Yuki Enterprises (Examu) released Arcana Heart in Japanese arcades towards the very end of 2006 and found a ready and willing audience amongst the gaming cognoscenti. Firstly, it's a capable fighting game with a bevy of moves, combos, aerial maneuvering, and move cancels out the wazoo. Secondly, the cast of characters is entirely female. Make that attractive females who can choose their elemental powers by way of eleven tarot cards which depict a beast such as Bhanri or a deity-like lassie like Partinias.
The main character is a redhead named Heart Aino and she's joined by 11 other fighters such as the blue-haired Saki Tsuzura, Kamui Tokinomiya, Maori Kasuga, Mei-Fang, Konoha, and more. When fighting, the bouts generally take place on the ground but aerial attacks can send the two girls way up into the air as the playfield lofts higher to take in the action.
The PS2 version of Arcana Heart includes the characters from the original arcade version of the game along with the "Arcana Heart Full" upgraded characters whom are more balanced against each other. It's all about equality these days. Players may use characters from the original version of AH to fight characters from the upgraded version. «Game-Notes»
It's been nearly a decade since the last Suchie Pai release but the girls are back for another engaging mahjong stint. The redhead named Suchie Pai S and her trademark Hissatsu Suchie Stick serves as the hostess for the game where she'll twirl, sparkle, and look fetching as the mahjong action plays out. She's on your side and will do her best to make sure the game goes your way - even going so far as destroying an opponent's winning tile to give the player another chance. De-facto artist of the Suchie Pai series Kenichi Sonoda also returns with a bevy of new illustrations and outfits for the girls to wear.
The setting of Suchie-Pai 4 is Akihabara in Tokyo and the mahjong action takes place in seven eateries located around town. There's the posh Cafe Gentry, the casual coffee shop dubbed You & Me, and the utilitarian Hell & Heaven where the MJ-playing girls work and perfect their craft. At the outset, Suchie Pai S engages the player in a practice mahjong session before the action commences. In our trial game this morning, the first opponent that appeared was Reiko with a stash of 25,000. After throwing out a few useless tiles, we spotted a good one and then another one to complete our hand and win the first game in 2 minutes flat... «G-Notes»
The limited edition of Idol Janshi Suchie Pai 4 includes three bonus items as follows:
» Fixed-posed Suchie-Yuki toy figure
» Art booklet which collects Kenichi Sonada sketches and artwork
» Suchie-Pai series "Art Collection Mode" data collection DVD-Rom
The Suchie-Yuki figure is dressed in a blue and white maid's outfit that's frilly and decidedly unorthodox. Maid outfit's are generally black and white but Yuki's outfit is an avant-garde number that would be right at home inside the confines of Disney World. A circular base with the "You & Me" restaurant logo is also included for display purposes. Yuki measures approximately 11cm or 4.33" tall and uses both of her hands to lift up the sides of her dress as if preparing to curtsy to the Queen.
The three bonus items are packaged along with Suchie-Pai 4 in a 4.5 x 7.75" cardboard box which is adorned with variant cover artwork that's different from the image on the regular edition of the game. «Gallery»
World War II serves as the backdrop for Operation Darkness but this isn't your dad's World War II. This is a newfangled, alternate reality version of WWII where monsters such as werewolves, vampires, undead, and dragons battle on the side of the Axis as well as the Allies. Players take control of a team of British operatives led by Edward Kyle who's a member of the Special Airborne Service (SAS). Edward is supported by an 18-year old girl named Cordelia Break who's a member of the Royal Army and his commander James Gallant. Ten additional characters may be recruited into Edward's crew along with members of the local resistance and soldiers from the US Army 101 Airborne Division.
The team of operatives is on a secret mission to wreck Nazi forces and take out the big man with a little mustache himself. The game fits into the tactical strategy genre and takes place within a 3D world where maneuvers and attacks are controlled entirely from text-based menus. The gaming experience is also import friendly with the main action menu in English as follows: MOVE | ATTACK | COVER | ITEM | FINISH. When applicable, an SP ATTACK option also pops up for a heavier blast along with SUPPORT and TRANSFORM options (again, when applicable). «more»
Dinosaur hunting and beast killing with groups of gamers returns to the PS2 with the arrival of Monster Hunter G. Upon starting the game, players choose from a male or female character and outfit the new champion in various types of armor, helmets, manacles and other accoutrements to individualize every hero. The weapons are as big as ever and a new assortment of spears and swords may be hefted for killing forays. The option to carry a weapon in each hand is also possible now which makes attacking monsters less of a chore than the original Monster Hunter. Massive winged creatures make up a good portion of the beasts in the game but ground based dinosaurs also inhabit the environment.
Landscapes range from dead and misty forests, blazing deserts, and lush tropical havens with their own bunch of particular monsters to track and kill. When attacking jumpy and excitable beasts, one may be overcome if they decide to gang up but sweeping berserker attacks may be pulled off to fend them off. Larger monsters tend to move little and provide a massive and stationary meat target for the most part. The amount of blood spraying every which way with each stroke is copious and like the original, MHG may be played online or offline.
