Developer Retrospective: Experience synesthesia with SEGA’s United Game Artists

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This month we are proud to celebrate the unique and musical driven games of United Game Artists (ユナイテッド・ゲーム・アーティスツ). The team was made up of members of SEGA AM6 and headed by Sega AM3’s Tetsuya Mizuguchi. Unfortunately, the team was short lived and only released three titles under the ‘United Game Artists’ banner. Regardless, those three games have made such an impact on us gamers that we are still talking about them over a decade later.

Yakuza Zero gets an hour demo walkthrough on PS4, running at 60fps

The new Yakuza Zero title is set to hit both Playstation 3 and Playstation 4 this upcoming March in Japan, that means its time to hype up the fans by releasing tons of press materiel. Not sold on the 60fps upgrade on the new Playstation 4? Don’t worry, someone has posted an hour long demo walkthrough in full quality for you to enjoy. This is the demo that is already on the PSN store, but if you don’t have a Playstation 4 yet, this is a nice video to watch.

As of today Yakuza Zero is a Japanese exclusive, but I guess if people buy Yakuza 5 that is coming out later this year, we might get a Yakuza Zero port (possibly a year+ late, like always). Tell us what you think! Young Kazuma or old Kazuma?

Persona 5 trailer shows an amazing new style

So Atlus just released this trailer for Persona 5, and it looks nothing like any Persona game before. Aside from plenty of new and returning gameplay elements, the game has a new style that barely any game has ever pulled off before. The closest thing that I could think of is Rhythm Thief combined with Catherine. It just looks fantastic.

Persona 5 will be released on Playstation 3 and Playstation 4 later this year and has already become my most anticipated game of this year.

Yakuza 4 coming to Playstation Plus next month

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So the news that Yakuza 5 will be getting a western release was very exciting, but some of you might not have actually played a Yakuza game before. So it’s a good thing that next month all Playstation Plus subscribers will be able to download Yakuza 4 for the Playstation 3. You won’t need to have played any of the previous Yakuza games to start with it either, as every Yakuza game includes hefty recaps of the games before it.

NeoGAF member YianGaruga spotted that the game will be included in next month’s Playstation Plus games on the German Playstation Blog. (Update: Now confirmed for the US as well) The other games that’ll be available are Apotheon and Transistor for Playstation 4, Thief for the Playstation 3, Kick and Fennick for the Playstation Vita, and Rogue Legacy for all of the previously mentioned platforms. So overall a pretty good selection of games, though Yakuza 4 is the only one of them that’s about being a bad-ass in Japan.

Attention Westerners: Dengeki Bunko: Fighting Climax is coming to PS3 & Vita Summer 2015

Another localization from SEGA is hitting Western consoles this year! Announced on the official Playstation blog, the light novel 2D fighter Dengeki Bunko: Fighting Climax is set for a Western release exclusively to PS3 and PS Vita in Summer 2015, both digitally and at retail for the US and digital only for Europe. If you want to know what the game is all about, we’d advise you check out Kori-Maru’s 2014 SEGA Game of the Year pick and read SEGA’s announcement at the Playstation blog.

Between this, the SEGA 3D Classics, and Yakuza 5 – it’s a great time for localizations from SEGA West!

Yakuza 0 story trailer: The most action packed Yakuza yet?

Strange to say that considering this is suppose to be set in Kiryu’s younger days, but if this trailer is anything to go by than this might just be the most intense Yakuza game yet. Not only is this trailer filled to the brim with all out action but a lot of old faces show up like Nishiki and Shimano. If this was how Kazuma started his life as a Yakuza, then it’s little wonder why he’s hardly phased by fighting tigers and taking on black arm dealers in the future. Yakuza/Ryu Ga Gotoku 0 is set to be released on 12th March for the Playstation 3 and Playstation 4 in Japan, no Western release is yet announced.

But who knows, maybe if you guys all purchase a copy of Yakuza 5 later this year, we shall get to experience the next installment.

SEGA and Sony partner up to bring Yakuza 5 to US and Europe

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SEGA certainly kept us waiting on this one but it’s finally official, Yakuza 5 is hitting European and American Playstation 3’s for 2015. Partnering with Sony and part of the #buildingthelist hashtag, Yakuza 5 was one of the most requested titles and the dream is finally real. Talking about the announcement, series creator and software division head Toshihiro Nagoshi had this to say;

“After receiving so many requests from fans of the series, we have decided to bring Yakuza 5 to the US and Europe. This title was enjoyed by over one million gamers in Japan. I’m looking forward to seeing how Yakuza 5 will be received by the gamers in the U.S. and Europe.”

So far the only information we have is that the title will be available digitally via Playstation Network but that wasn’t all, also announced was Yakuza 4 and Yakuza: Dead Souls will also be released on Playstation Network.

Alien: Isolation’s first add-on pack set to release on October 28th

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SEGA has announced the first Alien: Isolation add-on pack, titled “Corporate Lockdown”, is set to release October 28th. The first of five planned add-on packs, “Corporate Lockdown”, adds three new maps to the game’s Survivor Mode. Each add-on pack will feature new playable characters, offering a different perspective on the main campaign’s story. In “Corporate Lockdown”, players take control of Seegson Executive Ransome who takes on three new challenge maps: ‘Severance’, ‘Scorched Earth’ and ‘Loose Ends’. After the break, check out an additional screenshot from the add-on pack as well as SEGA’s full press release. Also, make sure to check out My Life with SEGA’s Alien: Isolation video review.

My Life with SEGA both loves and fears Alien: Isolation for Playstation 3

On the latest episode of My Life with SEGA, rather than stepping back in time, we’re going to check out the newest title from SEGA and The Creative AssemblyAlien: Isolation. Developed in-house and released last week to PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and PC, Alien: Isolation takes a different approach when it comes to what players have come to expect from Alien franchise video games. For starters, it’s not a first person shooter! Instead, The Creative Assembly have cooked up a first person survival horror game that is very much in line with the tone of the original Alien film directed by Ridley Scott. How does SEGA’s latest Alien outing fare? Check out the video to find out!

Like this video? Subscribe to the SEGAbits YouTube channel.

SEGA in the Charts: Alien: Isolation debuts in 2nd behind FIFA 15 in the UK

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How about some good news for a Monday? Via VGChartz and SEGAbits forum member Nirmugen comes news that Alien: Isolation launched in the second position on the UK charts, behind FIFA 15 which remains the best-selling game in the UK for three weeks running. Given soccer’s football’s appeal in the UK, it’s quite impressive that a SEGA title managed to chart so highly – especially after speculation that Aliens: Colonial Marines may have tainted the public’s interest in the Alien franchise. However, it should be noted that despite the quality of Aliens: Colonial Marines [watch and/or read our review], the game still managed to surge back into the charts as early as January 2014.

SEGA takes aim and blasts Resonance of Fate onto PlayStation Network for PlayStation 3

SEGA West has announced that Resonance of Fate, released in 2010 to the Xbox 360 and PS3, is now available on the PlayStation Network for PlayStation 3. Developed by tri-Ace, Resonance of Fate is a unique RPG featuring a combat system centered around gun-play in a steampunk-styled world. Players take control of Vashyron, Zephyr and Leanne, members of the Private Military Firm who are tasked with seeking out and completing quests for their clients.

Persona 4 Arena Ultimax Coming to Europe This November

If you’re European and dreaded having to wait a very long time for Persona 4 Arena Ultimax, then we’ve got some good news for you: you have to wait somewhat less than you used to. According to Eurogamer, SEGA is bringing the game to Europe this November in disc and digital formats. No specific release date was given, but at least we know that we just have to wait two months instead of nine.

Well, unless you’re going to import the game. If so, you can get it from the US starting September 30th or you can already import it from Japan. That or you’re one of those weird not-European people who lives there and doesn’t have to either import or wait that long for the game.

Valkyria Chronicles’ Selvaria Bles and Alicia Melchiott enters Dengeki Bunko Fighting Climax

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Fans of the Valkyria Chronicles franchise can jump for joy as SEGA & Dengeki has recently announced during Tokyo Game Show 2014 that Selvaria Bles and Alicia Melchiott will appear as playable and supporting in the home versions of Dengeki Bunko Fighting Climax which is set for release on November 13, 2014 for Playstation 3 and Playstation Vita.

At the moment, it is unknown how the characters will play in-game. However, screenshots are available to view on the net. The two will join the fray along with other SEGA characters, Akira Yuki and Pai Chan, from Virtua Fighterwho’ve also been announced for the home versions of Fighting Climax.

More details to be announced soon. Which SEGA character do you think would fit Fighting Climax? Leave us a comment below and hit the jump for screenshots of Selvaria and Alicia in action!

Yakuza Zero’s first trailer shows Kazuma being a bad ass

Toshihiro Nagoshi went on stage at Sony’s TGS press conference to present this trailer of Yakuza Zero, which shows a younger Kazuma Kiryu in the year of 1988 as a debt collector. This is during a time when the economy in Japan was in shambles, which will have an affect on the game’s plot. He also announced that the game will have two playable characters: Kazuma Kiryu and Goro Majima.

The reveal of this trailer at the conference can be seen here. The game will be coming to Playstation 3 and Playstations 4 during Spring 2015 in Japan.

Persona 5 coming to Playstation 4, has a pretty sweet logo

Sony’s TGS press conference had a big surprise for Persona fans: the upcoming sequel Persona 5 will be coming to Playstation 4 as well as Playstation 3. A new trailer showing the protagonist was also shown. The game will be released at the same time on both platforms in 2015.