List of GREAT Import Games w/o Fan Translations?

Anything from run & guns to modern RPGs, what else do you play?
Post Reply
Logan Jones
Posts: 129
Joined: Tue Dec 26, 2017 3:35 am

List of GREAT Import Games w/o Fan Translations?

Post by Logan Jones »

Well I was messing around with my Mega Everdrive today, and I came across a Japanese game called Surging Aura. It's an RPG apparently, and I assumed it had an English translation, only to be greeted with stories and blog posts of failed translation projects of the game littered through the years. Bummer. (It was translated into French and Russian but not English yet?)

This intrigued me, as I wondered if there were any other well-made games that deserve English translations.

Are there any games that are currently being translated?

Are there stories of other failed English translation projects to make note of?

Feel free to list some and tell me stories about them. This is interesting stuff!
User avatar
WelshMegalodon
Posts: 1225
Joined: Fri Dec 11, 2015 5:09 am

Re: List of GREAT Import Games w/o Fan Translations?

Post by WelshMegalodon »

inb4 Linda3, Mizzurna Falls, Metal Slader Glory, Princess Crown, and Ihatovo Monogatari.

Many people also like to drool over screenshots of obscure Japanese PC games with amazing art, most of which haven't received translations.
Indie hipsters: "Arcades are so dead"
Finite Continues? Ain't that some shit.
RBelmont wrote:A little math shows that if you overclock a Pi3 to about 3.4 GHz you'll start to be competitive with PCs from 2002. And you'll also set your house on fire
User avatar
Zaarock
Posts: 1877
Joined: Mon Nov 07, 2005 4:18 pm
Location: Finland

Re: List of GREAT Import Games w/o Fan Translations?

Post by Zaarock »

The Hybrid Front comes to mind for megadrive games
User avatar
drauch
Posts: 5637
Joined: Thu Oct 30, 2008 6:14 am

Re: List of GREAT Import Games w/o Fan Translations?

Post by drauch »

Logan Jones wrote:Are there any games that are currently being translated?

Are there stories of other failed English translation projects to make note of?
A bunch. I'd suggest just looking at romhacking.net to get an idea. There's still a shitload of random PSX, Saturn, PC-Engine CD, various PC, etc. titles out there. A list would be pretty big. SNES and cartridge stuff gets the most love due to ease and popularity.

At least with Mizzurna falls there is a fan translation, just not an actual patch.
BIL wrote: "Small sack, LOTS OF CUM" - Nikola Tesla
User avatar
BIL
Posts: 18989
Joined: Thu May 10, 2007 12:39 pm
Location: COLONY

Re: List of GREAT Import Games w/o Fan Translations?

Post by BIL »

TOKYO

TWAIRAIGHTO

BUSTAAAS


Image

Gets tons of praise, seems really interesting (team-based survival horror?), don't think it's been translated. PC-88 but not an eroge AFAIK.
User avatar
FinalBaton
Posts: 4461
Joined: Sun Mar 08, 2015 10:38 pm
Location: Québec City

Re: List of GREAT Import Games w/o Fan Translations?

Post by FinalBaton »

Tales of Destiny - Director's Cut (PS2) currently has a fan translation in the works. Lots of people seem stoked about that
Last edited by FinalBaton on Fri Jul 20, 2018 8:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.
-FM Synth & Black Metal-
Logan Jones
Posts: 129
Joined: Tue Dec 26, 2017 3:35 am

Re: List of GREAT Import Games w/o Fan Translations?

Post by Logan Jones »

BIL wrote:TOKYO

TWAIRAIGHTO

BUSTAAAS


Image

Gets tons of praise, seems really interesting (team-based survival horror?), don't think it's been translated. PC-88 but not an eroge AFAIK.
Now THAT'S cool.

BTW, the character designs for this game look familiar... Any anime that the artist also worked on?
User avatar
BIL
Posts: 18989
Joined: Thu May 10, 2007 12:39 pm
Location: COLONY

Re: List of GREAT Import Games w/o Fan Translations?

Post by BIL »

Ah crap, correction to my first post - Tokyo Twilight Busters is for NEC PC98, not PC88. I tend to mix 'em up, since I've no hands-on experience with the platforms.
Logan Jones wrote:BTW, the character designs for this game look familiar... Any anime that the artist also worked on?
Hmm, no idea... I could've sworn I read it was actually licensed from an existing IP, but a quick check seems to disprove that. It's Wolf Team, whose games often sported some pretty professional anime stylings, so it wouldn't surprise me if ranking talent was involved. :smile: (this is making me think of Alisia Dragoon, a Game Arts/Gainax collaboration)

Also, WTF, it got a DS remake back in 2010. :o Was genuinely surprised to learn that. Sadly it too is JP-only.

Here's an article that goes into a bit more detail about what makes the game tick - it seems spoiler free, though having never played TTB I can't 100% guarantee it.
User avatar
KAI
Posts: 4646
Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2010 5:24 pm
Location: Joker Star Galaxy, Argentina
Contact:

Re: List of GREAT Import Games w/o Fan Translations?

Post by KAI »

A few I can think of right now:

Blood+ One Night Kiss (Suda51)
Shinmegaten IF..
Devil Summoner
Growlanser
Tengai Makyo IV
Kamiwaza
Gunparade March
FinalBaton wrote:currently has
had :(
Image
User avatar
Specineff
Posts: 5752
Joined: Wed Jan 26, 2005 12:54 am
Location: Ari-Freaking-Zona!
Contact:

Re: List of GREAT Import Games w/o Fan Translations?

Post by Specineff »

Xenosaga Ep 1 and 2. Translation is not done yet, AFAIK. Not sure if you'd consider it great game, though.
Don't hold grudges. GET EVEN.
User avatar
Xyga
Posts: 7181
Joined: Tue Nov 05, 2013 8:22 pm
Location: block

Re: List of GREAT Import Games w/o Fan Translations?

Post by Xyga »

Some I've just remembered;

Black Matrix 00
Eithea
Tales of Destiny 2 (PS2)
Tales of Rebirth
Tengai Makyo II: Manjimaru
Wachenröder

'Great' is uncertain, anyway some of the games mentioned in this thread have had translation patches in the works for like over a decade and it's hard to tell if they'e still alive or not.

@Specineff: are you talking about something different from the localized PS2 Xenosaga ep 1, 2, 3 ?
Strikers1945guy wrote:"Do we....eat chicken balls?!"
User avatar
Specineff
Posts: 5752
Joined: Wed Jan 26, 2005 12:54 am
Location: Ari-Freaking-Zona!
Contact:

Re: List of GREAT Import Games w/o Fan Translations?

Post by Specineff »

Yup. For the DS, as a retelling of the PS2 games, using the same art as the anime for the cutscenes. http://xenosaga.wikia.com/wiki/Xenosaga_I_%26_II
Don't hold grudges. GET EVEN.
ZellSF
Posts: 2642
Joined: Mon Apr 09, 2012 11:12 pm

Re: List of GREAT Import Games w/o Fan Translations?

Post by ZellSF »

Well I know quite a few games I want translations for, but how would I know they're great without playing them?

Two games I have played without a translation is the spinoff (Earth Light) and sequel (Neo Nectaris) to Hudson's Nectaris/Military Madness. They're great and it's not too difficult to play them without understanding Japanese, but would be easier to play if I didn't have to occasionally look up unit description translations on fan sites.
User avatar
FinalBaton
Posts: 4461
Joined: Sun Mar 08, 2015 10:38 pm
Location: Québec City

Re: List of GREAT Import Games w/o Fan Translations?

Post by FinalBaton »

KAI wrote:had :(
damn... Absolute Zero stopped working on it? that sucks :(

EDIT : just seen that they've stopped all activities
-FM Synth & Black Metal-
User avatar
Xyga
Posts: 7181
Joined: Tue Nov 05, 2013 8:22 pm
Location: block

Re: List of GREAT Import Games w/o Fan Translations?

Post by Xyga »

are you sure Absolute Zero stopped ? Isn't it just yet another forum closed and replaced by a discord ?
I think ToR is still active.

ToD DC was a 'phantasian productions' project iirc
Strikers1945guy wrote:"Do we....eat chicken balls?!"
User avatar
BryanM
Posts: 6116
Joined: Thu Feb 07, 2008 3:46 am

Re: List of GREAT Import Games w/o Fan Translations?

Post by BryanM »

A bit of a sad fact is that an ever-saturating library makes some of these previously historically relevant games much less so as time passes by. The original Devil Children games were a little dated and cynical when they came out back in 2000. If they ever get a translation, it'll only be of an interest to extremely hardcore Megami Tensei fans, or Gameboy Color fetishists.
User avatar
FinalBaton
Posts: 4461
Joined: Sun Mar 08, 2015 10:38 pm
Location: Québec City

Re: List of GREAT Import Games w/o Fan Translations?

Post by FinalBaton »

Xyga wrote:are you sure Absolute Zero stopped ? Isn't it just yet another forum closed and replaced by a discord ?
I think ToR is still active.

ToD DC was a 'phantasian productions' project iirc
That's what I got out of their last post. But maybe I understood wrong.

They did mention at the end of the thread that they can now be joigned on discord, but I think they mentionned in the OP that they dropped all current translations projects
-FM Synth & Black Metal-
User avatar
GaijinPunch
Posts: 15646
Joined: Mon Jan 31, 2005 11:22 pm
Location: San Fransicso

Re: List of GREAT Import Games w/o Fan Translations?

Post by GaijinPunch »

I realize i've played a few of these games way back in the day... at least one of the Tales of on PS2, and Growlanser on PS. I'd probably vote the latter should get the translation if I had to pick one. Great game, although too long for my blood.


Probably a few PC-Engine RPGs are worth mentioning. On top of the aforementioned Tengai Makyou II, Anearth Fantasy Stories is supposedly fantastic.
RegalSin wrote:New PowerPuff Girls. They all have evil pornstart eyelashes.
User avatar
cj iwakura
Posts: 1729
Joined: Tue Jan 27, 2009 2:28 am
Location: Coral Springs, FL

Re: List of GREAT Import Games w/o Fan Translations?

Post by cj iwakura »

Logan Jones wrote:
BIL wrote:TOKYO

TWAIRAIGHTO

BUSTAAAS


Image

Gets tons of praise, seems really interesting (team-based survival horror?), don't think it's been translated. PC-88 but not an eroge AFAIK.
Now THAT'S cool.

BTW, the character designs for this game look familiar... Any anime that the artist also worked on?
Looks just like Princess Maker to me.
Image
heli wrote:Why is milestone director in prison ?, are his game to difficult ?
User avatar
Koa Zo
Posts: 1164
Joined: Tue Feb 22, 2005 10:35 am
Location: Pennsylvania, United States

Re: List of GREAT Import Games w/o Fan Translations?

Post by Koa Zo »

Disaster Report 3 is one that I always hoped would get a fan translation.
Part 4 finally has an official release date for Japan and the presence of an English website bodes well for a translation of this 4th game, maybe that will rekindle interest in the 3rd title.
Though I never really got the drift of whether the 3rd title was regarded as "great" by those who played and understood it.

How about Segagaga? Is that being worked on, or even considered great?
User avatar
cj iwakura
Posts: 1729
Joined: Tue Jan 27, 2009 2:28 am
Location: Coral Springs, FL

Re: List of GREAT Import Games w/o Fan Translations?

Post by cj iwakura »

Koa Zo wrote:Disaster Report 3 is one that I always hoped would get a fan translation.
Part 4 finally has an official release date for Japan and the presence of an English website bodes well for a translation of this 4th game, maybe that will rekindle interest in the 3rd title.
Though I never really got the drift of whether the 3rd title was regarded as "great" by those who played and understood it.

How about Segagaga? Is that being worked on, or even considered great?
Worked on no, great, yes.

It's just considered a real, real difficult project.
Image
heli wrote:Why is milestone director in prison ?, are his game to difficult ?
Post Reply