Coveted Games: Flying under the radar

I know that I've already written a wishlist for early 2015; however, some potentially interesting games managed to escape my sharp and ever-scanning eye. In addition, I have reconsidered my position about a certain high-profile title, which I disdained until now but may well be inclined to buy after all. Without further ado, let’s dive into the second part of my early 2015 wishlist!

—Hyperdimension Neptunia U: Action Unleashed (Vita): There is no shortage of Hyperdimension Neptunia games on the Vita these days, and this title adds another entry to an already long list. It seems to pack lots of Hack and Slash goodness à la Dynasty Warriors, complete with a hefty amount of cuteness and an ever-so-slight dose of fan-service for good measure. I love to indulge in a good Hack and Slash every once in a while, which makes this game highly desirable; however, I am no gamer to be fooled by cutesy sprites and fan-service, and this game will be allowed a place in my precious collection only if its physics are rock-solid. 

—Toukiden: Kiwami (Vita): The sequel to Toukiden: The Age of Demons, as the title abundantly implies. It packs new characters, new locations and a new story, and just like the first game, the trailer alone was enough to get me all hyped up about this game. Charismatic characters, great voice acting, gorgeous overall aesthetics, what more can you ask for? Well, great physics would be one thing, as well as camera moves that don’t make me vomit my lunch. I want this game, granted, but I will definitely check these two points carefully before I purchase Kiwami. 

—Oreshika 2: Tainted Bloodlines (Vita): This is the sequel to Ore no Shikabane wo Koete Yuke (Oreshika for short), a PSP remake of a Playstation game released only in Japan. Oreshika 2 mixes gorgeous stylised art, dungeon crawling and breeding mechanics and promises to be a smash hit—at least, I’m certainly looking forward to it. There seems to be some controversy about a certain character stealing your own family’s thunder almost constantly and de facto becoming the main focus of the game, but let’s be honest: as long as it doesn’t alter the gameplay in significant ways, I really don’t have an objection. Gaming hours are too short and precious to rant about ego issues. 

—Hatsune Miku: Project Mirai DX (3ds): I don’t think I need to present Hastune Miku, the series that propelled a modest user interface to the coveted rank of gaming icon. Weirder things have happened in the world of gaming, but not many. At any rate, this is yet another iteration of the successful rhythm game franchise, and its inclusion in this list has more to do with curiosity than with fandom. I’ve never played a Hatsune Miku game, and I’m not even sure such games are right for me; but I’d like to see for myself what the fuss is all about. This 3ds entry seems to be a good starting point, with its bright colours and cute chibi sprites; I have to admit that Hastune Miku: Project Diva F on the Vita look a trifle too much like a copy-paste of The Voice or American Idol for my comfort. I want to play a videogame, not some kind of real-TV rip-off. 

—The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3D (3ds): Last but not least, here is the high-profile game that had be all riled up and fuming about remakes and ports stealing the limelight from brand-new games—as well as precious development resources. You’ll notice that I used the past tense: while I’m still annoyed that a mere remake should be celebrated with such fervour, I’m not as fervently opposed to the idea of purchasing that game as I used to be, and there is a crystal-clear reason for that change of heart. Beyond the laziness inherent to the act of remaking/porting and the ridiculous hype elicited by that port stands a truth that cannot be denied: Majora’s Mask is a brand-new game as far as I’m concerned. I never played it, and the only footage of it I’ve ever seen was the one used in the “Ben Drowned” creepypasta. I may have my opinions about remaking and porting, but I’m first and foremost a gamer in search of new gaming experiences, and Majora’s Mask is exactly that. I have to admit that the available footage from the 3ds remake caught my eye: sure, the overall blocky aesthetic hurts my retinas and reminds me why I retreated into retro gaming back in the late ’90s, but the sickly purple hue that seems to seep through every polygon is definitely enticing to my colour-hungry eyes. And it’s Zelda, after all. Heck, for all I know, Majora’s Mask may become the next entry in my Cult Classic list.

On the hardware side, February saw the Western release of the much-anticipated New Nintendo 3ds. Or is it, indeed? It’s hard to get a reliable feel of the hype surrounding the system; and for every gamer shedding tears of joy and ready to spend hundreds of whatever currency to get a limited edition of the beast, there seems to be a gamer grumbling that Nintendo releases way too many iterations of its handhelds. I stand somewhere in the middle, waving hesitantly between both sides. When the Monster Hunter 4 limited edition of the New 3ds became available in January, the beauty of that piece of kit caught my eye in such a way that I pre-ordered it instantly. However, I cancelled my pre-order the very day of the actual release, before the console was sent to me. I felt a trifle stupid for caving in to my collector’s instincts so readily and without pondering the matter. And after having done so, it turns out that I don’t really need to get a New 3ds right away, especially one packing Monster Hunter 4: I still have to check if I can tolerate the type of 3D used by that game, and there are not nearly enough exclusive New 3ds titles in the pipeline to justify a day one purchase. I will most certainly purchase a New 3ds sooner or later, if only to use as a back-up system; however, I will probably go for the regular model with interchangeable face plates rather than for the XL one. There will probably be more limited editions including interesting games, so it’s really just a matter of being patient and waiting for the right combination. And the infamous Majora’s Mask Limited edition, you may ask? Well, I didn’t even consider this option. Apart from the fact that it was virtually impossible to find, I was really not fond of the garish golden colour donned by the system. I would probably have canceled my pre-order as well anyway, so that settles the matter.

That’s all for the second part of my Early 2015 Wishlist. More Vita games, more discoveries, the months to come look bright indeed! And of course, you’re more than welcome to share your own coveted games in the comment section. Thanks for reading, and be my guest anytime!