stormy conditions to avoid as you hop from island to island.

It certainly has shades of the Nintendo classic Pilotwings, and in the absence of any next-gen version of that particular franchise, this could well fill a gap in the market. However, there is no word yet if Nippon Ichi will release the game in the west, so importing it from Japan is your only current option. Look out for more information in the coming weeks.

Shiki-tei - PS3

I've been playing around with the wonderful Shiki-tei over the past few days. Essentially a gardening sim, Shiki-tei (Four Season Garden) is currently only available from the Japanese PlayStation 3 store and costs 1500 yen.

There are five basic gardens to choose from, from traditional Japanese to a more contemporary design. Once you've chosen your basic garden, it's time to get busy.

Objects such as trees, plants, flowers, tables, chairs, lights etc can be placed anywhere around the garden. Initially there are only a few of each to choose from. However, by placing new objects and planting trees and flowers, new items are unlocked - from gazebos and benches, to trees, flowers and water features.



Holding down the 'X' button speeds up time, allowing your plants to flourish (although they will eventually die), while holding down 'O' does the opposite and rewinds time. For best results it is best to leave the garden to do its own thing.

If you leave the game alone for two minutes (default), you'll get a gentle fly through your garden, with the camera focussing on objects of interest.

It is a beautiful looking package, and the lighting effects are gorgeous. A bright, sunny afternoon can quickly change to a blustery evening, snow can fall in an instant and gentle rain can leave your garden looking green and lush. There is also a day/night cycle in place, so stars peek out from behind the clouds, while the moon slowly arcs over the horizon.



As you plant, place and grow, animals of all shapes and sizes visit you idillic little patch. The first to arrive is a koi carp (if you have water, obviously) but he's soon followed by owls, ducks, and starlings. That's all I've encountered so far, but I'll keep you posted as more creatures come my way.

As you would expect, the music is suitably soothing, although there is the option for custom soundtracks, which is a welcome addition.

Then there's the camera mode, which allows you to save pictures of your garden to your PS3's hard drive - pefect for desktop wallpapers. There is also the option to upload your pics on to the Shiki-tei server and you can browse through other people's creations via the in-game menu screen.

There's no word of a UK release yet, however I'm confident that Shiki-tei will eventually make it to these shores sometime in the future.