https://automaton-media.com/en/column/ AUTOMATON is a website that covers the Japanese gaming world. We bring you the news on video games from Osaka and Tokyo. Thu, 03 Sep 2026 09:31:40 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0.3 https://automaton-media.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/cropped-automaton-sitelogo-120x120-1-32x32.png https://automaton-media.com/en/column/ 32 32 https://automaton-media.com/en/column/black-sheep-town-is-a-gangster-sci-fi-visual-novel-where-you-can-do-nothing-but-watch-as-the-characters-hit-rock-bottom-steam-gems-from-japan-you-might-be-missing-out-on/ https://automaton-media.com/en/column/black-sheep-town-is-a-gangster-sci-fi-visual-novel-where-you-can-do-nothing-but-watch-as-the-characters-hit-rock-bottom-steam-gems-from-japan-you-might-be-missing-out-on/#respond Thu, 03 Sep 2026 15:00:00 +0000 https://automaton-media.com/en/?p=71870 Steam gems from Japan you might be missing out on #4: BLACK SHEEP TOWN.]]> https://automaton-media.com/en/column/black-sheep-town-is-a-gangster-sci-fi-visual-novel-where-you-can-do-nothing-but-watch-as-the-characters-hit-rock-bottom-steam-gems-from-japan-you-might-be-missing-out-on/feed/ 0 https://automaton-media.com/en/column/seabed-is-an-overwhelmingly-positive-yuri-mystery-visual-novel-that-blurs-the-lies-between-delusion-and-reality-steam-gems-from-japan-you-might-be-missing-out-on/ https://automaton-media.com/en/column/seabed-is-an-overwhelmingly-positive-yuri-mystery-visual-novel-that-blurs-the-lies-between-delusion-and-reality-steam-gems-from-japan-you-might-be-missing-out-on/#respond Tue, 25 Aug 2026 14:00:00 +0000 https://automaton-media.com/en/?p=71393 Steam gems from Japan you might be missing out on #3 : SeaBed.]]> https://automaton-media.com/en/column/seabed-is-an-overwhelmingly-positive-yuri-mystery-visual-novel-that-blurs-the-lies-between-delusion-and-reality-steam-gems-from-japan-you-might-be-missing-out-on/feed/ 0 https://automaton-media.com/en/column/adult-sci-fi-visual-novel-2236-a-d-offers-a-birds-eye-perspective-on-the-self-and-the-other-steam-gems-from-japan-you-might-be-missing-out-on/ https://automaton-media.com/en/column/adult-sci-fi-visual-novel-2236-a-d-offers-a-birds-eye-perspective-on-the-self-and-the-other-steam-gems-from-japan-you-might-be-missing-out-on/#respond Thu, 20 Aug 2026 13:00:00 +0000 https://automaton-media.com/en/?p=71248 Steam gems from Japan you might be missing out on #2 : 2236 A.D.]]> https://automaton-media.com/en/column/adult-sci-fi-visual-novel-2236-a-d-offers-a-birds-eye-perspective-on-the-self-and-the-other-steam-gems-from-japan-you-might-be-missing-out-on/feed/ 0 https://automaton-media.com/en/news/my-planet-moon-child-is-a-sci-fi-visual-novel-that-explores-our-inability-to-understand-each-other-steam-gems-from-japan-you-might-be-missing-out-on/ https://automaton-media.com/en/news/my-planet-moon-child-is-a-sci-fi-visual-novel-that-explores-our-inability-to-understand-each-other-steam-gems-from-japan-you-might-be-missing-out-on/#respond Mon, 17 Aug 2026 15:00:00 +0000 https://automaton-media.com/en/?p=71068 Steam gems from Japan you might be missing out on #1 : My Planet MOON CHILD. ]]> https://automaton-media.com/en/news/my-planet-moon-child-is-a-sci-fi-visual-novel-that-explores-our-inability-to-understand-each-other-steam-gems-from-japan-you-might-be-missing-out-on/feed/ 0 https://automaton-media.com/en/game-development/each-ability-feels-like-it-could-have-been-the-central-mechanic-of-its-own-game-we-ask-a-fellow-developer-what-makes-nte-neverness-to-everne/ https://automaton-media.com/en/game-development/each-ability-feels-like-it-could-have-been-the-central-mechanic-of-its-own-game-we-ask-a-fellow-developer-what-makes-nte-neverness-to-everne/#comments Thu, 09 Jul 2026 13:00:00 +0000 https://automaton-media.com/en/?p=69403 Indie-Us-Games CEO Masahiko Nakamura talks about the the strengths of NTE: Neverness to Everness from a dev's perspective.]]> https://automaton-media.com/en/game-development/each-ability-feels-like-it-could-have-been-the-central-mechanic-of-its-own-game-we-ask-a-fellow-developer-what-makes-nte-neverness-to-everne/feed/ 2 https://automaton-media.com/en/column/wuthering-waves-is-full-of-beautiful-technical-headaches-that-would-make-the-average-ue-developer-say-please-dont-make-me-do-this/ https://automaton-media.com/en/column/wuthering-waves-is-full-of-beautiful-technical-headaches-that-would-make-the-average-ue-developer-say-please-dont-make-me-do-this/#respond Wed, 27 May 2026 14:00:00 +0000 https://automaton-media.com/en/?p=67296 We talk to Japanese game developer Masahiko Nakamura about what makes Wuthering Waves impressive, or even intimidating, from a technical perspective.]]> https://automaton-media.com/en/column/wuthering-waves-is-full-of-beautiful-technical-headaches-that-would-make-the-average-ue-developer-say-please-dont-make-me-do-this/feed/ 0 https://automaton-media.com/en/column/even-from-a-developers-perspective-wuthering-waves-use-of-unreal-engine-is-borderline-perverse-a-ue4-game-decked-out-in-custom-technology/ https://automaton-media.com/en/column/even-from-a-developers-perspective-wuthering-waves-use-of-unreal-engine-is-borderline-perverse-a-ue4-game-decked-out-in-custom-technology/#comments Thu, 07 May 2026 14:00:00 +0000 https://automaton-media.com/en/?p=66290 We talk to a Japanese developer about what makes Wuthering Waves' graphics and performance impressive from a technical standpoint.]]> https://automaton-media.com/en/column/even-from-a-developers-perspective-wuthering-waves-use-of-unreal-engine-is-borderline-perverse-a-ue4-game-decked-out-in-custom-technology/feed/ 11 https://automaton-media.com/en/column/infinity-nikki-level-designer-talks-about-philosophy-behind-large-scale-gameplay-and-map-expansions-in-version-2-0/ https://automaton-media.com/en/column/infinity-nikki-level-designer-talks-about-philosophy-behind-large-scale-gameplay-and-map-expansions-in-version-2-0/#respond Wed, 06 May 2026 13:00:00 +0000 https://automaton-media.com/en/?p=66266 Level design lecture by Infinity Nikki developer PR, held at Game Developers Conference (GDC) 2026.]]> https://automaton-media.com/en/column/infinity-nikki-level-designer-talks-about-philosophy-behind-large-scale-gameplay-and-map-expansions-in-version-2-0/feed/ 0 https://automaton-media.com/en/column/love-and-deepspace-is-designed-to-make-players-love-themselves-and-the-male-lead-more-producer-explains-the-romance-sims-unorthodox-design-choices-and-r/ https://automaton-media.com/en/column/love-and-deepspace-is-designed-to-make-players-love-themselves-and-the-male-lead-more-producer-explains-the-romance-sims-unorthodox-design-choices-and-r/#respond Tue, 05 May 2026 13:00:00 +0000 https://automaton-media.com/en/?p=66198 Love and Deepspace producer Lizi's lecture on game design, held at GDC 2026.]]> https://automaton-media.com/en/column/love-and-deepspace-is-designed-to-make-players-love-themselves-and-the-male-lead-more-producer-explains-the-romance-sims-unorthodox-design-choices-and-r/feed/ 0 https://automaton-media.com/en/column/when-a-three-month-project-turns-into-four-years-looking-back-on-japanese-indie-developers-struggles-to-estimate-development-time/ https://automaton-media.com/en/column/when-a-three-month-project-turns-into-four-years-looking-back-on-japanese-indie-developers-struggles-to-estimate-development-time/#respond Sun, 08 Mar 2026 13:00:00 +0000 https://automaton-media.com/en/?p=62096 AUTOMATON WEST's Weekly Throwback. ]]> https://automaton-media.com/en/column/when-a-three-month-project-turns-into-four-years-looking-back-on-japanese-indie-developers-struggles-to-estimate-development-time/feed/ 0 https://automaton-media.com/en/news/death-stranding-gameplay-tips-by-hideo-kojima-himself-a-paralell-universe-where-final-fantasy-7-remakes-tifa-has-long-hair-looking-back-on-what-we-were-doing-on-twitter-in-2021/ https://automaton-media.com/en/news/death-stranding-gameplay-tips-by-hideo-kojima-himself-a-paralell-universe-where-final-fantasy-7-remakes-tifa-has-long-hair-looking-back-on-what-we-were-doing-on-twitter-in-2021/#respond Sun, 22 Feb 2026 13:00:00 +0000 https://automaton-media.com/en/?p=58877 AUTOMATON WEST's Weekly Throwback.]]> https://automaton-media.com/en/news/death-stranding-gameplay-tips-by-hideo-kojima-himself-a-paralell-universe-where-final-fantasy-7-remakes-tifa-has-long-hair-looking-back-on-what-we-were-doing-on-twitter-in-2021/feed/ 0 https://automaton-media.com/en/news/remember-the-pokemon-sapphire-playthrough-which-was-entirely-beaten-by-actual-fish-looking-back-at-some-of-our-weirdest-stories-from-2020/ https://automaton-media.com/en/news/remember-the-pokemon-sapphire-playthrough-which-was-entirely-beaten-by-actual-fish-looking-back-at-some-of-our-weirdest-stories-from-2020/#respond Sun, 15 Feb 2026 13:00:00 +0000 https://automaton-media.com/en/?p=56743 AUTOMATON WEST's Weekly Throwback.]]> https://automaton-media.com/en/news/remember-the-pokemon-sapphire-playthrough-which-was-entirely-beaten-by-actual-fish-looking-back-at-some-of-our-weirdest-stories-from-2020/feed/ 0