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‘Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls’ Is A Much Better Game On PS4

by Josh JacksonAugust 12, 2017

Back in 2015, I reviewed Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls, a third person shooter that spun off from the point and click adventure games that have been all the rage on the Vita. When I first played it, I adored its creative use of weapons, its creepy atmosphere, and its variety in enemies, with my biggest complaints centering on the camera issues. Having fewer buttons made handling all of the game’s tasks a bit awkward on the handheld, which ultimately held it back from being as great as it could have been. That all changed with the PS4 remaster releasing ahead of the much anticipated Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony, allowing a wider audience to enjoy this quirky action title with a slew of improvements. After playing through it again on the big screen, it’s clear that Komaru benefited greatly from the jump to Sony’s home console.

Trapped in the devastated Towa City with an army of Monokuma robots out to kill anyone they can find, Komaru Naegi finds herself fighting off the machines with one of the first game’s survivors, (and part time serial killer), Toko Fukawa. In between them and their freedom are the Warriors of Hope, a group of children who are seemingly responsible for the chaos with ties to series antagonist, Junko Enoshima. Part horror movie and part coming of age drama, tying Komaru’s journey of a regular girl in a world of geniuses to the loose ends of the first two games is done masterfully, still serving as an entertaining backdrop to all of the chaos that surrounds you.

As a remaster, my thoughts haven’t changed much regarding the game as a whole compared to the Vita version. Considering how shooters haven’t advanced much since 2015, Ultra Despair Girls still feels incredibly fresh with its unique use of weapons for both combat and puzzle solving. Using your gun to hack, destroy enemy weak points, push Monokuma robots into water and forcing them to dance among other functions are still equal parts fun and hilarious. It’s always nice to see a dark game that manages to retain a sense of humor. Still, long cutscenes reminiscent of its text adventure roots tend to hurt the flow of the action while the game makes it hard to keep track of what you’re missing for all of those completionists out there. With the improvements made to the controls, the PS4 version makes an already easy game slightly easier, meaning it won’t last terribly long from a game play standpoint.

But there are some key improvements that make the game worth checking out a second time, as well as making it a can’t miss game for PS4 owners who never had a Vita to play the original on. As soon as the game gives you control of Komaru, it’s immediately noticeable how much smoother the game runs on the console. The frame rate has received a boost, making moving the camera and exploring Towa City a much more seamless experience. Komaru, the city itself and the enemy character models look much more vibrant this time around, taking advantage of the high definition boost the game received in the upgrade process. But what was probably the original’s most glaring flaw, its awkward controls when trying to both shoot and move, have been improved with the addition of extra shoulder buttons. Now, what was once a clunky, unintuitive movement method that asked the player to make concessions with comfort is much easier to play. Adopting the Resident Evil model of control is always going to come with a certain amount of clunkyness, but it’s minimized to the point where I barely noticed them during my time with the game. However, aiming is still annoyingly slow, which is by design since one of Komaru’s skills during upgrading is her aiming speed. Hey, we can’t win them all…

With Danganronpa 1+2 Reload and Ultra Despair Girls both on the PS4 and the Danganronpa 3 anime available on demand, there’s little reason to miss out on the entire saga before we dive back into this world in Danganronpa V3. But even without that extra incentive, Ultra Despair Girls is a worthy action title that’s worth checking out. Whether its your first time or your next of many trips to Towa City, the game’s small annoyances can’t take away from this creepy, funny, incredibly dark but never dull shooter that always manages to keep things interesting. Whether you consider yourself an Ultimate Gamer or a regular old player, you’d do well to check this game out and see what all the fuss is about. Who knows? Maybe you’ll jump on the V3 hype train with us in the process!

NIS America To Livestream Press Event This Friday

by Natalie KipperFebruary 13, 2017

NIS America holds an annual press shindig in San Francisco, California, and for the first time, the event will be broadcast live on the company’s Twitch channel! The festivities begin at 7pm Pacific/ 10pm Eastern on Friday, February 17.

What can we expect the Press Event? Here is what has been teased so far:

In an email sent out to attendees, NIS America stated that they have “five new games to announce and maybe even release dates for our first game on Switch and a game featuring an adorable black and white bear.” Now, I don’t know about you but that bear sounds a lot like Monokuma from the Danganronpa series to me. GoNintendo hypothesized that the yet-to-be revealed 3DS game is RPG Maker FES, which was recently announced for localization in Australia.

To keep up to date on the NISA Press Event 2017, head on over to their dedicated Facebook page. Do you plan on watching? Let us know in the comments!

The ‘Danganronpa 3’ Reveal Trailer Teases Updated Gameplay, A New Academy And The Same Old Monokuma

by Josh JacksonSeptember 20, 2015

During Sony’s press conference at this year’s Tokyo Game Show, Spike Chunsoft officially revealed Danganrona 3, complete with its first trailer.

Originally said to have been in the works at last year’s TGS, this reveal trailer comes fresh off the heels of the latest game, Ultra Despair Girls, releasing in the West, so everyone should be on the same page when it comes to the story! Teasing a brand new academy, and a type of testimony called “skimmish,” where multiple classmates give their sides of the story at the same time, it’ll be even harder to cut through their words to find the truth. With Monokuma, Monomi, Shirokuma and Kurokuma all making appearances in the trailer, could they all be in the main game as well? Or were they simply stand ins for the yet to be revealed cast? All I know is that I hope that line about Togami being dead was only an example and not a spoiler.

Watch it below and tell us what kind of despair you hope the third main game in this popular text adventure will bring. Danganronpa 3 will release on the PS Vita, as well as making its console debut on the PS4, on a yet to be determined release date.

Geekscape Games Reviews ‘Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls’

by Josh JacksonAugust 31, 2015

Danganronpa had caught me completely by surprise when it hit Western territories early last year. Released on the Vita as enhanced ports of the Japan only PSP series, its first exposure outside of the Eastern market left a lasting impression. With it and its sequel, these titles pushed beyond what we’ve come to expect from text adventure titles with its dark, yet humorous premise, memorable characters and ambitious mix of game play styles. So much so in fact, that I named the series my favorite games of last year! Now, about a year later, the series takes another bold step forward with Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls, the first original title the series has seen since 2012, built specifically for the Playstation Vita. Ditching the visual novel format, this spinoff takes on the third person shooter genre while bridging events between the first and second game, all while delivering the same ambition and creativity the main games are known for.

Ultra Despair Girls follows Komaru Naegi, the younger sister of the first game’s protagonist, who is being held prisoner by an unknown assailant. As time goes by, Komaru gets used to this life of solitude but her world takes an unexpected turn when a bloodthirsty Monokuma robot breaks into her makeshift home with the intention of killing her. After being rescued by an enigmatic group known as the Future Foundation, Komaru is tasked with surviving the Monokuma onslaught. Unfortunately, since her kidnapping, the world has fallen into ruin. Finding herself trapped in the isolated Towa City with a team of sadistic children known as the Warriors Of Hope, these kids plan on killing every adult they come across, including Komaru herself. Armed with a hacking gun that can fight off the robot army, and the schizophrenic fiction writer / serial killer, Toko Fukawa, (from the first Danganronpa), at her side, can this ordinary girl become the ultimate hope to fight off the despair?

Death and destruction has never been so cute.

Split into multiple chapters, Ultra Despair Girls primarily plays in a similar style to over the shoulder survival horror shooters similar to Resident Evil 4 or Dead Space. Using a variety of ammo types, Komaru will find herself blowing away countless waves of Monokuma robots, relying on a steady aim to take them out in most situations. Shooting them in their glowing red eye with the standard Break ammo deals extra damage, rewarding players with bonus Monocoins, which are used to upgrade the hacking gun or Toko’s alter ego, Genocide Jack. Each kill rewards experience, which levels Komaru up and allows her to equip more upgrades at a time. As the game progresses, the hacking gun gains a variety of “Truth Bullets”, each of which has its own strategic use. Are a group of enemies lined up in front of an electric car? The Move bullet will force the car to drive forward, running them all over. Is there a Siren Monokuma in your way, who will alert nearby enemies when it spots you? Shoot it with the Dance bullet to make its light set off an irresistible disco flair, forcing it and its friends to boogie uncontrollably, (and vulnerable to your attacks.) Or you could just do your best Bioshock impression and electrocute every enemy standing in water. It’s this level of variety in both the weapon and enemy types that help the combat stand out, helping it emerge as one of the better executed third person shooters in recent memory in terms of weapon variety. Naturally, weapon variety doesn’t matter much if there isn’t enemy variety to go with it, which this game has in spades. Between the variety of Monokuma types and the bosses at the end of each stage, you’re constantly asked to approach situations differently, even if they rarely provide a challenge, (but more on that later.)

The game offers a good amount of enemy variety, like this terrifying thing.

With so many attack options available, it wasn’t just enough to create a level of variety as you progress through the story. As you explore more of Towa City, you’ll come across Challenge Rooms, most of which you’ll encounter through normal progression. Here, Komaru is asked to accomplish a certain goal while only using certain Truth Bullets. Some will have you sneak to the exit without being spotted, while others will ask you to destroy all the robots with one attack. While most of these rooms aren’t particularly difficult, they play the role of helping us think outside the box in terms of how the game can be played, all while teasing our brain a bit in between all the shootouts. Then again, you CAN just kill everything in the room however you want, but it will hurt your end of stage rank, which becomes tempting in a handful of rooms where the objectives are explained poorly. Confusion, trial and error are never fun, but these moments are so few that they do little to hurt these challenges as a whole.

Surrounded? Just make them dance!

Speaking of killing everything, what kind of serial killer would Genocide Jack be if she doesn’t murder anything? When not serving as the absolute best escorted NPC ever in a video game, (seriously, Toko NEVER gets in your or the camera’s way despite always following right behind you,) Genocide Jack can be called upon at will to slice up her enemies with her trademark scissors as long as you have enough battery power to sustain her. A fast, invulnerable melee attacker, Jack is used as a kind of power up, helping you get out of jams or clearing the screen in an instant with her comical special attacks. Using a variety of combos and charge attacks, ripping through armies of Monokuma robots is a joy to play. Unfortunately for fans of the character like myself, her role as a temporary fighter minimalism her role in combat. Outside of a handful of story sections where you’re forced to use her, the game discourages you from swapping out too much since your end of chapter rank can also drop if she’s abused. Naturally, you can always start the game in Genocider Mode, where using her becomes unlimited, but be prepared to watch your rank plummet as you do so.

With this in mind, the question must be asked; if the serial killer is a hero, how evil do the villains have to be? Heading into Another Episode, I must admit that I was disappointed in the direction the game decided to go in in terms of introducing a new set of characters as antagonists. After all, the end of the second game created the perfect set up for a whole group of villains that we could already be invested in. Thankfully, the Warriors of Hope turned out to be far more memorable than I could have ever expected. Sending conflicting messages, the game has this uncanny ability to show the children committing horrible acts in their pursuit of an adult free world, then shortly after, make you feel their mindset is justified. Each child has their own set of motivations that are pretty twisted, making me put my head down in disbelief as some of these details slowly became apparent. Let’s just say if you thought the premise of the first two games was sick, (forcing high school students to kill each other, while the culprits would get slaughtered in an often graphic, yet always comical way when caught,) some of the content in this game tops it, and then some. You’re a monster if you don’t feel uncomfortable at some point during your play through.

New and old faces alike make appearances.

Outside of the Warriors of Hope, the story is Danganronpa‘s strongest point once again, quite possibly serving as the best in the series so far. Told through a mix of anime cutscenes, in game dialogue sections, (making use of the very expressive character models,) or the grim, 2D cutout style found in previous entries throughout the story mode, the game offers plenty of insight into the characters from the first game, somewhat logical explanations for some of the events that seemed impossible by the time the initial killing game came to an end, and plenty of foreshadowing towards the events that would take place in Danganronpa 2. If anything, the story’s biggest problem is that it doesn’t do enough to bring the two games together. If this was meant to fill in the gaps between the two main games, it’s as if it only filled half of it. Seemingly doing more to set up a second Another Episode game rather than answer the questions left behind in the second mainline title, which left me feeling like the closing moments ultimately amounted to nothing aside from some cool references.

Aside from the anticlimactic ending, the amount of story content disrupts the pacing often throughout its 18 hour run. Sounds good for a shooter, but when you take out the cutscenes, that 18 hours is cut down to about 8 of actual play time, and that’s being generous. Considering that this is spun off from a visual novel, lots of text is to be expected, but 30 minute scenes constantly popping up really hurts the flow of an action game. While expertly acted out by some of the top voice actors in the business today, sometimes you just want to get on with shooting stuff. Oh, and can the cast stop calling Komaru weak and a coward throughout 75% of the story? It’s hard to make that argument when she’s the only one destroying an army of killer bears. I think she’s earned the right to complain once or twice a chapter.

On the flip side, it may be true that Toko has grown as a character since surviving her previous ordeals, (which is a trait she displays many times,) but not so much when it comes to Byakuya, her crush from the original. Her calling him “Master” throughout the game is slightly humorous at first, but becomes grating as the game goes on. The amount that her self confidence has increased in every other aspect is a welcomed, (and natural,) progression when it comes to her character, but going in the opposite direction when it comes to Byakuya doesn’t match up. It’s not worth it to compromise Toko for a few laughs that ultimately fall flat, even if she does still manage to shine.

Komaru and Toko are amazing together… Sometimes.

Either way, the two girls will need to find a way to work through their quirks to fight off enemies as threatening as the Warriors of Hope… Or maybe not. Unfortunately, another one of Another Episode‘s biggest flaws is that considering how dangerous they claim to be, the Warriors of Hope don’t put up much of a fight. Even on the hardest difficulty, the game is almost insultingly easy, with enemies doing very little damage. Throughout the entire game, I died a total of three times, once when I didn’t know a certain enemy would self destruct, once when I got knocked off a ledge for an instant death, and once when I made the mistake of playing in the sunlight that made my screen hard to see in the final moments of the 18 hour play through. Even then, if you are killed by a standard attack, Toko has the opportunity to save you with a timed tap of the correct button at the cost of one of a segment of the Genocide Jack meter. If that wasn’t lenient enough, if you time the save just right to where the prompt closes in on the blue portion of the prompt instead of the yellow, the save costs nothing, essentially giving you infinite lives. Oh, and if you’re expecting this to change with the boss fights, don’t. The fights themselves while interesting at times, are just as easy as the rest of the game. Even if you have trouble, every time you’re low on health, the enemies are kind enough to start dropping hearts all over the field. Combined with certain abilities, each one will replenish your health in full, making battle feel more like a formality than a challenge or reward.

The Warriors Of Hope never lose their sense of humor, even as you breeze through their plans.

Then again, maybe the light difficulty is better than raging over unfair deaths due to the in game camera. While I never experienced any major issues with the sometimes unwieldy view, it’s still prominent enough to be addressed. The game essentially has three ways to control the angle, two of which are formal while the other is the very first power up Komaru is given at the start of the game. Auto is the default setting, where the camera sticks to your back by default. As the most ideal mode, this creates issues when trying to explore the environment for its many hidden items, since its hard to walk and search with the camera constantly moving. Second is manual, where the camera is rotated by the right stick and stays wherever you leave it. A quick tap of the R button will center the camera behind Komaru, but while minor, this causes the player to lose control of her for a brief moment before adjusting the direction she’s moving in. Ideal for exploration, it makes basic traveling an annoyance, especially since the only way to run and move the camera is to hold the Vita like you have a claw hand. The last, (and unofficial,) camera control method is the auto aim ability, the first power up provided at the start of the game. Coming in handy for most of the campaign, this move lets you automatically target the closest enemy to you. Considering how slow aiming is, this function is a life saver when you need to shoot quickly. However, when you’re surrounded, it has a terrible habit of targeting the wrong enemy if they’re slightly closer than your intended target. Each method has its strenghths and weaknesses, and while a consistent camera would have been ideal, alternating between these three modes is the way to go, even if periodically switching shouldn’t be the case.

On the subject of its aiming, I have no idea what the developers were thinking in this case, but the most apparent head scratcher was the design choice to make lining up your shots move painfully slow. I say design choice because rather than offering the option for aim sensitivity, the game instead offers faster aim as an unlockable power up, one that doesn’t even increase the speed that much. This makes the auto aim ability feel almost mandatory, but as mentioned, when you’re surrounded, you’re lucky if you target the enemy you’re trying to. As the only huge game play flaw, Spike Chunsoft made sure to make it count.

The Warriors Of Hope’ s strongest weapon might be forcing Komaru to use such awful aiming.

And finally, I can’t let the game get away with its terrible handling of collectables. This game has a huge amount of pick ups to find throughout its five chapters, which range from notes that explain the history of Towa City and its citizens, additional power ups for Komaru, ID Cards that offer insight on the pasts of the first game’s cast, and even an adorable story about Socki the Sock. These amount to what must be close to 100 items, many of which are must finds for Danganronpa fans. But good luck with that, since the game gives you no clue as to what items are in what chapter, or if you’re even missing anything in a particular section. Once you beat the game, a completion list tells you the percentage of each item type you found, but that does absolutely nothing to help you narrow down where you’re missing these flashing pixels. Naturally, this is a nightmare for people who don’t want to rely on a guide, but if you want to save yourselves hours of scouring stages, you might have to.

Despite its flaws, Danganronpa: Another Episode is one of the most refreshing shooters I’ve played in a long time. Rather than relying on tried and true methods set by other games in the genre to dictate its gunplay, Komaru’s adventure marches to the beat of its own twisted drum. Its unique ammo sets create a variety of strategic possibilities, which range from destructive to adorable, all while its story sets up so many gruesome scenarios. The strange part? It still manages to be so charming, just like the main games before it. Sure, the pacing of the game is hurt by its constant dialogue, the slow aiming feels like an example of forcing a handicap on players to force them to use power ups, the camera an collectables can be a pain, and the story ultimately goes nowhere, (even if its an amazing journey before the ending disappoints,) but in the end, Another Episode‘s can’t miss narrative and creative game play help it stand strong as one of the Vita’s best games this year. Don’t fall into despair, make sure you check this one out!

tl;dr

+ Creative game play that constantly asks you to approach situations differently, either in the field, or in specialized challenge rooms.

+ Decent enemy variety.

+ A deceptively dark, often shocking story, even by Danganronpa standards.

+ Unexpectedly scary.

+ Expertly voiced by a strong English cast.

+ End of chapter ranks, lots of power ups and collectables, will keep you playing.

– The game is way too easy, rarely offering a challenge, even on Despair (Hard) Mode.

– Long story scenes break the flow of game play, while its climax falls flat and some of the characterization feels out of place.

– Aiming is made slow to encourage power ups, while the only real solution doesn’t work properly when surrounded.

– Multiple camera options; none of which are ideal.

– No way to track missing collectables.

Verdict: Buy

Final Score: 4/5

E3 2015: We Take To The Skies With ‘Rodea The Sky Soldier’

by Josh JacksonJune 21, 2015

Despite its current reputation, people still take notice when they hear that the creator of Sonic The Hedgehog, Yuji Naka, is developing a new property. After floating around in development hell for a few years and shifting over to a new platformer, it won’t be long until we’ll be able to play Rodea The Sky Soldier for ourselves. At E3, we were able to check out the first few missions of the upcoming Wii U and 3DS game and see if it lives up to its creator’s pedigree.

As Rodea, a reactivated android who must protect the land from the evil that defeated him in the past, has a huge world in the sky to explore.Considering how low key this release has been, I was impressed to see how large of a scope this game has. If you can see it on screen, you’ll be able to go there, but you’ll have to strategically plan your jumps. While Rodea can fly for a short period of time, he needs to make contact with land or destroy an enemy in order to replenish the amount of time he can stay airborne. If you underestimate the distance, it’s going to be a long way down!

Holding one button to activate his reticule sets his flight path, while the attack button sends him towards enemies at full speed, barreling at them with a vicious spin attack, (sound familiar?). Flying through rings will set him on a short, on rails path to new areas, while collecting stars along the way counts both for points, and the ability to unleash a screen clearing super attack once you have 50 in hand. Feeling like a combination of sequences from Sonic Adventure 2 and Nights, it’s clear to see that Naka has his hands all over this project, which is a welcome realization.

Originally designed as a Wii game, there was also some good news for those purchasing the title on the Wii U version. What might be the final Wii release, all copies of the Wii U version will come bundled with a Wii copy, which will exclusively feature motion controls, and an online mode that lets players experience this huge world with friends from around the world. Combining this information with the jam packed collectors edition that was previously announced, and this package is looking sweeter by the day!

With all the praise out of the way, Rodea wasn’t without its problems. The controls take some getting used to, with jumping and targeting not being as intuitive as I would have liked. When on land, the camera mirrored the Dreamcast Sonic games in the worst way, often getting stuck or zooming in at the wrong times. Worst of all, while falling out of the sky with no land under you should result in an instant death, we’re forced to watch Rodea fall… and fall… and fall, until the game registers the lost life and sends us back to the checkpoint. Having said that, some of the other hiccups the game suffered, namely short jump times and weak attack distance will be improved as the player upgrades, so hopefully the rest of the problems will be addressed before the game releases in October.

Considering all of this new information, will you find Rodea: The Sky Soldier on your list of must buy games this October? Let us know in the comments if you’re planning on experiencing Yuji Naka’s next great adventure!

Geekscape Games Reviews ‘Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair’

by Josh JacksonSeptember 1, 2014

Back in February, a somewhat obscure text adventure game about a group of high school students who were forced to kill each other in exchange for their freedom ended up becoming one of the biggest surprises of the year so far. So much so in fact, that we raved about it in our review, to the point where I’d still call it one of the year’s best games even months later. One of the biggest strengths of the original Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc, was its creative take on the visual novel, implementing elements of action games, rail shooters, and dating simulations to become one of the finest titles in its genre.

With that said, the obvious follow up question is; “What’s next?” How can a sequel to a text adventure, by which is fairly limited in what how much it can innovate, manage to feel like an improvement only seven months later? And yet, Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair does just that, finding a way to succeed in nearly every area while finding multiple ways to stay fresh. And in case you were wondering, this version is every bit as dark and twisted as you would expect from the series.

Monokuma is back, and is as big of a troll as you’d expect.

This time around, players find themselves in the unfortunate position of controlling Hajime Hinata, one of a group of 16 students from the prestigious Hope’s Peak Academy. Despite not being able to remember his talent, Hajime and his classmates are each considered “Ultimate” students, who are at the top of their respective fields. Whether it’s the “Ultimate Cook”, the “Ultimate Princess”, or the “Ultimate Yakuza”, each student serves as a beacon of hope for the future of the world. Only, things aren’t as they seem. After being seemingly abducted and held on Jabberwock Island in the guise of a school trip by their teacher, a talking stuffed rabbit who goes by Usami, it isn’t long before the trip gets out of hand. While the goal of the vacation is to build up their friendships and spread hope, it isn’t long before Monokuma, the antagonist of the original, commandeers the island and changes the rules to his liking. Now, there’s only one way off the island; kill one of your classmates, and get away with it.

In its opening moments, Jabberwock Island feels instantly familiar to anyone who explored Hope’s Peak Academy in the original. The majority of the game play is split up into two sections, which are Daily Life and Deadly Life. In Daily Life, Hajime traverses the islands in both the first person perspective of the first game in more enclosed spaces, or a new 2D side scrolling perspective when moving between the larger areas. These sections mostly consist of interacting with the characters to move the story forward, or participating in Free Time events, which allow Hajime to get to know his classmates better in exchange for Hope Fragments. With a little talking and a lot of bribery, fully exploring each character uncovers special abilities, while granting the means to buy extra ones by purchasing them with the fragments.

Solving crimes is rewarding as always.

But the island can’t stay tranquil forever, which is where the Deadly Life sections take center stage. When a murder is committed, the cast goes into full investigation mode, using the on screen cursor to uncover evidence, (called Truth Bullets), to figure out what went down and who committed the crime. Once everything possible is uncovered, a Class Trial is initiated, where the surviving students participate in a Nonstop Debate. Like in the original, the characters discuss the case while the player has a small selection of evidence to choose from. Various key phrases are highlighted, which may contradict a piece of evidence you hold. After sifting through the distractions caused by White Noise that look to block your shot, Hajime must take aim and shoot through these contradictions using the right line of logic. Solving the mysteries end up feeling far more rewarding this time around, since they come off as more complex with less hand holding. With this sometimes backfires since the linear nature of the game can make it hard to guess which piece of evidence to use and when, even if you have the right idea, especially when the answers can be really farfetched at times.

In between the debates, new mechanics have been added while old ones have been changed, but not all of them for the better. For example, the standard debate leaves room to agree with blue statements, (which was only featured in the post game in the first title), showing that you don’t always have to be argumentative to be successful. Another original mechanic that changed in the sequel is the Bullet Time Battle, which has been replaced with Panic Talk Action. The rhythm themed button tap mini game now asks us to hold and release the X button to the beat of the music, with the length of time the button is held deciding how many statements are shot down, or how many bullets are reloaded. While an interesting change, it feels like one that wasn’t necessary, filing itself in the category of innovating for the sake of it. Still, these sections are still fun to play, which is the end goal regardless.

Yet, we can’t talk about needlessly changed mechanics without discussing the new take on Hangman’s Gambit. The first game had us selecting letters off of the screen to spell out words that would reveal the next clue. Now, we have combine at least two of the same letter before we can add them to our board in order, which admittedly has a fun, fast paced shooter game feel to it. While the concept sounds harmless at first, there are times where the right set of letters takes forever to crop up, or in later stages, where so many letters spawn at once that you take unfair amounts of damage. I’m sure some of you might be ready to fire off about how I shouldn’t fault the game for sucking at it, but it’s definitely not my fault when opposite letters spawn on top of each other, resulting in instant damage before they’re fully on screen. If the third game can bring back the old way of doing things, that would be great.

Hangman after those funny cigarettes.

Even if Hangman’s Gambit is worse for wear this time around, I’ll gladly take the trade off when you consider how much Closing Arguments have been improved. My biggest complaint about the game play in the first game was how these comic book panels that piece together the crime were far too vague, forcing you to guess on the sequence of events based on small pictures with very little context. Now, not only does highlighting the blank spaces and the options at your disposal provide text clues saying what they mean, but each option is provided in increments instead of being distributed all at once. This results in losing the overwhelming feeling of having too many options while giving players a more balanced shot at choosing the right options.

Closing Arguments went from the biggest flaw of the original to the most improved feature in the 2nd.

No longer acting as passive observers to your crazy arguments, classmates can now refute your statements as well, triggering a Rebuttal Showdown. When someone dares question your sound logic, things quickly turn from a shootout to a sword fight, allowing players to slice through their words using the touch screen or control pad in order to stay in favor. Once the key word comes up, cutting through it with the right Truth Bullet will put them in their place.

Fighting for supremacy in a clash of words.

In one of the stranger additions to trials, the Logic Drive starts a snowboarding mini game that gives Hajime the means to connect logic strings together by sliding down the right paths. Yep, I just said there’s a snowboarding mini game in a text adventure. Surprisingly, the controls, physics and challenge is fairly strong, making them enjoyable to play. I’m sure I’m not the only one opposed to seeing this idea fleshed out more fully, because I would actively look forward to playing these sections as they came.

Logic snowboarding is the next big sport!

The best part, is on top of all these changes and improvements, the biggest draw of the game has stayed the same, which is its brutal cutscenes, dark sense of humor, and undeniable charm, all wrapped up in a somewhat innocent presentation. Both the old and new songs bring the emotions the game is trying to draw out of us to life, while the 2D cardboard cutouts and pink blood amplify the ironic cuteness of a death game arranged by a sadistic teddy bear. Movies have a change in animation, providing some moments that are made of pure nightmare fuel, although these scenes are overall weaker than the first game.

This is furthered by the feeling that the new characters just aren’t as good as the ones in the first game. While the innocent charm of Sonia Nevermind, the strong impression Nagito Komaeda leaves, or Teruteru, a special kind of pervert character who’s nose will bleed for literally anyone, will stick with you, other characters like Nekomaru Nidai, Gundham Tanaka, Mikan Tsumiki and Kazuichi Soda range from annoying, to grating, often coming off as caricatures rather than people you’re supposed to get attached to. Not that the game doesn’t have a knack for tugging on the heart strings, making my jaw drop many times over, but while the cast of the first game was definitely eccentric, they all had a level of humanity that this cast mostly lacks. Not to mention that the game expects us to suspend our disbelief to absurd levels at some points, but these moments are eventually explained in a satisfying way, saving the story from a bit of ridicule.

Characters like Mikan bog down the narrative, making it hard to care about them.

After about 30 hours or so passes and the main game is completed, Danganronpa 2 still has so much to offer. Like the first game and its School Mode, Island Mode lets Hajime focus on building friendships, both by using the 100+ presents that can be purchased with unlockable Monocoins to round up any remaining Hope Fragments, or using Trip Tickets to go on dates with them for expanded endings. In between all the lovey dovey stuff, a mining mini game asks the team to build certain items in exchange for more Trip Tickets, all while managing each person’s HP, the island’s cleanliness, and the amount of each item needed for a successful build.

In addition, the game does a complete 180, unlocking Usami’s very own mini game which pits her against the evil beasts that inhabit the island. Playing somewhat like an action platformer, Usami can jump on enemies, circle around them to create magical attacks, or unlock stronger equipment which allows her to progress through six short, yet entertaining stages, which include multiple difficulty levels to keep things interesting.

The crazy part? Between hundreds of unlockable gallery items, hidden Monokuma plush dolls scattered throughout the island, (which replace the magical coins that pop out of the environment), a virtual pet simulator that houses over half a dozen pets based on how many steps Hajime takes and a freaking in game novel, and Danganronpa 2 comes close to almost having too much content. This isn’t even all of the new content and improvements the game provides, but for the sake of not wanting to make this a novel of my own, we’ll spare the details on everything included, and leave some surprises for the game. Can we have too much of a good thing? Apparently not!

So after thinking that it would be near impossible to further the visual novel genre more than the first Danganronpa did, Goodbye Despair does so, and then some. While it doesn’t surpass its prequel in every aspect, it knocks most of what it tries to do out of the park. With a wide variety of game play mechanics, constant experimentation, (with mixed results), tons of distractions to give your sleuthing brain a break, and more unlockables than you’ll ever need, and you end up with a game that is a near perfect representation of what thinking outside the box can result in. What we’re left with is a sequel that takes risks instead of resting on the laurels of its successful predecessor, and is better off for it, making Danganronpa 2 one of the best games in its genre… And by extension, a strong candidate for one of the year’s best games. What’s more hopeful than that?

tl;dr

+ A return to form for the Hope’s Peak student body, providing deeper mysteries and more of a focus on exploration with its sick sense of innocent, self aware humor intact.

+ Features like in game digital pets, full fledged side games and new core mechanics, (like snowboarding logic), are bold inclusions that pay off in big ways.

+ Storytelling and cutscenes that will stick with you long after you’ve put the game down.

+ An insane amount of unlockables that will keep completionists playing for hours.

– Deeper mysteries result in moments where illustrating your point is hard to do, resulting in having to guess which similar piece of evidence is the right one.

– Certain story moments are too far fetched, which is made worse by a third of the cast ranging from annoying to insufferable.

– Not all changes were for the better, with a frustrating new take on Hangman’s Gambit.

Final Score: 4.5/5

Geekscape Games Presents: A ‘Disgaea 4: A Promise Revisited’ Review From Someone Who’s Never Played ‘Disgaea’

by Josh JacksonAugust 11, 2014

As the title says, yes. As shameful as it is, I’ve never played a core Disgaea game, or at least not for longer than a few minutes. Don’t get me wrong though, I love the universe, the characters and the humor that the game has introduced. I’ve watched some of the anime, I’ve played crossover titles like Cross Edge that feature characters from the series, and put hundreds of hours into the two Prinny spinoffs. Yet, the task of pouring another hundred into a game as seemingly large and complex as any of the Disgaea games has always scared me off, even though I’ve had every intention of starting up my copies of the first, second and third games… Someday.

What I did know however, is that the general consencous considers Disgaea 4 the highlight of the series, which delivered on its promise to take the franchise to absurdly new heights back in 2011, both literally and figuratively. Building on that strong reputation is Disgaea 4: A Promise Revisited, an enhanced port for the Playstation Vita, which delivers numerous balance tweeks, all of the console version’s DLC and a slew of new features, none of which I noticed since this was my first go around. Regardless, this was the perfect excuse to finally give one of the main titles an honest shot, and what I was left with was a often humerous, deceptively deep turn based strategy that offers more hours of content than I know what to do with.

At the start, the game introduces us to Valvatorez, a former Underworld tyrant who values his promises above all else. Since then, his strength has declined, leading him to a demotion as a Prinny Instructor, due in part to a refusal to drink blood, (substituting it with an odd love for sardines). After his latest batch of graduates prepares to head off into a world of abuse and servitude, the Prinnies mysteriously vanish before their instructor can reward them with the sardines he promised them, kicking off an adventure that will take him all across the Underworld in search of those responsible.

Starting with Fenrich, Valvatorez’s loyal companion, Disgaea 4 offers a nearly limitless amount of characters for you to customize your party with, easing you into the game’s mechanics in the process. Starting off with your typical RPG classes as you build a larger team, traditional classes like mages, healers, warriors and everything in between make an appearance. In addition, any class of demon that has been defeated in battle can be recruited, adding even more party variety in both abilities and actions. And naturally, as the story advances, more core party members like Fuka, the human girl who was given a Prinny outfit in lieu of becoming an actual Prinny due to a shortage in resources, are added to the team. As expected, each one is a welcomed addition, bringing the off the wall humor and fourth wall breaking we’ve come to expect from the series on top of their attacks and special abilities.

Using a grid based format, the large variety of weapons and skills all have different attack ranges, so managing space on the field becomes even more important than performing the right attacks. But outside of the standard game play tropes we’ve gone over already, are abilities that are both new and old to the Disgaea franchise, including lifting and geo panels. Lifting allows human units to pick up enemies, allys and items alike, giving players the ability to move farther than they can in a normal turn, or moving enemies out of advantagous spots. Speaking of advantagous spots, geo panels are colored grids that can grant both helpful and harmful effects, adding a layer to the importance of field placement. Special blocks can change the color of the field when destroyed, harming everyone on a affected grid in the process.

If throwing isn’t your thing, there are plenty of other, equally crazy ways of leading your team to victory. For one, it’s possible to stack multiple units on top of another, leading to devastating special abilities that literally uses your wall of characters as a weapon, (assuming you’ve purchased the right upgrades). More traditional forms of attack include team attacks, where two adjacent characters have a chance to inflict extra damage when using a standard move against an enemy, which is shown through some amazing looking special animations, thanks in part to the game’s gorgeous 2D visuals. But if you’re more of a substance over style kind of gamer, these moves aren’t just for show. Properly utilizing combos, geo blocks and team attacks fills a bonus meter, which unlocks extra items, money and EXP bonuses at the end of each round. It’s not every day that an RPG dishes out extra rewards for playing well.

But if you like games like this, the standard fare isn’t enough for you, is it? Which is exactly why Magichange and Fusion abilities were included during combat. Magichange transforms demon units into weapons for humans to weild, netting both of them valuable EXP points. Fusion joins together two demons of the same type to create one giant version, taking up much more space, while doing an increased amount of damage and pushing aside units who block their path, creating yet another movement option. As you progress, you’ll even be able to Magichange fused monsters into even stronger weapons, which when all things considered, is just a bonus piece of a combat system that is deceptively complex.

With so many combat options at your disposal, it’s vital that you put each one to good use, because after the first episode, the game gets steadily more difficult. But once you’ve recruited all of the teammates you can find, and it’s still not enough, what’s a would-be tyrant to do? Thankfully, the options given to strenghthen your party members are just as varied as combat itself. In the hub world, you can spend your hard earned HL on new abilities, weapons, armor and items, which get stronger in a variety of ways.

Abilities are strengthened through constant use, but the items themselves can be upgraded by taking a trip to the Item World. Here, your team will give up an item in exchange for the chance to go through a variety of floors, challenging enemy teams along the way. As you progress, the item can get stronger by leveling up the item itself, or the Innocents contained inside it, (which serve as upgrades and abilities for certain characters). With a multitude of floors to discover, and a reward that introduces custom pirate ships to pit online against your friends once you get far enough, the Item World is like a game in itself, which can be a great place for both level grinding, and exploring.

Then again, if you don’t feel like working for your advancements, you can always take your case to the senate! When Valvatorez hauls over to the “Cam-pain HQ”, he’ll be able to build towers on a World Map that net different combat bonuses for each party member in its vascinity. In addition, a second type of currency called Mana, can be spent to call a senate hearing, where you convince various powerful demons to change the game in your favor. These range from hiring new party members, to opening a cheat shop, and even asking to embezzle their own pay for yourself. Obviously, they might not be too thrilled with every proposal you introduce, so much like the real senete, you can bribe each member with items to win their approval. Unlike the real senete, they’ll eventually vote. And yet, if things don’t go your way, you can always pass your ordinance through good, old fashioned force. Just be prepared to get completely slaughtered, unless you find yourself at around level 800.

And yet, leveling is where the game slows to a grinding halt. In between all of the hilarious banter, strategic combat and customization options with the senate, there will eventually come a time where you can’t proceed unless you fight the same enemies over and over again. Between the item world, and the option to replay any stage you’ve completed, you’ll never have a hard time finding a place to grind. Regardless, when every new recruited party member that’s not related to the story starts at level one, getting them up to speed becomes a miserable undertaking, one that wears the good times thin after too much time has passed. It gets to the point where advancing through the main missions feel like a reward for the hours of tedium. Something tells me that this isn’t the intention.

While on the subject of time, battles tend to feel like they’re going much slower than they should. I know that when it comes to turn based strategy games, slow is kind of considered the name of the game. And yet, I’ve been spoiled by much faster titles in the genre that don’t feel like they drag nearly as much. This tedium, combined with the many times certain mechanics wouldn’t work as intended, leaving me to figure out why on my own made it feel far too frustrating at times.

Luckily, once these moments pass, everything is a blast to play through again. You just have to trudge through some of the expected faults of the genre to get there. All in all, Disgaea 4 went a long way to convert a newbie like me to looking forward to whatever the series has in store going forward. With its impressive visuals, catchy soundtrack, laugh out loud script that’s exemplified by stellar voice acting, a never too serious, yet at times, touching story, and way more content than most of us will ever see, and it’s no wonder that the series has the following that it does. In fact, I’m suddenly inspired to go back and finish the back logged prequels! Just… Not today.

tl;dr

+ A deep, varied combat system with nearly limitless options.

+ The lengthy story, tons of bonus modes, multiple endings and hours of post game content will keep you playing for a very long time.

+ Offbeat humor throughout, which compliments the strong presentation.

– Lots and lots of level grinding.

– Battles can move at a pace that’s much too slow.

– Certain aspects of the mechanics aren’t explained very well, leading to lots of guesswork.

Final Score: 4/5

NIS America Announces Two New Anime Releases For 2014

by Josh JacksonJuly 20, 2014

During a weekend full of announcements, NIS America revealed their own anime releases hitting stores in 2014.

First, Hanasaku Iroha the Movie ~ HOME SWEET HOME ~ is coming in a premium edition box on October 14. Retailing at $49.99 , the package gets you the Blu-Ray film and an art book containing interviews with the staff behind the film.

From the press release:

About the movie:

In the days before the Bonbori Festival, Ohana’s friend Yuina comes to Kissuiso for training. While cleaning up after her, Ohana discovers a logbook kept by Beans from when her mother, Satsuki, was still a youth at Kissuisso. Through the logbook, Ohana catches a glimpse of her mother’s struggles, and realizes that maybe the two of them aren’t so different after all. Meanwhile, the rest of the inn staff are caught up in dealing with a blackout.

About the extras:

– Hardcover art book (full color, 32 pages) which provides a deeper viewing experience through scene-by-scene director commentary, staff member interviews, concept sketches, and setting illustrations.
– Original Japanese commercials

Second on the list is Nyaruko: Crawling with Love! Complete Second Season, also coming in a Premium Edition package on November 11th. Promising to pile on the charm in between saving the world, this 12 episode collection will also include its own art book at $59.99 MSRP.

Check out the synopsis from the press release:

About the show:
Mahiro has become accustomed to his protection detail of Nyaruko, Kuko, and Hasuta making his life interesting. Nyaruko starts scheming with Tamao to turn up the charm and sway Mahiro’s resolve, while Kuko reconsiders her own stance on love. Things get tricky as the gang deals with a monstrous monkey, an unexpected visitor from Kuko’s past, balancing love and duty, and of course, saving the world.

About the extras:

– Nyarlathotep-tested, alien-approved hardcover art book (full color, approx. 36 pages) with episode guide, character info, and gorgeous full color illustrations.
– Clean opening and endings, Japanese trailers

For more information on either series, visit NISAmerica.com/iroha and NISAmerica.com/Nyaruko, and check back with Geekscape for more anime news, impressions and reviews!

E3 2014: ‘Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair’ Coming September 5th!

by Josh JacksonJune 14, 2014

NIS America has released more details on the upcoming release of Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Dispair, complete with a brand new trailer for us to sink our claws into. Which of course means that it won’t be much longer before I can safely tread the Internet again without the fear of spoilers.
Picking back up a few years after the original title with a new cast of “ultimate” students, the group is on a field trip to a tropical island. However, this ticket to paradise quickly becomes a refresher course in the art of despair once Monokuma, the sadistic teddy bear from the original, returns to trap them all while isolated from society. The only way to escape? By getting away with murder.
Danganronpa 2 is technically a Vita remake of a Japan only PSP title, though like the first Danganronpa, this will be the first time that we’ll get the chance to play a localized version. Based on the trailer, class trials, investigations and the English voice cast will all return, which isn’t too unexpected. But the question remains… why is former rival, Byakuya Togami, trapped again, and why is he so fat?
The first game was released in February of this year, which was so good that I’d have to say that its dark premise, blend of genres and the way it so easily played with your emotions makes it an early contender for my game of the year. September is a long way away, which is plenty of time for Vita owners to get caught up, lest you risk yourself falling into ultimate despair come September 5th! For now, check out the E3 trailer and let us know if you plan on continuing with the series!

The ‘Cardcaptor Sakura’ Complete Series Collection Is Headed To The U.S. On August 5th!

by Josh JacksonMay 6, 2014

It’s been a long time coming. Courtesy of NIS America, the classic Clamp anime, Cardcaptor Sakura, is getting a complete collection release. After over a decade since its network TV debut here in the states, this will be a collection that no anime viewer who remembers waking up in the morning with Kids WB on the screen will want to miss.

Featuring all 70 episodes in both Japanese and English, this set will come in both a standard and premium versions. The premium box is full of all the extras you would expect from an NIS release, which includes a 9 metallic gloss blu-ray disc set, a fully illustrated 76 page hardcover art book featuring new illustrations, and a collectable slipcase to hold all that awesome stuff together. The collection will be available at select online retailers, including Right Stuf, The Anime Corner Store, Anime Pavilion, and NIS America Online Store.

About the show:

Ten-year-old Sakura lives a pretty normal life with her older brother, Toya, and widowed father, Fujitaka. At least she did, until the day she returned home from school to discover a glowing book in her father’s study. After opening the book and releasing the cards within, Sakura is tasked with collecting each of these magical cards, while trying to live the life of a normal fourth grader. In the monumental task of collecting all the cards, Sakura must rely on her friends and family, and decide what she finds most important in life.

I’ve always loved Cardcaptor Sakura, but I never got a chance to watch the whole series. With all of it collected into one box, complete with all these extras, it looks like I finally have my shot. Let us know if you’re planning on picking this up on August 5th when the complete series is released.

‘Demon Gaze’ To Get Free ‘Disgaea’ DLC!

by Josh JacksonMarch 12, 2014

Demon Gaze, the upcoming dungeon crawling RPG for the Playstation Vita, is looking to get an underworld makeover courtesy of a free Disgaea DLC pack!

For the first month of release, Vita owners will be able to add Disgaea themed party member outfits. Featuring costumes based off of Etna, Flonne, Sicily, Asagi, (who is STILL waiting to get her own game), and of course, Prinny, it’ll be great to see the iconic characters get a nod when Demon Gaze releases on April 22nd.

The Vita is looking to be the place to go for all of your niche RPG goodness. Check out these news screenshots to go with the teaser trailer and let us know if you’re planning on picking Demon Gaze up!

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‘Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc’ Is Out Now For PS Vita!

by Josh JacksonFebruary 12, 2014

Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc has hit store shelves for the PS Vita courtesy of NIS America this week, as we all hear the joyous cries of Vita owners everywhere. An adventure game taking place in Hope’s Peak Academy, a school that forces its students to spend the rest of their lives within their walls, the trapped youth only have one path towards freedom… But they’ll have to commit murder first.

In the style of visual novels like Phoenix Wright that are growing in popularity, Danganronpa tasks players with solving murders that take place on campus, but what do you do when the killers are your peers?

Watch the launch trailer below and keep your eyes peeled for our upcoming review. Until then, check back regularly for all your geek news and updates!

E3 2013: Hands-On with ‘Time and Eternity’

by Josh JacksonJune 23, 2013

While touring the games on display at E3 this year was as exciting as always, it’s getting apparent that new ideas are getting fewer and far between. Which is why when something new does stand out, it makes it that much more exciting to try it out. One such moment was when I came across Time and Eternity, an RPG that takes a unique battle system and combines it with a creative visual presentation, essentially putting an anime in the hands of the gamer. Creativity? Anime? RPG? What other reasons did I need to see what this game was all about? I literally went into this demo with zero knowledge, having missed all of the information released on the game, so I was excited to find out what I could.

For a bright and cheery looking game, Time and Eternity starts on a point that can be called the lowest of the low. Moments before her wedding, Princess Toki and her husband to be are ambushed by assassins. Toki makes it out okay, but her fiance isn’t so lucky and is killed in the fight. As it turns out, the princess has another side to her. This traumatic event awakens Towa, a second soul that Toki houses. Joined by their pet dragon who now houses their fiance’s soul, the two set out to find out who attacked them and perhaps use time to prevent the murder altogether.

Just looking at Time and Eternity makes it come off as an anime instead of a game. Giving a vibe reminiscent of Dragon’s Lair, the visuals look like something you would be watching instead of controlling. This just goes to show how gorgeous the game looks in motion, which can be seen in the game’s newest trailer, (hint: check the bottom of the page!)

Random battles trigger while running along the map, starting one on one battles that play out in real time, but not in the way one would expect. Mixing real time with turn based, the girls are set in one spot, but can dodge, block, move forward or backwards and attack at will. Toki and Towa have a variety of stances and positions they can take by attacking the enemy up close or shooting from afar. Each girl specializes in different attacks, complete with their own stats and skills. After each level up, the girl you play as switches, but there are items that open up later on that lets players switch them at will.

If enemies get too close for comfort, they can be kicked back to create distance, which seemed like the best option since long range magic trumped physical damage in every way. Different enemies are said to have different vulnerabilities, but everyone in the demo went down with one spell as opposed to multiple rapid fire melee attacks, making physical combat useless. The difference is that Magic takes energy that must be recharged by dodging, blocking and attacking, so melee being unlimited makes it a strong tool when there’s no other choice.

Outside of battle, the game seems to have a large cast of non playable characters that Toki and Towa can interact with. Mostly voiced, (but all in Japanese in this demo,) conversations would serve to flesh out personalities and build relationships. Dating sim elements seem to play a role in how these friendships develop, which might play a bigger role than they seem. According to the information I was able to gather, Time and Eternity will have multiple endings, potentially making the would be husband to choose between Toki and Towa permanently. From being killed to living in a dragon AND having to choose between girls? Sounds like the worst day ever.

Walking away from Time and Eternity left me excited for what the full version will offer. Its unique battle system and stylish graphics are just a tease for the potentially robust features the demo teased. Having two party members in one person is a unique idea, and I’m anxious to see how far the “dating” elements take the story. My biggest concern is how overpowered magic was compared to melee combat, but considering I was just playing one area, the main game will have a much larger variety of enemies to test these battle skills on. After being caught completely off guard, I must say that it’ll feel like an eternity until I can finally get this game in my hands.

Time and Eternity is coming to the PS3 on July 16th.