The Tokyo Game Show kicks off this week in Japan. VGH won’t be there (hopefully next year), but it’ll be a pretty big show for us regardless. Want to know why? We’ll tell you!
Fabula Nova Crystallis
Final Fantasy XIII is over, and we are all hung up on it. It's been played inside, outside, and all around. (The linearity makes that pretty feasible to do.) Final Fantasy Versus XIII and Agito XIII are where all the KEWL kids are now and we'll finally get to see some actual gameplay footage of both during the TGS show. Apparently, Versus XIII's scenes and footage will make us literally "shiver and shake", and if it's promises are that ex-tu-reeeme, it's definately something we've got to check out. Both Fabula Nova Crystallis titles will receive some short gameplay footage under the series. Hey, be sure to check this out and keep an eye on it, Final Fantasy fan kids cause this one is going to be one helluva ride.
Nomura’s New Game
So what is it? Do you know? I don't. Santa doesn't even know it. Nobody does! Square Enix obviously knows what it is though, and Final Fantasy Versus XIII director and designer Tesuya Nomura is working behind the scenes hard at work for this upcoming release. Nomura's done his job at teasing all of us Kingdom Heart fan kids, and now it's time for an awesome and proper reveal. We can only hope for a new HD RPG, but we at VGH will make sure to look into whatever Nomur aannounces regardless just because we less than 3 him. (If you guys didn't get that "We <3 Him")
Edit: So at the time of my writing, Nomura's game was not leaked or announced yet. However, I guess as it seems to turn out the game that was really held as a secret was Dissidia: Final Fantasy sequel Dissidia Duodecim: Final Fantasy. Both Lightning and Kain are confirmed as playable characters. This game will be playable on the show floor.
Disgaea 4 Comes Out of Hiding
So, the moment that NIS America announced Ar Tonelico Qoga: Knell of Ar Ciel (That was a mouthful) for North America, they also grabbed and took spotlight in the stage to offocially announced Disgaea 4. Unfortunately, all we know is the announcement of it's development and thats it. The company promised that there would be more deets to arrive at TGS. I wonder what it looks like...
Bumpy Trot 2 Makes A Return
So, you might want to take this with a grain of salt, but after the revealing of the game at TGS 2006 and then disappearing from the face of the earth. Developer Irem's bringing Bumpy Trot 2 back into the spotlight. Now, if our sources are correct, the game's been completely regutted and reworked with a brand spankin' new engine and is being nicely fitted to match up with the Playstaiton 3's visual HD quality-beast-crisp-mode-graphics! Since Steambot Chronicles 1 (It's local name) was released in North America on the Playstation 2, I just hope the sequel will reach our shores here at North America.
EA’s “Several” Unannounced Games
So EA (Electronic Arts) is holding this event on the even of the Tokyo Game Show's start where they have brought up a plan to announce "several" new games. It's already been announced and confirmed that they are going to announce Suda 51, Shinji Mikami, and Akira Yamoaka's collaboration titles. That alone would be enough for me. Excitement Meter: Level 900000!
Ni No Kuni Gameplay
Who loves RPG's? Level-5 makes RPGs, which means you might love Level-5! Level-5 is bringing Ni No Kuni, their recent and latest creation in collaboration with famed animation studio "Studio Ghibli" the studio that brought you "Totoro" and "Spirited Away". Both the Playstation 3 and DS versions of this game will be playable on the floor. While we have seen some gameplay on the DS in the past, we've yet to see anything legit on the Playstation 3 version.
Kojima’s PS3 Exclusive
Another dash of salt here. A couple of days after E3’s end, a rumor stating that Kojima is readying the announcement of a new PlayStation 3 title for the Tokyo Game Show surfaced and certainly sparked interests. Apparently, it’s a “massive PS3 exclusive that will own the show”. Metal Gear Solid 4 producer Kenichiro Imaizumi did say that this was “just a rumor“, but we won’t really get any solid confirmation until the show actually occurs.
Valkyria Chronicles 3 Announcement
Sega’s gotten up a teaser site for a brand new title ready to be announced on September 16. There’s no doubt about it (watch us be wrong), it’s Valkyria Chronicles 3, which we’re hoping makes the jump back to console rather than stay on handheld. Consider us psyched.
Kamurocho’s Destruction
Yakuza’s back again. After releasing Yakuza 4 in Japan this March, Sega’s planning the reveal of the next Yakuza at the Tokyo Game Show. We already know Goro Majima, Shun Akiyama, Kiryu Kazuma, and Ryuji Goda will be playable. We also know that some sort of earthquake has hit a now-in-ruins Kamurocho. Now everything will fall into place as Yakuza’s next PlayStation 3 title is unveiled and detailed at the show.
The Last Guardian’s Back
We haven’t heard a peep out of Team Ico’s The Last Guardian since it was announced at E3 2009 and we’re still waiting. Luckily, studio head Fumito Ueda has teased the game’s appearance at the show. We’re hoping to at least get a new trailer. At most, gameplay. The studio’s created nothing but gold so far with PS2’s Ico and Shadow of the Colossus so we obviously have pretty high expectations for their latest work.
Update: Looks like it’s confirmed for the show!
El Shaddai Goes Playable
El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron, Ignition Entertainment’s new in-house developed game from Japan, will finally go playable come the Tokyo Game Show. It looks gorgeous, to put it simply. We had a chance to interview the team back at E3 and are expecting a lot of good things out of it. It’s coming from director and character designer Sawaki Takeyasu, who’s past works include Okami and Devil May Cry.
Press Conferences
We love them so. Microsoft’s already announced theirs for September 16. Sony’s yet to announce theirs but they’ll have one if past Tokyo Game Shows are a factor. Hopefully we’ll hear about some new titles, system features, or even hardware on both ends. I remember hearing a rumor about the PSP2 at this year’s Tokyo Game Show. Think Sony will announce it?
Possible RPG Announcements
If you recall, during the road building up to the Tokyo Game Show, it was discovered that a few well known developers are working on some pretty big high-definition role-playing games. These game’s could possibly be revealed during the Tokyo Game Show, so we’ll list them all as potential announcements.
* Feelplus Inc., known for Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey, are working on a “large scale” RPG for Xbox 360.
* Media Vision, developers of Wild Arms and the more recent Chaos Rings for iPhone, is working on “massive” PlayStation 3 RPG.
* Marvelous Entertainment, publishers of No More Heroes in Japan, has an unannounced PlayStation 3 game in development. It’s possible that it be an RPG, but even if it’s not, it’s probably still something we’d like to check out.
* Imageepoch, developers of Arc Rise Fantasia, are working on a new PlayStation 3 project. The company is also known for the Luminous Arc franchise as well as Capcom’s upcoming PSP RPG, The Last Ranker.
Other Possible Game Announcements
* Satoshi Sakai recently teased a new Phantasy Star Online project for the series’ tenth anniversary separate to the PSP’s Phantasy Star Portable Infinity 2. Perhaps we’ll see its announcement at the Tokyo Game Show?
* Sony Computer Entertainment Japan has recently showed SCE Benelux exec Dave Epke a “crazy” new title. He’s doesn’t know if it’ll be revealed at the Tokyo Game Show, though. There’s always the possibility.
* Square Enix is working hand-in-hand with an American development team on a major new project. Could we see its announcement at the Tokyo Game Show?
* Sega has said that they’ll be announcing two major new games to release in 2011 and 2012 this year. With it being September already, hopefully we could expect to hear about at least one of those during the Tokyo Game Show. Although, it may be Valkyria Chronicles 3, which was already mentioned above.
* Keiji Inafune recently teased the announcement of an “oft-requested” Mega Man title during Mega Man Universe’s Comic-Con panel. Probably the most often requested game in the series is Mega Man Legends 3. Could we see its announcement at the show?
So long story short, we have a lot of expectations to "expect" at the Tokyo Game Show 2010. We might not be there to cover it, but we will make sure to get the news and views and information the minute we get it. Just stay tuned for more Tokyo Game Show coverage here at VGH.
Lance Go
Editor In Chief
VideoGameHenchmen.com
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
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