About the Game: 

Originally developed by Nippon Ichi Software and SYUPRO-DX and releasing today for the PS Vita in Japan, The Longest Five Minutes will take you inside the mind of a hero during his final encounter with an epic and evil Overlord. As the story unfolds, the conversations you have with your party and the Overlord will unlock memories of the hero’s journey. Each memory plays out in classic 8-bit RPG style, and the outcome of those memories affect your party in their final battle.

About the Story:

Our hero faces the origin of all evil, the Overlord himself, but suddenly loses all memories of his adventure.
His finishing moves, the name of his hometown, and even the reason he's trying to defeat the Overlord in the first place, all gone. Our hero feels as though he's letting his allies down...
In the midst of battle, his allies’ words and the Overlord's taunting triggers flashbacks, bringing his memories back piece by piece. Our hero tries to regain his priceless memories before it's too late, but the Overlord stands before him, his power unyielding!

What can happen in The Longest Five Minutes!?

To learn more about this game, visit the games website here.

Watch the teaser trailer below:

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For those that are unfamiliar with the story, the plot of Fairy Fencer F: Advent Dark Force revolves around the character Fang, who stumbles upon a sword that he believes will grant him any wish he desires. Upon pulling out the sword he is greeted by Eryn, a fairy, who reveals that he is a fencer and takes him on an adventure to resurrect the goddess to bring peace to the land and restore her lost memory.

The biggest change Advent Dark Force brings is the story. Similar to Megadimension Neptunia VII, the main story is now split up into three different scenarios and offers three different outcomes depending on which arc is selected throughout the story while slightly altering character interactions. Originally from Fairy Fencer F, players can choose to resurrect the goddess or the vile god or remain neutral. Overall this gives players a reason to come back and explore all the possible endings.

Another noticeable change is the frame rate. The original version seemed to push the system to its limits to pull off 30 frames per second at 720p resolution, but with upgraded hardware, the PlayStation 4 runs Advent Dark Force at 60 frames per second and at 1080p resolution. The characters look absolutely gorgeous, showcasing how much work went into character and model design. Not only doubling the frame rate only provide an obvious aesthetic boost, it also enhances gameplay as well. With the new change of adding six characters to the party, combat is much faster and fluid assisted by it’s smooth silky frame rate.

Combat is probably the most fun I have had since the primary Neptunia games. Each character can unlock up to four combo moves that can be customized to the player’s preference. Each character has the “Fairize” ability that powers up the character, giving them flashy new armor much like the HDD mode from the Neptunia series. As mentioned earlier, another change that was implemented is the increased difficulty compared to the original PS3 version. I often found my attacks missing. However this did not take away from the experience. The overall combat was very entertaining and I thoroughly enjoyed the abundance of character customization at my disposal.

Back in 2014, we praised Fairy Fencer F on PlayStation 3 for being a fun game with innovative combat and tons of customization options; the same holds true in the PlayStation 4 “remastered” sibling. With Remastered we now can enjoy a better frame fate that smooths out combat, a prettier, sharper look, and multiple endings (not to mention a whole fresh set of Trophies to earn again, for the ambitious).

Fairy Fencer F: Advent Dark force is a welcome addition to the PlayStation 4 and definitely worth your time.

Pros: 

-Upgraded graphics

-Enhanced combat

-Runs at 60 FPS 

-New story ark 

Overall, the story should not be considered the only draw to the game but instead the building up the party. I found myself skipping the story as I got deeper into the game, not necessarily because the story wasn’t interesting, but because I was eager to get back into the fray. At its core, Grand Kingdom consists of a team of four mercenaries with multiple combat classes to select from. The games map very much resembles a board game, where pieces are moved around the map. Random treasures and resources for crafting can be found in the map and movement around the map will also trigger random events and encounters. Movement, however, is not unlimited. Players have limited number of steps or moves that can be made before a mission expires, though the amount of steps given is quite generous, so exploring the map is encouraged. In addition, depending on the party setup, specific skills can definitely be beneficial and help with exploration and completing the mission. For instance, I had a teleport skill that marks a designated treasure chest and warps to that space.

 Exploring the board to find the optimal path has its own interesting challenges, but the battle system is also quite dynamic and deep. Combat consists of three lanes where party members and enemies will move. Character placement can often decide the outcome of the battle and this usually means life or death. The typical setup would have the melee up front with ranged members in the back, but players also have to make decisions on the fly, should the party be in the way of a canon or charged attack. The turn order is displayed on the bottom to help with strategizing. Should the mage be focused upon on first, or should the leaders be targeted to lower the enemy’s morale, and affecting their movement gauge. These are just a few examples of how the gameplay remains fresh and keeping the players on their toes despite the grind.

Enemy encounters are a mashup of turn-based and action gameplay, quite similar to games like Valkyria Chronicles or Odin Sphere, becoming one of my favorite strategy/RPG battle systems to date. Every character has an action gauge that will deplete during movement or attack. Melee characters are controlled by rapidly pressing the assigned buttons to combo attacks when within range of an enemy. Characters with range rely on timed attacks, hitting the buttons as a moving target icon moves onto the enemy In both scenarios, characters can launch their opponents into the air or hit them into objects (or even into each other for more damage). 

Exploiting the environment was fun, and I really enjoyed the skill involved in how attacks are executed. There are numerous possibilities on the outcome of battles, and it can be very satisfying lining up an attack and destroying multiple enemies. It is important to note that there is friendly damage in this game. The party can take damage based on their proximity and their positions. There were situations where taking out my own party member worked in my advantage in taking out an otherwise dangerous enemy.

Aside from missions, I enjoyed building up my party with the sheer amount of customization the game has to offer. The variety of classes is very diverse, featuring everything from a dragon mage to a valkyrie, choosing skills, allocating experience points, and equipping gear that can be bought or crafted. One feature I found novel was the ability to see the equipped gear appear visually on the character model whether it was some of nose armor or a hat. From a player perspective, I loved all the different options that I was given for my characters. There are four main attacks, plus a litany of passive and support skills. In addition, there are plenty of skills such as healing or poison resists that can be purchased. With so many different skills, it was very hard for me to choose and I found myself constantly making the tough choice of which skill to sacrifice.

While the battle system thrives, the overall experience can get pretty repetitive. Throughout the main story and side quests there is a lot of grinding involved. The party level carries over in online cross-play where a contract is formed with one of the four nations. The contract contents is decided by the player and it will dictate and specify missions such as the number of wars to support and in turn will affect the players access to shops and trade posts within rivaling nations. There are two ways to manage these wars; manual movement by the player or letting the A.I. run. I tried both. I set the A.I. control, so I could gain extra experience, items, and gold.

Other times I tried to manually control my party to see the outcome. I was surprised how my opponents would use strategies that I would never have considered. Another way of leveling up the party is by taking on quests against the computer with set objectives, such as making deliveries or defending areas. It is also possible to explore an area without any specific objectives to gather treasures and resources which are to be used in crafting. With so many options, Grand Kingdom will likely find a long term following.

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PlayStation 4 isn’t only well-known for its number of exclusive games, but for the sheer number of quality exclusives. That’s what makes Grand Kingdom even more impressive, because not only does it join the ranks of well known series like Disgaea and Fire Emblem, but it bests them in its own unique way. Monochrome has crafted a game of great quality. While Grand Kingdom can occasionally suffer from sheer repetition from numerous side quests, there is something undenyingly satisfying about this game. Grand Kingdom is a true feat.

Pros:

-Fun combat 

-Environmental damage 

-Highly customizable

-Diverse class variety 

-Online wars 

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Originally one of the groups responsible for the massive pop idol sensation that’s invaded the world, the group was disbanded in 1996 only to be revived in 2013 after an exhausting member search from over 8,800 candidates. Immediately after being formed, the new female idols who comprised the group had one goal in mind: to become a peerless and unique performance group.

Using the monkier of “Domobics” (Domo + aerobics), the song features a 5-minute long exercise routine that uses simple moves from stretching to lower body workouts and was composed by m-flo’s☆Taku Takahashi and supervised by Katsuhiko Nagata, an Olympics silver medalist. Although it may seem simple on the surface, underneath the glitz and glamour of the catchy pop-tune is an actual fun rhythmical workout to help you get ready for your day. With the simple message that, “if Domo can do it, then you can too,” it effortlessly makes exercise fun!

Earlier this month NHK launched a section on their website featuring special videos of Tokyo Performance Doll doing “Domobics.” While we were a little disappointed that a physical CD or a digital version does not exist yet at this time, we were told you could go watch the “Domobics” music video on the official NHK YouTube channel. We also received a teaser from Sony Music that it may be released sometime within the near future; so fans will definitely have something to look forward to!

Throughout the festival the NHK booth hosted multiple “Domobics” sessions featuring Tokyo Performance Doll where attendees were able to learn the routine and even a lucky few were able to participate on stage and receive autographed posters from the group.

 Other activities included special appearances by the mascot Domo and attendees were offered the chance for a photo op. Sebastian Masuda, art director of Kawaii International, NHK’s pop culture program which explores everything from Tokyo street fashion to art and design, collaborated with NHK to host “TIME AFTER TIME CAPSULE” a workshop which includes an interactive art installation in the shape of Domo.

Overall, I personally enjoyed my experience at the NHK booth. This was my favorite event at J-POP SUMMIT with the great fans and lots of high energy. With the group earnestly leaving the hope that they will come back again soon, we really hope they come back next year as they’re a performance that needs to be seen! 

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A quick quest in one of the starter towns unlocks the event and any players level 15 and up are able to participate. The Yo-Kai minions (little companions mostly for aesthetics) are easy enough to obtain; complete F.A.T.E.s (Full Active Time Events), which are open-world events that occur spontaneously throughout the world of FFXIV, with the Yo-Kai watch equipped, and players can obtain a Yo-kai Medal, a currency used to purchase minions. Once all the minions are purchased, players will be able to obtain an event exclusive mount. As mentioned previously, there are also 13 types of weapons to obtain, one for every combat job in Final Fantasy XIV. These too, are also purchased through another event limited currency, legendary medals, which is a random drop in F.A.T.Es. Fight alongside the minion, collect enough of the legendary medals and players can purchase the weapons from the event NPC. Keep in mind though, the currency for weapons are not a guaranteed drop so a bit of a grind is to be expected. The challenge for the weapons is not unrewarded though; obtain all 13 weapons and a second flying mount, the Whisper A-Go-Go – a majestic glowing version of the first mount, can be unlocked.

With the amount of grinding involved, some might argue that this is not a fun event, chore-like even. 76 F.A.T.E.s later (this is the amount needed to purchase all 13 minions), I found myself with an adorable mount – the Whisper Go. This did not happen overnight of course; in-fact, it took around 2 nights, running F.A.T.E.s with friends casually, chatting, with plenty of breaks in between. I am on my 5th weapon and while the constant F.A.T.E grind can get a little dry and the random drop rates of the legendary medals can get a little discouraging, I am in no way bored or of this event just yet. In conjunction with the free login event, it is impossible to deny that this event has brought life back to the starter zones of Final Fantasy XIV. New adventures with green sprouts next to their names (an icon indicating the player is a new adventurer) are joining forces with high level veteran players to get these time-limited items. Returning players taking advantage of the free login campaign too, are leveling new jobs, or possibly re-exploring the maps of Eorzea.

The collaboration is currently live and will be on-going until October 3, 2016. The free login campaign is for players with a previous service account and is on-going until August 30 2016, 11:59 PDT, for a maximum of 120 hours at initial login.

For full details, check out the event page here.

Over the course of AX, momoMc held several sessions at the Night Cafe. During her shows, momoMc performed in a variety of costumes ranging from exotic geisha, Lum (from Urusei Yatsura), and Rei Ayanami (from Evangelion). Each Night Cafe ticket included a drink ticket but additional drinks could be purchased at the decked out bar at the venue as well. The room was dimly lit with the atmosphere of a nightclub . To one side of the room was the bar area where attendees could get drinks. In the center of the room were coffee tables with seats where attendees could relax and mingle before the show began. Once the show began the MC came on stage and welcomed everyone for coming. She taunted and teased and even talked down to the crowd but they loved it and cheered her on.

After a small introduction she called the first performer on stage, Red Snapper. Dressed as Sailor Jupiter, Red Snapper dominated the stage and took the crowd’s breath away. At one point, she joined the crowd, engaging with everyone. Soon after, the MC returned to the stage to play a game of truth or dare where the winners in the audience could win drink tickets. After the game it was time for momoMc to take the stage. She came out dressed as a geisha and the crowd cheered her on, the song began to play and her performance began. The choreography of the dance was sexy but tasteful, and not lewd like some would expect when it comes to exotic performers. As she climbed to the top of the pole, the crowd tension rose, and everyone gasped in amazement with non-stop rounds of applause.

On her last day of AX I attended the last show where she performed as Rei Ayanami from Evangelion and this time, she joined the crowd in mid performance to take a photograph with everyone. At the end of her show she bowed to the audience and blew kisses while the crowd responded enthusiastically. Events like these showcase how AX atendees have also matured along with the convention and is ready to participate in cultural events that are adult-oriented and at the same time, tasteful. It was apparent that the audience thoroughly enjoyed the show and as for myself, I am glad to have attend this special opportunity more than just once.

momoMc has been doing this for five years professionally and she practices over 3 hours daily. She has performed all around the globe sharing the art of burlesque and pole dancing with the world. Follow her on facebook at “MomoMcももまっく Hiromi McFaddin” or check out her twitter @momomc696.

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The plot of A.W.: Phoenix Festa revolves around Invertia, an unprecedented disaster that struck the world during the 20th century. Due to this disaster, numerous cities around the world were destroyed. However, within the meteor, an unknown element called mana was discovered, which allowed humans to make rapid strides in technology. This also gave rise to a new species of human born with unique skills - the Star Pulse Generation. The setting for the world’s greatest comprehensive battle spectacle, the Festas, is an academy city above water surrounded by six academies called Rikka also commonly known as Asterisk.

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Phoenix Festa allows the player,to play as the main protagonist Amagari Ayato, or as an original character to progress through the story mode. Ayato himself, starts out very strong, with high attack, defense, insight, and speed stats all around. There are four main characters to meet and a ton of text to read through. The story is packed with high quality voice acting and has many beautifully drawn anime style gallery screens to unlock. Once thrown into the story, the player will have 12 days to find a partner for festa. The first answer selected in the game will dictate which girl will agree to partner with the protagonist. After choosing a partner you will have 45 days until the festa finals.

One of the interesting features about Phoenix Festa is the RPG elements it incorporates. Throughout the story, the player will follow a calendar system with morning and evening times much like the Persona series, featuring a training system where the protagonist can raise one of his stats each day. The player can upgrade their character’s stats throughout the story.This is where I found myself spending the most time on and it can get a little repetitive. During my play-through, I only upgraded two of the stats as the rest seemed worthless.

At its core battles consist of 2v2 matchups with Ayato and his partner. Overall, combat is fast and fluid and easy to get into, though a little bit button mashy at times. I found the game lock on camera a bit troublesome as it kept changing to a top down view as I approached an opponent. I did like that you could tap the corner of the screen to lock onto Ayato’s partner when they are in need of help. There are also many different Luxs (weapons) to choose from including short sword, long sword, spear, fists, handgun, and rifle. I played mostly with the long sword, though I occasionally switched it up to try some of the other weapons. I really enjoyed trying out the different types of weapons and each one had its own type of combo that was unique in it’s own special way.

Outside of combat, other events include part-time jobs for money to buy new Luxs, Lux modifications, scheduling appointments to take one of the four girls on a date or requesting a duel to increase Ayato’s rank or intimacy level. The lower intimacy level is with a certain girl, the less likely they will agree to go out on a date. Ayato can try to win the girl over by buying her a gift at the thrift store to raise his intimacy level. Overall the dating portion of the game left something to be desired.

Ayato, on date with Sasamiya Saya

My in-game clock had me somewhere north of 5 hours, but I could have very easily tacked on 10 or more hours to that if I went back to complete each different girls route, unlocked all the CG art, or earned all of the PSN Trophies.

A.W.: Phoenix Festa certainly isn’t the only RPG dating sim available on Vita, but it’s perhaps one of the more entertaining ones. Outside of battle, multiple character paths kept me engaged and entertained for hours. However there’s constantly a hook that keeps me coming back for more, even if it means sitting through mindless grinding sessions to raise my stats. Whether for fans of the anime series or visual novel fans in general, A.W.: Phoenix Festa delivers. 

Pros: 

-Fun Combat

-Anime Art

-RPG Dating Sim Elements 

-Replay Value 

Cons:

-Quickly deteriorates into endless repetition

-Camera Issues 

“We are so thrilled to work together with BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment, a company that takes great pride in their work and goes that extra mile to create amazing game experiences.” said Andreas Johnsson, Business Developer & Deputy CEO, Tarsier Studios “From day one we've felt their passion and drive to help make LITTLE NIGHTMARES everything it can be.”

More details about LITTLE NIGHTMARES will be revealed at this year's Gamescom in Cologne, Germany, stay tuned!

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Hennig worked with Naughty Dog for more than a decade, helping craft the Uncharted franchise and one of modern gaming's most iconic heroes. At Visceral Games, she is working on a project based in the Star Wars universe.

"Amy's revolutionary work on the Uncharted series played an immeasurable role in shaping the modern gaming landscape," said Jerry Holkins, co-founder, Penny Arcade. "We're thrilled PAX West attendees will have the chance to listen to one of gaming's leading visionaries."

PAX West will be held at the Washington State Convention Center from September 2 - 5, 2016. The show is sold out of attendee badges. Journalists as well as content creators on YouTube and Twitch who are interested in attending to create coverage of the event and exhibitors can register for a media pass at http://west.paxsite.com/registration.

PAX West will be followed by PAX Aus, occurring November 4-6, 2016 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. Single day badges ($60 AUD) as well as three-day passes ($160) are now available for purchase: paxaustralia.com.au/registration.

Dates and badge availability for PAX South and PAX East 2017 have not yet been announced.

The PAX series of shows (West, East, South and Australia) comprise some the world's largest gaming festivals, with each event entertaining tens of thousands of guests. PAX events connect leading tabletop and video game developers directly to passionate gaming audiences, providing a space where gaming culture is celebrated through panels, demos, concerts, tournaments and freeplay sessions.

For further information, visit http://west.paxsite.com/ or get updates via Twitter.

The first floor consisted of several smaller rooms reserved for panels and performances. The exhibitor’s hall was a very large room, split into half, with the front for the vendors and the back for artist alley. Since I showed up only on the last day, most major events, such as autograph sessions, Q&A panels and such was already in full swing. AniRevo also uses a VIP system – which seems to be a trend with larger conventions nowadays; pay more and skip lines. Most of the convention hall is accessible by the public; it is only the rooms that are blocked off for those with convention passes. Since the venue is actually accessible by the public, I noticed quite a few intrigued bystanders inquire about the event.

I spent most of my time at the convention combing through the exhibition hall as it was the largest room with the most things to look at. There was plenty of merchandise to drop money on: Gundam models, plushies, cosplay items, just to name a few things I saw. The artist alley was also jam packed with people. I would have to say the most common series I saw showcased at artist alley would be Overwatch.

Jumping on with the hype of the hit mobile game, Pokemon Go, Anime Revolution put together an event for Pokemon Go players titled: Pokemon GO: Lights up Anirevo! Active lure modules were set up at the venue for all three days of the event. I personally must have caught over 20 magikarps just being at the convention for a few hours. Perhaps it is also because the recent popularity of Pokemon, I noticed there was an increase of all things Pokemon related at the convention as well.

I had a great time at AniRevo this year. The badge pick-up was well organized and the line went quite smoothly. Staff was energetic and easy to identify in their brightly colored AniRevo shirts. With that said, I did however feel that there was a lack of security and staff inside the exhibitor’s hall. I came across a few risky costumes that according to the AniRevo costume policy, should have been deemed unsuitable for this family event. It is understandable that crowd management of this size can be difficult, but that should not be an excuse for a large scale convention such as AniRevo to overlook such issues especially since it is outlined in the convention policy. Perhaps for next year, AniRevo could look into allotting a few more staffers inside the halls roaming, checking for hazards and that convention policies are being acknowledged and followed.

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Attending this convention with an intent to write an impression definitely gave me a new perspective on the event. There were things that I paid attention to this visit that in the past, I would not have. Hopefully I am able to attend AniRevo next year again for the full three days. I would like to see AniRevo continue to grow and perhaps one day be as well known as Anime Expo.

Compared to Disgaea, the storyline for Phantom Brave carries more serious and emotional tones and it does a good job on all fronts. Marona is a very cheerful and musical character, even with all the misguided hatred towards her - she is very patient and keeps a very positive attitude even when she is at fault, while Ash can be a bit more serious on how Martona is treated. Marona and Ash, along with other characters, make for a very satisfying story and the narrative, is top notch. 

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In addition to the main story, the PC version also includes the “Another Marona” storyline, from the Wii and PSP remakes. This takes place after the main story, with everyone in the world except for Marona is killed, and it’s up to her and the sudden appearance of Phantoms to defeat the threat from 30 years past that has returned. This is a nice addition, since there are new characters with special abilities to enjoy on top of a good additional story to play through.

At its core, Phantom Brave is an SRPG (strategy role playing game) through and through. However, there are some differences that separate it from the traditional SRPG. Gone are the grid based squares that many SRPG players are used to. Each character now has a movement ring at their disposal, giving players a bigger area to traverse and wider range for skills. Moving and manipulating enemies will require a bit more strategy than your basic SRPG and it can take time to get used to but once mastered it can be very satisfying.

The other big change is the number of allies that can be placed on the field. Marona may not be much of a fighter, but she has many phantom friends to help her fight off enemies. However they are nothing but ghosts, lacking any physical presence in the world. Marona will have to summon the Phantom to an object on the field - a rock, a tree, or anything in the surrounding area. However, Phantoms are only allowed on the field for a limited number of turns, and after the timer runs out, the Phantom will no longer be able to be re-summoned during battle. Battles can change greatly on how the player utilizes each phantom. It’s not always best to summon every phantom on the first round. If the player is not able to reach the enemies in the amount of turns before the time on the phantoms run out, it will put the player at a disadvantage. 

Overall Phantom Brave is really well balanced. I found it less of a grind then my time with Disgaea series. Visually the graphics haven’t changed by any stretch of the imagination. Text and character portraits look a lot sharper and character models are however pretty blocky and don’t look very great. Overall it’s definitely an improvement over Disgaea PC which had similar issues.

Whether you have played Phantom Brave before or not, this is a solid edition and a welcome addition to an already great lineup of PC games from NIS America. With the PC port the player gets a deep story, better graphics, addicting SRPG gameplay, and the additional storyline.
Phantom Brave PC is a must play for SRPG fans alike.

Pros:
-Deep Story
-Upgraded Graphics
-Fun Combat
-DLC bundled in

A synopsis for all of the newly announced titles and updates can be found below.

Fatal Twelve
Developer: aiueokompany
Product page: https://sekaiproject.com/products/fatal-twelve/

One day, twelve people meet inside the dream world. They differed by occupation and gender, but they have one thing in common: their days are numbered. To survive they are given a task named, "The Choice of the Goddess," which is a ritual that allows one person out of the twelve to escape their fated death.

Upon returning to the real world, they come to realize they have miraculously survived from their "approaching death." This death they have escaped was their actual end... But, their lives had been extended for twelve weeks by the goddess who makes the selections.

To survive, they must uncover the "name," "cause of death," and "regret" of the other eleven people within the given time period. The protagonist, Rinka, will entrust her fate to the three cards that hold that information.

When faced with the death, how will you live out the rest of your life?

The Emerald Tablet
Developer: {uni}
Product page: https://sekaiproject.com/products/the-emerald-tablet/

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Enter the world of alchemy in the daily adventures of the money-hungry but good intentioned Misty, the arrogant adventure-seeking Gladys, and the explosive "expert" Winifred. Enjoy the classic JRPG-style mechanic of crafting elements in a story where Misty seeks the truth of alchemy that is bestowed upon the Emerald Tablet.

In The Emerald Tablet, players can take part in crafting quests from the townspeople, ranging from the mundane tasks, such as crafting normal household items to more elaborate ones. Players are also able to customize their character’s growth, equipment and attributes by collecting materials for crafting. Create a character that is truly unique that will be victorious in battle!

Narcissu 10th Anniversary Anthology Playstation 4 / Playstation Vita Adaptation
Developer: stage-nana

Narcissu, the popular thought provoking visual novel series about terminal illness, living, dying, and the relationship between those leaving and those left behind is coming to PS4™ and PS®Vita via Sekai Project and Limited Run Games. The console adaptation includes Narcissu 1st and 2nd and will have development materials and video footage about the game.

Praised by fans for its moving story and high production quality, the original games have been download over a million times and spawned a manga and light novel, and has been localized in several languages across the world. This anthology finally brings the games that were never released outside of Japan in any form to the world for eager fans, as well as updating artwork, voice work, and a brand new written chapter exclusive to this anthology: "Sumire".

Further breaking new grounds, this anthology builds on the massively popular music which has captured the hearts of thousands of Narcissu fans by adding 2 video game legends to the musical roster: Chris Huelsbeck of Turrican fame, and Hiroki Kikuta of Secret of Mana fame.

Dairy Princess
Developer: inutoneko
Product page: https://sekaiproject.com/products/dairy-princess/

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The vast blue sky, endless green plains, and... adorable cows!?

In the simulation game, Dairy Princess, players take on the role of a young girl managing a ranch on the outskirts of town. Expand your ranch by selling your produce back to the townspeople and help them out by clearing the tasks they give you. Breed your animals in unique combinations to bring forth amazing new species. With over three hundred unique items to collect, there’s plenty to do at the ranch!

Players will also have the ability to raise the adventurers who work for them at the ranch as well. Meet all sorts of quirky individuals, learn their stories and level them along with their weapons to set forth on exciting new adventures together. Raise a plethora of animals, build up your ranch, level up your comrades, and aim to have the best ranch in town!

The Human Reignition Project
Developer: Alienworks
Product page: https://sekaiproject.com/products/the-human-reignition-project/

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A new trailer was unveiled at Otakon for The Human Reignition Project which featured the game's theme song composed by the music studio, Arte Refact, and sung by the talented anison artist, Sayaka Sasaki. The game is slated for a 2017 release.

Memory's Dogma
Developer: LizArts
Product page: https://sekaiproject.com/products/memorys-dogma/

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LizArts has revealed a new trailer for Memory's Dogma showcasing an all-star Japanese voice cast and a theme song sung by artist Mitsuki Nakae. Mitsuki Nakae is also known for performing the opening song to Maitetsu, which Sekai Project announced for an English release earlier this year.

“A state-operated facility that allows one to communicate with the deceased: the “Connect Center”

Year 2030. With Japan’s recent advancements in information science and neuroscience, human memories can now be saved and recorded. The technology is referred to as “e-Memory.” However, due to the rapid increase in the number of crimes using the e-Memory technology, the government has introduced strict regulations on human memory data. In essence, the government now holds a monopoly on all human memory data. The recording of still-living humans was forbidden, and the e-Memory technology was only to be used on the deceased, giving rise to the establishment of “Connect Centers.” These state-owned and operated facilities allowed one to call and communicate with the dead.

These “Connect Centers” allowed people who were still in a period of bereavement to cope with their loss by talking with their recently deceased loved ones. The protagonist, Kusuhara Hiroki, is a college student struggling with suicidal impulses after the sudden passing of his close childhood friend, Mizunashi Sorano. Her memories were to last only until August 26— a mere four more days. Kusuhara teams up with his friend, Amamiya Kakeru, in an attempt to steal Mizunashi Sorano’s memories from the server where they were stored.

In the midst of this, the two discover the secret of the Connect Centers, and are suddenly embroiled in the fight taking place behind the scenes.

Yume no Sono
Developer: Primum Soft
Product page: https://sekaiproject.com/products/yume-no-sono/

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A new trailer for Yume no Sono was shown that featured more details on the various characters in this title by Primum Soft. Previously announced at Anime Weekend Atlanta 2015, Yume no Sono blends Japanese designs with South American folklore to create a beautiful experience. Yume no Sono is slated for a 2017 release.

Full of rich vocals and stirring melodies, their fourth studio album, “S” was released on March 2, 2016 reaching the number three spot on the Oricon Weekly Album chart; marking the third consecutive time that the group debuted with an album within the top ten.

Although released as part of a previous single, their cover of ZONE’s 2001 hit song, “secret base ~Kimi ga Kuretamono~” blew me away with the group’s rendition of it. Used for the live action Anohana special, it managed to keep the same haunting resonance of the original while changing some of the instrumentals to make it just as memorable; effectively “owning it” in their innovative own way. If you’re a fan of Anohana or emotionally chilling music, this composition alone makes the price of admission well worth it.

Other particular notable on the album includes the CM, “Hachigatsu no Yoru” that was used for the “Vantan Design Kenkyuujo Summer Seminar,” the highly energetic “Cherry Bomb” and “milk boy.” For anyone looking to download the album through a distribution network like iTunes, be forewarned. Only a partial album is available on the digital music store and unfortunately, “secret base” was omitted from both the “S” album and “Hashigatsu” single so if you’re looking for it, purchasing a physical edition is a must.

While I personally hadn’t heard of the group until my chance encounter with them at the J-POP Summit Festival 2016, in San Francisco, I’m really looking forward to seeing the performance group again when they return to the United States this fall at Los Angeles (9/30) and San Francisco (10/02) as part of their World Tour. This will, most importantly, mark the first time that the group will be performing outside a convention in America so fans should definitely pay attention to these Lives.

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Full track listing:

1. cherry bomb
2. Hachigatsu no yoru
3. milk boy
4. Hapi-Mari
5. Love install
6. hikari
7. Yoshida-san
8. Layla
9. alarm
10. nukumor
11. C.A.F.E.
12. Throw Morning
13. secret base ～kimigakuretamono～

There is not much that I can talk about without spoiling the plot or turning this into a very generic synopsis of volume one. However, I can truthfully say that I was not expecting much initially. I have read a lot of shoujo series, and they generally share very similar plot devices - a beautiful yet sometimes a bit clumsy female protagonist with multiple, handsome love interests. In volume one of Yona of the Dawn, two prominent male characters are introduced; Hak, a childhood friend and bodyguard, and Soo-Won, a cousin and unrequited love interest. If I were to give a brief summary of volume one, Yona of the Dawn would certainly fit that cookie-cutter description. However, Mizuho Kusanagi tells the tale of Yona and her story of growth, love, and betrayal beautifully through her artwork. Volume one consisted mostly of flashbacks and a quick background of Yona, Hak and Soo-Won.

The book ended dramatically. My heart was broken for Yona, and I wondered what grim future is waiting for her and her companions. Heroine development, in my opinion, is very important for shoujo series. In this volume, Yona went from a bubbly and sheltered princess to a damsel in distress. I am counting on her to become more than just another cliche shoujo heroine in yet another romantic drama, or I will be sorely disappointed. I am also eager to see more character development from Hak. How will Hak help Yona grow and will their relationship change for the better or for the worse?

For those that are curious and are looking into this series, I highly recommend checking Yona of the Dawn out. The art is beautiful, and the story is captivating. Book one absolutely had me hooked, and I cannot wait for the next volume.

What I Enjoyed:

- beautiful artwork; always the first thing that catches my attention
- smooth transition from flashbacks to present time
- comic relief

What I Disliked:

- a somewhat predictable plot; is this another reverse harem?
- somewhat forced comic relief at times
- I would like to learn more about Yona’s relationship with her father, but maybe that will be in later volumes

Review copy courtesy of Viz Media.

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The show started with a few words from Spike. The show took off with this famous line “I think it’s time to blow this scene get everybody and their stuff together. [Okay], three, two, one let’s jam!”. If by the time fans heard these lyrics and were still not following along to the beat, then the bass solo followed by the drums at the beginning should already have had them hooked. Fans of the series should be familiar with this line from “Tank” [written by Yoko Kanno and originally performed by ‘Seatbelts’], the opening song to Cowboy Bebop. It is a classic jazz fusion that is upbeat and exhilarating from the start to the finish and the Alice Underground cover was on par with the original by Yoko Kanno and Seat belts. The crowd was following along by bobbing their heads or keeping rhythm by taping their feet. The band was dressed like performers in an authentic Jazz club, and along with live dancers, it was a show in itself. While the band performed, the screen behind played footage from the anime. Song list included: ‘Tank’, ‘Cat Blues’, ‘Too Good Too Bad’, ‘Farewell Blues’, ‘The Real Folk Blues [English version by Alice Underground]’, and ‘Rain’ along with some others like ‘Carry that weight’[Beatles] and ‘Superman’ [Alice Underground]. Each song was perfectly accompanied by selected scenes from the series, representing a particular character or to convey actions and emotions within an episode.

During intermission, the band held a Q&A session with the English cast of Cowboy Bebop. One by one, the cast were introduced by Tony Oliver and Melissa Fahn (Ed), Beau Billingslea (Jet), Wendee Lee (Faye), Steve Blum (Spike), and Mary Elizabeth McGlynn (Julia) were welcomed on stage. The cast spoke about how this series was the first role for most of them and how it has been deeply rooted into their lives.
Tony then asked the cast to describe what instrument or music would describe their characters and they replied:

‘Julia would be a lonely sax wrapped in black leather slowly playing “row row your boat” as she goes along her life’ - Mary Elizabeth. ‘Faye classic rock girl with some throw back roots that are progressive and she would put on buds today and just crank it and do a lot of shadow dancing’ - Wendee Lee

Jet is the jazz blues kind of guy because as a saying says ‘when you looking good in your clothes you looking clean as a board of health’ - Beau Billingslea, but he considers the Bebop crew to be his family so when they are gone he is sad but once they are back he is happy so the blues fit his personality

‘Spike would be dirty jazz’ - Steve Blum

‘Ed she is a party, she would be listening to Taylor Swift but then at the same time she be conducting symphony in her head….something like bubble-gum Mozart’ -Melissa Fahn

Tony then asked which was their favorite episode of the series and they agreed on episode 11, ‘Toys In The Attic’ being their favorite. ‘Aliens and the movie 2001 [Space Odyssey] with the shot of the fridge spinning in space at the end…...but it [was a self] contained episode [in which you would get into mind of each characters] with each one learned a lesson with Faye cheating Jet out of his shorts literally’ said Mary Elizabeth. Steve Blum said he loves the episode where Spike talks about being like water and loves how Bruce Lee was the influence behind the character Spike.

Steve Blum emphasized on how much the series means to him because without the series he would not have met his wife [Mary Elizabeth]. “So just like Spike had his Julia in the series I literally found my Julia [Mary Elizabeth]”. He also said that Cowboy Bebop holds such a special place in his life that he has the image of the sound file of “Bang” tattooed on his arm ‘I literally have bled for Cowboy Bebop’ said Steve Blum ‘so if there is the technology to read my tattoo as a sound file it would play “Bang” so it will forever be with me’. At the end of the Q&A the cast took a selfie from the stage and uploaded it to twitter.

Alice Underground returned to the stage after the Q&A and ended the evening with a reprisal of “Tank”. The audience stood up and cheered. The night came to an end and just like an episode of series we end with ...See you Space Cowboy.

The plot to The King of Fighters XIV revolves around the character Antonov, a billionaire with the title “first champion” who bought out all of the rights to the King of Fighters Tournament. With the announcement of his new tournament, the champion created great enthusiasm around the world. The news reached out to many of the classic entrants of the tournament in the form of an official invitation. This time around, the story mode no longer features illustrated cutscenes sequences that thrusts players straight into the action. Instead, cutscenes are compiled into different ending videos depending on which team the player finishes story mode with. 

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The biggest change to The King of Fighters XIV is the graphics. Game visuals have evolved into 3D graphics more akin to the KOF: Maximum Impact series but still keeps its classic 2D gameplay. Visually, character models look absolutely gorgeous and are very well animated along with stages being very aesthetically pleasing. Despite abandoning the visual style of past games for 3D graphics, this style breathes a breath of fresh air into the series with its very stylish next gen look. The King of Fighters XIV features 50 playable characters including many fan favorites like Mai, Kyo and Terry in addition to nineteen brand new characters that come packing a litany of different play styles. With a total of 16 teams, this marks one of the largest character rosters in the history of the series. Some of my favorite additions include Sylvie Paula Paula, an electric fighter who very much resembles the popular J-pop idol Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, Alice an idol mascot who makes pachinko coins appear from her attacks, and Shun’ei a manipulator of illusions who controls water and fire from his gigantic hands.

At its core, King of Fighters XIV keeps the same traditional team of three fighters sparring 1 on 1. A major change between King of Fighters XIII and King of Fighters XIV is the new Max Mode system which allows EX moves and extended combos from a power gauge. When the player’s power gauge hits level three, it gives them access to “climax supers”. There’s more newness to be found. Rapidly hitting the light punch will perform an automatic combo attack or “rush mode”. This will do significantly lower damage than the main combo attack, but will add a small bonus to the level gauge. With the level gauge at zero, the fourth hit rush mode will combo into a certain special move. However, when the player has one or more power gauges and activates rush, your last attack will change from a “Special Move” to a “Super Special Move” or if max mode is activated with the power gauge at one or more will change your last attack from a “Super Special Move” to a “MAX Super Special Move”. Another change are the different ways of canceling moves into super moves at the cost of a level gauge. This can set the player up for a devastating combo that can decide the outcome of a match. Overall, combat was fast and fluid. I am by no means a fighting expert by any stretch of the imagination, but overall I really enjoyed the new battle systems that show great opportunity for new or returning players.

The online multiplayer features a plethora of modes such as ranked, team vs, and single vs. Lastly there is party battle mode which pairs three players to form a single team to challenge another three player team. The online lobby supports up to twelve players so with the option of spectators being able to join and watch a match featuring integrated voice and text chat. There is also an option for the spectators to root, applaud, and boo their favored competing teams. Overall the online experience was very smooth for me with only a few matches where I did encounter some lag. This is where I believe the game will have it’s long term following.

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There are a lot of reasons to keep playing, too. I’ve spent just shy of 40 hours with the game, and I’m still not done. With a massive art gallery and a bundle of PSN trophies to unlock, The King of Fighters XIV may not be the best King of Fighters game, but perhaps the most refined one. With its new graphical look and battle systems, I dare say this game could rival Street Fighter. Underneath The King of Fighter’s familiar surface is a whole new game that’s been crafted in the same tradition that made the previous entries such a pleasure to play.

The King of Fighters XIV is a must-play for King of Fighters fans and fighting freaks alike.

Pros: 

-Upgraded graphics
-Huge character roster
- Climax cancels
-Rush Mode
-Online party mode
-Replay value

This game style is a mix between Dynasty Warriors meets Grand Theft Auto with a pinch of Spider-Man web slinging combined. Those that are familiar with Koei Tecmo will expect Attack on Titan to be a musou (hack and slash) game, but actually, not quite. Yes, it is a hack and slash game that at the end there is a final boss to hack and slash, but at the same time isn’t that basically what Attack on Titan is anyway? The main difference of the game play is the Omni-Directional Mobility Gear (OMD) which takes it up to a new level. Other games have had something similar to this but this creates an immersive experience for fans of this series. The OMD puts the player in the world of Attack on Titan. After a while, I found myself flying from one side of the map to the other with the OMD, taking down titans and feeling invincible. The controls are easy to get use to and they are fun.

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The game play mode is broken down into the story mode or exploration (single player or co-op). The story mode follows the anime from season one and bits of season two. The game starts off with a basic tutorial then straight into cut scenes from the anime, then immediately, missions. Missions range from killing specific targets, escort mission, to defending structures or specific characters. Players start off as Eren but as the story progresses the playable character will change and more characters will unlock through exploratory missions. As with other musou games, after the main mission has been completed, players are encouraged to replay the missions with different characters that were unlocked. Also, weapons are upgradable (blades, canisters, OMD) through materials obtained by killing titans and with the currency earned through completing missions. The cut scenes art style looks great, and it looks like some art cells were taken directly from the anime. What it does lack though, is the dramatic element that is from the anime, but overall, the voice acting is well done.

So how do you bring down a titan? Well first, target their limbs and cut them down to size. When you target the limbs you know if it contains any materials but if you just want to go for the kill then you target the nape just like the anime teaches you. I won't spoil too much about the titans but there are of course, different types of titans. Bosses, or armored titans are a bit more complex with the nape reinforced until the rest of the limbs are damaged. Unfortunately, the game suffers from lag when there are too many titans on screen at once. This will make some attacks miss, take otherwise avoidable damage, or even get trapped. One thing I did notice when you are fighting a titan and cut one of his legs he will begin to topple over a building about to fall and the game can't decide if he is falling or leaning so you get a glitch that will make it hard to attack but hilarious to watch.

Once the story is done, it is possible to continue past where the anime left off but to do so, players will have to have completed the exploration side missions. This is an unavoidable grind that players may find boring. During this grinding stage, I found myself completing the side missions by going straight to the red marker. By passing the other side quests and ignoring the other titans, this made the grind easier, but still a tedious task. So my recommendation is to pace out the missions; alternate between story mode and exploration mode - just switch it up! This way, players can upgrade equipment while trying to complete the levels without burning out through the grind.

Overall, I enjoyed this game better than its predecessor. The OMD made this game more tolerable and less of a typical musou game. I noticed little glitches here and there when fighting the titans and that left me frustrated at times. I liked that the game goes beyond where the anime left off, and it’s things like this that fans of the anime will definitely enjoy. Not to mention, being able to unlock Eren's cleaning outfit and crafting the duster as a weapon made a fun addition to game play. Fans of Attack on Titan and musou games should consider checking this game out.

Pros:

- Omni-Directional Mobility Gear (OMD)
- Anime style cutscenes
- Story goes past the anime
-Character costumes


Cons:

- Game lag when too many titans on screen
- Musou (Hack and Slash)
- Repetitive missions
- The grind to unlock missions past ending
- Difficulty didn't seem to matter much

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Since it’s creation in 2004, PAX has been known as a celebration of gamer culture. The event started out with an exciting keynote speech delivered by Amy Henning, the former creative director of the Uncharted series and current senior creative director of Visceral games, who shared her vision of creating an authentic story and gameplay for her upcoming Star Wars title. There were guest appearances by Shinji Hashimoto and Hajime Tabata. They showcased a new, 1 hour demo for the much anticipated Final Fantasy XV which made me more excited for the game. An entire street was blocked off for Magic: The Gathering, to premier the upcoming Kaladash set and make some big announcements about new mechanics, cards, champions and more. Other events included game inspired musical performances by Bit Brigade, MC Frontalot, Super Guitar Bros., The Oneups, Triforce Quartet and Video Game Pianist.

On the first day, I explored the exhibitors hall which featured many booths from AAA companies such as Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo, Square Enix, Bandai Namco, Capcom and many more. Some of the games I played included World of Final Fantasy, ReCore, Rise of Tomb Raider, Pit People and ARK: Scorched Earth. Many of the booths presented some great set pieces ranging from cutesy Pokemon standees to a massive tyrannosaurus rex which you could have your picture taken while riding on top. One booth I enjoyed was at Bethesda where attendees could tour the inside, which was themed after the game Dishonored 2.

Aside from traditional games, there was many computer hardware companies showing-off their latest and greatest gaming technology as well. Nvidia featured many hands-on demos running on their new flagship card, the GeForce 1080. Razer was also in attendance showcasing their latest new gaming laptops and peripherals. Logitech premiered their new prodigy lineup featuring a new water resistant gaming keyboards and mice.

This year, Twitch featured a massive booth; live streaming coverage directly from the show floor with guest appearances by many popular twitch streamers. Over in the back area of the exhibit hall was the Mega Indie Booth featuring some of the latest indie titles. I was able to get some hands on time with Thimbleweed Park, a game that harkens back to the old school point and click adventure genre. As someone who regularly attends many industry events, I found it very easy to get around, and with the way the booths were spaced out, it provided a very comfortable amount of walking space even with the large number of people in attendance.

Throughout most of the event, I attended a handful of industry panels promoting upcoming releases, whether it be hardware or games. Panels were held inside the convention center and at different hotels in the surrounding area. Overall, it wasn’t too bad to traverse between venues as most hotels were within a very short walking distance from the main hub. One highlight for me was the World of Final Fantasy panel delivered by its director, Hiroki Chiba, who shared the latest details on his upcoming game. I also attended a Dishonored 2 party hosted by Bethesda that was opened to the public. The event featured actors dressed up as characters from the series challenging attendees to a murder mystery-like, scavenger hunt collecting clues from the various actors. The game’s creative director, Harvey Smith, was on hand to give a special presentation with live gameplay. Overall, the event was very fun and offered a very Disneyesque experience.

On day three, I visited the 6th floor which had even more indie booths than the main exhibit hall. I checked out the Playism booth and got some time with the game Night Cry, a new horror game from Hifumi Kono, the creator of Clock Tower game series, and Takahashi Shimizu, the director of The Grudge. Another game I enjoyed playing was Super Dungeon Bros, a cross platform, rock themed, co-op dungeon brawler. There was also the Nintendo indie lounge which featured a great lineup of RPGs. Developers were on hand to demonstrate their games, answer questions, and give away free swag.

All in all, I personally enjoyed my first experience at PAX West. I wish I could have played more games and seen some of the fan-centered panels, but there just wasn’t enough time with the sheer number of events going on. Going to PAX was something on my radar, but after only getting a taste, I am really excited to see what PAX West does to shake things up next year.