Ani-Culture.net » Games

Katawa Shoujo: Update the Outdates (incl. guide!)

cx3907 — Mon, 14 May 2012 04:00:38 +0000

With the crippled jokes getting old, let’s finish this.

A quick recap:

This thing showed up out of nowhere in 4chan on 4th January 2007, influencing users to generate tons of ideas, from love stories to bad ends… and effectively uniting them to produce an actual (free) game that we hold in our hands today.
The original omake was created by RAITA of Zettai Shoujo in Comiket 61, back in December 2000. No one knew who colored it though.
Four Leaf Studios was formed by amateurs of varying nationalities and backgrounds, and it took them 5 years of painstaking efforts to bring about (some may call it “tear-jerking”) one of the most mature (in the right way) stories in the sub-culture.

The protagonist, Hisao, suffers from arrhythmia which triggered a heart attack during a snowy winter when his crush confessed to him. Well, it sent him to the hospital where he spent months for the sake of being ‘observed’.As the story goes, his rethinking and personality change would depend on the player.
Cue it.

On a side note, Misha's infamous laughter is prominent in my class...

Hard to think of them being at least 18.
To make things easier, I would not disclose any thoughts about the characters for I disabled the adult content.
Just kidding, read on.

First and last impressions are that Emi is a very fun girl. Being an optimistic athlete, she strives to become the best runner… without legs.
Her route portrays typical teenage love relationships, and I’m rather surprised by the number of *censored* FLS has made for her route. Sure made this a tolerably realistic potrayal…Of course, it is without dere-dere moments, plights and seriousness.

Hanako’s route presents probably the best psychological story in this game. Hanako is scarred, both physically and mentally, which brought her to extreme self-consiousness.
FLS made the narration captivating and immerses the player into the story. ’nuff said. However, the eventual relationship between Hanako and Hisao subsequently form under equal terms, rather than the very much predictable protective character than one would lazily depict.

Unfortunately, my say is that Lily’s route feels like a regular love story. The good points about her story are it is easily adaptable, and (almost!) free of friction and conflicts. Here’s a backup if this is too short.

One word to describe: Complex. I had to quote someone else:

Hidden Text	Select Show
I haven’t commented much on Rin’s path. Mostly because… I don’t know what to make of it. I actually like Rin… But at the same time, I understand… The part of me that is an artist, feels it… That disorder, those thoughts that cannot be conveyed through words, and sometimes not even pictures. It’s hard. Very hard. I also remember how the pressure breaks that… How it transforms you. How responsibilities and emotional turmoil can drive you into extremes. It reminds me of the times I tried to jump into traffic, or the times I have, repeatedly and literally, hit my head against the wall because I cannot take the pressure building inside me. Weird, hard to explain emotions. And it’s even harder to find someone who can understand them, even if it’s just a little. You drive the people around you crazy, because they don’t get why are you angry, or sad, or acting just plain weird. The anger, confusion, and sometimes disdain of your loved ones, all because your mind is actually working in another place, a place very different from what they call Reality. It’s tough. You seek to be understood, to not stand alone all the time… But… You cannot. There’s a wall… Between you and the rest of the world. A wall that is made of impossibilities, of contradictions, of disorganized ideas, of pure raw creation, that makes you live at least a part of your life in a place where things don’t actually exist. Nothing can bring that wall down. Absolutely nothing. Because it’s what makes you tick, what makes you work. and the closer they try to get to you, the more it will hurt them because its a wall that is made of broken things of you

Hidden Text

Select Show

I had fun imagining Hisao trying to “talk” to Shizune while Misha was grinning beside them.
Shizune, being the student council president, some may call her cocky, while others call her tsundere, well, later in the story one might feel like Keima. While Misha is being hyper and all, there is no harem involved as the story is supposed to be focused on Shizune herself. Story’s as straightforward as her.

Final thoughts:

This game can be easily compared with any of Key’s visual novels
(eg. Air, Rewrite, Clannad, Kanon)
Although made by a bunch of amateurs, Katawa Shoujo is a very psychological visual novel, which screws with our misleading image of everyday life. It even became a subject of study in Panola College by Professor Don Martinez due to its “redemptive” ability. Impressive, and overwhelming indeed.
Disability aside, Katawa Shoujo is more about dealing with personal problems, making it even more compelling and appealing as a whole. (Even the disabled wish to be able to live independently too!)
…but the M18 made it unappealing to some.

Now, since you have read your way to here…

I don’t know if it’s a bug or not (Mac ver.), but the presplash never showed up…
FLS was kind enough to set up a shimmie, but NSFW:
…While the full version remain untranslated…:
…And FINALLY the entire walkthrough to the game! (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

Right-click “save as” to download (2MB)
Cypher (づ｡◕‿‿◕｡)づ・。*。✧・゜゜・。✧。*・゜゜・✧。・゜゜・。*。・゜*✧
…signing off.

“神様　ありがとう
運命のいたずらでも
めぐり逢えたことが
しあわせなの ”
“Dear God, thank you
Even if it’s just destiny pulling a prank on me
I’m so glad of the fact that
We both had met”
–Renai Circulation

Cardfight!! Vanguard VGE-BT06 Review

Xenoedge — Sat, 12 May 2012 12:41:58 +0000

Now we all know that 12 May marks the day that VGE-BT06, better known as the English version of BT-06 Cardfight!! Vanguard booster box, release in Singapore. This set will also be released internationally on 19 May, 1 week after its initial release in Singapore. Without any further time wasting, let us look into some of the cards presented in this set.

For this set, it is a major boost for the 2 new clans, Gold Paladin and Narukami. This set also presents some refreshing upgrades to minor clans such as Granblue and Nova Grappler. Most of the core cards for the new clan, Angel Feather, can be found in this set too.

First I shall go through both Gold Paladin and Narukami. For these 2 clans, you should look out for the new and powerful grade 3 for each clan.

For Gold Paladin, there is the Incandescant Lion, Blond Ezel. The effect of this card are that it gains a boost for each of the rear guard you have on the field. For its limit break, after counter blasting 2, you reveal the top of your deck. If it is a Gold Paladin clan unit, you can call it to an empty rear guard circle and adds the power of the unit to the card. If you are lucky and reveal a unit with a 10 000 power, this unit can easily overkill its opponents.

For Narukami, you have the Dragonic Kaiser, Vermillion. The most interesting thing about this unit is its limit break. After counter blasting 2, the card can then attack all of the frontal units of your opponent field. This means that as long as this unit’s power is higher than the lowest power of the opponent units, the attack will be successful. An example would be that if your vanguard is 11 000 and the two rear guards are 10 000 power, assuming that Dragonic Kaiser has attacking power of 10 000, the attack will be successful on the two rear guards but not the vanguard. There are a few things to take note. Since this unit is targeting all the frontal units at once, the opponent is unable to use those units as intercept. This is a good limit break as it force your opponent to guard his vanguard and rearguard indiviually which result in draining of your opponent’s hand size.

Now for the upgrades available for Nova Grappler and Granblue.

Granblue currently has a lot of different cards available in this set but I will be only going through the 2 major units that I am particularly interested in.

First up is the grade 3 unit called Necromancer of the Ice Prison, Cocytus. This card has a limit break which increases 5 000 power when you have 4 damage, which makes it very valuable as a vanguard. The other ability takes place when you ride this unit, after counter blasting 1, you can call a unit from the drop zone to an empty rear guard circle. Given the normal Granblue playing style which forces the player to discard cards from the deck to the drop zone, this card allows a great variety of units to be called back up to the field.

The other card is another grade 3 called Death Seeker, Thanatos. It has a rearguard ability that after hitting the vanguard, counter blast 1 and retire itself. Then, call another Granblue unit other than itself from the drop zone to any rearguard circle. What makes it interesting is that this can allow you to attack more than 3 times during your turn.

For Nova Grappler, you can create a main play style of using the Divine Beast style from this set. The grade 0 unit allows you to stand a unit with Divine Beast in its name when you boost with it and hit. While the grade 1 and 2 allows you to look for the grade 3 Divine Beast from the top 5 of your deck which helps you save a card in your hand. As for the grade 3 Divine Beast, Azure Dragon, it is the first Nova Grappler to have what we called persona blast in the Japanese series. The cost to play the effect is to drop the same card from your hand into the drop zone. For this unit’s ability, it allows you to stand 2 rearguards, which is a good combo to use and hit in as the second attack during your turn.

Now for the new clan, Angel Feather. This clan has a very interesting play style to it. Firstly, you have the combo of using Miracle Feather Nurse style until grade 2. Then, for grade 3, you ride Cosmo Healer, Egodiel as your vanguard. This card’s persona blast can be quite tough to pull off as it allows you to heal 1 damage off your drop zone so I doubt most opponent will let it go through.

Another interesting thing is that there are grade 1 and 2 units that allow you to guard and also at the same time change a card from your hand with your damage zone. We have all encountered at some point where the cards you need are in the damage zone so these 2 units can be a lifesaver.

For another grade 3, we have the option of a limit break style which allows you to take 1 card from your damage zone into your empty rear guard circle and then taking 1 card from top of the deck into your damage zone.

For these 3 new clans, the perfect guards are also included inside this set as well.

This is all I have for this current volume. Look forward to the next one which will be the extra booster expected to be released soon.

Cardfight!! Vanguard TD05/06 review

Xenoedge — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 05:02:29 +0000

It has been quite a while since the release of booster box vol. 2 of Cardfight!! Vanguard. The start of this new season is also the start of the new season of Vanguard the anime.

For this new season, another new effect is also introduced to the game and thus the recent release of the 2 new trial deck from the anime. They are called Slash of the Silver Wolf, used by Aichi, and Resonance of Thunder Dragon, by Kai,. Without any further waiting, let us start on looking at the deck.

For these 2 new decks, 2 new clans and a new effect are introduced. The clans are Gold Paladin and Narukami and the new effect introduced is called Limit Break. Basically for this Limit Break to become active, a certain amount of damage must first be taken. When the condition is met, the player can then pay the cost to activate the effect. An example would be to counter blast or soul blast depending on the requirement cost.

For these 2 decks, players are given the standard 4 different triggers, which are heal, critical, stand and draw. For the deck structure, both decks are similar to each other but there are a few unique cards with awesome abilities that you will rely on a lot. Let us take a look for some of those card now.

For grade 3, players have the choice of these awesome units to ride. For Gold Paladin, it will be the Great Silver Wolf, Garmore and for Narukami, it will be the Thunder Break Dragon.

These are the only 2 units that have the limit break effect, which allow you to increase another 5000 power when attacking, increasing the strength of their attacks greatly. For their second effect, Garmore will be able to call 1 more unit to the rearguard while Thunder Break Dragon allows the player to retire a grade 2 or below rearguard from opponent’s field. Sadly, there is only 1 of each card in each trial deck and they are also trial deck exclusive cards.

With these 2 units as the vanguard, the rearguard used to support them will have to be Charjgal and Dragon Dance, RaiRai. After paying the additional cost when supporting these grade 3, the effect will give another additional 5000 power increasing the grade 3 power to 26000 power. This is pretty much overkill in my opinion.

For the grade 2 and 1 in Gold Paladin, most of their unit effects are quite common and so it doesn’t really have any cards that stand out. Whereas for Narukami, you can try riding Djinn of the Lightning Spark for Grade 1 and Djinn of the Lightning Flare for grade 2. These 2 units are quite special as they are only able to attack the vanguard, and when attacking as the vanguard, they gain additional 4000 power. Therefore these two units would do better called as a vanguard than rear guard.

That is all the tips I have for this review. See you guys next time on my next review for the upcoming new booster box!

Macross Cross SP de Culture

nbcwarrior — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 06:32:44 +0000

Ever wished you can play Macross games on your smart phones?
Well, now you can BDNA, the joint venture between the publisher Namco Bandai Games and the social game company DeNA will be releasing the “Macross Cross Sp de Culture” . Also revealing changing the venture name to BNDeNA.

NAMCO BANDAI Games Inc., DeNA Co., Ltd. and their joint venture company BDNA Inc. rebranded BDNA as BNDeNA Inc. The new name represents the two companies’ commitment to combine their strengths.

It’s free game to be downloaded, however you will required a mobage account to login and play the game. However there are certain elements that need to be unlocked with pre-payment.

Although the game is titled as a social, not a casual game that can be played with a single button, it will incorporate elements of both action shots. The tentatively titled social game will not be a casual game which can be played with one button, but a game that incorporates both shooting and action elements.

It will be using the Unity Game Graphics for 3-D effects. For the movements of the singer characters, the game will use “Live2D” technology that Namco Bandai has used in Haruhi Suzumiya, Oreimo, Haganai & Tokimeki Girl’s games to animate 2D graphics as if they were 3D.

The game will also be featuring the Singers and Mecha from the Macross Series. There are 3 elements in the game the Singer,My Machine and Battle.

http://www.bndena.co.jp/macross/

The game is expected to be released soon so let’s wait for it.

In the mean time let’s figure out how to get a mobage account.

Cardfight!! Vanguard English Booster Vol 2 Review

Xenoedge — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 06:30:49 +0000

Hi everyone. It has been quite some time since I did a post on Vanguard cards. As you all know, the English version of booster box vol. 2 was released on 7^th March. I was not able to write this sooner due to all my personal matters but at least I got to writing this. Without any delay, let start on checking out what good cards there are in this volume right now.

First off, there are 2 new grade 3 units for Kagero clan player.

Personally I would choose Sealed dragon Blockade as the vanguard between this 2 as the effect is easy for new players to understand compare to Blazing Flare Dragon where players must know how to manage soul charging.

For royal paladin clan players, there will be a new grade 3 for you all that is powerful enough for you to compete with other clan player as compare to using Alfred. The card is none other than Soul Savior Dragon.

This unit gets an additional 3000 power when attacking a vanguard and when it is called down as your Vanguard, you may pay the cost to add 3 rearguards with an additional 5000 power. Good for using as a final turn card.

For Oracle Think Tank players, there is the card Silent Tom which is recommended to be use as your rearguard all the time as it prevents your opponent from using a grade 0 unit as guard.

For Nova Grappler, this volume includes a perfect guard.

To players who are looking for new clan to play, they can try out Granblue and Spike Brothers here as card like their grade 0 starter, powerful grade 3 and also perfect guard are already included in this volume as well. As a teaser, the Granblue grade 0 starter is already found in the booster box volume 1.

These are the advice and tips I have for this volume. As the saying goes “Nothing ventured, nothing gained”, if you try out everything, you can find your own unique playstyle and combos.

Last and finally, the upcoming booster which is BT06 for the Japanese version will be renumbered as BT03 for the English. This will help give English card player a fighting chance against Japanese card players as this volume will include new effects as well.

Note: Clicking on the card image will bring you to the english translation site for the card effect.

Until next time, continue to cardfight vanguard!

SG Real Escape Game Vol. 2!

cx3907 — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 13:15:44 +0000

It is back! xD

If you haven’t checked out the official Facebook page of REGinSingapore, then here’s the latest news!
Volume 2 will be held at *SCAPE Warehouse in May 11-13 (Friday-Sunday), and themed “Escape from The Werewolf Village”.

Although some of you might have known, this theme was played in Japan, Taiwan and is about to be played in San Francisco. Like all other previous Games, it was well-received and gave players a wonderful experience.

To recap, what is the Real Escape Game?
(Excerpt from tueac’s post)

“Real Escape Game is created by SCRAP, and first played in Kyoto.

It’s a trap room escape game, in real life. The game has gotten quite a cult following with sessions conducted in dome halls with themes like the Sengoku period for the very recent one in Tokyo.

…

The story goes that, you are trap in a room with maybe 75 others, and you are given a clue card that will lead to your freedom. The objective is to find and solve the puzzles inside a room to gain your freedom. In short if you are a person who like answering riddles, solving complex puzzles or just general smart, and you are looking for a challenge, it’s here!

Will you give up about 1.5 hour of your freedom to challenge this difficult game?

Did I mention low winning rate?

Yes I did, on average only 5% of all participants managed to solve and clear the game within the available time based on the previous games and events.

Apparently the game is so difficult that out of 150 participants in an average round only 6 managed to clear it and within it most are returning players for the game. Hint some puzzles are just not as straight forward as it seems.”

Ticketing details for Vol. 2 isn’t out yet, so check out facebook.com/REGinSingapore for more updates.

To top if off, here are some photos from the previous REG =^^=

The winners during tueac's session on a Sunday...

I’ve played it, I’ve won it. If you’re game for it…

…Wait till the tickets are being sold.

Stay tuned~!

“この悪夢から覚めたくなる逃げ出すのなら今よ
包み込まれたらもう無理よ手遅れになっていくだけ”
“I will not wake from this nightmare, If I am to escape it must be now
When it wraps around me it’s useless, It will soon only be too late”
—Strawberry Crisis!!

Namco Bandai Commemorating Macross 30th Anniversary in “Ace Combat Assault Horizon”

nbcwarrior — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 03:45:49 +0000

To commemorate Macross 30^thAnniversary Namco Bandai will be giving pilots out there a special paint job on their F-14D. What’s so special about the F-14s they are pen by Shoji Kawamori the original of the VF-1 series of variable fighters in the first Macross.

F-14D nickname the “Super Tom Cat” a true carrier-based fighter wing large variable. Attractive and dynamic performance superior speed performance, the digitally-controlled variable-sweep wing, stable regardless of the speed range a true symbol just like the Super Dimension Fortress Valkyries.

You will be able to fly the F-14D painted to look like the VF-1J Valkyrie flown by Hikaru Ichijyo in the TV Series (The Super Dimension Fortress)

VF-1J Valkyrie

That’s not all you will also get to fly the F-14D painted to look like the VF-1S Valkyrie known as the “Skull and cross bones” flown by Roy Focker in the movie (The Super Dimension Fortress – Do you Remember Love? )

VF-1S Valkyrie

Delivered in a set of two colour models. Priced ¥600 on PS3 and 400 MSP on Xbox 360. This limited set will only be released in Japan on noon March 21, 2012.

You are probably wondering since they are Valkyries…do they transform?

Sorry Guys, the planes do not transform.

(Well I wished, They did !!)

Katawa Shoujo: Clouds in My Head

cx3907 — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 03:53:17 +0000

Ever done that to someone? =^_^=

I admit, this was my least favourite route in this game…
Especially right after my first prelims. (I’ll talk about it later.)

Couldn't agree more.

Rin, born with arm defects (or simply just stumps), wears a boy’s uniform because using feet with skirts on isn’t cool. At first glance, she’s emotionless — totally nonchalant — but still, she’s a human.
Daydreaming and abstract ideas aside, anyone can easily call her an artist.
But she has no idea why she’s even painting.
Well, that’s up to you to find out. ^^

To the visual side of the visual novel!
Normal:

CG:

No, it isn’t a trap. Rin is a girl. (Though she’s like a guy sometimes. >_>)

I need to gather my thoughts…

“rain　雨が降って
gloomy　傘ひらいて
my shoes　水たまり跳ねあげて
ため息　”too bad…”"
“rain, it is raining
gloomy, the umbrella opens
my shoes, splashed wet by the puddles
I sighed,”too bad”"
–I’m in blue

P.S.:
Yup, I’ve been away for at least 2 weeks already, but only back with this… sigh. ._.
I just had my first preliminary examinations in preparation for my O-Level, that depressed me a little. U_U
Not to mention several parade rehearsals for my school’s upcoming anniversary, and a student’s life is never easy… T.T
Now, I also have to worry when’s my turn to fly the DA40. >_<
Moral of the story: Never stop studying, never take up 2 CCAs.

ADHD version: Cypher just got owned by exams and CCAs.

Street Fighter X TEKKEN Event @ Singapore Flyer

k_ryuuji — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 05:46:16 +0000

There was this event by Gamespot Asia and Playstation Asia, a Preview event for the upcoming game, Street Fighter X Tekken.

It took place at the Singapore Flyer not too long ago in February, I got to also meet the game’s producer, Yoshinori Ono. Thanks to Gamespot Asia for selecting me as one of the lucky few for this event.

Reaching the Flyer, 6.15pm, and it's still bright. Was expecting it to be more darker,

Registration started at 6.20pm in the evening and I had to head down to the Guests Services Lounge at the Singapore Flyer. We wrote our name for a lucky draw which would happen later on in the capsule itself.

Upon reaching there, I recieved a fun pack from Playstation Asia which contained quite few goodies( which I have not opened yet for the truth )

Here's our carriage to the Event, Wait? Event in a capsule? That's Impossible?

The whole ride was 10 mins, which you will be able to try out the preview of the game on the few PS3 consoles inside the capsule of the Singapore Flyer, and get to meet Yoshinori Ono, the game producer himself.

The man behind the game, Yoshinori Ono, Looking good on the event.

Everyone who attended the event got a Street Fighter x Tekken PS3 Wall Poster signed by Yoshinori Ono himself after they entered the capsule.

There was a lucky draw which I was not lucky enough to get any of the prizes, congrats to those who won the prizes on the event. After the lucky draw, we would be able to ask Yoshinori Ono some questions, or try out the game.

Just so you know, most of the people selected were males, but the group I was with had females, which did surprised Yoshinori Ono himself.

The lucky two girls at this event

Got to try the preview of the game and it does looked a little buggy, plus the additional characters like Megaman are not added, which my assumption is that this is just the preview so they would not be placing those inside.

Apparently I lost most of the matches to the others who attended the event, admitting-ly I am not really pro. But getting a feel of this game is really good, which is a good experience on this new gameplay.

I also got to ask Yoshinori Ono questions during the time when they allowed us to take photos or ask him a few questions.

Preview and trying out of Street Figher x Tekken

And the most common answer for “What’s your favourite food? ” has got to be Chicken Rice, and Yoshinori Ono’s favourite got to be Hainanese Chicken Rice, even thou he was only in Singapore for only 2 days. He landed in Singapore on Thursday and would have to board the plane back to Japan, after the event, on Friday.

When It was 6.30PM and the sky’s so beautiful…. Just so Beautiful….

Apperantly, 10 minutes in the capsule of the Singapore Flyer wasn’t so short, there was still time to enjoy the evening sky with the combination of the Singapore City Skyline while getting owned a few more times on the game.

I also got to take a photo with the Chun-Li cosplayer back at the event. Other than that, It was a short but very fun event.

Well, that’s all it seems!

SG: Cardfight!! Festival Day 2

tueac — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 00:15:02 +0000

Mr. Gotou of Bushiroad South East Asia, with special guest Syuuta Morishima, Seiyu and Hironori Hatano(not in Picture), Director of Weiss Schwarz, at the opening ceremony for the WS tournament.

The registration for day 2 closed 10 minutes earlier due to overwhelming respond leading to a full house for the double elimination tournament.

Day 3 will be featuring the girls from SEA*A playing Vanguard. In fact i saw them, Valerie and Estelle today at another event and they are busy sharpening their Card fighting skills. I’m very looking forward to it!

Below are some pictures of the event on Day 2.