Odin Sphere Leifthrasir hits North American shores on June 7th

osl-storybook-editionAtlus has just announced that Odin Sphere Leifthrasir will launch for Playstation 4, Playstation 3, and Playstation Vita in North America on June 7, 2015. This means it will come out a mere 5 months after it hits Japan.

The standard package will include a 64-page softcover art book, which will come with all regular first print copies of the game. A hardcover version will come exclusively to the Playstation 4 as the “Storybook Edition” which is a premium version that will include a Potion Recipe t-shirt, metal slipcase, art print, and premium outer packaging (see photo above).

The standard game will cost you $59.99 on consoles, $39.99 on Playstation Vita. The Storybook Edition on Playstation 4 will run you $79.99. If you haven’t played Odin Sphere before, I suggest giving it a try, especially when the Japanese demo hits North American PSN.

Odin Sphere: Leifthrasir demo now out for Japanese PSN users

OdinSphereDemoVerDo you have a Playstation 4, Playstation 3 and/or Playstation Vita? Guess what? You can now download the demo for Atlus and Vinalliaware’s remake of Odin Sphere (if you live in Japan or have a Japanese account)! Yeah, that great Playstation 2 game is now coming to all your current Sony consoles.

Seems that each version of the demo has a different file size, for example the PS4 demo weighs in at 442 MB, PS3 at 423 MB, and the PS Vita one at 250 MB.

The demo will allow you to play as all five characters though an action stage that has been configured for the demo and even have a boss battle with “Belial“. Sadly there won’t be any story parts and you won’t be able to use the demo data in the full release.

Odin Sphere: Leifthrasir comes out in Japan on January 14th and later this Spring in North America.

[Via: Gematsu]

Hyperdimension Neptunia VS Sega Hard Girls gets a debut trailer

Fans of both Sega Hard Girls TV Show and Compile Heart’s JRPG Hyperdimension Neptunia are in for a real treat with the upcoming crossover video game. The game has you playing as IF-chan along with a new character named Sega Hatsumi as you travel back in time to Sega-based eras to recover long lost history. Above is the debut trailer for the game, if you missed the opening movie you can find that here.

 

Hyperdimension Neptunia VS Sega Hard Girls: Dream Fusion Special hits Playstation Vita on November 26 in Japan. No western releases have been announced.

[Source: Gemastu]

SEGA says they’re in a ‘difficult place for something like’ a new Panzer Dragoon to sell

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SEGA’s Panzer Dragoon is one of those rail shooters with fantastic art style that blew lots of fans’ imaginations and many consider the franchise as being one of the most underrated SEGA games of all time. The Dengeki Playstation magazine decided to ask some SEGA developers some direct questions about the future of some SEGA entries, one being Panzer Dragoon. Satoshi Sakai (Producer Phantasy Star Online 2) was asked if the company would ever make a new Panzer Dragoon type game and he answered:

I would like to make it, but I’m sorry to say we’re in a difficult place for something like that to sell.

The other person that was asked a few questions for the magazine was Toshihiro Nagoshi (Daytona USA, Super Monkey Ball, Yakuza series) who was asked about making a new IP which he said is being considered, even though his team was making it seem like Yakuza franchise can’t last forever a few months ago.

As for Panzer Dragoon not ‘selling enough’ for a new entry, its hard to tell. There hasn’t been a new entry since 2002’s Panzer Dragoon Orta which sold 122,170 units in America alone. Its not a bad number (for being a early Xbox game) and its sad that SEGA never capitalized on it.

[Source: Gematsu]

SEGA News Bits: Tokyo Game Show 2015 impressions

This year’s Tokyo Game Show has come to a close and SEGA of Japan showed off plenty of titles at the event. On this SEGA News Bit video me and Barry discuss our impressions of SEGA’s showing, including Atlus games that made the show. Tune in and tell us what you thought about this year’s Tokyo Game Show in the comments.

Like these sorts of videos? Subscribe to us on Youtube and never miss a episode.

Hatsune Miku: Project Diva Future Tone to run at 1080p and 60fps on PS4

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SEGA has revealed during their Tokyo Game Show panel, oddly enough named ‘Sega feat. Hatsune Miku Project’, that Hatsune Miku: Project  Diva Future Tone will run at 1080p at 60 frames per second on the Playstation 4. If you didn’t catch the announcement for this title, its a console port of the long requested Hatsune Miku: Project Diva Arcade game.

SEGA also confirmed that Hatsune Miku: Project Diva Future Tone will be coming out after Hatsune Miku: Project Diva X (yes, there are two Hatsune Miku games in the works) which is due out on out for Playstation Vita in March.

Another small mention was the Playstation VR enabled ‘Sega feat. Hatsune Miku Project: VR Tech Demo’, which SEGA says if there is enough positive fan feedback that they will consider making it a full product.

[Source: Gematsu]

Dengeki Bunko: Fighting Climax Ignition is coming to PS4, PS3 and PS Vita

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SEGA has updated last year’s Dengeki Bunko: Fighting Climax in arcades as Ignition, it was only a matter of time that it would come out on consoles. Well, it came out sooner than I expected, its going to hit Japanese consoles on December 17th. That’s right, a couple of months after the US release of the first one, the expanded version will hit Japan. Talk about deflating a release in America before it happen, I’m sure lots of Western buyerz that where going to get Dengeki Bunko: Fighting Climax are second guessing themselves and its something SEGA’s localization team has to improve on. Releasing Japanese games closer to their Japanese release date, not a year after. Atlus has done a great job, sometimes releasing their text heavy JRPGs two months after their Japanese release.

The game is hitting the Playstation 3 and Playstation Vita again, while finally debuting on the Playstation 4. The game will have a expanded “Dream Duel” story mode that will expand the game new situations. Modes like “Network Mode”, “Training Mode” and “Gallery Mode” all make their appearance. As covered before this version of the game has two new playable characters: Quenser Barbotage (from Heavy Object) and Emi Yusa (from The Devil is Part-Timer).

[Source: Gemastu]

SEGA’s publishes new trailer for their next big JRPG ‘The World Ends Eclipse’

SEGA Has released the following trailer for their next big upcoming JRPG titled ‘The World Ends Eclipse‘, which will be coming to Windows PC, Playstation Vita, and mobile devices. The game will have you conversing with big breasted, scantily clad dressed women who continuously call you ‘Captain’. This title is probably one of the bigger cross platform titles SEGA has done for mobile. What it seems like, that this is a mobile game that will be converted to play on both PC and Vita. I would say that’s a decent compromise for people that don’t like to play games on their phones.

We got a few more screenshots down below for you gander at. Yeah, the graphics aren’t anything impressive. Though I do like some of the character designs and if its got writing like Chain Chronicles, it will probably have good character stories as well. But will the game come West? With SEGA’s track record, maybe in a few years but reskinned to appease some focus group.

SEGA has no plans to release the PS4 version of Phantasy Star Online 2 outside of Japan

PSO2DealWithIt
The people at Kotaku has contacted SEGA about the possibility of the Playstation 4 version of Phantasy Star Online 2 coming West. This is the response they recieved from a SEGA representative.

“SEGA is currently not planning to release the PS4 version of Phantasy Star Online 2 outside of Japan,”

It has been over 3 years since SEGA announced at PAX 2012 that they would be bringing Phantasy Star Online 2 over from Japan on the PC and Playstation Vita. Then, silence. We got a few generic ‘it’s still coming’ answers from them, but this is the first time they have officially denied its Western release.

Talk about not caring about their own fan base, huh? It’s hard to stay positive when the Western branches don’t care about their core fanbase or their in-house Japanese IPs. Then when they do finally get around to releasing it they are surprised at the success these Japanese in-house developed games have. No shit! With this and the recent announcement that they reskinned ‘Puyo Puyo Quest‘ into some generic food puzzle game, SEGA is really making it hard to be a fan.

SEGA details ‘tour mode’ for Miracle Girls Festival rhythm game

Do you like your rhythm games with a hint of moe? Is the numerous Hatsune Miku games just not cute enough for you? Don’t worry because SEGA has Miracle Girls Festival coming out this winter in Japan exclusively to Playstation Vita.

SEGA has detailed one of the game’s main features, “Tour Mode” which will let you become a concert director while picking from over six different location venues throughout the nation (I assume nation = Japan).  You’ll preform the sets, try to get a quota of audiences to fill seats and all that jazz.

You’ll earn ‘Miracle Coins’ by playing through songs and the number of coins you receive depends on how well you do. You use said currency to unlock new songs. If you want a list of songs that will be included in the full game, hit the jump. Personally these games aren’t my style, but if you like them then this one looks… cute?

[Via: Gematsu]

First screens for Hyperdimension Neptunia VS Sega Hard Girls surface

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Are you excited for Compile Heart’s Hyperdimension War Neptunia vs Sega Hard Girls: Dream Fusion? This upcoming RPG combines the Hyperdimension Neptunia franchise and crosses it over with SEGA’s Japanese TV show/Light novel Sega Hard Girls.

The game is suppose to launch on the Playstation Vita, the company still hasn’t given up a release date, but they did just update their website with new direct-feed screenshots. So, if the game makes it west, which it will most likely, will you be picking it up?

[Via: Gematsu]

[update] SEA Phantasy Online 2 no longer IP blocking foreigners

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While SEGA announced that it was bringing the English version of Phantasy Star Online 2 way back in 2012, it obviously didn’t come. Last year PlayPark, a South East Asian company announced it was releasing Phantasy Star Online 2 in that region and in English. The issue? Well, they where IP blocking any foreign players that tried to play the game.

This continued and it was just announced that they have dropped IP blocks. That means if you want to just download and play Phantasy Online 2 without doing all the English patching! You can just head here, register and download. Please be warned that the SEA server is behind one years worth of content compared to the Japanese servers.

[Update] It seems that they are starting to block users once again. If you want to play you can always use the PSO2 Tweaker and player on the Japanese servers, which is the best version of the game. [/update]

[Source: Nichegamer]

Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA F 2nd Launch Trailer!

Hatsune Miku Project Diva F 2nd is finally in stores. This launch trailer shows a good overview of the game. If you haven’t seen our review you should check it out. Just look at the top of the page or scroll further down.

So, if you haven’t bought this game yet, what are you waiting for? It’s time to get Miku-Miku’d! (For Reals).

Review: Hatsune Miku Project Diva F 2nd (PS3 & PS Vita)

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All screens from the PlayStation Vita version.

So, Hatsune Miku Project Diva F 2nd is finally here. My first time playing a Project Diva game was last year when it came out on PS3 in western territories, and I’ve been hooked ever since. So many hours of my time logged into playing Project Diva F. Needless to say, I was looking forward to Project Diva F 2nd and it doesn’t disappoint, in fact, it goes beyond my expectations.

If you have played Hatsune Miku Project Diva F, you have an option of carrying over all the accessories, modules, and items you have unlocked over into F 2nd when creating a new game. Don’t worry if you haven’t unlocked everything, F 2nd gives you a way to unlock items from the first game if you haven’t unlocked them.

Hatsune Miku was on David Letterman

Hatsune Miku performed “Sharing the World” live on David Letterman on October 8th on national TV. Sharing the World is the theme song of Miku Expo in both Los Angeles and New York. If you aren’t aware, SEGA produces the CGI that is used at the Miku performances.

The CGI on the David Letterman stage seems to be lower quality then normal but is probably due to lack of space. The Miku concerts are 3D holographics and getting the detail used at the big events probably requires a lot of equipment. Not as simple as having one 2D display which doesn’t require complex technology.

If you have never seen a live Miku Conference before I have included a video of one after the jump. Hatsune Miku Project Diva F 2nd comes out November 18th for PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita. In 2015 Hatsune Miku Project Mirai DX comes out for the Nintendo 3DS. Great music games, you should definitely check out the demos on PSN for Project Diva F if you haven’t.