Too often I’ve gone on a search for a rare piece of anime merchandise or a niche Japanese video game only to find that it’s not available anywhere that ships outside of Japan. Most fans of Japanese products that live anywhere but Japan itself eventually run into this problem – there are so many items that simply can’t be procured without a Japanese postal address. That’s where forwarding services like Tenso come in; for a fee, they provide eager shoppers with the Japanese address they crave and then forward any purchases to their final destinations overseas.
I’ve heard great things about Tenso from friends who’ve used the service for years, but despite the amount of Japanese products I import, I’ve never actually used a forwarding service myself. I’ve been blessed with having more than a few friends who’ve been willing to be middle men and women for my packages, but to be honest, I feel bad asking for so many favors! So, after many years of relying on friends in Japan to ship my purchases out for me, I’ve finally decided to give Tenso a go. Since I’ve received more than a few inquiries wondering if it’s worth the effort, I’ve decided to write up my complete experience purchasing a PlayStation Vita 2000 from Amazon Japan and forwarding it with Tenso vs. purchasing it outright from various importers.
A new month, a new theme! Point and click adventure games weren’t a particularly requested genre, but I thought they’ve been overlooked enough in recent years that they’d make a great theme for a slow release month. Bonus: it’s a genre I’m not really familiar with at all, so it’s all new territory for me!
Nieris one of those titles that nearly everyone I know has recommended to me, yet somehow I’ve never managed to ever play it for more than a few minutes since it came out five years ago. With the double-whammy of Nier 2 getting announced at E3 and this month being JRPGJuly, it turns out now couldn’t be a better time for me to finally pick it up!
I joking mentioned on Twitter before I started playing that I preferred the young bishōnen protagonist Japan received in the Nier Replicant version, which unsurprisingly received more than a couple responses saying I would change my mind when I started the game. While I still think Replicant Nier has a more appealing character design, I have been finding the more haggard version of Nier in Nier Gestalt (which was the only version localized) equally appealing.
Both games are virtually the same except for the protagonists and their relationship to the sickly girl Yonah they are trying to save, but this relationship is quite central to the game, so I imagine it changes the tone somewhat. Replicant Nier is often just referred to as “Brother Nier” due to the fact that he’s Yonah’s brother, while “Papa Nier” is, as the nickname would suggest, Yonah’s father. Grouchy Papa Nier and his relationships with the various characters in the game have really stood out to me so far, and I’m really impressed with the snappy, sassy dialogue.
As of this post, I’m about 7 hours in and have just received my first party member, though as far as I can tell they can’t be customized in any way and are fully managed by the game’s AI and thus don’t really count as a “party” in the traditional sense. I’ve also been getting a lot of tutorial texts and am experiencing an overwhelming feeling of “maybe I should open the menu and read those,” but there’s nothing I enjoy less than reading through tutorials! I suppose I might take a look at them if I start experiencing difficulties with the combat…
Speaking of which, I haven’t actually read any of the negative reviews of the game (I’ve heard it received many when it first came out), but my overwhelming impression before I started Nier was that the gameplay was supposed to be pretty rough. It’s certainly nothing to write home about, I’ve found it to be pretty fun so far, and am particularly enjoying the different magical powers Nier learns with the help of Grimoire Weiss. That whole first fishing quest can bite me, though.
I don’t believe it’s too much of a spoiler for anyone who hasn’t played to mention that the game is notable for requiring players to go through the game multiple times. From what I understand, I’m nearing the “point of no return” where the game is later replayed from after it’s been completed once… But in the interest of experiencing the game as it happens, I haven’t really read into it beyond that. What I can say is, I’m really digging the game so far, and I fully intend to actually complete a JRPG for once!
Be sure to check back next Monday for Nier Diary no. 2 and see if I’ve made it past the halfway point!
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Who doesn’t love visual novels? It seems like everyone is hot on the genre these days, with more and more titles being localized into English and events such as the International Love Ultimatum Jam making visual novels, particularly those of the romance variety, increasingly visible. There are even some folks who would like to take that love for visual novels one step further to make their own, which is where the recently-released engine TyranoBuildercomes in. Touting an easy to use interface, the engine has large shoes to fill considering its competition, Ren’Py, is available for free and has been the go-to engine for western visual novel developers for years. Does TyranoBuilder bring enough to the table to make it worth the $14.99 price tag, or does the sweet price of free reign supreme?
If you’ve been following Chic Pixel for a while, you might remember that I did a JRPG-themed Community Game-Along last July. It turns out that was by far my most successful Game-Along of the year! Tons of people used the hashtag on Twitter to talk about the games they were playing, and there were even a few long form submissions, too. Since it was such a big hit, it only makes sense to do it again this year!
As always, all you need to do to participate is play a JRPG during the month of July. If you’re so inclined, use #JRPGJuly to talk about your experiences or share game recommendations with others on your social media platform of choice. Livestreams, blog posts, podcasts, or any other form of media where you play/discuss JRPGs is highly encouraged, as well! And if you’re looking for a way to stand out, it’s always great to see some lesser-known titles get some love.
I’m sure you’re all wondering what I’m going to be playing… Well, I’m excited to announce that Nier was the winner of my recent Twitter poll to decide the JRPG I’ll tackle this month! Earthbound was a close second, with poor Fire Emblem Awakening taking up the rear. To keep myself accountable, I will be posting weekly updates on my progress every Sunday for the month of July, so keep an eye out for that!
Though I usually end with a list of game suggestions that fit the month’s theme, I’m sure there will be no shortages of JRPGs at your disposal. However, I’ll leave you with a question: If there is one overlooked/under-appreciated JRPG you would like to see someone play this month, what would it be? Maybe someone will take on your request!
In a collaboration with Nintendo’s new ink-based shooter Splatoon, Japanese magazine Famitsu recently held a Squid Fashion Contest to design a new outfit for the game. After going through over 800 submissions, the winning design has been revealed! It will be made available as free costume DLC in August in Japan.
Isn’t it awesome!? There has been so much detail put into this sushi chef design, right down to the shape of the apron knot. And take a look at what kind of sushi that Inkling girl is serving up… Here’s hoping this also comes to North America and Europe!
A number of other finalists were posted, but while they will be receiving prizes for their interesting designs, unfortunately only the one will be making it into the game. You can see the full list over at Famitsu, but here are a couple of my favorites:
Raincoat! This makes total sense – I’d definitely want to wear a trendy neon raincoat if I was constantly getting shot with ink. I suppose it’s a little basic design-wise, but it would be fun if the color of the coat, boots, and glasses changed depending on your current ink color like some of the other clothing in the game.
Now this!! This is adorable. If you’re familiar with Japanese bento, you’ve probably seen miniature hot dogs cut into the shape of octopi before. I absolutely love the idea of turning that into a dress, and the slightly morbid implication of an inkling wearing an Octarian’s skin that the outfit implies. Also, that squid-shaped thing on her head? A toothpick! How neat.
Unfortunately, I imagine some of the runners-up weren’t selected for the DLC due to the fact that they’re designed exclusively for the female inklings. I guess it goes to show that pretty much everyone likes the girl design better!
Things have been relatively quiet over here at Chic Pixel for the past few days, but who wants to read my latest three month late review or post gushing over Japanese merchandise when the biggest gaming event of the year, E3, is underway? While the expo will continue to offer new gameplay videos and hands-on features for those at the event throughout the week, now that we’re past the majority of the big presentations, I thought I’d take the opportunity to round up my favorite moments related to Japanese gaming.
You’ll probably see a lot of similarities to other lists floating around (how can I not mention the Final Fantasy VII remake bombshell?), but you won’t get to hear my personal take on all the exciting news anywhere else!
