As promised, GungHo is bringing over a new batch of PSone Imports for your enjoyment today! Just like last time, I’d like to chat about these lovely games and what you can expect out of them.
Sentimental Graffiti
This classic dating simulation was first released in the late nineties. It was popular enough to spawn various sequels, an anime series, and even a radio drama! The story revolves around a protagonist who was constantly moving about during his childhood, so he never had time to form deeper relationships with those around him. He receives a much unexpected letter from a mysterious paramour which simply states, “I want to see you.” He’s got it narrowed down to one of the 12 special women he met in his younger days, and it’s up to the player to decide how this tale ends…
Players control our hero by making use of his incredibly tight schedule. You’ve only got so much time to spend with these ladies, so you have to make it count! Carefully plan out each day by studying your calendar and preparing potentially romantic encounters with the 12 candidates. If you get it right, you might just figure out where that mysterious letter came from…
The game is very text heavy, but there’s a lot of great art and charming event scenes to enjoy. If you are a fan of visual novels, this is one you won’t want to pass up.
First Queen IV
First Queen is a classic RTS/RPG franchise that first introduced the “Gocha-kyara” (tons of characters) battle system. Players control several units by issuing turn based orders then watching the attacks unfold in real time. While the game starts with just a handful of units, your army will grow as your foes bend the knee or you seek out additional recruits via side missions. The ultimate goal is of course to unite (conquer) the entire area and ultimately bring peace to the land. Remember, when you play the game First Queen IV, you win or you die.
While the story contains a lot of Japanese text, the battle controls are pretty straightforward, and you should have little trouble conquering the world with your merry band!
Trump Shiyouyo! Fukkoku-ban
This classic card game pits players against a cast of cute, colorful animals in a bevy of classic card games including: Shichi-narabe (a variation of Sevens), Daifugou (Grand Millionaire), Page One, Dobon, Seven Bridge, Speed, Baba-nuki (Old Maid), Poker, Blackjack, and Shinkei-suijyaku (Concentration).
The game is light on text, and the only time you really need to be able to read Japanese is when you want to tweak the rules of the individual games. With a few quick Google searches, a player can easily find the rules to these classic card games as well as how they would be written in Japanese. Once in game, everything is fairly simple to understand.
Oz no Mahoutsukai ~Another World~ RungRung
This whimsical take on The Wizard of Oz features some incredibly nostalgic-looking, fully voiced CG cutscenes, lovely music, and about the cutest portrayal of the Tin Man I have ever seen! The classic tale of the little girl from Kansas who rode a tornado to infamy has been adapted to an almost absurd degree – with various musicals, movies, and video games. This particular adaptation is oozing with a quirky charm that’s sure to warm your heart.
Players take on the role of Dorothy as she (and her little dog too!) travels about the Land of Oz performing various tasks and collecting magical items. Her goal is to help out her new friends, and of course get back home (after all, there’s no place like home).
This game is fairly text-heavy, but its cuteness is universal!
Mahjong Uranai Fortuna ~Tsuki no Megami Tachi~
Affect’s Mahjong Uranai Fortuna ~Tsuki no Megami Tachi~ provides a rather delightful twist to the time-honored classic Chinese game, Mahjong. Players choose 3 of the 6 fortune-telling beauties to compete against in this ancient poker-like, tile-based game of luck and strategy. As you defeat opponents, you can unlock special event photos that can later be viewed at the image gallery.
Luckily for you, these ladies don’t just play a mean game of Mahjong. Whenever you wish, you can enter “Fortune-telling Mode” and have a nice little horoscope prepared. Be warned, once you see your future, it can’t be unseen!
The fortune-telling will of course require significant Japanese knowledge to understand, but the classic game of Mahjong can easily be learned over the internet. Finally, the image gallery needs no translation.
Favorite Dear ~Enkan no Monogatari~
Japanese RPGs are common enough, and the dating simulation/virtual novel genre is no stranger to the west. It is, however, quite rare to see the two genres so delightfully melded into a beautiful, character-driven gaming experience. For the first time (officially), the Favorite Dear series hits the US with its third installment – don’t worry, the stories aren’t exactly sequential, so you won’t have missed anything important.
Players must control their team of warriors in battle against various monsters as they bring peace to the land, but off the battlefield, the main objective is to promote and maintain harmony in the group by visiting with allies. Once you select your date and location, you are treated to an event scene where you need to make the right choices to keep everyone happy. People who like you tend to fight harder, right?! Before you head back to the battlefield, make sure you outfit your soldiers with the best equipment possible so you can smash your foes to bits!
Favorite Dear ~Enkan no Monogatari~ has a combination of anime event graphics and isometric, sprite-based battle sequences. Like any RPG, it’s very text heavy, so make sure to bring your Berlitz Japanese/English dictionary with you when you want to take Tia out for a walk about town!
These PSone Classics are just $5.99 apiece, so head on down to your local PlayStation Store and pick them up later today! We here at GungHo Online Entertainment America hope you enjoy the chance to finally get your hands on these classic imports, because we may have a few more up our sleeves – WINK!
Any news on when we can expect Picotto Knights to be released?
Also, aren’t you guys a bit concerned about releasing text-heavy Japanese-only PS1 Imports?
We don’t have any updates regarding Picotto Knights just yet.
I understand your concern regarding text-heavy Japanese games, but we figured we would give players a chance at these classics that would have otherwise never seen American shores.