Carnage Heart EXA Out on PSP / PS Vita Tomorrow

40 25
Carnage Heart EXA Out on PSP / PS Vita Tomorrow
Adam Fitch Localization Editor & QA
25 Author Replies

Natsume may be best known for publishing the Harvest Moon and Reel Fishing series, but we’re always on the lookout for novel and innovative titles for our growing audience. We plan for 2013 to be a banner year for unique titles, and Carnage Heart EXA, out tomorrow for $29.99, is the first of several PSP titles we’ll be bringing to our fans in both North America and Europe. PlayStation Network lets us bring titles to gamers who are increasingly looking for unique and different types of games. Carnage Heart EXA is just such a game!

Carnage Heart first appeared on PlayStation way back in 1997. Carnage Heart EXA continues the tradition of the franchise with the same style of gameplay, but builds upon it with improved graphics, updated chips, and interface mechanics, and a larger stable of Overkill Engine types. In addition, this time around players can actually control the OKEs (Overkill Engines)! It’s a polished version of the original dream Artdink had, and we’re pleased to be working closely with them to bring the game to a worldwide audience.

Carnage Heart EXACarnage Heart EXA

Carnage Heart EXA is a mech-infused strategy game where the player takes the role of a commander of giant robots. However, these robots must be programmed ahead of time to behave in a certain way by the player. We’ve created a tutorial to walk players through the basics on our Facebook page. Players will be able to completely customize their OKEs inside and out. Players can control everything from bouncing mechs to hovering tanks, and can choose from a variety of weapons and subweapons, fuel tanks, and even armor thickness.

Carnage Heart EXACarnage Heart EXA

Software and hardware is stored in cards, which players will be able to upload to a central website and share with fellow programmers from around the world! We’re really excited to see what software and hardware combinations players come up with. Good luck soldier, your OKEs await programming starting tomorrow.

Keep an eye out for more about our next PSN title, Mystic Chronicles — a more traditional RPG we’ll be talking about more in the future. Natsume out!

carnage heartplaystation games

Comments are closed.

40 Comments

25 Author Replies

  • ItaChu
    March 18, 2013 at 10:10 am PDT

    there wasnt something else you could localize? …. >.>

  • jeffsmither
    March 18, 2013 at 10:21 am PDT

    A few Questions.
    1. How Old is the japan game?
    2. Why does this look like a ps1 game?
    3. $30 is a little steep dont you think?

    • Adam Fitch
      March 18, 2013 at 10:56 am PDT

      A few Answers.
      1. The series first landed on US shores in 1997…CHEXA is a couple of years old.
      2. The series originated on the PlayStation
      3. There is a lot of game.

  • LeFabuleuxDeux
    March 18, 2013 at 10:21 am PDT

    Very interesting. Sounds sort of like one of the tactical Front Mission games. I don’t know if I’ll be picking this up, however, sine the game isn’t really a game that pushes the Vita. I do have a few robo fetish friends who are excited for it.

    • Adam Fitch
      March 18, 2013 at 10:56 am PDT

      Glad your friends are excited! As the game’s a PSP title, we understand that the Vita looks at it and giggles a little, which is natural when its playing a title not specifically aimed at the system. However the game is fun, regardless of system.

  • x-Kicks-x
    March 18, 2013 at 10:24 am PDT

    Looks interesting, but no room in the budget for it presently.

  • Jhooud
    March 18, 2013 at 10:25 am PDT

    Hmm, not sure if this is my particular cup of tea, but I do find the news that more PSP classics are coming to PSN to be very welcome! Here’s hoping for some DBZ or WH40K!

  • iriihutoR84
    March 18, 2013 at 10:27 am PDT

    There is a ton of unlocalized Japanese PSP games that I would be willing to pay $29.99+ for but this isn’t one of them. Still nice with a new PSP game but that console wasn’t made for 3D action games.

  • TwinDad
    March 18, 2013 at 10:34 am PDT

    I look forward to hearing about Mystic Chronicles.

  • rosemachinegun
    March 18, 2013 at 10:36 am PDT

    Thanks for localizing this. I’d been curious about the series since seeing it on Playstation with its ginormous instruction booklet in the 90s.

  • dallow
    March 18, 2013 at 11:33 am PDT

    I’m glad this is coming out. I always welcome obscure localizations.
    I actually used to play the original version on PSX. Will pick this up.

  • Malkavilis
    March 18, 2013 at 11:48 am PDT

    Good to know that there still good games being made and localized for PSP

    • Adam Fitch
      March 18, 2013 at 12:28 pm PDT

      The PSN gives us a unique opportunity to publish titles that wouldn’t be suitable for a traditional “store shelf” sort of release. We’re excited to continue exploring these opportunities, such as with the upcoming Mystic Chronicles.

  • GeeLW
    March 18, 2013 at 12:02 pm PDT

    I, for one… am REALLY Looking forward to this, as it’s a great reminder of how visuals aren’t EVERYTHING, period. CH_EXA seems to offer dozens of hours of gameplay, a load of challenge and plenty of reasons to make excuses to get away from doing stuff you should be doing.

    • Adam Fitch
      March 18, 2013 at 12:29 pm PDT

      We’re always excited to bring gamers who are seeking out that “something different” — please let us know what you think when you’ve played it!

  • JakkuFurosu
    March 18, 2013 at 12:31 pm PDT

    Ill be grabbing this as Im a pretty big fan of the IP. I still have my PS1 copy with that huge tutorial disc.
    At 30$ I dont see it selling well being niche to begin with and hope these numbers dont discourage future CH localizations!

    • Adam Fitch
      March 18, 2013 at 1:16 pm PDT

      Thanks for the support! Your experience with the original gives you a definitive advantage when building an advanced OKE.

  • jimmyfoxhound
    March 18, 2013 at 12:41 pm PDT

    Natsume!! <3 you guys!!! You all brought some great games to me over the years and I'll always be grateful for that. I'll def pick this up, thank you so much for localizing it!

    • Adam Fitch
      March 18, 2013 at 1:17 pm PDT

      You’re very welcome! We’re glad to see so many fans excited — and we hope you’ll enjoy more PSN releases later this year from us as well.

  • tusunami
    March 18, 2013 at 12:43 pm PDT

    I just looked at the trailer & said to myself oh really. Not impressed at all.

  • GeneHunter
    March 18, 2013 at 12:50 pm PDT

    I don’t know if I will personally get this, though it does look great. I’ll probably convince my buddy to grab it though, it seems perfect for him.

  • Carnageheart
    March 18, 2013 at 1:03 pm PDT

    As you might guess, I am a huge fan of the original Carnage Heart (beat it multiple times) am really excited that another game in the series is finally making its way to NA.

    • Adam Fitch
      March 18, 2013 at 1:20 pm PDT

      We never would have guessed! With an upgraded OKE lineup and an improved chipset, your knowledge of the original game will be a definite advantage when starting out.

  • Ryumoau
    March 18, 2013 at 1:04 pm PDT

    $30 for a psp game? Developers need to start focusing on Vita instead of bringing these overpriced psp games to NA.

    • Adam Fitch
      March 18, 2013 at 1:24 pm PDT

      Artdink has already published Vita titles and we’re sure they’re interested in doing more, and we at Natsume are definitely keeping our eyes on some exciting Vita titles — though neither means we’ve forgotten about our PSP fans and their continued support!

  • Ryumoau
    March 18, 2013 at 1:07 pm PDT

    Also, is there any chance Natsume could possibly give us a remake of that N64 fighting game they published back in ’98 called Flying Dragon?

    My psn name is actually based on the final boss in that game. I’d even take a straight up port of it on psn if its possible.

    • Adam Fitch
      March 18, 2013 at 1:26 pm PDT

      We’re always looking at suggestions on the Natsume forums at natsume.com/community/ for titles our fans are looking for.

  • TaiyouGin
    March 18, 2013 at 1:25 pm PDT

    This looks awesome to be honest…but you cannot expect me or anyone else to pay 30 dollars for this..looks like playstation one fun. 9.99 would be good

  • Axecution
    March 18, 2013 at 2:14 pm PDT

    …30 dollars though? :/

    lol i know it’s not your fault, but sony needs lower the standard for these Vita prices. They’re not reasonable no matter how you look at it.

  • PooglyWoogly
    March 18, 2013 at 2:57 pm PDT

    I’m really glad this got localized. I have fond memories of watching the trailer for the original Carnage Heart on the demo disc that came with the Playstation 1 but I never got a chance to play the game. I’ve always been interested in Carnage Heart since the system sounded really cool. The FFXII Gambit system did something similar in how you “programmed” your characters to act on their own accord and it was incredibly satisfying to make them behave as efficiently and effectively as possible, tweaking their options whenever a new ability opened or a new situation appeared that your current gambits couldn’t handle well. Carnage Heart is clearly far more involved than what was featured in FFXII but they seem to have the same idea, so I can’t wait to tweak flowcharts over and over for hours. Obviously this is going to be an extremely niche game but I’m thankful you guys decided to bring it over and I’m definitely picking this up tomorrow.

    I hope you guys continue to bring such unique games over here to the West. Thanks a lot for all of your work.

  • Elvick_
    March 18, 2013 at 3:22 pm PDT

    Not for me, but I like that you bring out the niche stuff. Looking forward to Mystic Chronicles! And hopefully Vita gets It’s own Harvest Moon some day. Because I would kill for that.

    @20: Has nothing to do with Sony. :/

  • BlueMaximaC099
    March 18, 2013 at 4:05 pm PDT

    Any details on the game’s download size?

    And I’m not going to complain about the price of the game (being a huge fan of the EDF2017 remake on Vita I know exactly where that money is going) but it’s hard to deny that $20 would’ve been a much more attractive price.

  • PrimeroIncognito
    March 18, 2013 at 4:12 pm PDT

    @ Ryumoaner

    So, the guy who always whines about “old” games, and too many fighting games, suddenly wants an OLD FIGHTING game?

  • Figboy
    March 18, 2013 at 4:29 pm PDT

    The game sounds interesting and complicated. I’m not sure if it’s for me, and $30 is a steep price to ask to check out a game I’ve never heard of, and may very well not like. I really wish Sony would offer demos of PSP titles to play on the Vita.

    I’ll keep and eye out on this one, though I may not buy it day one. Thank you for localizing it and bringing it over here! I’m glad to see that happening more often. There is always an audience for different types of games.

  • cat9966
    March 18, 2013 at 5:27 pm PDT

    Sometimes I feel so sorry for Adam as we are a tough bunch to please. While I don’t have any interest in this particular offering, I am have been pleasantly surprised with the wide variety of games showing up for Vita.

  • EmoryM
    March 18, 2013 at 9:36 pm PDT

    I’ve been really excited to play this but I’m hesitant to purchase games without reading a few reviews – is anyone covering this?

  • Tazurin
    March 18, 2013 at 11:34 pm PDT

    Thought I should at least be one of the few to say; Thanks. I played the PS1 game briefly, and it was an awesome concept, but didn’t quite deliver on what it could be. The sequels on PSP however looked like everything I wanted the game to be and more, but.. The language barrier would simply be too much to deal with for a game like this, and knowing how niche it is and unlikely it’d ever be localized, I completely abandoned hopes I’d ever get to play it.

    .. Then one day, my friend tells me Natsume is localizing it. It was just surreal. I still don’t really get it. I can’t think of it as a profitable game to localize as it’s not exactly a well-known game, but.. I’m certainly not going to complain. My friend and I have been exchanging videos of the Japanese version since it was announced in anticipation and I am just all kinds of excited, honestly.

    The game might not be for everyone, but for the few it is, seriously, we’re thankful. I’m buying this as soon as it hits the store. I don’t have much in the way of cash myself, but this is definitely something I’m willing to lay $30 down for.

    Thanks, for the chance to play a rare gem like this.

    • Adam Fitch
      March 19, 2013 at 6:37 am PDT

      You’re very welcome! These sort of comments give us tons of motivation to keep putting out these quirky sort of titles. Please let us know your thoughts when you’ve had a chance to try it out.

  • Tracidic
    March 19, 2013 at 5:25 am PDT

    Any plans for new Lufia game? :)

  • DJ_Tomato
    March 19, 2013 at 6:40 am PDT

    Sigh, i was pretty interested on grabbing this but the $30 made me regret of it, sorry but it’s just a psp title, im sticking with DOA5+ this month

    Maybe shall buy when this game gets in sale for 10-15 USD

  • CrimsonCursed
    March 19, 2013 at 10:13 am PDT

    Although it is good to get localizations, it is not good to overprice a game just for a translation
    you guys didnt make this game, it was made in Japan. A PSP game should not cost as much as a Vita game

    why would someone pay $30 for a old game when they can spend $10 more and get a quality game like Dead or Alive 5 brand new

    Putting a PSP game on the market for $30 is just like asking people not to buy it

    if it was made for Vita only then it would be worth $30 (if it was updated)
    A PSP game should never be above $15 to $20

    A good quality PSP game like GOD EATER BURST is only $20 and that game offers about 75 hours of gaming

  • SkreetMerchant
    March 19, 2013 at 12:48 pm PDT

    1. This looks awesome and fun
    2. Thank you

    Any chance other Artdink games might make it?
    Tails of the Sun?

    Gundam Battle Universe
    Macross Ultimate Frontier

    These two have licenses, so maybe Re-Skinned Mechs as to not infringe on the respective franchises

    Also maybe stripped down versions, to cut down on translations and the need to make new art and story for new characters.
    – No Story, only missions.
    – Ad Hoc / Online Multiplayer Co-op & Versus

    • Adam Fitch
      March 19, 2013 at 3:15 pm PDT

      1. It definitely is
      2. You’re welcome!

      Nothing to announce right now in regards to other Artdink titles, but we’re not closing any doors.

  • PrinceofXIII
    March 19, 2013 at 9:24 pm PDT

    wait this is a port of a playstation game on PSP?

    looks ace!!

    more mech games FTW!!!

    • Adam Fitch
      March 21, 2013 at 12:48 pm PDT

      It’s not a direct port. EXA is essentially what Artdink really wanted to do with the first Carnage Heart, so it retains a lot of the original game’s qualities while expanding on the cadre of OKEs you can build, more programming options (including an expanded chipset), the ability to upload your builds to a central location, and a beefier story.

  • Poes_Law
    March 20, 2013 at 8:10 am PDT

    Yes! Been waiting for this title for a long while!

    I really wish they would make a ps3 or 4 version :)

    Gonna get this as soon as its available.

    p.s.
    Can you post a video of the AI chip building process for EXA?

  • colstripcapn
    March 20, 2013 at 10:41 am PDT

    I like Mech games, but $30 is more than I’m willing to spring for. PS1 games go for $6, with the ultra popular ones being $10.

    I know this has a little bit added to it over the original game, but not enough for me to justify that price tag to myself.

    /sigh, if only Front Mission would get a serious reboot, not that TPS crap they ruined the name with.

  • TALLglassofWATER
    March 21, 2013 at 8:05 am PDT

    i am very excited for this title. there is no genre I enjoy on a handheld more than a good ol tactical rpg. at a 30.00 price tag though I may not be pcking it up till later in the summer. I bet it looks great on a vita screen.

  • TALLglassofWATER
    March 21, 2013 at 8:09 am PDT

    I would really love a hardcopy of this to come out for vita. I’d be more apt to pay 30 dollars for something that is not going to eat up space on my already expensive gigabytes

  • Tewk
    March 23, 2013 at 8:08 am PDT

    I have been waiting to see this game again for three years! I am so stoked waiting for it to download now. Programming and giant fighting robots, i’ll be in nerd heaven soon. Thank you!

  • DainBramage
    March 25, 2013 at 10:51 am PDT

    Adam, my sincere thanks to whoever got this done! It has been a very long time for carnage heart fans and some of us are still old enough to remember, and still own, the original.

  • Cleaner_601
    April 12, 2013 at 7:55 pm PDT

    I apologize if the question sounds rock hard stupid because I don’t have a lot of experience with the PSN so far, but… I just can’t find this title in the various lists of games: any help will be greatly appreciated because I really want to play this, even at 30$ – thanks in advance!

Trending Stories

Please enter your date of birth.

Date of birth fields