VERACITY IN GAMING
VERACITY IN GAMING
Rhythm game Touhou Danmaku Kagura to end service on account of low sales
DeNA has announced that Touhou Danmaku Kagura will end service on October 28 (JST). The game continued to underperform in terms of expected sales.
Horror game hololive ERROR the Game: Complete Edition is available now
hololive ERROR the Game is a first-person 3D horror game that allows players to experience the world of hololive ERROR, which is a cross-media horror project featuring the female VTuber group hololive.
Massage Freaks gets backlash over its risqué subject matter prompting the developer to respond [UPDATE]
Massage Freaks gets backlash in Japan over its risqué subject matter prompting the developer to respond. There are critical opinions of the game being shared online, with some saying it shows discrimination against women, is a sexually exploitative game, and reminds some of sexual crimes that have happened recently in Japan.
Cat-themed card game Cats Yakuza is coming to Steam and mobile in July
Cats Yakuza is an online card game where players compete against one another using cards that feature images of real cats. The game is set to launch on July 30 (JST) for PC (Steam), iOS, and Android.
The company behind RPG Maker is holding a short story contest with the winner having their story turned into a game
Kadokawa has announced they are holding a short story contest with RPG Maker developers Gotcha Gotcha Games and are seeking stories that can be used as an outline for a game.
Square Enix announces gluttony (working title), a disaster movie-themed multiplayer party game
Square Enix announced gluttony (working title), a disaster movie themed online multiplayer game where humans and monsters battle. While it looks cute on the outside, these monsters use their overwhelming power to prey on humans who must cooperate to survive.
Brutal Japan to be removed from Steam Early Access as it undergoes a massive overhaul
Japanese game developer 838s Maniacs has announced that Brutal Japan, a game they released to Steam Early Access last month, will be delisted. Brutal Japan is a survival horror game that takes place in present-day Japan.
Monster Create is a monster creation and castle building battle game by the creator of Freakyforms
As the name implies, Monster Create is a game where you create your very own monsters to battle with. Monster Create is being developed by PICTOY, a game studio established by Hiroshi Moriyama, the director of Freakyforms and Castle & Dragon.
The Rumble Fish fighting game series heads west for the first time
Publisher 3goo has announced that The Rumble Fish and The Rumble Fish 2 will be released worldwide for modern consoles this winter. This marks the first time that the series has been released outside of Japan.
Massage Freaks is a bishoujo rhythm game coming to Nintendo Switch August 4
Massage Freaks is a rhythm game where players perform massages on various girls. By using the hidden massage techniques, players will relieve customers of their troubles and increase their affection toward the protagonist.
Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak’s Insta-Block becomes a source of amusement for players
A method of fun using Insta-Block first became possible in Monster Hunter Generations. The Insta-Block was brought back in Monster Hunter Rise, and even though time has passed, it seems like players are carrying on the tradition of having some fun with it.
Elected official in Japan wants a legal framework for preserving games and keeping them playable
Ken Akamatsu, the first manga artist elected to Japan's House of Councillors, wants a legal framework for preserving games and keeping them playable.
Metal Gear Solid voice actor denies claims that a new game is in the works
Voice actor Kikuko Inoue released a statement regarding a response she gave to a question at an event in Saudi Arabia. Her answer had been reported as suggesting a new title in the Metal Gear Solid series which she says is not the case.
Japan continues its reign as the country that tweets the most about gaming
Japan once again took the top spot in the “Top 10 Countries Tweeting Most About Gaming” for the first half of 2022, something it also achieved last year. The country has been the king of gaming tweets in recent times, also topping the yearlong rankings in both 2021 and 2020.
A Japanese government agency is exploring making mods for Cities: Skylines
Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism is looking into developing mods for Cities: Skylines. The plan for their development looks to be related to another project being led by the ministry, Mogura VR News reports.
Konami is preparing to bring back delisted Metal Gear Solid games
Konami Digital Entertainment announced that they are preparing to bring back the temporarily delisted titles in the Metal Gear Solid series after certain games were taken off of storefronts in November of last year.
Psychedelic occult-themed JRPG Exit Veil now seeking crowdfunding on Kickstarter
Exit Veil is an occult-themed JRPG with 3D exploration, a healing-focused turn-based combat system, and tarot cards all brought together. The team behind Exit Veil is Cherrymochi, an indie studio known for their debut game Tokyo Dark.
Nintendo warns Switch users not to play the console in hot areas as a heatwave continues across Japan
Nintendo’s Japanese customer support Twitter account recently tweeted out a warning reminding users not to play their Nintendo Switch consoles in high temperature areas. Japan is continuing to experience record breaking heat, with some areas reaching 40.2°C (104°F) during the month of June, the highest June temperature recorded in Japan.
Cute and colorful shmup Like Dreamer is coming to Steam on July 21
Like Dreamer is a bullet hell shooter with a social media theme. In the game’s world there’s a popular bullet hell social media platform called Bulletolk, and by showing off impressive gameplay, users can receive “likes” from others. Like Dreamer is set to launch on July 21 for PC (Steam).
Mobile game developer revealed that halving in-game ads simply halved their profits
Japanese solo game developer Yanase experimented with reducing the frequency of ads that appeared in their mobile games to unsatisfactory results. We reached out to Yanase to learn more.
A game developer creates delicious looking anime ramen with custom made “soup shader”
To create the delicious looking anime ramen, game developer Harry Alisavakis used his own self-made “cel-shading” shader which allowed him to add a hand-drawn feel to the 3D models. The noodles, bowl, and other ingredients are all modeled individually.
Is the concept of leveling in games a waste of time? Gamers and developers in Japan discuss
“I have come to believe that games with leveling systems are a complete waste of time.” This is the title of an opinion piece posted to a Japanese anonymous blog site that has struck up a discussion among Japanese gamers and developers.