Shin Akai Katana Confirmed for North America

[Casper<3]

http://www.siliconera.com/2012/01/26/ri ... h-america/

This is awesome. Game is awesome. Hopefully they'll keep bringing over more and more shmups.

I think any of those people calling DFK a failure in PAL regions were clearly wrong.

[Estebang]

They weren't wrong, it's just that RSG are such amazing fanboys/humanitarians that they're willing to occasionally take a loss on a game.

[Skykid]

I think any of those people calling DFK a failure in PAL regions were clearly wrong.

It absolutely bombed because all you fuckers didn't buy it. Make sure you rectify that with Akai Katana, it's a beautiful thing man.

[ZenErik]

I'm surprised! My coveted J360 is getting less valuable. Thinking about getting an American 360 too since I wouldn't mind playing games like Phantom breaker in English

[EIHoppe]

I definitely plan to do my part and (pre)order it, especially considering all the good things I've heard about Akai Katana. Any word on when preorders will be available?

RSG, thanks for being awesome and bringing great games to those of us too poor to grab a Japanese 360!

[Udderdude]

Is this going to come with the special PCB version?

[ZenErik]

There are only a few things stopping me from getting a US 360 and selling my J360.

iM@S, iM@S: Live 4 U, DDP DOJ, Ketsui, Radirgy Noa Massive. That's all off the top of my head.. :/ Perhaps I should just have both.

[Avatar Ignis]

I honestly never thought I'd get a hold of this game, guess i was wrong.

Preordering as soon as its available.

What modes were on the xbox360 japanese version?

[Jeneki]

Akai Katana with a menu I can actually read? Sure, I'll buy that.

[MR_Soren]

I'll buy at least two copies. One to play, and one to force my games on others through gifting.

[Deca]

Fuck yes, awesome news! I'm just gonna start praying against all odds, logic, and reality that we get a DOJBL port in the US now. I know it's never going to happen, but that's kind of the last game making me consider a J360.

[Remembrance]

I don't think I could have expected a better outcome for this than RSG actually opening up shop here. And now, in retrospect, the PAL region-locking suddenly makes sense.

It feels like vindication for the potential of the NA market... Just waiting to see what else they have planned!

[iconoclast]

Akai Katana with a menu I can actually read? Sure, I'll buy that.

This. Although I think I've figured everything out at this point. Will buy anyway just to support the release.

[BulletMagnet]

What modes were on the xbox360 japanese version?

Arcade, Zetsu (same idea as Arcade but in 16:9 and some tweaks/extras), and Shin (same enhancements, completely different scoring system).

As I said in the other thread, if this is on disc then there's no way I'm not supporting it.

[Never_Scurred]

Fuck yes, awesome news! I'm just gonna start praying against all odds, logic, and reality that we get a Ketsui port in the US now. I know it's never going to happen, but that's kind of the last game making me consider a J360.

Fixed.

[ebarrett]

Fuck yes, awesome news! I'm just gonna start praying against all odds, logic, and reality that we get a Pink Sweets port in the US now. I know it's never going to happen, but that's kind of the last game making me consider a J360.

Fixed.

Counterfixe- oh wait it's region free! Hooray!

p.s. swapping someone's favorite stuff for your favorite stuff is silly

[Casper<3]

What modes were on the xbox360 japanese version?

Arcade, Zetsu (same idea as Arcade but in 16:9 and some tweaks/extras), and Shin (same enhancements, completely different scoring system).

As I said in the other thread, if this is on disc then there's no way I'm not supporting it.

IMO Shin mode is where the game really shines.

I've spent about 90% of my playtime with Shin mode and only really dabbled in the other 2 to unlock the easy achievements. Shin mode is just too much fun (and the scoring system, is much easier to understand)

[cj iwakura]

I think any of those people calling DFK a failure in PAL regions were clearly wrong.

It absolutely bombed because all you fuckers didn't buy it. Make sure you rectify that with Akai Katana, it's a beautiful thing man.

Just what would be considered a success for a shmup? I'd wager if every European on this board bought the game, it still wouldn't be a drop in the river.

[kirby2096]

I think any of those people calling DFK a failure in PAL regions were clearly wrong.

It absolutely bombed because all you fuckers didn't buy it. Make sure you rectify that with Akai Katana, it's a beautiful thing man.

Just what would be considered a success for a shmup? I'd wager if every European on this board bought the game, it still wouldn't be a drop in the river.

I myself bought two copies of DDP:R

Great news for RSG and US Cave fans, no one can be excused for missing out on Akai Katana due to region locking.

[Special World]

What modes were on the xbox360 japanese version?

Arcade, Zetsu (same idea as Arcade but in 16:9 and some tweaks/extras), and Shin (same enhancements, completely different scoring system).

As I said in the other thread, if this is on disc then there's no way I'm not supporting it.

IMO Shin mode is where the game really shines.

I've spent about 90% of my playtime with Shin mode and only really dabbled in the other 2 to unlock the easy achievements. Shin mode is just too much fun (and the scoring system, is much easier to understand)

I think Zetsu is the real gem in the package. IMO Shin mode is actually a lot more complicated and really fiddly. I think it's great that everyone's opinion is so divided on what the greatest mode is, though. AKS is a great package. I just wish the bosses were better :\

[Skykid]

I think any of those people calling DFK a failure in PAL regions were clearly wrong.

It absolutely bombed because all you fuckers didn't buy it. Make sure you rectify that with Akai Katana, it's a beautiful thing man.

Just what would be considered a success for a shmup? I'd wager if every European on this board bought the game, it still wouldn't be a drop in the river.

It would be a start.
The game deserved to do a lot better at retail than it did, especially after the relative success of Deathsmiles.

There's no reason not to get on board with AK, it's the first and only Cave game I encountered that put me off investing in a PCB, since Shin is so much more than your average arrange mode and it's all HD beautiful.

[TrevHead (TVR)]

(As ive said b4) I think were Dodonpachi Resurrection failed is the fact it was a PAL exclusive game that dropped during Novembergeddon and apart from the Eurogamer review totally flew under the radar with most of the gaming press. The thing been that Destructoid, IGN etc are all US based and rarly cover PAL games except to make the occasional rant article about high profile PAL exclusives. The sad thing is there was probably more PAL gamers who knew about the US exclusive Otomedius Excellent (which Dtoid and Co reviewed) than Dodonpachi Resurrection. The only way DDP could possibly get any marketing was by word of mouth from fans, which didnt happen.

IMO RSG taking it upon themselves to release Akia Katana simultaneously in the US and PAL is a very ballsy thing to do (hats off to you guys), but its the only viable way to make sure the PAL version gets any marketing.

For PAL gamers and publishers a like its kind of a shitty situation (With Rock Paper Shotgun been UK I bet its kind of the other way around for PC)

@Skykid. do you have any idea just how popular US sites are with PAL gamers? I suppose in one way its helping paperpack magazines

[PepsimanVsJoe]

I did a review of DDP:R for the-nextlevel.com(US-based site).

http://www.the-nextlevel.com/review/xbl ... ack-label/
(Yeah it sez Black Label but it's actually for the entire game + Black Label).

Granted this was over two months after the game released in Europe so...sigh..my bad.
November was just ridiculous, I think I wrote something like five reviews in that span of time.
I've just now gotten caught up.

Going to try and make up for it by doing a preview for Akai Katana to get some kind of buzz going.
Also gonna cover Way of the Samurai 4. Not a shooter sure but Rising Star Games deserves a ton of support for going
after these niche titles.

Thing about Otomedius Excellent is that most websites got review-copies so that's why that game got reviewed. Yeah it sucks but that's the situation most of the time.

[AntiFritz]

DFK seems to be alot more popular with shmup fans though. I noticed alot more people ask rising star about localizing DFK then deathsmiles for instance. Deathsmiles is no doubt more popular with non shmup fans though.

[Skykid]

@Skykid. do you have any idea just how popular US sites are with PAL gamers? I suppose in one way its helping paperpack magazines

Sorry mate, I don't understand the question. US gaming websites?

[TrevHead (TVR)]

I mean the likes of IGN, Destructiod that tend to be mostly US run and can sometimes ignore PAL news / reviews or atleast only report on the bigger stuff.

I was just wondering if you had any knowledge on how many PAL gamers use these sites as their main source of gaming news given Eurogamer is the only mainstream euro site compared to IGN etc.

[BPzeBanshee]

(As ive said b4) I think were Dodonpachi Resurrection failed is the fact it was a PAL exclusive game that dropped during Novembergeddon and apart from the Eurogamer review totally flew under the radar with most of the gaming press.

This. Let's not forget RSG screwed up in not getting DDP:R out in Australia, thus hurting sales more. I imagine they would've gotten at least a thousand more purchases in the immediate months if they'd got it out properly.

If IGN gets hold of this it's a no-brainer Rising Star will profit, but how much at the expense of what they've had to do to get a division going in USA is the million-dollar question now so to speak.

[zendor118]

definitely going to buy this game when it is released in the US! Will add it to my backlog, as I am currently playing trouble witches neo and triggerheart on xbla.

[Skykid]

I mean the likes of IGN, Destructiod that tend to be mostly US run and can sometimes ignore PAL news / reviews or atleast only report on the bigger stuff.

I was just wondering if you had any knowledge on how many PAL gamers use these sites as their main source of gaming news given Eurogamer is the only mainstream euro site compared to IGN etc.

A lot, but that's because general online press tends to be globalised anyway, what with release dates often being close or simultaneous between English speaking regions. IGN have sites for Germany, Ireland, Australia, UK and US, but if you type IGN.com you get forced to uk.ign.com based on your IP address I believe. I think IGN actually has a UK based staff team but I'm pretty sure they share articles across the board.

I know plenty of people who read Joystiq (owned by AOL) and Gamespot (for some weird reason) who are Euro based too. There's just not enough difference between the markets anymore to make Eurogamer the only site for European readers. The only real edge it has is that it doesn't read like it's been written by four year olds.

[Special World]

Eurogamer has fantastic reviews, tbh. I live in America, and that's where I check for reviews. Their news and previews are spotty, but their reviews are well-written and I very often agree with their scores.