Japanese Niche Games Deals & Discussion Thread 4.0

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shivan128

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Welcome to the Japanese niche games deals and discussion thread!  Feel free to talk about local and import Japanese games here.  Our goal is to maintain a thread dedicated to active deals on niche games including RPGs, Visual Novels (VN), Shoot'em ups (Shmups), Musou, etc.  Also maintained are pre-orders for standard, limited and collector's edition games with key release dates provided.

I've wikified the thread to make it more friendly and open to others that can actively update with important information. You can find the wiki post directly below this one.

NOTE:  Please, leave the censorship discussion away from this thread.  It's common for japanese games to have questionable content outside of the country.  We want to keep discussions to the game itself and not about cultural/societal tolerance.

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Our CAG Japanese Niche Games Thread also has a community on PS4, where you can interact and game with other members of the thread.

Our moderators are: Draekon, Las_Hole, and Waffleswanton

You can basically friend any of our members, or any moderator, and you will be able to request to join the community under "Communities friends are in" tab, and a mod will approve your request.

You can also leave your PSN ID in the thread, saying you want to join, and we can invite you directly as well.

As always, have fun and enjoy your stay!

 
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I may get smack talked or whatever, but I just don't think there are enough GOOD niche games to go around to get. I mean look at Iffy and those game choices they're releasing (scar whatever, monogatari, courier game) and say hey that's kind of pretty niche there and probably not strong sellers either. I haven't seen many previews of anything worth licensing recently. Most of Gematsu stuff that's previewed are doujin/indie/smaller team games. Stuff like Yumeria is pretty mid type stuff too, and Koei/Tecmo has that one. I don't mind the turn to smaller team games (it's lots of what I play on PC), but I'm not sure how much all those smaller games sell. It also doesn't help at least IMHO that Disgaea is kind of too much right now, so it would help them doing something else. I do see random cool games that I'm not sure would sell well localized (Fuuraiki 5 announced looks interesting).
 
nitrosmob said:
I may get smack talked or whatever, but I just don't think there are enough GOOD niche games to go around to get. I mean look at Iffy and those game choices they're releasing (scar whatever, monogatari, courier game) and say hey that's kind of pretty niche there and probably not strong sellers either. I haven't seen many previews of anything worth licensing recently. Most of Gematsu stuff that's previewed are doujin/indie/smaller team games. Stuff like Yumeria is pretty mid type stuff too, and Koei/Tecmo has that one. I don't mind the turn to smaller team games (it's lots of what I play on PC), but I'm not sure how much all those smaller games sell. It also doesn't help at least IMHO that Disgaea is kind of too much right now, so it would help them doing something else. I do see random cool games that I'm not sure would sell well localized (Fuuraiki 5 announced looks interesting).
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This is how I felt about games at some point... I think it was near the end of the PS3/360 era but not entirely sure when. There are tons of "good" games and when there are so many of them, they just become that much easier to ignore unless there's a very good reason to try it.
 
I think NISA (and a lot of other publishers) probably have announcements waiting on the Switch 2 reveal. Everyone wants to capitalize on the launch window hype. NISA has done timed Nintendo exclusivity with World's End Club and the original Disgaea 7 in the west and seemingly permanent exclusivity with Prinny Presents. Even if it's not timed/permanently exclusive, if it's a multiplatform release it doesn't make sense to do a separate round of marketing after the reveal.

It's gonna be a bloodbath, though. Rumors are that the Switch 2 was supposed to be released a while ago, so there's a lot of pent up software. Going to be hard for smaller publishers like NISA to stand out in that crowd.
 
gospelman said:
The localization of the next Trails game, Kai no Kiseki, is definitely in the works right now. Not at all happy that it's the same team who were responsible for Daybreak I-II. But I can confirm it's a current project.
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What happened with Daybreak?
Tothoro said:
It's gonna be a bloodbath, though. Rumors are that the Switch 2 was supposed to be released a while ago, so there's a lot of pent up software. Going to be hard for smaller publishers like NISA to stand out in that crowd.
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That's a fair point. Often having a launch title can guarantee some decent sales since there isn't a ton of competition yet, but if the Switch 2 had been planned for an earlier release, this may be one of the most crowded launch line-ups for a console yet.
Considering the size of the Switch player base though, I don't think publishers will jump ship too quick and will probably have plenty of cross-gen titles if the original Switch can handle it.
 
My bigger takeaway is how NISA can barely move CEs / games anymore. It's hard out there.

You can even tell by the lack of discussion and enthusiasm in here. No one cares about this stuff anymore. It's not that there "aren't any good games to play," it's that our attention is torn in a thousand different directions these days. We have too many different choices. No one is playing the same games; there is no cultural zeitgiest anymore (outside of the big ones such as MH Wilds).

I am trying to be much more selective in my purchases and their prioritization these days, while still getting as many wants as possible on final clearance. I have a ton of yesteryear games to play.

Again. Switch 2 is gonna turn the market salivating and ravenous again. Wait until the reveals on April 2, and the games parade showcase is going to make people collectively lose their minds with anticipation. Because we haven't had anything exciting in awhile. Even if you aren't a huge Nintendo customer. The main issue as I see it is more that people are always losing or misplacing their love for gaming.
 
I'm curious what the Switch 2 Direct will reveal. I'm so picky with games right now, probably not much is going to get me on that front. A new 3D Mario platformer has the most potential. I don't really care about smash bros, mario kart, or a lot of the other popular series. Zelda of course would be of interest, but I still have unplayed games in that franchise. So I don't "need" more right now. IF they have some enhancements in performance for OG Switch games like everything bumped to 60FPS and 1080p (possibly AI enchanced 4K, not that I can use it yet) without the need to dip lower with dynamic resolutions... that might be super tempting.

My copy of Bakeru showed up today... so going to try and break the seal on it and play some tonight.
 
Nothing- said:
My bigger takeaway is how NISA can barely move CEs / games anymore. It's hard out there.

You can even tell by the lack of discussion and enthusiasm in here. No one cares about this stuff anymore. It's not that there "aren't any good games to play," it's that our attention is torn in a thousand different directions these days. We have too many different choices. No one is playing the same games; there is no cultural zeitgiest anymore (outside of the big ones such as MH Wilds).

I am trying to be much more selective in my purchases and their prioritization these days, while still getting as many wants as possible on final clearance. I have a ton of yesteryear games to play.

Again. Switch 2 is gonna turn the market salivating and ravenous again. Wait until the reveals on April 2, and the games parade showcase is going to make people collectively lose their minds with anticipation. Because we haven't had anything exciting in awhile. Even if you aren't a huge Nintendo customer. The main issue as I see it is more that people are always losing or misplacing their love for gaming.
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Doesn't help that... Crap's kinda weird.

I'm not really setting aside money for a Switch 2 now that I have concerns about job stability. I've slowed down on game purchases, but I am playing more games.

I agree that there's no communal catch all for games. Unless it's the "next best things" free to play nonsense, most people are now silo'd in there genre and/or GAAS of choice.

I know doomsaying is a thing of every generation, but given Microsoft is calling anything with an Internet connection an Xbox, the PS5 is pretty much the PS4 v3, and PC GPU pricing is horrendous, it's pretty much Nintendo's time to shine. A good price and a great launch line up will make it the thing to have, but it's also gotta not just be "another one of those," as well. Or else it'll just get swallowed up by those chasing whales in other genres.

Hopefully they don't quarter-ass it like the latest Pokemon main line games...
 
Covnam said:
What happened with Daybreak?
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Ok, well since you asked.. deep breath. Last night I reached the end of Daybreak II's final dungeon. Overall I will say that the Daybreak games are two very disappointing games that are made worse by nisa's localization. My recommendation to anyone is to play these Trails games last, and if you do use the original JP voices.
Positives first: DII has some improvements, and there are isolated pockets of familiar gameplay that feels pretty good. The terrible UI changes introduced in DI were made less terrible in DII at their most frustrating points. DII still has a good chunk of irritatingly bad music, but I'm having to take my headphones off less frequently than DI at least. With the menu improvements in DII, customizing an orbment has never been better in Trails. I also like how the mc gets to focus on one of two light romance options, which is an improvement over the harem angle of Cold Steel. Animations as a whole are better and more polished. There's less of an emphais placed on scanning every enemy. There are much fewer missables and no hidden quests in DI-II, consequently making the games much easier to play without a guide.

Basing this on a post-Reverie interview with Falcom president Kondo, I believe the writing responsibilities have been passed to a number of new people within Falcom. Was this a permanent change or isolated to this series arc? We will find out with Kai no Kiseki. But jointly assigning responsibility to Falcom and NISA here, the plot, characters, and script has reached a point of being a cringe-inducing mess. Looking back at the series, the quality of writing took a sharp downturn mid-CSIV, and since then it has been the introduction of one slippery-slope plot element after another. I won't specify due to their spolier-y nature, but the list of problematic, messy plot elements introduced since Reverie is long. I worry that the point has been passed where Zemuria is ruined beyond recovery.

Traditionally the Trails games have been slow and careful worldbuilding, often providing a subtle commentary on real-world historical periods (such as classical liberalism in the Sky arc and WWI-WWII era in Cold Steel). Instead of this, the focus in the Daybreak characters and script advance statements and viewpoints on modern day real-world politics and social issues. To give a disheartening example, the people behind Daybreak introduce the concept of a "white person" for the first time in Trails in order to have white vs. non-white conflict spotlighted in the story.

If you see a positive review of Daybreak I/II, I would speculate it's because (i) that person doesn't have the reference point of having played the previous series games or (ii) that person is the target demographic in regard to the social and political agendas advanced and they consider those statements to be most important.
 
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Too many things to buy.

Spy-X-Family-1.jpg


This week I'm looking into an expensive ASUS keyboard needed to swap in my RX Switch Evangelion keycaps.
 
The Switch 2 is probably going to sell gangbusters but between the build-up of potential software releases and the general economic uncertainty I just don't see smaller publishers' games doing well this year. People don't have the economic bandwidth to buy everything and if your choices are Mario, Silksong, or niche NISA release #17 it's harrowing. Things with an established audience like Ys or Trails will probably be fine, but there are a finite number of those. The smaller games that did really well at the Switch's launch did so because there wasn't competition - nobody's still talking about games like Snake Pass or Super Bomberman R now that there are thousands of games on the platform.
 
I'm out on Switch 2 at launch as well really trying to pay off some old debt (almost done with some of it), and am mainly culling my Steam wish list. Niche releases generally stay on older consoles longer until a user base is established. With any chance I can lose a job, I'm cutting back purchases as well generally limiting to one or 2 major releases a month. This is why why everyone seems to be salivating off of Atelier Yumeria, I'm waiting for a big drop in price before I even think about it. The demo made that choice obvious. I do hope the Switch 2 is cool and I will get it quite a bit later. I got a Switch backlog a mile long anyway among other backlogs.
 
My finances are solid. I'm about to pay my house off and then that'll be it as I have no other debts. But I'm already of the mindset that if/when I buy a Switch 2 I'm not going to build another backlog. I need to be ready to kind of live in the moment with it and supplement the gaps with switch games I already own in the backlog. I might even opt to go digital (and start a new nintendo/eshop account) just so there's no pressure on buying games (and no mess carried over from buying cheap stuff on switch) until I'm ready to play them. It might also be nice not accumulating physical things that later I feel like I need to sell if I end up feeling done with them. That said, I'm fine just sticking with OG Switch. I never got into high end pc games and my PS4 games collected dust and are mostly all still sealed. So, I've not really experienced a lot of games with "better" graphics or some of the higher framerates. My eyes still find the switch stuff is fine.

Still, two weeks... I'm interested in seeing what is next to come for Nintendo. I don't really care what MS or Sony are doing anymore. Nothing against them but I've been out long enough, I'm fine. Most of what I like ended up coming to Switch.
 
Our (husband & my) finances are fine. His job has a contract that they have to pay out 6 months salary if they let him go. But everything there is going great and he actually turned down a recruiter that wanted him to apply for a position that would have a big pay bump (but big headaches as well). House is paid off, just bought 2 new cars cash last year. Kids have money for college (inheritance).

Yes, I will be buying a Switch 2 on release. New Mario Kart is a must.
I haven’t been buying as much lately because I’m going through the backlog & truthfully we have 3 trips coming up so a lot of energy is on planning those.
 
I won't be buying a Switch 2 at launch, mainly because I want to wait until a limited or special edition. I bought (and sold) a Lite and regular OLED before settling on the Tears of the Kingdom OLED, and I just don't want to deal with that again. I've also gotten in the habit now of waiting until a limited or special edition system before getting a system I don't have yet. Especially if the first Switch 2 model isn't an OLED.
 
People here are just contemplating on whether buy the NS2 or if it'll sell well or not, and some of y'all coming in with that "I'm so rich, I have to buy it..." energy on a board called CheapAssGamers. Like alright then, damn... LOL

I'm prob not buying a NS2 until I see more details or unless there's some game being released for it that I never thought would see light of day as an exclusive or there's a decent big price drop. I feel like buying 1st gen electronics these days are a bad idea, even if they are from Nintendo. Electronics are just so much more complicated these days. I also don't know if the NS2 will be the runaway success NS was... they won't have the Wii U catalog to cannibalize, the market is flooded with similar devices (Steam Decks, those phone attachments) that can do more, and there's no pandemic... albeit, there could be another pandemic. I'm sure the 40m people (or whatever double digit millions) that brought MK and AC will likely buy an NS2 but will the general populace buy it like they did the original NS? Who knows...
 
My finances are okay, I started a new job at the end of last year so that's always a little risky but I have a decent amount of savings I can fall back on if something happens. Unfortunately my house isn't paid off yet, but I am several years ahead in paying off my mortgage.

I probably won't buy a Switch 2 either. I wasn't a big fan of the first and I was kind of disappointed with the first-party library - Mario and Smash were good, didn't like the new direction for Zelda, Xenoblade's combat isn't my jam, Fire Emblem became Persona-at-home, a lot of the Mario spin-offs (sports, Party, etc.) were half-assed, and a bunch of other games were just full-priced enhanced ports.

I don't really want a PS6 or PS5 Pro or anything either. I feel like we've reached the point of diminishing returns on power. The only thing I really would like is a Steam Deck-esque handheld that can play PS4 games without streaming. That way I could play my existing PS library, earn trophies, etc. on a plane/hotel/car when I travel. And it seems like that's in development but it'll probably be a year or two before it comes to market.
 
Vinny said:
People here are just contemplating on whether buy the NS2 or if it'll sell well or not, and some of y'all coming in with that "I'm so rich, I have to buy it..." energy on a board called CheapAssGamers. Like alright then, damn... LOL
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There's nothing that says you can't be smart with your money... save and pay things off... and still be a cheapass. Seems like a lot of us have been on this site for 20 years now... it''s good to see so many have figured things out. I couldn't have got to where I am now without tightening the belt and setting my financial goals as a priority over buying more stuff. A well planned budget with goals in mind, is a great thing. It helped me put myself in check since I was looking at where every dollar went. I dug out of like 15 years of revolving credit debt, saved for the kids cars and college, and now I'm at the end of the road on the house payment. The end of the year I should be paying for my youngest son's last seemester in college. Even if he ends up needing another semester, that milestone is coming. My view has changed a lot from when I was younger and had a limited amount of money and tried to get as many games as I could with the money I had. Now I want to get as few games as possible even if it means spending more per game because in the end I'll enjoy what I play more and I'll still end up spending a lot less than chasing deals and trying to aquire everything that looks interesting. I'm still being a cheapass.

Switch 2? I just need a reason to want it... it needs to do something that makes the games I have more enjoyable and to bring new experiences that are compelling and fun. It's good to have done all the hard work for the last decade to get where I am financially. I'm reaping what I've sown rather than wallowing in the struggle.
 
Don't preorder -anything-. We shouldn't be committing to preorders just in general bc it's a bad deal all around for consumers. Wait till the reviews. wait to see how you feel, until you're ready to play something day1, and see if there are any issues with the hardware.

I have no plans to buy a NSW2 at launch either. But I already know with 80% certainty how I'm going to feel in exactly two weeks. I've been wanting to play Metroid Prime 2 & 3 badly but not with Wii waggle jerkoff controls. So that means Metroid Prime 4. The launch lineup is going to be killer. They've had +9 additional months to prepare for this. Then come the Fire Emblem, Mariokart, and B+ mascot games. As soon as Animal Crossing and Pokemon become announced then its lights out instantly from these system movers.

I remember exactly what it was like in 2017 with the NSW launch too. There was one super headline title coming out every month, with precise spacing. Nintendo planned the first year of NSW incredibly well. I also know how everybody acted as soon as it was sold out everywhere. Suddenly everyone was the biggest fan that had been wanting one for years. People wait for the sellout and then act like they wanted one badly. While those of us whom pay attention notice where a few extra bucks could easily be made.
 
I tend to only preorder stuff that is a surefire bet that it'll be good. That sequel to Breath of the Wild... all the xenoblade games. There's a few things I have faith will be fine. The next 3D mario platformer will likely be an easy preorder. Something more niche or risky... yeah, give me a demo first. Like Neo The World Ends with You. I loved that demo enough to go all in on the game and it's one game I did completely finish.
 
nightc1 said:
I tend to only preorder stuff that is a surefire bet that it'll be good. That sequel to Breath of the Wild... all the xenoblade games. There's a few things I have faith will be fine. The next 3D mario platformer will likely be an easy preorder. Something more niche or risky... yeah, give me a demo first. Like Neo The World Ends with You. I loved that demo enough to go all in on the game and it's one game I did completely finish.
Don't preorder -anything-. We shouldn't be committing to preorders just in general bc it's a bad deal all around for consumers. Wait till the reviews. wait to see how you feel, until you're ready to play something day1, and see if there are any issues with the hardware.

I have no plans to buy a NSW2 at launch either. But I already know with 80% certainty how I'm going to feel in exactly two weeks. I've been wanting to play Metroid Prime 2 & 3 badly but not with Wii waggle jerkoff controls. So that means Metroid Prime 4. The launch lineup is going to be killer. They've had +9 additional months to prepare for this. Then come the Fire Emblem, Mariokart, and B+ mascot games. As soon as Animal Crossing and Pokemon become announced then its lights out instantly from these system movers. I think that instead of taking a chance with a pre-order, I'd rather take a chance on coolzino-at. At least there is a chance to win something there.
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I totally agree that pre-ordering is a bit of a gamble, but there are definitely games where you just know they're worth it. Xenoblade is a classic! I'm also really looking forward to the next one.
 
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I typically only preorder something if there's a know low quantity or there's a preorder bonus I really want.

Yesterday I preordered 'Assassin's Creed Shadows,' and that's the first AC game I've preordered/got at launch since 'Brotherhood' I think. But I had two Target Circle offers (one for 15% off and one for $10 back) plus that lovely, lovely steelbook which is what had me considering a preorder in the first place. The inclusion of the expansion DLC on preorders also incentivized me. Despite not playing (but owning) Odyssey, Valhalla and Mirage, I'll probably play AC Shadows next since I finished (and loved!) Infinite Wealth last night.
 
Got my XCX preorder bonus from bb today. It's a metal art sheet thing with a stand. Metal had a nice bend in it. I didn't buy it for the bonus, I already preordered well before that was added on. I was able to bend it back and the base part of it helps hold it straight. Kind of nice, but whatever. Good luck to anyone else getting this bonus. It's going to likely be bent.
 
I was purposely being hyperbolic, but I suppose like with anything you say on the internet these days it's going to be taken most literally.

nightc1 said:
Switch 2? I just need a reason to want it... it needs to do something that makes the games I have more enjoyable and to bring new experiences that are compelling and fun. It's good to have done all the hard work for the last decade to get where I am financially. I'm reaping what I've sown rather than wallowing in the struggle.
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  1. 60 frames.
  2. 4K UHD docked capability
  3. additional processing power that doesn't incur graphical slowdowns.
~Fin~

You know, kinda the main ONLY complaints with the Switch. probably the highest rated, most well-received console in history.
 
Got Xenoblade X today, can't wait to get started =D

keyblader1985 said:
I've only played original Persona 4 on PS2 - I have Golden on Vita but never got around to it. I'd love to get a new version.
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Same for me on both counts. A reload version with the golden content would be the perfect way to get it out of my backlog =)
 
My copy of XCX also showed up today.

EDIT: That woot listing, probably pal or some other region version. I'm happy with just getting the game and knowing there's no region swapping shenanigans for the deal.
 
Several new items and drops currently on the woot clearance page. Everything from $25 metaphor on xsx to some random PS2 games. Personally I purchased the nsw release of Tokyo xanadu ex+ at $30. It's probably unrealistic to expect a nsw2 performance patch. I might keep this one sealed (to support/collect) and continue to play the pc version at high frame rates with a localization script patch.

Also there's 10% cash back on woot through one of if the major cashback sites. I'd recommend not using the app unless a promo requires it and use cashback links instead.
 
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I'll probably pre-order a Switch 2. I pre-ordered the Switch and ended up selling it at launch because they were going for double retail, and I can't pass up free money. If that doesn't happen this time, I'll actually keep it, but odds are I'll be tempted to sell it again and rebuy later when they are easier to find in stores.
 
gospelman said:
Several new items and drops currently on the woot clearance page. Everything from $25 metaphor on xsx to some random PS2 games. Personally I purchased the nsw release of Tokyo xanadu ex+ at $30. It's probably unrealistic to expect a nsw2 performance patch. I might keep this one sealed (to support/collect) and continue to play the pc version at high frame rates with a localization script patch.

Also there's 10% cash back on woot through one of if the major cashback sites. I'd recommend not using the app unless a promo requires it and use cashback links instead.
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Of course, all the NS games are still the same price as they were before... some actually look like they are a bit higher (99% sure I paid $30 for Bayo Cereza like last summer?), but I went ahead and placed an order for Gundam Breaker and MM11.
 
Some definitely did go up. I got Pepper Grinder for Switch for $15 a few weeks ago, and it's $20 now. I had also gotten MM 11 for $15. I contacted woot about refunding the difference. It doesn't hurt to ask.
 
Iirc demand for Bayonetta was a bit higher so that went in and out of stock during the sale and there may have been a 10% off coupon at the time. Now that it's not that price of course copies wouldn't move.
 
I might take a chance on Reyvantis. I think I own mostly everything else I want except for shadow whatever, which I'll probably just play the old Sonic Generations instead. Once it goes $10 or something I'll get it for that Shadow mode.
 
I might give that a try. The franchise's biggest obstacle is how it's a continuous series spanning across several different platforms. If not full on remakes, they'd do well to at least do some port collections Kingdom Hearts-style.
 
keyblader1985 said:
I might give that a try. The franchise's biggest obstacle is how it's a continuous series spanning across several different platforms. If not full on remakes, they'd do well to at least do some port collections Kingdom Hearts-style.
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If you only play on consoles. You can get all the English translated games on Steam.
 
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