I hope all our neighbours to the North had a great Canada Day. Also I hope you American gamers got out for the Fourth of July. Got to put down those controllers and potato chips and go see some fireworks! Remember not to blow off your fingers, though. Those hectic real-time battles in GrimGrimoire require dexterous usage of all your digits. More importantly, so does surfing to the forums to vehemently debate whether it belongs on RPGamer.com.
Over half the top 10 from the Dengeki is comprised of new titles, which is nice to see. Pokemen Diamond and Pearl continue to fall slowly and Sony has gained a little ground over Nintendo. Even the Xbox 360 has claimed a few slots this week! How adorable...
The sixth installment of the epic Growlanser series has finally been released. Growlanser VI: Precarious world (careful not to tip it over) is now available across Japan on the PlayStation 2 console.
The continent of Esgrenz is beset by an internal conflict between three major powers. Protagonists Merklich and Wendy are members of Monopolis, a special task force upon which the story begins.
The portraits below depict the main characters, with clickable links to full body shots.
Merklich
The protagonist who works in Monopolis, a privately-run international army.
Wendy
Merklich's partner who fights in the Red Wolf Division. She produces excellent results, but is known for her occasional insubordination.
Rukias
A young man who appears on the Lost Continent. He calls Merklich the "Great Protector," but what meaning lies behind this title?
Anita
An unfortunate prisoner of war. She knows much of Merklich, but he knows nothing of her.
Hofman
Second Lieutenant of Fomeros. His encounter with Merklich will change his destiny forever.
Shuweizer
He leads the Red Wolf Division as the son of Monopolis's commander. He is the commanding officer of Merklich and Wendy.
As a follow-up to THE 3rd Birthday story, Parasite Eve fans should be delighted to know that an actual console-based sequel is rumored to be in the works. Chubby-fingered kids everywhere can now rejoice as blowing away animal escapees from the Clinique lab will no longer require the precision of a cell-phone keypad.
More screen shots from Square Enix's next RPG
The Last Remnant have been brought to light. The game certainly looks exciting, but there is still precious little information available.
What we do know is that it will be released simultaneously in North America and Japan. Also, Square Enix has stated that there will be two different main characters; Rush Sykes for Japanese audiences, and "The Conqueror" for North American audiences. I don't know about you, but "The Conqueror" sounds like some axe-wielding psycho that refuses to wear a shirt. It almost feels like an insult more than a marketing technique. Then again, a visit to a random Halo or Counter-strike server may have me putting my foot in my mouth.
Man, I haven't received more spam in my entire life than I have in the past week through my RPGamer e-mail address. Fortunately, or unfortunately, I was able to easily recognize JuMeSyn's letter amongst the myriad of Nigerians who apparently read my column. So let's do it to it...
JAPANDEMONIUM!!!
eh yo bret-san,
HI!!! just wanted to write in and let my presence be known... imma start with one quick do and don't for japan if that's ok with you. DO try sukiyaki if you like dem things known as shish kabobs (SP!?!) DON'T leave your hashi (choppin stix) upright in your rice or you will be cut down!! just kidding but it's like deathly rude. OH YA so my question for you issss what do you think is the cheapest time to fly out there (to japan) for a two week vacation?? i was thinking early december to miss winter session of college and the tickets were pretty cheap for that time but i'm not sure if that's cheapest know what i'm sayin? thanks in advance oh ya the catfight?? that was funny ;P
Counter-point
That's a good don't to remember: chopstick etiquette. You don't want to leave them poking or pointing anyway, try to rest them nice and level. Also, don't pass food from sticks to sticks if sharing with someone.
Finding a cheap time to fly might be difficult. Avoid Christmas time and New Year's, cherry blossom season, Golden Week, summer time, fall festivals... pretty much any time that would prove fun. Although with the crazy amount of discount sites at your disposal, it's hard to really predict nowadays. The only real price jumps will occur near major holidays.
Let's Try This Again
Sure'n ye'll not be havin' more'n a wee bit o' trouble on me correspondence
today, bucko? Ay an' such a thing be not the easiest to write, I'll be
havin' ya know, but if'n you're gonna keep me tendencies to toss about a wee
bit o' atypical text into the mix o' the site at the fore, why then I just
have to go 'n do such a thing! Ye've only encouraged the silliness I be
fain to toss about!
....But apparently this is too hard to digest, as witness the complete and
utter breakdown of your thought processes I inadvertently achieved last
time. So let's try Japanese government out for $1000, Bret: with the
suicide of its agriculture minister it seems Shinzo Abe's government has
entered a tailspin in recent weeks. Think there's any chance of effectual
legislating now or will it just muddle along until he gets the boot?
Rather dissimilar to that last question - perhaps you have a notion of just
how well the Xbox 360 is doing now that a few games Japanese players are
willing to buy it for have come out. And maybe, just maybe, you have an
idea why the redone Tengai Makyou Ziria appeared on the 360 in March of last
year with no English release when the system had fewer possessors than the
original Xbox in Japan.
And yes people, no thesaurus is required when I compose dense discourse. It
makes for an absolutely salubrious reception!
JuMeSyn
Counter-point
Yo dawg, u b chillin wit dem apostrophez. Al Gore done tollus to conserve n sh*t. Anywayz, lemme drop this single on ya to educate ya mind, fool:
Nah, check it, check it, lissen up good
Gonna rap to ya here bout da neighbourhood
Back Ees in Japan,
Bess that ah can,
Parappa n me gonna bring ya dis jam
Say hoooo
Say ho ho
Say ho ho hoooo
Now scream!
K, lissen up son, respect is lackin
S'like deceny and honor got sent home packin
Abe's cabinet
Shouldn't be havin it
People ain't standing or bowing, dey mad as sh*t
Abe wants to make Japan more than it is
He's focusing efforts on patriotizz-m
A cataclyzz-m
Causing a schizz-m
Approval rating falling people just wanna diss him. Word
People want health care, people want money
This "beautiful country" dream ain't even funny
Abe's gotta reach out
He's got a fire to douse
But it looks like they're screwed till he's simply kicked out
Xbox in Japan? Don't make me laugh
As soon as it launch, dat thing got da shaft
If I need a doorstop,
I'll juss go to GameStop
n gedda N-Gage if dey gottem in stock
Tengai Makyou Ziria ka?
Gaikai ni kuru n ja nai na
Sono geemu no joudan
gaijin wakaran
Amerika no hatsubai riyuu ga nai mon
Shikashi sore dake wa tarinai ne
Kono wake zettai wasurenai de
Koko made yo
Tengai Makyo
Nihon dake de baijuu dekiru tto
Record scratch, record scratch, big sunglasses, cross arms, Word.
Do people read these ending comments? I actually have something to say this time. I'll be going to AnimeNext this weekend in the Meadowlands. I'll be around most of the day Saturday and I'll have a very special guest. Not sure what I'm wearing, but I won't be cosplaying... I know that much. I'll have a guy with a cheap video camera though, and will be making a film about the trip. Feel free to send a mail if you're going to be there.
Mata ne,
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