SEGA News

SEGA Europe confirms 2011 titles

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SEGA of Europe has confirmed some of their 2011 line up, yet missed to mention some titles that we all know are coming. Namely the PSN/XBLA games,  Sonic 3DS game, Sonic 20th anniversary game, Binary Domain, and a few unannounced projects hinted. Here is what they gave up though.

  • Conduit 2 – Wii February 2011
  • Shogun 2: Total War – PC 15th March 2011
  • Super Monkey Ball 3DS (Working title) – 2011
  • Virtua Tennis 4 – PS3 2011
  • Rise of Nightmares (Kinect) – Xbox 360 2011
  • Yakuza 4 – PS3 Spring 2011
  • Thor – Spring 2011 Xbox 360/Wii/PSP/PS3/DS
  • Captain America: Super Soldier – PS3/Xbox 360/Wii/DS – Summer 2011

Some AAA titles mixed with license titles that we will most likely hit ignore on. Seems like a confirmation of the first half of the year, hopefully fall is better.  Well,  what titles are you guys looking forward to?

[Source: NowGamer]

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Yakuza 4 trailer – Kazuma Kiryu

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Here is the story trailer for everyone’s favorite Kazuma, the Dragon of Dojima. I’m really liking the narration job on the trailers, its a real 180 turn in quality compared to the third game.

The game is set to hit PS3 owners on March 15, 2011, you guys ready?

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Shenmue 3: Choices in conversations change outcome in game

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1up has published the second part of the Yu Suzuki interview, in this second part Yu Suzuki talks more about what Shenmue 3 would have been like and where he has been these past few years.

As for Shenmue 3:

“This is not actually in the game, but as an example to give you an idea of what I mean by deeper dialogue, when Shenhua and Ryo are at home, Shenhua will ask Ryo if he would like to drink tea or coffee and the player will select one or the other. Or, Shenhua will ask Ryo a hypothetical question like: “There are four animals; a monkey, cat, dog and bird. You are crossing the river but you need to leave one behind. Which one will you leave behind?” And the player has to choose one. Shenhua will ask lots and lots of questions like these and the answers will get stored in the game and affect the outcome of the player’s relationship with other characters. It’s like a personality test. For example, the person who leaves behind the monkey is the type of person who leaves their wife.” –Yu Suzuki

Damn, the man is brilliant. Makes me want to play it now. Other stuff in the interview are comments like 360 being the Dreamcast 2 and Yu Suzuki talking about Nagoshi. Some good stuff, read it here.

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Get SEGA’s PSP titles for under $10 on PSN

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SEGA has permanently dropped prices on their PSP titles via PSN. Most titles are under $10 dollars, actually all titles besides Iron Man 2 are $9.99. Here is your list.

  • After Burner: Black Falcon – (now $9.99, original price $15.99)
  • Alien Syndrome – (now $9.99, original price $15.99)
  • Crazy Taxi: Fare Wars – (now $9.99, original price $15.99)
  • Crush – (now $9.99, original price $15.99)
  • Full Auto 2: Battlelines – (now $9.99, original price $15.99)
  • Iron Man 2 – (now $19.99, original price $29.99)
  • Iron Man – (now $9.99, original price $19.99)
  • Sonic Rivals 2 – (now $9.99, original price $19.99)
  • Sonic Rivals – (now $9.99, original price $15.99)
  • Super Monkey Ball Adventures – (now $9.99, original price $15.99)

Was going to make a joke about how now you can use your PSP-Go, but I forgot no one bought it so it will just confuse all of you. If you are going to get a game, get Crush, seriously, that game is amazing.

[Source: Playstation Blog]

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Bad Shining Hearts review leaked, producer goes on the defense

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Shining Hearts is coming out this month in Japan on the PSP and the first review has already been leaked online fromDengeki PlayStation and it wasn’t very positive, highlighting that it had bad load times. What is a producer like Tsuyoshi Sawada to do? Sit in silence with his game gets trashed?

You don’t know Sawada.  He updated his twitter saying that the reason for the load times was the memory stick the reviewer was using was faulty. How did he know this? Does SEGA Japan send reviewers memory sticks? Faulty sticks at that?

Makes you wonder, I guess we will find out when user reviews and Famitsu reviews pop online. If you are wondering the score they gave the game, it was 75, 70, 80 and 60.

[Source: AndriaSang]

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1up does a brilliant Yu Suzuki interview

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Wow, 1up is really pulling big punches when it comes to their Shenmue coverage, they even have their old editor-in-chief James Mielke doing the interview. James Mielke is now working at Q Entertainment.

Here is what you can expect to read from Yu Suzuki:

“It cost $2 million dollars to use the chip. It was part of flight-simulation equipment that cost $32 million. I asked how much it would cost to buy just the chip and they came back with $2 million. And I had to take that chip and convert it for video game use, and make the technology available for the consumer at 5,000 yen ($50) per console or else nobody would buy the hardware. But I did it. And because I was able to do that we were able to put textures on the Virtua Fighter 2 characters.”

Now that is some god damn dedication. This is what made SEGA, SEGA and why I love them. Then again, this is probably why they where in debt all the time…

Read the 1up interview here…

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SEGA premiering Thor: God of Thunder at the VGAs

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Every time I turn on the Video Game Awards on Spike TV, I always feel ashamed. The show is cheesy and the reveals are always over hyped. Regardless, I always miss that SEGA doesn’t do this sort of stuff, even if it is cheesy. SEGA is now jumping on the ‘first reveal’ VGA bandwagon,  they have a lot of great stuff coming out they could show… like Phantasy Star Online 2..

What will they show? Thor: God of Thunder. Oh, great. Why does SEGA of America advertise their horrible games like Iron Man and now this one, more than they do great games like Yakuza 4, Vanquish or Phantasy Star titles? Then they ask why they don’t sell.

Show will air on Saturday, December 11 at 8PM ET / 5PM PT. Put it on DVR, you will want to fast forward a lot.

[Source: Spike TV]

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SEGA permanently drops prices on iOS games

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SEGA has announced a permanent price drop on their iOS games (iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch). If you haven’t picked up some their titles when they had that crazy turkey deal, you suck. But you can still get them cheaper than usual.

  • ChuChu Rocket: Now: $2.99 (was: $4.99)
  • ChuChu Rocket HD: Now: $4.99 (was: $6.99)
  • Ecco the Dolphin: Now: $0.99 (was: $2.99)
  • Football Manager 2010: Now: $4.99 (was: $7.99)
  • Golden Axe: Now: $0.99 (was: $2.99)
  • Gunstar Heroes: Now: $2.99 (was: $4.99)
  • Phantasy Star II: Now: $2.99 (was: $4.99)
  • Shining Force: Now: $0.99 (was: $2.99)
  • Super Monkey Ball 2: Now: $2.99 (was: $5.99)
  • Super Monkey Ball 2 Sakura Edition: Now: $4.99 (was: $7.99)
  • Sonic The Hedgehog 1: Now: $4.99 (was: $5.99)
  • Sonic The Hedgehog 2: Now: $4.99 (was: $5.99)
  • Sonic The Hedgehog 4 Episode 1: Now: $6.99 (was: $9.99)
  • Streets of Rage: Now: $0.99 (was: $2.99)

Wow, Sonic 4 really dropped in price over the last couple of months. Get it!

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PlayStation Awards show honors Yakuza 4

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Sony always holds a ‘Playstation Awards’ ceremony to give high selling Japanese games a pat on the back. Yakuza 4 was amongs the best selling titles for 2009-2010. Actually November 1, 2009, through October 31, 2010 to be more specific.

Yakuza 4 & Phantasy Star Portable 2 where honored the Gold Award, which means they sold 500,000+ units. Yakuza 4 also nabbed a user vote award. That is two prizes! The Platinum Award went to only one game, Final Fantasy XIII (for selling a million plus).  That isn’t all though, Sony also awards highest selling PSN purchased content. SEGA nabbed three spots, one with After Burner Climax, Hatsune Miku Project Diva Add-On Song Collection Deluxe Pack 1 and Hatsune Miku Project Diva Dreamy Theater . Talking about Hatsune Miku, SEGA’s 2nd PSP game also got a user choice award.

What do they get for winning? A trophy (here is Hideo with his) and a cash prize (Platinum 1 Million yen, Gold 500k yen).

[Source: AndriaSang]

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New Phantasy Star Portable 2: Infinity Trailer

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The newest trailer for ‘Phantasy Star Portable 2: Infinity’ the expansion to the original Phantasy Star Portable 2 has got the Phantasy Star fans in a crazed speculation frenzy.

Because not only does it show some of the new characters, races, game play and locations. The end of the trailer shows something far more interesting… Near the end of the trailer you’ll see an old looking spaceship rising from the ground.

Hit the jump to find out more about the story/speculation.

Continue Reading ➜

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Takenobu Mitsuyoshi Sings About Virtual On

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‘Meanwhile in Japan…’

Well, he’s probably singing about Virtual On anyway.

I’ll be the first to admit I don’t really know what’s going on here but he does seem to be singing to promote Virtual On 4 Force. He even shows off the collectors’ edition at the end of the video.

What else is there to say? He’s got a lovely singing voice and seems very passionate about big robots.

Virtual On 4 Force is will released for Xbox360, in Japan very soon. A western release for the game is yet to be announced. Fingers crossed!

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Forum member gets hands on with Shenmue City

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Our forum upsidedown fuji has been playing Shenmue City since it launched yesterday. Yes, the lucky, sexy bastard lives in Japan and can take advantage of Japan virtues like living in the same island as Yu Suzuki and playing his games. While the rest of us hit F5 on the YS NET website waiting for Western announcements.

Enough of my bitter attitude, if you want to read his thoughts on the social game, click here.  Don’t be scared of signing up for an account, we don’t bite. Who knows, could save your life.

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Yakuza 4 character trailer – Shun Akiyama

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WATCH IT!!

Nagoshi’s latest game, Binary Domain might have had a “not so great” debut trailer, but it seems his Yakuza 4 game is starting off its American marketing rather well. Now we are starting character trailers with Shun Akiyama.

I like the English voice trailer, even if they are trying to hide the fact that the game will be all Japanese voiced. Game will be hitting a Playstation 3 near you this upcoming Spring. You ready?

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Shenmue City Western Release Planned – Suzuki

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While speaking to games™, Yu Suzuki revealed that he is currently planning to release the Shenmue social networking/mobile game ‘Shenmue City’ aka ‘Shenmue Gai’ in English.

When asked if Shenmue City might be converted to more commonly used western platforms such as iPhone or Facebook he replies,
“There are plans but I cannot discuss them now.”

When explaining the premise of Shenmue City, Yu Suzuki said,
“We’re building Shenmue City as a social game, and each individual player is the main character. The story progresses as each player take on the role of a student who works with Ryo at his dojo, called the Hazuki Bukan.”

When talking about the future of Shenmue City, Yu Suzuki said,
“Two more stories will follow in the future’, he adds, “and if management likes our performance, more stories will be a possibility.”

Shenmue City is due to be released on Yahoo Japan’s Mobagetown service this winter and will presumably come to the west in 2011. For the full interview with Yu Suzuki, see games™ issue 104, on sale 23 December.

I’ll be playing Shenmue City no matter what… If only just to show there is support for the Shenmue series in the west. Hell if it comes to Facebook I’ll just have it running in the background as I do my daily rounds looking at photos of people I went to school with and seeing which ones are now fat, ugly, balding or pregnant.

For impressions/questions on the Cell Phone/Mobile Phone version of the game I suggest going to THIS THREAD on our forums.

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Shenmue City goes live today

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That is right, Shenmue City is now up to play. The only issue is that the mobile version is the only one available. Meaning if you (like myself) are waiting for the PC version, you will have to wait. That version is still in development, no release date given.

But all is not lost, you can download wallpapers (like the one above) to celebrate the launch. Sure, not as cool as getting Shenmue 3. But bear with us! I hope this means we will get some gameplay footage online.

[Via: AndriaSang]

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