SGcafe Anime News For Otaku Nov 2012 Issue by VR Media Pte. Ltd.

November 4th, 2012

Published by: VR-Zone

SGCafe : Cosplay | Vocaloid | Otaku | Pop Culture A daily publication about Cosplay, Vocaloid, Otaku and Japanese Pop Culture

Final Fantasy Type-0 scenario director Hajime Tabata: English release plans “a clean slate” Source: http://sgcafe.com/2012/11/final-fantasy-type-0-scenariodirector-hajime-tabata-english-release-plans-a-clean-slate/ By KarbyP on November 4th, 2012

In an interview with GameSpot, Final Fantasy Type-0 (PSP) scenario director Hajime Tabata says that Square Enix has taken “a clean slate” in terms of localising the game for US and European gamers. Type-0 was released in Japan October 2011. Will FF Type-0 be localized for North America and Europe? If so, when? Due to market reasons, we are taking a clean slate in terms of our plans. We feel strongly about bringing this title to the fans in North America and Europe, so if an opportunity arises that can become a conclusive factor, we are prepared to go into consideration right away.”

Final Fantasy Type-0 first started life as a mobile phone game when it was announced way back in 2006, under the title “Final Fantasy Agito XIII”. The platform for the game was eventually shifted to the PSP, but the concept of Type-0 remained the same: it would be one of several games under Square Enix’s Fabula Nova Crystallis Final Fantasy project, which would tie all of the titles released under this series with a common mythos (although each game would have its own world and characters). Final Fantasy XIII, XIII-2, Versus XIII, and Lightning Returns are the four other games in the Fabula Nova Crystallis series. Source: GameSpot

MapleSEA Justice launched with “Zen” pirate class; “Phantom” thief class to come November 14 Source: http://sgcafe.com/2012/11/maplesea-justice-launched-with-zenpirate-class-phantom-thief-class-to-come-november-14/ By KarbyP on November 4th, 2012

Depending on your perspective, that localisation plans on the title are a clean slate for now could be a good or bad thing. On the positive side of things, it could mean that Square Enix may be considering to remaster the game for the PlayStation Vita (which would take a considerable amount of work given that the game in its released form used assets and graphical engines designed for the lower specs on the PSP). On the other hand, you could also take the statement to mean that an English version of the game is not going to be announced any time soon. Certainly not before “an opportunity arises that can become a conclusive factor”, whatever that might mean.

The long-awaited has “Justice” content update patch for MapleSEA has finally gone live.

In the meantime, the Japanese version of Type-0 can be purchased digitally via the Japanese and Asian PlayStation Store (it might just be Hong Kong for Asia; I’m not sure if it’s on the Singapore store) and played on your Vita through that route (if only Square Enix would localise and release the title for US and Europe directly through the PlayStation Store…).

; major revamps to all other existing pirate and thief jobs; minor tweaks to all jobs in the Legends, Explorer and Resistance classes; and two new gameplay features – Part Time Job, and Character Class systems.

If you haven’t checked out the free-to-play title in a while, the new patch adds a “Zen” pirate class

November 4th, 2012

The Part Time Job feature allows players to receive benefits for their characters even while they’re offline. Meanwhile, the Character Card system is one additional way for gamers to improve their characters’ statistics and performance in combat.

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This promo movie comes courtesy of Megpoid the Music♯’s official website, which has also listed Rosetta as the fifth song revealed for the game.

Like with most other MapleStory content updates, Justice is split-up into several update patches. Everything described above is in the game as of right now. But come November 14, Justice will introduce a second new class called the “Phantom”. This is a thief-based class who’s backstory is that the character is on a journey to seek revenge for his beloved. On December 5, a new party quest – the Azwan Liberation – will go live. In this quest, players will have to work together in order to free the town of Azwan from the control of a bigbad known as the Black Mage Commander, and his forces of evil. Like with past party quests, players can expect to be rewarded handsomely as they complete Azwan Liberation missions. “The Justice content update has been the talk of town among MapleSEA gamers for months,” Sherman Tan, chairman of Asiasoft Online who runs MapleStory SEA, said. “Many players have been looking forward to the arrival of Phantom, the new thief based class who utilizes the powers of the cane and card. Also, another major content that the gamers have been looking forward to is the major revamp of the Thief and Pirate class. “With most of the other Explorer classes who went through major revamps in the past content updates, now it the time for the Thief and Pirate classes to shine and show off their true prowess in the game,” he added. MapleSEA is a localised version of free-to-play MMO MapleStory for the Singapore, Malaysia and Philippines territories. The client for this side-scrolling 2D online game can be downloadable at its official website here: http:// www.playpark.net/downloads/maplestory/

Megpoid the Music♯’s 1st promo movie has Gumi dancing to the song “Rosetta”

Rosetta was produced by “Tooka-P” or “10 Days P” (10♯P) who’s also known by the name “monaca:factory” (credited for the song’s lyrics, composition, arrangement). Dance choreography for the PV was done by Sacchaso (♯♯ ♯♯♯). Here’s the full version of Rosetta in its original form on Nico Nico Douga, for those of you readers who haven’t had a chance to hear the entire song: <a href=”http://www.nicovideo.jp/watch/sm11970630″ rel=”nofollow” target=”_blank”>♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯GUMI♯ ♯♯♯ ♯ ♯♯♯♯♯♯PV♯</a>Megpoid the Music♯ for the PSP comes out in Japan Spring 2013. No overseas release has been determined.

Perfume 1st World Tour Singapore performance tickets sold for over US $1,000 on Yahoo! Japan Auctions Source: http://sgcafe.com/2012/11/perfume-1st-world-tour-singaporeperformance-tickets-sold-for-over-us1000-on-yahoo-japan-auctions/ By KarbyP on November 4th, 2012

Source: http://sgcafe.com/2012/11/megpoid-the-music %E2%99%AFs-1st-promo-movie-has-gumi-dancing-to-the-song-rosetta/ By KarbyP on November 4th, 2012

If you’re one of those lucky folks who managed to snag a VIP ticket to Perfume‘s Singapore concert, you might be holding on to a piece of paper that could be worth over S$1,000 online – if you’re willing to let go of it, that is.

Megpoid the Music♯ (read as “Megpoid the Music Sharp”) developer ParaPhray today put up the game’s first promo movie, which offers a look at the fantastic animation work they’re doing for the title as Vocaloid Gumi dances to the song Rosetta.

A Yahoo! Japan Auctions user going by the online handle hisanyack put up an auction for a pair of Perfume 1st World Tour Singapore Performance VIP tickets with entry reference numbers somewhere between 201 and 250. As concert-goers would be admitted into the concert location in batches of 50, this meant that the ticket holders would 2

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be part of the fourth group of folks to be admitted, allowing them to view the performance pretty up close. Starting price for these tickets? 8,000 yen (regular retail price for VIP tickets were at S$120). Over the course of the next week, however, the auction price would soon balloon from its humble 8,000 yen starting bid, to well over 80,000 yen (approx. US$1,070). And that’s price per ticket; if you wanted both of the pair, the winning bidder was to pay the same auction price for each of the pair, plus 1,000 yen for shipping.

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Part of that appeal could be due to the “cosiness” of the location; unlike Perfume’s nationwide concerts in Japan, their Singapore concert is said to be a cosy, “standing room only” performance that’s a return to their roots. The high prices at which hisanyack were able to get for his pair of Perfume Singapore performance VIP tickets has prompted a surge in Yahoo! Japan Auctions listings for more tickets – several other users have begun listing GeneralAdmission tickets on the site, although there have not been any bids made for those due to their exorbitant starting prices. Besides the fact that they are, well, General Admission tickets. There is, however, one ongoing Yahoo Japan! Auctions that should prove interesting to watch for in the coming days. User toma09103 has put up an auction for a pair of VIP tickets with an entry reference number within the single digits (001 to 009). Whoever wins the auction for these tickets will literally be amongst the first to go in, and stand in the very first line of the audience.

The much-coveted Perfume 1st World Tour Singapore performance tickets first went on sale at the AFA Shop at Scape shopping mall on October 14 at 10AM on a Sunday morning. J-Live Asia, the organisers for the concert, allotted half of the available tickets to physical shop sales, with the remaining half to be won through online ballots at the concert’s official website. Knowing that the number of tickets would be extremely limited, not only because of the 50% allotment but also of the event venue’s physical size, at least 150 Perfume fans in Singapore queued up overnight to guarantee their victory spoils. And they were right on the money – VIP tickets to the concert were sold out shortly after ticket sales began in the morning, leaving many in the queue disappointed as they had to settle for the S$80 General Admission ticket. By 12 noon, a short two hours after sales began, even the General Admission tickets were all gone. So the fact that the pair of tickets being auctioned online bore an entry reference number between 201 to 250, is a pretty big deal. Judging from the description on the auction page, where it explicitly says that the tickets will only be shipped to Japanese addresses (“from Singapore to your home address in Japan via Kuroneko Yamato express home delivery with package tracking”), we’re assuming that both of the winner bidders are residents of Japan who would be travelling here to watch the performance.

Currently, the highest auction price for these single-digit tickets are at 30,000 yen. But there’s still three more days to the auction’s closing. We’re almost terrified to find out how much these tickets will eventually go for. God help us all. Source: Yahoo Auctions! Japan

Egoist 3rd Single: “Namae no nai Kaibutsu” out on December 5 Source: http://sgcafe.com/2012/11/egoist-3rd-single-namae-no-naikaibutsu-out-on-december-5/

We’re quite surprised to see that even Japanese fans of Perfume – who could always go to see the popular electropop trio perform whenever they go on tour in their home country – were willing to fork out this much money for tickets to the Singapore concert, despite the fact that it would be streamed live to Japanese audiences at 62 theatres all across Japan. 3

November 4th, 2012 By walz on November 4th, 2012

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Psycho Pass Ending theme: Namae no nai Kaibutsu – EGOIST

“Hatsune Miku: Project Diva F” (PS3) teaser site opens; its 6 new songs might make it into Vita version as DLC Egoist composed of Producer: Ryo of supercell and vocalist Chelly (who provided the singing voice of Inori Yuzuriha) following their release of Extra terrestrial Biological Entities just this September 19, will be releasing their 3rd Single Namae no nai Kaibutsu (Monster with no name) on December 5 2012.

Source: http://sgcafe.com/2012/11/hatsune-miku-project-diva-f-ps3teaser-site-opens-its-6-new-songs-might-make-it-into-vita-version-asdlc/ By KarbyP on November 4th, 2012

The CD+DVD set will retail for 1680 Yen while the CD only will be 1223 Yen (tax included for both). The single will be featuring a total of 7 songs, 2 new ones a with their instrumental and tv versions. The DVD bundle will include the music video of Namae no nai Kaibutsu plus the creditless ending of PSYCHO-PASS. ♯Disc1 / CD♯ 01♯prelude 02♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯ (Namae no nai Kaibutsu) 03♯♯♯♯♯♯ (Kanadenaru)

Sega has opened a teaser site for Hatsune Miku Project Diva F, a port of the PS Vita rhythm-action title for the PS3 that will feature six new songs. The developers also shared a new CG visual for the game, as well as the rationale behind the capital “F” in the title.

04♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯ (TV Edit 92s ver) 05♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯ -Instrumental06♯♯♯♯♯♯ -Instrumental07♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯ (TV Edit 92s ver) -Instrumental♯Disc2 / DVD♯ 01.♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯Music Video 02.♯PSYCHO-PASS ♯♯♯♯♯♯Ending ♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯ 03.♯PSYCHO-PASS ♯♯♯♯♯♯Ending ♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯ pre-orders are up on sonymusic.co.jp source: egoist-inori.jp

According to the developers’ blog, they decided to go with a capital “F” for the title not merely because it’s clever, but also that they wanted the title to convey the message that this game is based on the PlayStation Vita’s Hatsune Miku: Project Diva f, but with some a few extra additions and changes. Plus, they didn’t want to make the title any longer which might be hard for people to remember. So what are the changes made in Project Diva F? We’ve already detailed some of them here in yesterday’s post. But the gist of it is that there will be six new songs, as well as new modules based on the image of these songs. There will also be additional module customisation items – in Famitsu magazine’s story, Sega hinted at the possible appearance of a certain character that’s been quite popular with Miku fans lately (very likely to be Mikudayo-san, whose name Sega recently trademarked). With regards to the six additional songs, apparently the developers had originally intended for them to make it into the PS Vita version, but ultimately did not have the time to make the songs under the Vita version’s development schedule. Fortunately, there’s extra development time

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budgeted the for PlayStation 3 port, so they can finally work on those songs and modules. Or so the developers say. With regards to fans who’ve already picked up the Vita version of Hatsune Miku: Project Diva f, Sega says that they are looking into whether or not they could roll out the new songs and modules to the Vita version via DLC. At the moment, the development team is apparently working hard to ensure that as much of the data from Project Diva f can be carried over to Project Diva F, especially with regards to custom creations in Edit mode, and porting your save data back and forth.

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Watch Raiden fight his wouldbe robo-canine pal in this official Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance “technical play movie” Source: http://sgcafe.com/2012/11/watch-raiden-fight-his-would-berobo-canine-pal-in-this-official-metal-gear-rising-revengeance-technicalplay-movie/ By KarbyP on November 4th, 2012

For details and confirmations on that, we’ll just have to wait for a future announcement from the developers. For now, this week’s Famitsu magazine has got interviews with seven creators or members of the development team involved with the Project Diva f/F (Producer, R&D Producer, Director, Lead Programmer, PV Production, Character Modeler, and Rhythm Game Design), so make sure to pick up a copy of the Japanese magazine at your local import book store (if you can). In Singapore, Kinokuniya Books usually have them in on a Friday. Finally, here’s the new CG visual for Project Diva F that they revealed, in which Hatsune Miku stretches out her left hand to the viewer, as if inviting them to join her onto the next stage.

At Gamescom earlier this year, Kojima Productions and Platinum Games revealed LQ-84i K-9000 (code-named Bladewolf), a robo-canine that will eventually assist Raiden in combat – after he’s defeated and reprogrammed, that is. How hard could it be to beat the LQ-84i? Well, for starters, it’s not just a simple robodog – it’s got a chainsaw on its back which its whip-like tail can wield and swing around like a giant, menancing chainsaw katana. Also, the AI on-board the LQ-84i appears to be some sort of bigshot. As you’ll see in this official “technical play movie” below, the LQ-84i taunts Raiden every now and then, and can even summon underlings like soldiers and Metal Gear Gekkos to do its bidding. The footage here is from the same Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance demo that was issued out via a download code to gamers who pre-ordered and bought Zone of the Enders HD Collection/Edition last Thursday (October 25) in Japan, or this past Tuesday (October 30) in the US. So if you’ve already cleared the demo, you probably don’t need to watch it unless you’re looking for tips to beat the boss fight more efficiently. This game just keeps looking better and better. What’s your favourite part of the boss fight? Mine’s near the end when LQ-84i is seen pleading for his synthetic life. Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance comes out for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 (no X360 version in Japan) 19 February 2013.

Source: Famitsu, Sega

Source: Famitsu

Kumi Koda Tops oricon charts with new single Source: http://sgcafe.com/2012/11/kumi-koda-tops-oricon-charts-withnew-single/

November 4th, 2012 By walz on November 4th, 2012

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are priced at 6,280 yen and 5,750 yen for the PS Vita and PSP respectively. Meanwhile, the limited edition will be sold for 11,004 yen for the PS Vita version or 10,479 yen for the PSP one, which may be a little pricey for some, but it comes with a drama CD, a towel, and figure of Misaki Kamiigusa, one of the heroines. Source: mantan-web

Just a week after it was released, Kumi Koda’s new single “Go to the Top” has reached the no.1 spot on the oricon charts, in an odd coas the title itself says it. Since the single’s October 24 release, the has reached more than 55,000 sales.

This is how Tales of Hearts R (PlayStation Vita) looks like with full 3D graphics Source: http://sgcafe.com/2012/10/this-is-how-tales-of-hearts-rplaystation-vita-looks-like-with-full-3d-graphics/ By KarbyP on November 4th, 2012

The new single (which is also the opening theme song of Muv-Luv Alternative: Total Eclipse) marks Kumi Koda’s return to the industry since giving birth to her first son with Kenji03 (lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of Japanese Rock band “Back-on”). “I languished, not knowing what direction I was going to take after life-changing events such as marriage and having a baby,” she said in a statement. “But I decided to come back to the stage and I am thrilled beyond words to be back in the No. 1 spot.” Source: japantoday.com, oricon.co.jp

Sakurasou no Pet na Kanojo to become a PSP and PS Vita game

A few extra details onTales of Hearts R have emerged in this week’s issue of Famitsu magazine. Development work on the game is said to be at the 50% mark, and the combat will feature a new mechanic called “Chase Link” that’s similar to air combos in fighting games. Here’s a scan we found of the Tales of Hearts R feature in this week’s Famitsu (bigger here):

Source: http://sgcafe.com/2012/11/sakurasou-no-pet-na-kanojo-tobecome-a-psp-and-ps-vita-game/ By Kirandra on November 4th, 2012

Sakurasou no Pet na Kanojo, a TV anime series currently on the air in Japan and adapted from the popular light novel of the same name, is due to get a dating game for the PSP and PS Vita. Scheduled to be released on January 24 next year, the game has the player taking on the role of Kanda Sorata, the heroine, whose goal is to win both a game-making contest and the affection of the heroine(s). The story will likely follow that of the anime.

The original Tales of Hearts for the Nintendo DS was rendered mostly in 2D dot-matrix graphics – event cutscenes, on the other hand, were done in a photo-realistic CG style. For the PlayStation Vista remake, Namco Bandai is switching to a different graphics engine that has everything done in a unified 3D rendering style. (In the screenshot above, she’s asking: “Sorata, do you want me?”) The game comes in three versions – standard, limited and downloadable. The standard edition costs 6,804 yen for the PS Vita, and 6,279 yen for the PSP. Downloadable editions

The original’s 2D dot-matrix graphics (as seen in King of Fighters XIII) lent a fighting-game-esque feel to the combat. Namco Bandai Games may have switched to 3D now, but Famitsu says that the developers have tried to preserve that fighting game feel as much as possible.

November 4th, 2012

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Like we mentioned earlier, there will be at least one new play mechanic in the gameâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s combat system: Chase Link. In battle when certain conditions are met, the character you control will go into Chase Link mode, launch the enemy into the air, and follow-up with an aerial rave assault â&#x20AC;&#x201C; during which the camera will close-up on the action.

Finally, although the graphics are in 3D, when characters perform their super attacks, a 2D cut-in animation will occur (pictured right in the above image). These are all newly drawn for the remake. Tales of Hearts R is scheduled to be released for the PlayStation Vita Spring 2013. Source: Famitsu

November 6th, 2012

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SGCafe : Cosplay | Vocaloid | Otaku | Pop Culture A daily publication about Cosplay, Vocaloid, Otaku and Japanese Pop Culture

Hatsune Miku: Project Diva f DLC (Akita Neru, Yowane Haku, Kasane Teto) released on PlayStation Store today [trailer] Source: http://sgcafe.com/2012/11/hatsune-miku-project-diva-f-dlcakita-neru-yowane-haku-kasane-teto-released-on-playstation-storetoday-trailer/ By KarbyP on November 6th, 2012

According to the developers, in the video below you’ll see an “intense” Akita Neru perform in Secret Police, a “sexy” Yowane Haku strut her stuff in Eh? Aa, sou, and a “cute” Kasane Teto bop around in Melancholic. The three of them also come together for wowaka’s Unhappy Refrain after that. Finally, if you want to hear how Neru and Haku sound like (Teto doesn’t have a voice in Project Diva f), stay tuned to the very end.

Final Fantasy Tribute ~Thanks~ CD jacket features characters from FF1 through 13 done in 8-bit style Source: http://sgcafe.com/2012/11/final-fantasy-tribute-thanks-cdjacket-features-characters-from-ff1-through-13-done-in-8-bit-style/ By KarbyP on November 6th, 2012

Hatsune Miku: Project Diva f‘s first DLC pack has been released on the PlayStation Store today – not just in the Japanese store, but also the one for Asia (we checked our Hong Kong and Singapore accounts). The pack, which adds the Akita Neru, Yowane Haku and Kasane Teto modules that are useable in a variety of modes, costs 600 yen in the Japanese store, HK$68 in the Hong Kong store, and S$10.90 for Singapore.

Square Enix today revealed the CD jacket art to the Final Fantasy Tribute ~Thanks~ 25th anniversary commemorative album that’s scheduled to be released December 5.

I do not personally hold PSN accounts for Philippines and the rest of the Asian PSN countries, so I can’t vouch for any of those country-specific PlayStation Stores, but if the game was sold in your home country, chances are the DLC is available in your native PS Store too.

Illustrated by Kazuko Shibuya, who was responsible for the dot graphics and general design for many of the characters, monsters, and backdrops in Final Fantasy I through VI, the CD jacket features 24 of the series’ most popular characters from I to XIII (determined through a fan poll) in 8-bit dot-matrix graphics style, beginning with the cast of Final Fantasy I in the upper-left-hand corner, and finishing with Lightning (FFXIII) on the bottom-right-hand side. Cloud Strife, Sephiroth, Aeris, Squall, Laguna, Zidane, Tidus… they’re all here. This is the first time characters from FFVII and onwards were done in an 8-bit style, according to Famitsu. Here’s what the CD jacket artwork looks like:

Just in case you’re not quite sure whether you should plonk the money down for this DLC pack, Sega has prepared a new trailer in a bid to persuade you. 1

November 6th, 2012

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Rurouni Kenshin movie to hit Singapore theatres 29 Nov, stay tuned for updates and a special SGCafe giveaway! Source: http://sgcafe.com/2012/11/rurouni-kenshin-movie-to-hitsingapore-theatres-29-nov-stay-tuned-for-updates-and-a-special-sgcafegiveaway/ By Rika on November 6th, 2012

A tribute album that celebrates 25 years of the beloved JRPG franchise, Final Fantasy Tribute ~Thanks~ is a compilation of 25 classic FF tracks re-arranged by an assortment of artistes, all of whom are special guest musicians Square Enix extended an invitation to for the occasion. The 25 rearranged tracks are spread across two CDs.

The highly anticipated live-action Rurouni Kenshin film starring Takeru Satoh as the titular samurai, Kenshin Himura, hits Singapore shores at the end of this month!

Today, Square Enix revealed the name of the final guest artiste who would be contributing to the album: Aoi Teshima & De De Mouse (手手手手DE DE MOUSE), who has been enlisted to do a dreamy arranged cover of Final Fantasy XI‘s Melodies of Life, originally performed by Emiko Shiratori.

In conjuction with Anime Festival Asia 2012, Amuse, Inc. has a special zone set up at their booth at this year’s AFA specially for Kenshin fans. Besides having Kenshin’s costume and sakabatou sword prop used in the film will be on display, fans will also be able to catch a sneak preview of the movie before seeing it in cinemas and take pictures with a life-size Kenshin standee, all at Amuse, Inc.’s Rurouni Kenshin zone.

The 2CD compilation V.A. Final Fantasy Tribute ~Thanks~ will be released 5 December 2012 in Japan for a retail price of 3,000 yen.

As a treat, SGCafe will be hosting a giveaway for a few lucky fans very soon! Keep your eyes glued to your newsfeeds for more exciting updates!

Previously, all but one of the artistes were already revealed back when the tribute album was first announced.

First press editions of the tribute album, when purchased at either Tower Records or Village Vanguard stores in Japan, will come with a bonus Rare SQ disc, which contains a further nine tracks. Details on what’s included in Rare SQ will come at a later date. V.A.「FINAL FANTASY TRIBUTE 「Thanks「「Full list of participating artistes (in Japanese): 手手手手手手手手手手手手手手手 / 手 Pia-no-jaC 手 / Drakskip / Kenmochi Hidefumi / DAISHI DANCE / 手手手手手手手手手手 / NOISIAVISION feat. REXER / Sword of the Far East / millstones / So many tears / Serph / 手手手 / Calla Soiled / AVTechNO! / ALLY BAND / SPANOVA / jizue / SchroederHeadz / 手手手手手手手手手 / JABBERLOOP / mudy on the 手手 / Nabowa / Open Reel Ensemble / 25th Anniversary FANCHESTRA / 手手手手DE DE MOUSE

The Elder Scrolls V Skyrim: Dragonborn DLC to hit Xbox Live December 4 Source: http://sgcafe.com/2012/11/the-elder-scrolls-v-skyrimdragonborn-dlc-to-hit-xbox-live-december-4/ By KarbyP on November 6th, 2012

Source: Natalie, Famitsu

Details for the Dragonborn DLC pack for PlayStation 3 and PC Skyrim players have not yet been announced yet, but if you’re on the Xbox 360, you’ll be able to purchase the 2

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new content December 4 for the price of 1,600 MS Points (S $35.20).

Published by: VR-Zone By KarbyP on November 6th, 2012

The third downloadable add-on for Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, in Dragonborn players will travel to and visit the Dark Elves’ homeland of Morrowind – yes, the same Morrowind as Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind – in a quest to take down a rival Dragonborn who’s been collecting dragon souls (after slaying them) for a malicious plot. This DLC pack will also introduce a number of new enemies to fight, and new loot to hoard – including a draconic armour set. Muramasa: The Demon Blade was easily the most beautiful Wii game that I’ve ever played. Although I’ve finish the 2D action game in its entirety, the gameplay and graphics were so ravishing that I would absolutely buy it again on the PlayStation Vita (now that it’s being ported over). These first batch of screenshots that publisher Marvelous AQL have released should give you a sense of the game’s splendour (it’s called Oboro Muramasa in Japan, by the way; “Oboro” meaning “demon blade”).

Today’s announcment of Dragonborn’s pricing and availability for Xbox 360 players – and only them – strikes many as a little strange. Under a deal that developer Bethesda made with Microsoft, the first two pieces of Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim DLC must be made available to X360 owners at least 30 days before they are available on other platforms… but it was supposed to be for the first two: Dawnguard and Hearthfire.

But to truly appreciate the game’s viscerality, you need to see it in motion. Only then will your heart be set aflutter by its fluid, picturesque 2D graphics. This game looked so pretty that I enjoyed running endlessly in one direction for several minutes and looking at the backdrops cascade by. Thankfully you can get a taste of that by heading over to Oboro Muramasa PS Vita’s official website, which let you sample some of the game’s animated backgrounds via the arcane art of Macromedia Flash.

Dragonborn is the third DLC pack, but given that Bethesda did not announce a date for PC users today, could they be counting Dragonborn as the second piece under their deal with Microsoft, since the scale of Hearthfire – a 400-MSpoint that let players buy land, build a house and raise a family – isn’t quite on the same level as Dawnguard and Hearthfire? If that’s the case, then PC Skyrim players can probably expect to see the new content sometime in January 2013. As for PS3 users, well, Bethesda is still working on getting Dawnguard and Hearthfire to you, so there’s no rush! Source: Cinemablend

Oboro Muramasa’s (PS Vita) 1st batch of screenshots do not do the game’s visuals justice Source: http://sgcafe.com/2012/11/oboro-muramasas-ps-vita-1st-batchof-screenshots-do-not-do-the-games-visuals-justice/

November 6th, 2012

Published by: VR-Zone

Set in mythological Japan, and based loosely on the Genroku era in history, Oboro Muramasa or Muramasa: The Demon Blade tells the story of two playable characters – amnesiac ninja Kisuke, and young princess Momohime (accidentally possessed by the spirit of swordsman Izuna Jinkuro) – as they each travel across Japan to accomplish their individual goals. Kisuke starts out from the western part of Japan (Kyo) and heads for the eastern Edo area, while Momohime goes in the opposite direction. The two playable characters only meet once during a hot springs scene somewhere in the middle, and do not know about each other’s quest. However, as players eventually find out, their fates are actually related. Throughout their journeys, players will get the chance to collect up to 108 different demon blades, each possession different attack and super moves. At the moment, not too much has been unveiled about the PlayStation Vita port of Oboro Muramasa, other than that downloadable content will be released for it. Through DLC, Marvelous and developer Vanillaware plans to add four short-story episodes, each featuring a different protagonist, that will be fully voiced and serve to expand the game’s universe for fans. It stings a little to learn that the new content would not be included with the base package. But since this is developer Vanillaware (who champions 2D, sprite-based design with their games) that we’re talking about, I’d say they deserve every last penny. Oboro Muramasa for the PlayStation Vita is slated for a 28 March 2013 release in Japan. Source: Oboro Muramasa

Get into the Electric Groove at this year’s AFA I Love Anisong string of concerts Source: http://sgcafe.com/2012/11/get-into-the-electric-groove-at-thisyears-afa-i-love-anisong-string-of-concerts/ By Rika on November 6th, 2012

Blow your mind with a rockin’ lineup of artistes at this year’s Anisong World Stage!

November 6th, 2012

Published by: VR-Zone By KarbyP on November 6th, 2012

For the first time ever in Singapore, catch the legendary T.M. Revolution in a full-fledged solo concert as he dominates the Electro Stage on November 9. Since his debut in 1995, T.M. Revolution has become well-known for his contributions to the Gundam series and Capcom beat-em-up Sengoku BASARA among countless others, with the Rurouni Kenshin ending song Heart of Sword ~yoake mae~ being the first of his many works to be featured in anime and game series. Taking the Jump Stage on November 10, also for their maiden performances in Singapore, are idol group BABYMETAL, trance and pop duo fripSide and m.o.v.e., a name Initial D fans would surely recognise. Also returning to the stage is the energetic rock group FLOW and J-Pop artiste LiSA, who fans will know as the voice behind Girls Dead Monster from Angel Beats!. Sunday’s Diamond Stage will feature songstress May’n, already a familiar face to veteran AFA goers, our very own local idol group Sea手A, as well as singer/seiyuu group Sphere which consists of Haruka Tomatsu, Minako Kotobuki, Ayahi Takagaki and Aki Toyosaki. The multitalented Minami Kuribayashi, yet another artiste to perform for the very first time here in Singapore and well-loved for her works as a singer, seiyuu and a songwriter will also join the lineup on November 11! The artistes have special messages for all their fans in Singapore! Tickets to this phenomenal event are selling out fast; get yours here!

Sega to stage Sakura Wars Paris Assault Force Live 2012 musical in December Source: http://sgcafe.com/2012/11/sega-to-stage-sakura-wars-parisassault-force-live-2012-musical-in-december/

Sega today announced concrete details to a Sakura Wars Paris Assault Force Live 2012 ~Revue mon Paris~ (手手手手手手手手手手手手2012 手手手手手手手手手手手手) musical that the game publisher plans to stage at Tokyo’s Aoyama Theatre in December. Over the course of four days – from December 26 to 29 – a total of six runs of the musical will be held: 6.30PM evening shows on the 26th, 27th, and 28th, and daytime shows on the 28th (1.30PM) and 29th (1PM). Unlike most live-action musicals, Sega’s Sakura Wars theatricals actually feature the same voice actors and actresses from the original games and animation series. The 2012 Sakura Wars musical puts the spotlight on the cast from the Paris Assault Force, who were first introduced into the series with Sakura Wars 3. There will also be new characters portrayed at this year’s musical. This is not the first time Sega has held a live-action musical show featuring the Paris Assault Force or Sakura Wars 3 cast. They’ve been doing this all the way since the early 2000s: The last Paris-only musical was held in 2009 Sega held the first Sakura Wars Paris Assault Force Live ~The Wings of Freedom are Burning~ (手手手手手手手手手手手手手手手手手手手手手手手). The 2009 show was followed up in 2010 with a Sakura Wars live-action musical (手手手手手手手手手手手手手手手手手2010手手手手手手手手手手手) that expanded the ensemble cast with those from Sakura Wars V’s New York Combat Revue. Finally, in 2011 Sega staged the biggest Sakura Wars musical of them all to celebrate the series’ 15th anniversary. The Sakura Wars Budokan Live 2 ~Imperial, Paris, and New York~ (手手手手手手手手手手手2 手手手手手手手手手手) musical featured the voice cast of just about every major character from the series. Of course, it’s not possible for the musical to simply get bigger and bigger with every impending year, so this time around Sega is restarting the theatrical series again and doing an entire show based on the Paris cast – which was something fans said they wanted to see, as it’s been three years since they’ve had a Paris-only show. Tickets for Sakura Wars Paris Assault Force Live 2012 ~Revue mon Paris~ are priced at 6,000, 8,000, and 9,000 yen respectively for A, S, and SS category seats. Source: Sakura-Taisen.com, 4Gamer

November 6th, 2012

Published by: VR-Zone

Anime Festival Asia 2012 Main Stage features Source: http://sgcafe.com/2012/11/32507/ By Rika on November 6th, 2012

With much to look forward to at Anime Festival Asia 2012, we offer you a brief glimpse at what’s not to miss at the AFA Main Stage this year!

Starting at 12:20pm, the stage events promise to give audiences a special treat for the duration of AFA! Catch Amuse Inc.’s BABYMETAL, FLOW and Perfume showcase, as well as a sneak preview of the Rurouni Kenshin liveaction movie. King Records’ special presentation for this season’s hit anime K featuring a discussion with K’s producer Go Nakanishi. Day 1′s program also features guest appearances by anisong artistes fripSide, m.o.v.e. and LiSA, and HoriPro’s showcase featuring May’n, Sea手A and seiyuu Daisuke Kisho, known for his portrayal of Vampire Knight’s Kaname Kuran and Final Fantasy XIII-2 protagonist Noel Kreiss. The man behind Cowboy Bebop and Macross Plus, Shinichiro Watanabe, will be sharing his insight with fans, and producers BONES’ Masahiko Minami and Bandai Visual’s Motoki Mukaichi will also be taking the stage to share their experiences making Eureka Seven AO a reality. Many talented costumers will be showcasing their works at the AFA Cosplay Singles Competition, and fans of Naruto wouldn’t want to miss the special screening of the ninth Naruto movie “Road to Ninja”, happening right after the competition.

“Eden of the East” director Kenji Kamiyama opens the stage on Sunday at noon to give audiences an insight into his creative experiences, and Lis Ani! editor-in-chief Fumiaki Nishihara is set to introduce visitors to the magazine and its workings. Catch Aimi, seiyuu of Suiko of Ultra Rare from Cardfight!! Vanguard at the Bushiroad Stage, and anisong artistes May’n, Minami Kuribayashi, Sea手A when they make their special guest appearances before the night’s concert at Max Pavilion Concert Hall. Joining them is fourmember seiyuu idol group Sphere for a Q&A and exclusive live dubbing session, after which AFA welcomes back host Danny Choo to the stage to share with us what he’s been up since we last saw him at AFA 2011. The AFA Regional Cosplay Championship competition will also be happening at AFA’s Main Stage, and you’ll get to see the best teams from Singapore, Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia as they duke it out for the title! Not to miss after the competition is a special screening of Fairy Tail: Priestess of the Phoenix, a movie feature based on the hit series Fairy Tail by Hiro Mashima. To enjoy this thrilling line-up, visitors should purchase a Festival + Stage Access ticket for each of the days. They can be purchased at the AFA Shop at *SCAPE or at the event venue itself at $20 per day.

The World Ends With You Live Remix – everyone will play as Neku Sakuraba at first (Famitsu interview) Source: http://sgcafe.com/2012/11/the-world-ends-with-you-live-remixeveryone-will-play-as-neku-sakuraba-at-first-famitsu-interview/ By KarbyP on November 6th, 2012

November 6th, 2012

In The World Ends With You Live Remix, players tackle weekly Reapers’ Game missions in teams of 20 – but you’re not playing as yourself. Everyone in the team will still play as Neku Sakuraba, the protagonist from the original DS/iOS title, with options to play as Joshua and Beat at some point in the future, a recent interview Famitsu did with the Live Remix’s producer Ichiro Hazama, director Tatsuya Kando, and co-director Hiroyuki Ito (pictured left to right) revealed.

Published by: VR-Zone

putting together the blueprints for a new entry in the series so quickly after the port. According to director Tatsuya Kando, Live Remix originally started life as an extra mode for the iOS version of the game (-Solo Remix-). The development team wanted to add some kind of new social element to the game that would give players even more reason to delve into the game’s deep combat mechanics. However, at some point, the plans to implement such a mode grew exponentially and became something far bigger than they imagined, so they thought it would be a better idea to make this into a separate game instead. From there, they decided to bring in a concept that they previously shelved while working on the original DS game – the concept of “playing hide-and-seek and treasure-hunting in the setting of Shibuya” – and then looked at how they could structure everything as a free-to-play social game.

The interview also addressed many other questions that fans have been wondering about, such as the actual details of gameplay, whether elements from the original game like eating food would come into play here, and just who the heck the new character from the secret ending of The World Ends With You -Solo Remix- might be.

With regards to why Square Enix decided to work with GREE on the title, Hazama explained that when they were speaking to social network service partners, it just so happened that the representative from GREE was a big fan of the original TWEWY. And so the collaboration from there just went really smoothly. Square Enix’s role in developing Live Remix Although the actual development work and server/game management for Live Remix will be handled by GREE, Kando says that on Square Enix’s part, they’re providing direction and supervision. And this will involve the Square Enix team coming up with event ideas, and various other forms of collaboration.

What’s The World Ends With You Live Remix? Before we go on, first, a brief primer on Live Remix. This is a social game that Square Enix is working on in conjunction with Japanese social network service GREE, that’s slated to be released for smartphones (not just iOS) in Japan this coming Winter. Set in a world parallel to the one in the 2007 Nintendo DS RPG The World Ends With You (手手手手手手手手手手, literally “It’s a Wonderful World”), in Live Remix players compete against a rival team to see who can find and defeat a boss monster called the “Noise Ringleader” (手手手手手) first. How did The World Ends With You Live Remix project begin? Since Square Enix recently released (August 2012) The World Ends With You – Solo Remix-, a port of the DS game to the iOS with several major changes to gameplay, Famitsu began the interview by asking the creators how they came to

In particular, what Square Enix and GREE are trying to do with Live remix, according to co-director Hiroyuki Ito, is to challenge the concept of social games, and come up with a social game app that’s different from the basic structure (“theory”, they said) that just about everybody else has been adhering to. They want Live Remix to possess both the qualities of what makes a social game fun, as while as those that make a retail game enjoyable. Another objective that Square Enix wanted to achieve, producer Hazama said, was to have “Live Remix as a point of entry for gamers, and to get them interested to go on to play the DS version or the iOS -Solo Remix-”. That was apparently the only order producer Hazama issued to directors Kando and Ito. Hazama felt that it was safe to leave all other major decisions to the duo, who had previously been part of the DS game’s core staff, and who fussed over all the tiny details right from the beginning to make sure this project doesn’t go south. 7

November 6th, 2012

Published by: VR-Zone

Finally, Hazama also talked about two points of designs that they absolutely want Live Remix to adhere to: 1) that the game’s free-to-play portion is fun for folks who do not want to spend any money, and that 2) that players should never not know what they should do next when they’re looking at the game’s screen. Kando agreed, commenting that as this game is all about team battles, even though the “heavy users” will be the ones leading the charge for their teams, that it’s important for “light users” to be able to contribute to the team’s efforts. The World Ends With You Live Remix’s game structure Different from the original RPG where participants in the Reaper’s Game go at it in pairs, this time around the concept is to have a large team search the whole of Shibuya to solve the weekly Reaper’s Game quizzes, Kando and Ito explained.

As players in the same team search through the different areas of Shibuya and fight normal Noise enemies, they raise the team’s overall score. Get it above your rival team’s, and you’ll earn rewards. While exploring the streets of Shibuya, occasionally a player might discover a hint as to where the Noise Ringleader might be hiding. “At 104, Search Level 5, the big bad might be there”, for instance. Such hints will show up in the team message board to allow individual players to find the ringleader more easily. The Noise Ringleader’s location changes from day to day, however. The “Live” part of the title refers to the fact that in-game time will match that of the real world, Kando notes. At the end of a week, the team of 20 is disbanded, and new teams are formed again. That said, if you and certain other members of the team found that you work well together, you may choose to remain in the same team. Combat mechanics Battles in Live Remix will be pretty similar to their counterparts in Solo Remix, where you’ll attack enemies by interacting with the touchscreen. Neku’s movement, however, will be automatically controlled. This is being done to make the game more manageable for single-handed play – as it is, after all, a social game. Ito says that care is being taken to ensure that you’ll be able to hold the smartphone in your right (or left) hand, and play simply be using your thumb to interface with the touchscreen.

Also, at the beginning of the game’s service, there will not be any abilities that require the “rubbing” touchscreen command (there was in the original DS game), as this is a command motion that many smartphone users have said that they’ve found difficult to perform, as you don’t normally do that in other smartphone apps. Combat play, at the beginning, will be restricted to the tapping and flicking commands, as these are motions that all smartphone users are familiar with. However, at some point in the future, Ito says that they plan to roll out badge abilities that require rubbing or mashing (well, repeated tapping) to activate, once folks are more familiar with the basic controls. Before you go into combat, you’ll need to furnish your Skill Deck with up to four badges. This number is down from six in -Solo Remix-. However, a game update in the near future will let you equip four additional support badges, for a total of eight. Ito says that he hopes allowing players to level up up to eight badges at once will motivate them to play the game more.

November 6th, 2012

Published by: VR-Zone

Famitsu then moved on to asking if players would assume control as Neku Sakuraba, since in combat (as you can see in the screenshots) you appear to be playing as him. “Yes, you enter the Reapers’ Game as Neku. And so what ends up happening is that every player in the game is Neku Sakuraba, but that’s done for story reasons, and this will be explained in the story. In time we also plan to let you play as Beat and Joshua.” Other characters from the original game may also make their appearance at limited-time events. For instance, Uzuki Yashiro, Kouki Kariya, Sho Minamimoto and other Reapers that fans may be familiar with may appear to issue missions as Game Masters from time to time. As for new characters, a new Reaper by the name of Koko Atarashi (her last name literally means “new”) will serve as your guide to the game. Like all other Reapers, a member of the 12 Chinese Zodiac members is embedded in her name by means of word association. In her case, “Ko” apparently has something to do with “Nezumi”, the Japanese word for rodent or mouse.

To gain increasingly powerful badges, you can merge your existing ones, go through Gacha, or defeat “Big Noises” who may drop rare badges. Finally, when asked if wearing different clothes or eating foods will play a part in Live Remix just like they did in the original game, Ito says that at the current stage they don’t have any plans to implement these features whatsoever, but that they’ll look into feasible ways to do so. At the moment the gameplay is focused on badge abilities. Live Remix’s universe and characters Since this game is said to take place in a parallel world to that of the original, Famitsu wanted to know if there will be any links to the original game’s canon. To that, Kando explained that these are completely different worlds severed from one another, with no connections between the two. However, the characters and other elements universe are almost the same – only the canon would be different. “It’s something like the ‘Another Day’ scenario that you could play after finishing the main game in the original TWEWY,” Kando said.

Koko Atarashi, in case you were wondering, is not the mysterious new character that was shown in the secret ending of the iOS’s -Solo Remix-. Kando confirmed this to Famitsu when he was asked about it.

November 6th, 2012

Published by: VR-Zone

So who or what exactly is that new character in the iOS version’s secret ending? For that, Kando deferred Famitsu to something he had said in a previous interview that focused on -Solo Remix-: that the character in the secret ending is preparation for “something else”. “Our goal with -Solo Remix- and Live Remix is to get more users to experience the world of TWEWY. If we’re able to do that, then we move on to making the next thing [to expand the game's universe],” Kando said. Finally, in closing, Ito and Kando added that fans of TWEWY can look forward to new BGMs being recorded for Live Remix.

Source: Famitsu

Ladies and gents, ready your wallets and cameras for AFA2012′s exhibition and merchandise booths Source: http://sgcafe.com/2012/11/ladies-and-gents-ready-your-walletsand-cameras-for-afa2012s-exhibition-and-merchandise-booths/ By Rika on November 6th, 2012

Excited for the line-up of fabulous exhibitors at AFA2012 this year? We sure are!

Expect long lines at the Cospa booth where limited quantities of exclusive Hatsune Miku and Accel World goods will be on sale, and break your bank accounts at the Sword Art Online concept booth and Madoka movie booth where T-shirts, calendars and other special edition items will be sold. Other booth exhibitors include Mighty Media Anime 10

November 6th, 2012

Published by: VR-Zone

Merchandise, PROWARE and MY-CARTOON where fans can find items from Shakugan no Shana, Guilty Crown, Nurarihyon, Angel Beats!, Infinite Stratos and a whole lot more. Mirai-chan goods can also be found aplenty at the Culture-Japan booth, and those who missed out on Danny Choo’s famous Moekana card collection can purchase their own set at the official AFA shop.

Fans of the classic anime and manga series Rurouni Kenshin will be treated to a special preview of the movie starring Takeru Satoh as the titular Kenshin Himura at AMUSE’s massive exhibit, where Kenshin’s costume as well as the sakabatou prop used in the movie will be on display. Perfume and BABYMETAL fans will also be delighted to visit the respective groups’ experience zones. At the AMUSE official shop, fans can purchase BABYMETAL and FLOW CDs and a few lucky buyers will have the chance to get their merch autographed by the bands. Gunpla enthusiasts will find an impressive lineup of Bandai’s Mazinger Z Chogokin showcase at the Bandai Experience Zone, and one lucky winner at TCG giant Bushiroad’s booth will win the chance to be featured on their very own personalised Cardlight!! Vanguard card. This year’s booth layout is as follows:

The full-sized version of this floorplan can be found here. For more information on what’s in store for AFA visitors this year, visit the event’s official page over at http://www.animefestival.asia/afa12/

November 9th, 2012

Published by: VR-Zone

SGCafe : Cosplay | Vocaloid | Otaku | Pop Culture A daily publication about Cosplay, Vocaloid, Otaku and Japanese Pop Culture

Guess who’s the final boss in PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale (PS3, PS Vita)?

insane,” says Harrison. Kutaragi was upset that SCEA was spending its limited budget on an alternative brand. “But the thing that really upset Ken was that the Polygon Man design wasn’t Gouraud shaded, it was flat shaded! So Polygon Man was taken out into the car park and quietly shot.”

Source: http://sgcafe.com/2012/11/guess-whos-the-final-boss-inplaystation-all-stars-battle-royale-ps3-ps-vita/ By KarbyP on November 9th, 2012

PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale comes out for the PS3 November 20. In PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale, developer Superbot Entertainment’s upcoming frenzied fighter for the PS3 and PS Vita, characters from some of the hottest first and thirdparty PS game franchises come together to slug it out, first against their individual rivals (from a different franchise), and subsequently against a final boss who, interestingly enough, is not actually from a video game. You’ll catch a glimpse of the mysterious final boss from the all-stars fighter in this opening cinematic video, which Superbot Entertainment’s Seth Killian has shared to commemorate the game’s gold mastering. It’s near the end, right after all 20 of PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale’s ensemble cast settle their personal rivalries (ten pairs of two loggerheads).

Come try out the game at Funan DigitaLife Mall (atrium) this weekend, where Sony has set a “cross-play” demonstration booth where the 4-player fighter is played with two Dual Shock controllers and two PS Vita consoles. Until November 11.

An orc, a goblin and a human walk into a watchtower… Source: http://sgcafe.com/2012/11/an-orc-a-goblin-and-a-human-walkinto-a-watchtower/ By Neubronner Eugene on November 9th, 2012

Can you guess who the enigma of a final boss is? Give up? If you plan to find out who the final boss is only once the game is out on November 20, you should probably stop reading now. For the rest of you still reading, your PS All-Stars Battle Royale final boss is Polygon Man, who originated as a character from a Sony Computer Entertainment America that never truly materialised. It was canned before the launch of the Sony PlayStation console in America when the father of the PlayStation, Ken Kutaragi, freaked out upon seeing his jagged polygonal mug. According to former Sony exec Phil Harrison in a 2009 article from Edge magazine: I remember walking onto the E3 booth in 1995 with Ken and seeing the Polygon Man design on the side of the booth. Ken just went absolutely

We could think of worse jokes than that, but we’ll spare your ears. (What do you mean we’ll spare their ears? I’ll have your ears if you give those bad jokes to them! - Ed) What we won’t spare you from though is a decent B-grade title that’s likely to be overlooked in the sea of Christmas titles currently swamping the gaming scene. Of Orcs and Men, from Cyanide Studios, takes a hard look at what happens when the good guys win and the bad guys have been enslaved for a few decades or so. 1

November 9th, 2012

Published by: VR-Zone

We’ve got a review up here for you to consider if you’ve got some spare cash to throw around right here, at SGCafe.

Nana Mizuki to perform theme song, voice character in Sega JRPG Shining Ark Source: http://sgcafe.com/2012/11/nana-mizuki-to-perform-theme-songvoice-character-in-sega-jrpg-shining-ark/ By KarbyP on November 9th, 2012

Sega today reveiled details on the theme song to its upcoming PSP JRPG Shining Ark. The title of the song is Kiseki no Melodia / Melodia of Miracles (奇奇奇奇奇奇奇奇), and it will be performed by none other than veteran anisong artiste Nana Mizuki. Some screenshots from Shining Ark’s opening animated sequence were also shared:

Sega also confirmed today that Nana Mizuki will be part of Shining Ark’s voice cast. However, at this point the Tokyo-based games maker has declined on reveal which character in the game Ms Mizuki will voice. We’ll have to wait a little longer before Sega’s willing to tell. It could be a yet-to-be-announced character, or it could be one of the following:

November 9th, 2012

Shining Ark will be released in Japan Winter 2012/2013. UMD and downloadable versions of the game are priced at 6,279 and 5,600 yen respectively.

Let the launch trailer for Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge show you what a big difference limb dismemberment makes Source: http://sgcafe.com/2012/11/let-the-launch-trailer-forninja-gaiden-3-razors-edge-show-you-what-a-big-difference-limbdismemberment-makes/ By KarbyP on November 9th, 2012

Published by: VR-Zone

Ryu Hayabusa’s HP level, and numerous other gameplay tweaks. Plus, of course, standard Wii U GamePad functionality such as using its touchscreen as a command list viewer or to quickly change weapons or Ninpo attacks. Koei Tecmo and Team Ninja also plans to release additional playable characters for the game as free DLC. All of that (or maybe just Ayane) makes me want this game. Really badly. I just don’t know if I want it bad enough to purchase a Wii U for it. Would you?

When Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge comes out alongside Nintendo’s new Wii U console at launch, it will add a bloodied bucket-load’s worth of new features. Chief amongst them? Limb dismemberment. Or maybe Ayane as a new playable character. To be honest, I can’t decide which is more appealing. Now, don’t get me wrong: I’m not a big fan of gore in my video games, by any measure. To me, digital blood is just another fancy-schmancy graphical effect splashed onto the screen like the dozen other ones rendered simultaneously in the game (well, unless it’s done artistically). For instance, I like the latest Mortal Kombat for its excellent story mode and interesting (though buggy) psuedo-2D fighting game combat. But I actually think some of the violent or gory moves are actually pretty stupid or downright disgusting. Yet, somehow when I saw Ayane slice off some random mercenary’s arm like knife on butter in the launch trailer for the game, something stirred in my heart. I’m thinking it’s the intense contrast between the speed at which Ayane’s blade swung and that of the poor man’s dismembered limb falling off in slow motion. That was quite remarkable to see. (Or maybe it’s Ayane that I’m actually mesmerised with… just look at that… speed!) But you don’t have to take my word for it. Here’s the launch trailer for Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge, in English and Japanese respectively: Other than limb dismemberment and Ayane as a playable character, Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge also introduces new weapons (a total of six are useable now: Sword, Claws, Scythe, Dual Katana, Staff and Kusari-Gama), an improved enemy AI system, hidden Test of Valor battle arenas that let players fight classic Ninja Gaiden bosses, a new character progression system that lets you upgrade even 3

November 9th, 2012

Published by: VR-Zone

As you raise Miku’s stats through lessons selected from a training menu, you’ll eventually be able to enter her in song, style, and talk contests. Do weel in these contests, and you’ll not only earn moola in the form of LSP’s currency but also unlock furniture and interior decoration options for your live house. You’ll also be able to hold Hatsune Miku performances in your live house to earn even more money. But before you do that, you should try to “produce” the look of your live house first, as it has an effect on the number of customers you bring in and how satisified Miku’s performance leaves them.

Source: Famitsu

Hatsune Miku: Live Stage Producer “open beta service” goes live on Android Source: http://sgcafe.com/2012/11/hatsune-miku-live-stage-produceropen-beta-service-goes-live-on-android/ By KarbyP on November 9th, 2012

Open beta service…? After two Hatsune Miku game apps that were exclusive to the iOS platform, Sega is finally throwing a bone to Miku fans on Android devices. Hatsune Miku: Live Stage Producer today went into open beta service, and it’s only for Android users for now. The free-to-play mobile game app (with paid downloadable content) is also slated for release in the near future for iOS devices, but there’s been no information on when this might be, so far. Unlike the Project Diva and Miku flick series, in Live Stage Producer (or LSP)is not a rhythm-action game by any means. Rather, the genre here is simulation: you manage a live house in which Hatsune Miku is your joint’s entertainment, and your job is to groom Hatsune Miku into the finest virtual singer the world has ever seen, and profit.

Downloading and installing the beta service version of Hatsune Miku: Live Stage Producer on your Android device is free. Available from the Google Play store. However, not all Android devices will be able to run it – it’ll depend on your smartphone or tablet’s specs. On top of that, as the game is currently in beta service, it may be prone to bugs or performance issues. In fact the purpose of this open beta is to allow Sega to tweak game balanced based on users’ experience and feedback, as well as to check for animation and framerate issues. Within the app, there is also a “submit feedback” feature that you can use to tell the developers any issues with the game that you might have faced.

The game measures Hatsune Miku’s performing talents by six statistics: song, cuteness, “variety” (I’m not quite sure what this is, but I believe it’s something like a sense of humour), style, talk, and dance.

November 9th, 2012

Published by: VR-Zone

Hatsune Miku: Live Stage Producer is not the first idolproducing simulation game to have featured a beta test for one platform, and subsequently launched on another platform. Namco Bandai’s Idolm@ster 2 game did something similar: the “beta” version of the game was launched on the Xbox 360 first. Subsequently, a “full” version of the game came out for the PS3, With some new content that X360 users never got. The difference between Hatsune Miku: Live Stage Producer and Idolm@ster 2? The former is free-to-play, while both the X360 and PS3 versions of the latter were sold as full price retail titles. /sarcasm Source: Famitsu

“Cosmic Red” and “Sapphire Blue” PS Vita models, in-ear headsets comes to Singapore November 22 Source: http://sgcafe.com/2012/11/cosmic-red-and-sapphire-blue-psvita-models-in-ear-headsets-comes-to-singapore-november-22/ By KarbyP on November 9th, 2012

If you’re not already using headphones while playing Hatsune Miku: Project Diva f or DJ Max Technika Tune, you might want to consider picking a pair up, regardless of the colour of your Vita unit. Headphones would certainly make it easier to detect footsteps in Call of Duty: Black Ops Declassified (watch out for our hands-on for the upcoming PS Vita FPS soon). The new headsets colour will begin retailing on the same date: November 22.

PS3™ Wireless Stereo Headset with 7.1 virtual surround sound

“Cosmic Red” and “Sapphire Blue” coloured models of Sony’s PlayStation Vita portable gaming console will hit Singapore stores November 22, Sony Computer Entertainment Hong Kong announced today. First announced for Japan at the Tokyo Game Show earlier this year, these new models will retail here in Singapore at the same price as their Crystal Black and Crystal White counterparts: S$469 for the 3G/Wi-Fi model, and S$399 for the Wi-Fi only unit. Apart from the Vita console unit itself, games can also pick up an official PS Vita in-ear headsets – priced at S$19.90 – in Cosmic Red and Sapphire Blue to match the portable. In other related PlayStation accessories news, Sony will also be releasing an official PS3 Wireless Stereo Headset (with 7.1 5

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virtual surround sound) in Singapore on November 13, to be sold at a suggested retail price of S$179.90. The PS3 Wireless Stereo Headset will work with the PS3, your PS Vita, and other mobile devices. Although Sony’s simply calling it the “official PS3 Wireless Stereo Headset” here for the Singapore market, this headset is actually the new and improved, second-generation “Pulse Wireless Stereo Headset – Elite Edition” that the PlayStation Blog detailed right around the E3 period. Pulse Wireless Stereo Headset – Elite Edition, featuring “BassImpact” technology BassImpact technology translates bass sounds into ‘pulses’ around the earpads of the headset. Pulse – Elite Edition combines 7.1 virtual surround sound with BassImpact to deliver an unprecedented level of immersion, while sharpening your perception on the battlefield or anywhere else you play. This is truly the ultimate audio advantage. Additionally, Pulse – Elite Edition incorporates all the great features of the Wireless Stereo Headset and these new features:

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subsequently fell into infamy due to a sex scandal? She’s recovered from that blip and is actually doing pretty alright for herself now. Her latest voice role is a new character that will be introduced in the console-exclusive Arrange Mode of Cave’s 2D plane shooter, Dodonpachi Saidaioujou, slated to be released Spring 2013 for the Xbox 360. Not only that, but the seiyuu-on-a-comeback will also be performing the opening theme for the console version. As part of today’s announcement from Dodonpachi developer Cave, an illustration of Saya - the new character that Hirano Aya will be voicing as – was shared. Here’s what she looks like, in three different costumes.

• Higher fidelity speaker drivers for dynamic sound • Preset Modes to optimize your audio experience for select gaming genres, movies, and music • Hidden noise-cancelling microphones deliver crystal clear voice chat and allow for a more streamlined design • Compatible with your PS3, PS Vita, favorite mobile device or MP3 player (connects via built-in 3.5mm audio jack and included auxiliary cable)

Each costume has a different weapon setting: the one on the left (combat suit) has a stronger normal shot, the one in the middle (personal clothes) has a stronger laser attack, and the last one (swimsuit) is an “Expert” setting which gives you stronger shot and laser weapons, but also increases the enemies’ offensive capabilities.

Hirano Aya to voice new character, perform opening theme to Dodonpachi Saidaioujou for the Xbox 360 Source: http://sgcafe.com/2012/11/hirano-aya-to-voice-new-characterand-perform-opening-theme-to-dodonpachi-saidaioujou-for-thexbox-360/ By KarbyP on November 9th, 2012

Remember Hirano Aya? You know, the voice actress who rose to fame with her portrayal of Haruhi Suzumiya, and

Saya, or Element Doll Extra Z-002: Saya, is related to Hipachi the extra boss in the arcade version of Dodonpachi Saidaioujou (which has been released in Japanese arcades – or “game centers”, as they call them over there – since April of this year). Both Element Dolls were produced at the same time at the Element Doll Electronics factory, as part of the same assembly line. Except, during a live firing test,

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something went wrong and now Saya faces Hipachi in aerial combat.

DS version – as well as tweaks to the game’s combat system. Tales of Hearts R is also said to be fully voiced.

So you’ll essentially be playing as the robo-sister of Dodonpachi Saidaioujou’s extra big bad in the Arrange Mode of the game – how bad-a** is that?

Tales of Hearts R is scheduled to be released for the PlayStation Vita Spring 2013.

Tales of Hearts R’s 1st PV puts fans at ease: yes, there will be anime

Hatsune Miku: Project Diva Arcade – Songs for November [video]

Source: http://sgcafe.com/2012/11/tales-of-hearts-rs-1st-pv-puts-fans-atease-yes-there-will-be-anime/ By KarbyP on November 9th, 2012

Source: Tales of Hearts R – First PV 奇奇奇奇奇奇奇奇奇奇R PV奇奇

Source: http://sgcafe.com/2012/11/hatsune-miku-project-diva-arcadesongs-for-november-video/ By KarbyP on November 9th, 2012

The last time we visited Tales of Hearts R, Namco Bandai Games’ upcoming PlayStation Vita remake of Nintendo DS JRPG Tales of Hearts, we told you that it’s going to utilise an all new 3D graphics engine that replaces the original’s 2D dot-matrix sprites.

This month, three songs from Hatsune Miku: Project Diva Extend are making their way to Diva Arcade. There’s a little bit of wowaka, a little bit of Jimmy Thumb P, and even some Toku to boot. What’s not to like?

The new 3D visuals are lovely. It’s 3D, but it still looks like 2D, if you know what I mean. There’s actually a semblance of the original 2D character designs in the 3D polygonal graphics. Unlike the bizarre photorealistic 3D approach that Namco Bandai took when they made the cutscenes for the DS’s Tales of Hearts.

Here’s a trailer Sega put up today featuring the three November tracks, as well as a brief description of each song’s claim to fame.

So yes, the 3D visuals are great. So great that we wondered if Namco Bandai might possibly stick with rendering every single scene in the game with real-time 3D graphics.

All three songs will hit Hatsune Miku: Project Diva Arcade on November 13, a Tuesday.

Rolling Girl / ロロロロロロロ

As it turns out, the answer is a reassuring ”no – it’s not 3D only”. Today the Tales Channel Plus portal uploaded the first PV trailer for Tales of Hearts R, and in it you clearly see that, like many other Tales of JRPGs, this remake would feature 2D animated cutscenes in addition to the 3D visuals. Yes, there will be anime. In the world of Tales of Hearts R, a war is being waged between humans and Zerom – monsters that hunt for and eat human hearts. In an attempt to banish these monsters, humans forged spirit weapons that they call Somas. And that’s where our hero Shing Meteoryte (CV: Tetsuya Kakihara), 17 years old, comes in. Having inherited the ability to use a Soma from his mother’s side of the family tree, Shing joins Kohak Hearts (CV: Marina Inoue) and a group of other party members on a quest to slay these atrocious monsters and avenge his slain grandfather.

Music, lyrics and jacket picture designed by wowaka Wowaka’s second release after Ura-Omote Lovers, and the song that took him almost to the top of the Vocaloid charts, Rolling Girl finally makes her appearance in the arcade version.

Other than a visual makeover, Tales of Hearts R also adds a new playable character to the list of party members you can control - Calcedny Arcome, a commanding officer in the Crystal Knights who was just a non-playable character in the 7

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This song earned a reputation for having a PV that projected an incredibly speedy flow to its proceedings – and now it’s here presented in high-end quality! The developers were pretty fussy, in particular, with the lighting in this PV. They also tuned the note patterns quite a bit to evoke a thrilling sense of speed. The matching module for this song is Kaiten Shoujo, which we detailed in Monday’s post.

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Try playing from Y to Y and then Starduster on a single credit an, who knows, you might just find your self exploring the arbitrary concepts of love and the cosmos simply by doing so! It feels great to play those songs while whispering “Love is…” (奇奇奇) deep down in your heart! The matching module for Starduster is White Eve, designed by Sayukichi who also did the jacket illustration.

SPiCa -39′s Giving Day Edition-

Music by Toku (奇奇) Lyrics by kentax vs Toku (奇奇) Illustration by refeia The song that appeared in the 9 March 2010 Miku no Hi Kanshiesai concert as the last song in the setlist (prior to the encore), finally makes it to the arcade version! The developers have tried to replicate the concert experience here through something they call “live motion”. Another thing to look forward to in the PV for this song is when the SPiCa cannon fires a blast.

Starduster

Music & Lyrics by Jimmy Thumb P (奇奇奇奇奇P) Illustration by Toyukichi (奇奇奇) Although Starduster first came into vogue as the ending theme to one of the MikuPa concerts, when it was time to make the PV to this song for Project Diva, the team did it as a pseudo-sequel to from Y to Y.

The recommended module for this song is Orbit, which was also designed by the same guy who did the cover illustration, refeia.

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Published by: VR-Zone

There are fast food restaurants nearby Hall 3-6. However, the new mall, Changi City Point has recently opened. They have a foodcourt and other food stalls there which are quite affordable and has more variety than if you just stuck to the food at Expo. Money The only ATM nearest to the Expo Halls would be the one just near the Expo MRT. So make sure you have your cash first before you head to the event since it’s quite a walk to get to the machines. The other nearest ATMs would be at Changi City Point.

AT THE EVENT These are some tips for those who haven’t been to a convention in Singapore before. Some are simple enough to remember and some are things that you should take note of. • Photographers or anyone wanting a picture, always ask the person you wish to take a picture of before doing so. No means no. The cosplayer might not be ready or comfortable, so please respect their wishes.

Beginner’s Guide to AFA 2012 Source: http://sgcafe.com/2012/11/beginners-guide-to-afa-2012/ By SarahColdheart on November 9th, 2012

• Don’t glomp people or touch props or costumes without permission. People don’t like it when strangers just do that randomly without asking.

• For cosplayers, don’t mess up the area while preparing your cosplay such as dyes or any other messy materials. Always clean up before you leave.

Hello everyone! For the first time in AFA‘s history, the event will be at Singapore Expo Hall 7 and 8. This will be a guide for all of you visiting Singapore or if this is your first time to the event! The event guide is up on AFA’s website so do read it to know the timing for any of the concerts, presentations and competitions. Here are some tips for those going this weekend.

BEFORE THE EVENT

• Remember your budget. Plan what you want to buy before buying it. Sometimes, if you can wait till near the end of the last day, there might be more discounted sales but if the item or artwork you want is popular, it might be gone before you want to buy it.

• If buying stuff from the artist booths, try to give exact or small change because they are not big businesses. They’re independent artists or crafters, etc. You will be hated if you give big money on purpose. NETs or credit cards will only be available to be used at bigger shops at the event.

Getting there If you’re going by the MRT, note that from the east, it is the green line. You’ll have to change at Tanah Merah to the train going towards the airport. Stop at Expo station. Once you’re from the station, go to the RIGHT from the exit. When lost, the map is there but Hall 7 and 8 is to the right of the station, separate from the other halls.

• Don’t block the walkways! If you want to take a picture of a cosplayer, try to make it quick or move to the side. Or, there are usually areas to take pictures at, especially at AFA.

Toilets For cosplayers, Hall 7 and 8 have limited toilets and they’re not spacious. If you need to change it is advisable that you do it at the toilets in the other halls like 1-6. They have second level toilets too. Just cross over once you’re ready! Food

• Do check out the schedule for the events happening on stage (if you have a stage ticket access). Either to make sure you get there on time OR most of the maid/butler cafe and other booths will be less crowded to visit when something big is happening at the stage area.

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• There are rules for maid/butler cafe at AFA. Please follow them and no photography is allowed in there. You can however buy a photo in the cafe itself.

• If you see anyone in distress or spot a creeper/pervert/ etc harrassing someone, either help the person in distress by calling on the AFA staff or security. It should be a safe environment for everyone to have fun at! That’s it. You should have fun at the various stalls, booths and events at AFA! Make friends, take pictures. Join the mini contests at other booths or try out their demos and games. See you all at AFA 2012!