Samurai & Dragons is probably one of Vita’s best free games

There was some confusion when Samurai & Dragons was first revealed, hype was built up thanks to the fact that none other than Jet Set Radio’s director Masayoshi Kikuchi was announced to be working on a Vita game. Soon after however hype died down when the graphics left much to be desired. Somewhere lost in translation was that Samurai & Dragons will be free to download off PSN (With a boxed version being released with extra items) and when you take that into account, the title is looking like it could be an enjoyable ride.

Inspired from SEGA’s iOS title Kingdom Conquest, Samurai & Dragons promises to have a multiplayer aspect that would no doubt entice people who are looking for a free co-op game. The title is releasing in retail on 29th March for Japan and 26th April for Japanese PSN. A Western release date is yet to be confirmed.

Petition: Let’s ask SEGA for Virtua Fighter 5: Final Showdown on Steam!

With the surprise announcement of SEGA’s third person shooter Binary Domain heading to Steam, SEGAbits member Pao/Riki has taken it on himself to start a petition for Virtua Fighter 5: Final Showdown for Steam too. Now from my own opinion, anything that can help boost the potential sales for Virtua Fighter whilst allowing the core gameplay and style to stay intact is a-ok to me. With no other major fighting game released on the PC for some time now, this could be great boost for the series’ popularity so if you happen to be a Steam user who wants to get your voice heard to get one of the best fighting games available on PC, then sign the petition!

http://www.petitionbureau.org/VirtuaFighter5PC

Binary Domain Multiplayer DLC to feature Akiyama, Majima and Goda!

Kazuma Kiryu is not the only character set to make the jump from the Yakuza series to Binary Domain. SEGA today has revealed free DLC skins for three other highly popular Yakuza characters in the forum of Goro Majima, Shun Akiyama and Ryuji Goda. Just like with Kiryu, each character will have either a government forces outfit, which is their default model, or a resistence fighter outfit. The characters will be released for PSN users in Japan starting with  Akiyama on February 28, Goda on March 6 and Majima on March 13. XBLA users will get all three characters free on March 13. For all the screenshots, hit the jump after the break and for additional information on the sponserships that will be found in Binary Domain, hit the Andriasang link for more info!

Binary Domain – Slum Kids trailer shows a deprived society

The Playstation 3 Binary Domain demo is not the only item SEGA will be releasing today on their up-and-coming third person shooter. The publisher has released a new cutscene just under 4 minutes in length that takes place early in the game. The trailer focuses on the slums of Tokyo 2080 and the unfortunate and tragic role of children as weapon gatherers, showing the growth of social inequality found in the future of Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio’s latest title. SEGA’s Binary Domain is set to release for the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 on 24th February for Australia & Europe and the 28th for America.

Check out Binary Domain’s Multiplayer Mode in this new trailer

With Binary Domain set to launch at the end of this month, SEGA’s has released this new trailer showing the mulitplayer mode off for the first time since mentioning it late last year. The trailer shows off the two forces players can take control of: either the resistence fighters or the elite government soldiers as they go head to head in several modes. Also showcased towards the end of the trailer is the game’s very own horde mode, where players will take control of humans as they try to take down armies of robots. Binary Domain is set to release 16th February in Japan, 24th February in Europe and Australia and 28th February for the United States on Playstation 3 and Xbox 360.

Check out Three Rings’ office in this developer interview for Doctor Who: Worlds in Time

Developer Three Rings was already working on Doctor Who: World in Time before SEGA purchased them and the publisher made no mention of the game based on the highly popular and critcially acclaimed science fiction show until today when SEGA posted on their official blog a behind the scenes interview with Daniel Jones of Three Rings. The video offers glimpses of some gameplay and of a very nicely fitted office for the developer themselves. Follow the source link below to find screenshots, wallpapers and artwork for Doctor Who: Worlds in Time featured all on SEGA’s official blog.

SEGA Sammy reports Q3 2012 earnings

On Friday, SEGA Sammy Holdings posted their 3rd quarter results for the fiscal year 2012. In it they gave out numbers for Sonic Generations, Mario & Sonic at the London Olympic Games 2012 and Hatsune Miku. Following the disaster that shaked Japan to its core, many Japanese business are recovering strongly but how did SEGA, in particular their consumer division, cope with the financial crisis in America and Europe? And did both their arcade operations and Sammy’s own business recover strongly from the disaster? Read on to find out.

Binary Domain demo to hit on February 1st

For Japan at least, SEGA has announced through their Ryu Ga Gotoku Kamurocho radio station webcast that their up and coming third person squad-based shooter Binary Domain is going to have a demo available 16 days before the game’s release there (the Japanese release date is still set for February 16th). The demo itself promises to be fairly lengthy, with it featuring two stages, one set in the Shibuya’s Spain-zaka area in the lower city (The area featured in all demoes) and one in the Shinjuku train station-like area of the upper city.

It was confirmed though that the demo will only have single player support, and no confirmation of when a Western demo will debut, but it is the best indication that the title will have a demo released before launch over in America and Europe. Binary Domain is set for release in America and Europe on 28th February.

Binary Domain Developer Diary #2 – Meet the Rust Crew

Following on from the previous developer diary for Binary Domain, Destructoid has uploaded a second one, this time discussing the principle heroes of the game, the Rust Crew. This time Binary Domain’s script writer Tsuyoshi Furuta and art director Nobuaki Mitake take us through the various characters that make up the group and their various quirks (Such as the special ops humanoid machine Cain, who can hack into other robots) and their own personality traits be it their pride, Charlie, or their rationality, Big Bo. Click on the source link below to read the full developer diary and except many more in the coming weeks.

[Destructoid article: Meet the Rust Crew]

SEGA shows off new squad member, boss and stage for Binary Domain

For those who were thinking that the five characters that SEGA has been showing since Tokyo Game Show was your complete squad, think again, as today SEGA of Japan released shots of a new character never before seen, Shindo, a Japanese man who seems part of Mifune’s underground network. Also shown was a new stage, set in a car making factory as Dan, Cain and Shindo shot it out with the robots. Click the link for some a lot more screenshots, including a boss character that seems to be a red robotic ape and shots of the story itself.

[Source: 4Gamer] [Note site in Japanese]

Binary Domain Promotion in Japan gets rather strange with Assult-Kun show

SEGA of Japan has always been known for its more alternate (And sometimes rather effective) marketing campaigns and this one for their up and coming third person squad based shooter Binary Domain is no different. Say hello to Assult-kun, a green humanoid robot working in an office as he deals with the dangers of the working enviroment as every other person.

In the above video him and his co-worker is being scolded by their manager, when the manager leaves, his co-worker writes “Die, Manager!” as she leaves, Assult-kun tries to clean the white board but realises she used permenant ink, horrified that his manager is returning, he turns it over only to realise even more insults on the otherside! Click after the break for a second video and know that SEGA’s (Strange) marketing for Binary Domain is well and truly underway!

SEGA gives Nagoshi a truck to advertise Binary Domain & Black Panther 2

SEGA has already marketed his game with a hummer, so it seems the next logical step would be a truck! That is right, Toshihiro Nagoshi and the Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio are going to get their own truck to help promote their latest two titles, Binary Domain and Black Panther 2 in Japan. The truck will house demos of both particular titles mentioned. With it, players lucky enough to get a ride in the Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio track will not only play the game, but get to meet Toshihiro Nagoshi himself! Click on the link below to Andriasang to check how many people turned up to the original signings for Yakuza 1 in 2005 and another image of SEGA’s newest marketing tool. Perhaps next time they’ll happen to use a bus.

[Thanks to SEGA Portuguese for the tip! Andriasang ]

Binary Domain Developer Diary #1 and more footage

As SEGA starts to get the hype rolling for Binary Domain, British program Playr TV has uploaded their final 4 videos showcasing their playthrough of Yakuza Studio’s latest action title. The player is guided through the commands of Binary Domain by Big Bo but other videos show the player facing against the Grand Lancer and some of the set pieces encountered in the titles, such as falling buildings. It also confirms for the first time that even Japanese characters will be speaking in English. Also recently released is a new developer diary from producer Toshihiro Nagoshi, who chiefly talks about the world itself and the background plot. See below for the developer diary, or hit the break to see the remaining videos.

Binary Domain Developer Diary #1

Binary Domain “Bigger Than You Think” trailer released

It does not seem a day goes by now without SEGA releasing new media for their major release next month, Binary Domain. This latest trailer is a brief recap of the plot with robots ripping off their human flesh but also reveals a showdown in a casino/strip club, escaping from enemies via jet skis and a highway chase scene that has you shooting down flying robots and cars! Mixed with plenty of action and ingame cutscene it seems to indicate all the makings of a another big game from Toshihiro Nagoshi and the Ryu Ga Gotoku studio. The trailer also confirms a short delay, with Binary Domain set to launch in Europe on 24th February 2012 for the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360, expect to be seeing more pieces of media as the launch date draws close.

 

Check out Binary Domain’s first chapter shown on British TV

With just over a month away, SEGA has begun to pick up its marketing for their highly anticipated third person shooter from the Ryu Ga Gotoku/Yakuza stuido by showcasing it on British television program Playr. The previews features a look into the first chapter of Binary Domain as Dan and Boi make their way into Japan to begin their mission, taking on hordes of robots whilst interacting with the other characters in the story. Please note that this video may not work for those living outside the UK. Hit the jump for another short video.