All about Japan’s Anti-Violence Game Rating System
Written by from on March 10th, 2010 | 0 CommentsIn Japan, the equivalent of the ESRB is the Computer Entertainment Rating Organization (CERO), the industry outfit responsible for giving content ratings to every console game released in the country. CERO rates based on a scale of five letters: A (all ages), B (ages 12 and up), C (ages 15 and up), D (ages 17 and up), and Z (ages 18 and up only ). That “only” attached to the Z rating has been the source of consternation for many a gamer in Japan. Unlike the ESRB’s “Adults Only” rating, CERO’s Z seems to be applied almost exclusively based on violence standards — if there’s too much blood, you’re out. What’s worse, while a Z on the box isn’t as bad as an AO rating in America (or being refused classification at all in Australia, effectively banning it from shelves), it essentially means that the game cannot be advertised in any public manner within Japan. The situation came to a head recently when Sony’s God of War III was given a Z, even though the first two games both got D ratings in Japan. Game-store owners were, to say the least, miffed. “[The Z rating] basically means I can engage in no practical advertising,” one Tokyo-based store owner blogged last month. “There are no TV ads, no videos playing in the store. The best I can do is put up posters and flyers, but no matter how great the game is, you can’t show what makes it fun with still images. Capcom [the publisher of GOW 1 and 2 in Japan] spent all this time building up the brand, and now it’s all ruined!”
Japan Review Check: Yakuza 4, Bad Company 2
Written by from on March 10th, 2010 | 0 CommentsA recap of the best games due to hit Japanese shelves next week, courtesy of Famitsu magazine’s review pages: – Yakuza 4 (9/10/10/9, 38 points): We haven’t gotten Yakuza 3 quite yet, but the sequel’s already out in Japan, and it’s apparently a scorcher. Everybody loved the new game’s multi-viewpoint storyline to bits. “The heroes are packed with personality,” one wrote. “Each one has different moves, and it’s fun to try exercising all of them during the fights. The story has tons of exciting developments for all four characters, and the way they all tie in together in the final chapter is incredibly hot.” Another reviewer called it a shame that series hero Kazuma Kiryu “doesn’t get much face time,” but “getting the story from four perspectives is fresh and lets you experience the town of Kamurocho in a whole new way.”
Blaze Union Scorches Japanese PSPs
Written by from on March 10th, 2010 | 0 CommentsIf The Lord of Elemental wasn’t enough “strategy RPG prequel coming out May 27 in Japan” excitement for you, your prayers have been answered — also hitting PSP shelves that day is Blaze Union , a brand new Sting-developed tactical RPG that, story-wise, is a prequel to GBA and PSP hit Yggdra Union . Set in the Bronquian Empire before Yggdra came along and unified it for herself, Blaze Union’s story is centered around the Blaze Knight Corps, a rogue army fighting against the land’s corrupt emperor. You control Garlot, leader of the corps, on a series of campaigns against the evil empire, the story branching this way or that depending on your decisions. Like with Yggdra, Blaze’s battles are a mix of strategy-RPG and card action. Before a battle scene begins, you’re tasked with selecting which units and “tactical cards” to send out to the field. The subsequent fighting proceeds a bit like a sword-and-sorcery Advance Wars , with you forming multi-unit Unions to beef up your position and using special charged skills to wipe out enemy advances.
NBC Announces Battlestar Galactica MMO
Written by from on March 10th, 2010 | 0 CommentsBattlestar Galactica is over, but that doesn’t mean NBC is done cashing in. They’re teaming up with Bigpoint to launching Battlestar Galactica Online , a browser-based massively multiplayer game set in the popular universe. “Battlestar Galactica is a supremely gameable intellectual property, with compelling character classes, a fantastic array of ships and weaponry, multiple worlds, and a dramatic storyline,” said vice president and general manager of digital platforms for Universal Partnerships & Licensing Bill Kispert. “We are excited to work with Bigpoint – and our partners at Universal Cable Productions and Syfy – to bring an epic, accessible, and ‘always on’ BSG experience to fans of the franchise and online gamers alike.”
Four Ways Civilization V Justifies Its Existence
Written by from on March 10th, 2010 | 0 CommentsYou don’t mess with Civilization . If you aren’t a Civ fanatic already, then you should know that Civilization is a veritable cornerstone of PC gaming; it’s a franchise that defines the turn-based strategic experience, that exemplifies the “intricate systems interacting with each other to produce addictive gameplay” motif, that invented the “just one more turn” phrase within PC gamers’ minds, and is often named the best game in PC history. Civilization titles are rare — the “okay, this is pretty much the best one, there’s no way to do but down after this” game that is Civilization IV came out way back in 2005. So it’s no small feat for Firaxis to be making Civilization V . Fact is, with a series this storied and iconic, the developers can’t simply get away with making it look prettier and making the number bigger. They have to make a game that makes the five year wait worth it, especially after its near-perfect predecessor. So what will Civ V do? From a recent, 20-minute demonstration, here are four major changes that V is making to justify its existence.
True Crime: What Happens When A Developer Wants To Make The Departed Into A Game
Written by from on March 10th, 2010 | 0 CommentsThere’s a pretty bizarre moment in the original True Crime: Streets of LA where it transforms from an expected hip-hop laden urban crime game into a poor knockoff of Big Trouble In Little China. Instead of remaining consistent, the game decided to stop having you take on thugs, and started having you fight zombies, dragons, and flying skulls. Well, I can safely say that even though I’ve only seen a small snippet of the upcoming (and subtitle-less) True Crime , from the way executive producer Stephen van der Mescht describes it, there won’t be a crazy “why did I go from shooting guys to punching dragons?” moment in this next installment. In fact, True Crime is a complete reboot. Not only is it an entirely new game and locale (not an unfamiliar thing, since the previous two games changed main characters and switched from Los Angeles to New York), but an entirely different developer, United Front Games (the studio behind the upcoming
Final Fantasy XIII Launch Party Photo Gallery
Written by from on March 10th, 2010 | 0 CommentsFinal Fantasy XIII Launch Party Photo Gallery A celebration in San Francisco bringing the cast and creators of Final Fantasy XIII out for the game’s launch. The red carpet entrance to Regency Hall, and the start of the festivities.
Infinity Ward Teases Modern Warfare 2 DLC with "Mapathy" Site
Written by from on March 10th, 2010 | 0 CommentsWe wouldn’t fault you for getting a little sick of the default maps in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 , and neither would Infinity Ward, apparently. The developer began teasing new multiplayer levels today by posting Twitter links to Mapathy.com — a clever little site dedicated to spreading awareness of the intense ennui that accompanies months and months of playing on the same maps. According to the site, a person suffering from Mapathy “no longer derives pleasure from blowing up people hiding in the cockpit or on top of the crane,” and it continues, “More than 20 million people may be at risk for Mapathy.” Assuming you haven’t already jumped ship to Bad Company 2 , those symptoms probably sound all too familiar. Like pretty much every other imaginary ailment with a marketing budget, however, there is a cure for Mapathy: new maps. And according to the teaser site, that cure is headed for Xbox Live on March 30. Infinity Ward’s Robert Bowling assures us that PlayStation 3 and PC users will eventually get their hands on the DLC as well, but that announcement is coming at a later date.
EA Sports Offers Early Look at New MMA Game
Written by from on March 10th, 2010 | 0 CommentsAn early look at EA Sports MMA reveals that Strikeforce will be the main promotion featured in the game. You can compete not only in the Strikeforce hexagonal ring, but also have your fighters pound away at each other in a circle cage or boxing ring. The game’s strike control system, mapped to the right stick, is based on Fight Night ’s “Total Punch” control scheme. Defense also plays a part in the game as you dodge, parry, and duck while moving around the ring. You need to be wary of your fighter’s stamina; as it can be lessened by taking punches to the body, grappling, and also by missing punches you throw.
Square Enix Throws Lavish Final Fantasy XIII Launch Party
Written by from on March 9th, 2010 | 0 CommentsSan Francisco had gone from a sunny weekend to a sudden downpour on Monday night. But not even the chilly bayside winds, drizzle, and bouts of hail could deter those waiting to attend the Final Fantasy XIII launch party at the Regency Center that night, one of the first in a no doubt week long string of events with the annual Game Developers Conference in town. Square Enix employees were of course out in full force with Yoichi Wada, and Motomu Toriyama leading the charge. Others to grace the red carpet that night included Microsoft group director Albert Panello, ESA president Mike Gallagher, SCEA SVP Rob Dwyer, Mark Cerny, Graeme Devine, Corrinne Yu, Chris Taylor, Feargus Urquhart, Playboy’s Jo Garcia, Final Fantasy XIII voice actor’s Ali Hillis and Troy Baker, and many more. The night started off with the red carpet, but the crowd quickly moved into the event’s main hall, which had game kiosks lined up, display cases full of FF13 collectibles and figurines, and character art adorning the walls. Even the tables were branded with “XIII” on the tops. After making sure to pass out possibly the sturdiest and most comfortable pair of 3D glasses I’ve ever worn, Square Enix also debuted a spectacular FF13 trailer in 3D. The baby chocobo that seemingly flew out into the crowd at the end was icing on the cake. The rest of the evening consisted of a lot of chatter amongst the guests, after an on-stage panel consisting of some of the launch party’s VIP guests, with DJ Danny Masterson providing music alongside dancing event babes.