The One that Got Away: Chic Pixel Edition

A while back, the Game Critics podcast featured a segment dubbed “The One that Got Away” that was all about the games we start but never finish for whatever reason. Okay, it might have been more along the lines of “games we wished we played but never did” but seeing as I can’t remember the finer details, I’m going to go with the former interpretation of said segment for the purposes of this post.

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m really terrible when it comes to completing games. One minute I’m head-over-heels for a certain title, but then something new comes out or I get a good deal on an old title I’ve been looking forward to picking up, and inevitably whatever I’m currently playing gets thrown to the side to make way for whatever new and shiny thing I got my hands on.

For someone who is particularly fond of JRPGs, that’s the worst kind of curse. I’m notorious for not finishing RPGs I start, and as such I have a shameful pile of games that I just never got around to finishing. Today, I’ve picked five Japanese games that may or may not be RPGs that I’ve just never gotten around to finishing for your reading pleasure.

Odin Sphere

It probably wouldn’t surprise anyone that the main reason Odin Sphere caught my eye back when it was released for the PlayStation was its gorgeous visuals. When I started playing it, I was pleasantly surprised by the deep storyline and action-oriented gameplay that, admittedly, I’m not very good at. But my favorite part of the game was mixing different ingredients into all kinds of tasty-looking food! Those illustrations were part of the reason why Odin Sphere was so hard to play –– one boss in particular lagged so badly due to everything on the screen that it was almost impossible to get through. I got a good 25 hours into this one, so I definitely want to return and finish it someday.

Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne


I’m embarrassed to admit that the above picture is exactly why I gave up on SMT: Nocturne. Even more embarrassing is the fact that anyone who’s played the game probably knows that he is literally the first major boss in the game… but he’s so brutally hard! For a teenager with little patience and next to no RPG experience, the choice was simple: move on to another game. I know Nocturne is supposed to be a great game, though, so I fully intend to restart from the beginning and actually play it the whole way through one of these days!

999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors


Now this one might not exactly count, as I’ve actually completed one playthrough of the game. The thing about 999 is that, as a visual novel with puzzle elements, it has multiple endings, and only one is canon (from what I understand). The ending I got was certainly not the “good” ending, so I’d really like to go back and see the full story! Unfortunately, I played through 999 about a year about now and my memory of the finer plot points is pretty hazy… But I need to make this one a priority to complete before the sequel, Virtue’s Last Reward, comes out for PS Vita and 3DS later this year.

Shadow Hearts: Covenant


In many ways, Shadow Hearts: Covenant for the PS2 is a pretty average JRPG, but it’s also got some of the funniest dialogue and best supporting characters in any RPG I’ve played. There’s a vampire wrestler who makes a weapon out of whatever large, heavy objects he finds in the environment (see screenshot above), the best gay duo to feature in any video game ever, and a snarky white wolf! What more could be better, right? Well, you also get to collect stud cards for said gay duo in order to upgrade a certain character’s ability, along with all other manner of weird and whacky stuff. I’m really ashamed to admit I haven’t finished this one, as it’s one of my favorite PS2-era JRPGs, and I don’t even have a good reason as to why I never bit the bullet and got ‘er done, as they say. I know I’m actually quite far in the game… Looks like I know what should be next on my list.

Chrono Cross


Ah, that screenshot brings back memories… I think I’ve played the first 5 or so hours of Chrono Cross at least three times. For whatever reason, I’d always get to a point where I’d get stuck/bored and come back to the game after a long stint of playing something else, only to feel I’d forgotten enough to merit starting over from scratch. The last time I played, I got around the 15-hour mark… and got stuck again. Have I ever mentioned that I sucked at video games during the PSone/PS2 era? (whether or not I still suck is up for debate) I really need to knock Chrono Cross off of my list one of these days, and maybe actually get more than 2 hours into Chrono Trigger… But that’s for another post!

So what’s on your “one that got away” list? Don’t leave me alone out here! Share your shame in the comments!

This Pac-Man tablet case won’t be the last thing I buy from Simbiosis

Would you be surprised if I told you I recently purchased an Asus Transformer Prime Android tablet? Well, I’ll be surprised for you! I still can’t believe I own it, as I never really felt the urge to buy a tablet, but I decided to bite the bullet due to their portability (I’m namely using it for school). So far it’s been great for reading PDFs and doing work on the go –– it’s much lighter than my laptop and I love that it comes with a fully-functional keyboard attachment with a USB port and everything. 
But this isn’t a post about my tablet! No, I’m writing today to show off the fancy case I found online. See, I wandered the local shops to find something fitting to secure my new gadget in, but I just couldn’t find anything me… Until I stumbled upon this gorgeous case featuring vintage Pac-Man fabric, that is!
source
What better than a video game-themed cover, eh? I ordered it faster than you can say “Mrs. Pac-Man.” Even though the shop is located in Oregon, it arrived here quite speedily. 
As for the case itself, it’s quite cushy, and it looks professionally made. I assume “Simbiosis by Julia” is run by Julia herself, and I must say, I’m really impressed. So much so, that I’ve been eyeing some of the other goodies she has in her shop… 
Red Riding Hood clutch

I’m a sucker for cute Japanese fabric, I really am. I particularly like the Red Riding Hood clutch purse, but I’m going to exercise some self-restraint as I’m all too familiar with the huge pile of assorted bags waiting for me in the other room.

I’ve got good news for anyone interested in that awesome Pac-Man fabric –– there’s another tablet case (they’re a standard size that will fit iPads and most other tablets), as well as a large zipper pouch featuring the same design up for sale! 
And even if you don’t find any of these particularly grabbing, I highly urge anyone with good taste in cute fabric to check out Simbiosis by Julia! 

Hooray for Jake Lawrence!

If you don’t know who Jake Lawrence (aka The Time Cowboy) is, you’re in for a real treat. I recently commissioned him to provide a snazzy new logo for Chic Pixel, and look what he came up with! I love it to pieces and I’m so happy to finally have a cohesive look for this blog. Perhaps it’ll inspire me to write more? We’ll see about that…

Well, in honor of this awesome fellow, I wanted to take a minute and post some of my favorite pieces of his. If you’re interested in having him draw you whatever your heart desires, he’s still open for commissions! Check out his art blog here or go directly to his commission page here. Now, on to the art!

I should mention that if you follow Jake on Twitter he’ll often ask his followers for sketch/pixel art suggestions. He drew this after I asked for a picture of Swadloon. It’s pretty much my favorite Swadloon picture ever.

He also drew a pixelated kappa upon my suggestion! I’m clearly sucking up all his creativity and hoarding it to myself, so you better follow him and get your ideas out there, quick!

Jake is probably most famous for his Animal Crossing comics. I’ll let them speak for themselves:

Equally funny is his caption: “Seabass, the disappointements of the sea.”

He does all sorts of things, though, really. Here are some more of my favorites:

So thanks again, Jake, for the awesome banner! I’ll cherish it as long as this blog still stands. But enough about me –– how do you all like the new look?

Square Enix’s Otome Break: Otome or bishoujo?

Now here’s a Square Enix title that may come as a bit of a surprise: The company is set to release an iOS/Andriod title called Otome Break, which is described by the official site as being an “android girl raising simulation.” Basically, players spend their time communicating with one of three android high school girls, slowly unveiling their individual stories and hopefully steering them towards becoming a true “otome,” or “maiden.” The title is set to release in Japan this August.

One of the characters is literally named Otome. Is Square Enix grasping
at straws? 

I’m not really interested in discussing the merits of this title per say, but rather who the intended audience of this title is meant to be. Many western sites who have offered coverage on Otome Break have called it an “otome game,” which I personally feel is a little misleading. As mentioned above, the word otome literally means “maiden” in Japanese, but is also used to refer to a whole subgenre of visual novel/dating sim games aimed at a female audience (you can a more in-depth analysis Otome Game Primer). On the flip side, similar titles that are created with a predominantly male audience in mind are called bishōjo (lit. “beautiful woman”) games.

The “otome” in Otome Break is clearly referring to “maiden,” given the premise of the game. Three young android girls want to discover what it means to be a real lady, and it’s your job to teach them how… Sounds pretty obviously bishōjo to me.

That said, there are many otome games that appeal to their female audience’s interest in being an older sister or motherly-type figure. In fact, we can trace “raising simulators” back to titles like Princess Maker, where it’s the job of an ambiguous protagonist to raise a young princess into a capable adult woman.

It’s your job to shape this girl into whatever kind of woman you want her to be.

Now, it’s almost universally accepted that the Princess Maker games are bishōjo titles aimed at a male audience. Granted, there are many female gamers that play Princess Maker, as I’m sure there are both men and women who play more traditional bishōjo titles such as Tokimeki Memorial, but it’s worth noting in this comparison to Otome Break that the “raising sim” subgenre has had, to my knowledge, a predominately bishōjo bent to it. 


Another point that is worth considering in raising sim titles is how the player character is framed within the narrative. In Princess Maker, the player is acting as a parental figure for the young girl, which allows both men and women to play the game from a relatively equal standpoint, even if it has aspects that make it bishōjo. Otome Break‘s official website, however, explicitly states that the protagonist is a classmate of the three young android girls, making it clear that the player is meant to feel more of a brother/sister-type connection with the girls, rather than a maternal/paternal one. Would this make it easier or more difficult for women to connect with the narrative? I’m not entirely sure. 


Considering that I’m not currently living in Japan and am as such not exposed to promotional materials to Otome Break out in the wild, I can’t really say definitively whether or not Square Enix is taking a proactive stance on the bishōjo vs. otome categorization or not (this would be made very clear by where they chose to advertise the title). The promotional materials released online have so far been relatively vague, but I stand with my initial impression that this is bishōjo and not otome. Case in point:



This is an image taken from the official website. Now, correct me if I’m wrong, but I consider these relatively highly sexualized representations of young girls. Not only is the angle a worm’s eye view, giving the perfect almost-panty shot, but the gal in the center’s clothes are literally sticking to her skin in a way that not only accentuates her breasts, but her crotch, as well. Can anyone honestly argue that this image was drawn in such a way as to attract a predominantly female audience?

It’s worth mentioning that I’m not intending to rule out the possibility that this is a yuri, or female/female, title, but I would be very surprised if that was the angle Square Enix is going for –– even if this is Japan we’re talking about, I don’t think a big name like Square Enix would knowingly advertise a title with overt lesbian themes (note: there are both otome and bishōjo titles that feature female/female romantic relationships, so even yuri alone wouldn’t necessarily settle the debate of what subgenre Otome Break falls into). 


In the end, it doesn’t really matter what Otome Break calls itself, as long as it’s an interesting and fun game for those who choose to pick it up come August. But the fact that some people have chosen to argue that this title must be otome just because it may instill some feeling of sisterhood seems a little far-fetched to me given the promotional materials available outside of Japan. 


Otome, bishōjo… who cares?! Do you think Otome Break has any appeal, or is it some kooky thing made for purely Japanese audiences? 

Mother + Studio Ghibli + Level-5 = !!!

It recently came to my attention that Level-5 actually released a prequel game to the Ni no Kuni titles called Ni no Kuni: Hotroit Stories. Why haven’t I heard of it before now? Probably because it was only released on iMode phones in Japan on a service Level-5 offers called ROID (short for “Revolutionary Original Ideas Discovery”). The service is probably best known for hosting the Professor Layton spinoff title called London Life, which was released in the west bundled with copies of Professor Layton and the Last Specter.

Now if you don’t notice an uncanny resemblance to Mother 2 (also known as EarthBound) in the above screenshot, let me jog your memory:

Okay, it had a stronger resemblance in my head, but still… The point is, Hotroit Stories was developed by Brownie Brown, makers of the Mother series! (and London Life, as well) The game follows protagonist Oliver and his friend Mark… as they fight snakes? 
Not really sure how Hotroit Story fits into the Ni no Kuni story, but its resemblance to Mother alone makes it intriguing. And there’s a cat that follows protagonist Oliver around town!
Wouldn’t it be great if Namco Bandai could include Hotroit Stories with the North American release of Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch? Wishful thinking, I know, but considering this title is only available on a very specific service for certain cell phones in Japan, the likelihood any of us will ever get to try it is exceedingly low. I’d be interested to know how it was received (it was released in 2010, for the curious). 
Don’t forget, Namco Bandai has a special Wizard Edition of Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch available for preorder on their online store! This version is the only way North Americans can get a physical copy of the amazing spell book released in Japan, so if you’re at all interested, now’s your chance! You can read my full impressions of the Japanese version here. 

Taste test: Pokémon lava cookies by Gourmet Gaming

I’ve been meaning to try a Gourmet Gaming recipe ever since I discovered the video game food blog back in October of last year, but up until now I hadn’t come across a recipe that I really wanted to do that I didn’t think was way out of my cooking comfort zone (let it be known that I am not any kind of whiz in the kitchen). But when a recipe for Pokémon lava cookies came up, I just couldn’t resist!

Image by Gourmet Gamer

First of all, not only are these cookies from one of my guilty game pleasures (yes, that’s where I file  Pokémon), but this recipe combines two exceedingly tantalizing ingredients: dark chocolate and nori (a kind of seaweed)! Can you even imagine? I certainly couldn’t, but it sounded so quirky and potentially delicious that I just had to give it a go!

The end result… Mantyke approved!

The recipe was very simple, and didn’t require a lot of ingredients or any complicated procedures. The biggest issue I had was being too eager to try the end product that I didn’t wait for the chocolate that’s used as adhesive for the green nori strips to dry!

And I have to say, the end result was surprisingly delicious. I did find that it could’ve used a little more nori, as though the nori strip tasted good with the cookie, the areas that weren’t covered felt like they could’ve used a little more texture and saltiness. Next time I’ll try mixing a little more into the batter and see how I like it. If you you don’t mind your sweets mixed with something a little salty, I definitely recommend giving these a go! It would certainly be a crowd pleaser at any nerdy event.

Try the recipe out for yourself!

I’m 1/3 of The Nichiest Podcast Ever!

I don’t know about you, but I love podcasts, especially when they’re about awesome things like video games. I was lucky enough to be a part of a new podcast with fellow game writer/bloggers shidoshi and Bryan from The Gay Gamer, and I’m so excited to be able to share it with all of you!

Click on the image above to head over to Morning Radio and give it a listen!

The Nichiest Podcast Ever focuses on lesser-known and under-appreciated video games. In this episode, we discuss E3 news and the 3DS XL, and have two very special segments called “cheerleading” and “nichiest of them all” that are lots of fun and very informative. I don’t want to spoil too much, but if you like video games that are a little off the beaten path, this might be the podcast for you!

If you do take the time to listen, we’d love some feedback. Feel free to let me know your thoughts in the comments! Don’t forget to follow my lovely co-hosts on Twitter: @pikoeri and @thegaygamer