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.

A message from Thorbahn:

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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nitrosmob said:
When I had Amazon Prime I stopped ordering manga and books from them. I was consistently getting bubble mailers and my book were arriving all beat up with bent corners and such. One time the whole front cover was bent back.....I just got tired of it because it was too consistent.
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Vinn said:
I get the same issue but I don't order enough from them to be annoying...yet. Last time I complained the next LN that came was actually in a box for once.
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Yeah, if I didn't mail items myself most days, I would probably stop to, but since I'm going past the UPS store most days, I just keep returning damages. I do get fed up more often than not, so I do try to order from Barnes & Noble when I can, as they package way better.

Olengie said:
An Amazon Manager told me that it is actually policy to send books and stuff like that in a box. The workers are not supposed to put it in bubble mailers. However, workers will still put it in bubble mailers cuz they're lazy to make the box, put the items inside, cushion, and tape it up. They rather put it in a bubble mailer.
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bojay1997 said:
This is not accurate. The Amazon packing process is not manual in any respect. There is a computer algorithm that tells the packer what packing to use in each instance. There have been plenty of instances where collectible books and other items have been shipped in bubble mailers to everyone who ordered just that item from multiple warehouses.
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This makes perfect since, that they would have a system telling them what to use, as my wife will get one small item in a HUGE ass box, with next to nothing, then they take a book, and one or two other items coming to me, and cram them in a bubble mailer. I've always thought that no one can be that dim in regards to using the proper size box, for the proper size items.

 
SolidSnake86 said:
Best deal for this so far, just ordered one for $65. Thanks! I'll keep the figure and probably sell off everything else.
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Awesome, nice score! Glad I was able to help, sometimes I feel like I am spamming or being annoying with all these somewhat-deal posts.

I mentioned this before, but the statue alone retails for $100. Even at the MSRP $150, it's a terrific deal. The game is $60, and the extras have to be at least $20, so they were probably losing money from this CE, or barely breaking even. But the statue is so good it probably got other people wanting to purchase a complete set of the Master Star ones. At $65, you practically got the statue for free. The game box is separate from the Steelbook (which I love) and they also have an art book beneath the game/Steelbook packaging and it's easy to miss so be sure to check for that before you sell it.

 
Packaging for me as of late has been good, but the condition of the item they stick into the package that's been lacking.

They need to clean their warehouse better, since all these "New" items I buy seem to be awfully scuffed/dirty. ~_~

Shipping could always turn to crap at any moment though, so just enjoying the ride temporarily. :D

 
Supplice said:
Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth Hacker’s Memory announced for PS4, PS Vita
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hmm I liked the first well enough but I'm not sure I'd want to sit through the second.

Squarehard said:
Packaging for me as of late has been good, but the condition of the item they stick into the package that's been lacking.

They need to clean their warehouse better, since all these "New" items I buy seem to be awfully scuffed/dirty. ~_~

Shipping could always turn to crap at any moment though, so just enjoying the ride temporarily. :D
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Yeah its weird.

Olengie said:
You'll be surprised
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I've found ordering sd cards or food automatically gets a box. Just buy a pack of slimjims, pretzels ect

 
Supplice said:
Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth Hacker’s Memory announced for PS4, PS Vita
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...I guess I should probably get around to playing Cyber Sleuth.

Olengie said:
If you guys like Persona and Artbooks, the Persona 3, 4, and 4 Arena Official Design Works dropped their price. And they're pretty good prices too.

Persona 3 Official Design Works
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1927925258/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Persona 4 Official Design Works
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1926778456/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Persona 4 Arena Official Design Works
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1926778812/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
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Hm. Might get Arena, but I have the Japanese versions of the first two, so the collector in me wants to get the Japanese version for consistency's sake.
 
shadowysea07 said:
I've actually never had an issue with their packaging. Their slow ass shipping on the other hand... Or better when they use sure/smart post and it gets lost in the post office for a month.
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Your very lucky, as most of the things I order show up damaged. Normally when it's something I know will be sold out after release, I try to order at least two, to hedge my bets, but sometimes that isn't always possible due to demand, or funds at the time.

In the end, I know what to expect, and how best to deal with damages after the fact, but it really does get tiring dealing with the same shit again, and again.

 
BlackRockWaifu said:
Awesome, nice score! Glad I was able to help, sometimes I feel like I am spamming or being annoying with all these somewhat-deal posts.
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Heck no--it definitely doesn't feel like spam. Keep it up with the great deal posts!

I had watched a youtube video last week of someone unboxing that CE and reviewing the statue and, wow, it was impressive. I checked out the other Master Stars statues, but this one definitely seems to be the one to get.

 
BlackRockWaifu said:
Awesome, nice score! Glad I was able to help, sometimes I feel like I am spamming or being annoying with all these somewhat-deal posts.

I mentioned this before, but the statue alone retails for $100. Even at the MSRP $150, it's a terrific deal. The game is $60, and the extras have to be at least $20, so they were probably losing money from this CE, or barely breaking even. But the statue is so good it probably got other people wanting to purchase a complete set of the Master Star ones. At $65, you practically got the statue for free. The game box is separate from the Steelbook (which I love) and they also have an art book beneath the game/Steelbook packaging and it's easy to miss so be sure to check for that before you sell it.
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I decided what the hell and picked one up too. Appreciate the info.

 
Developers only need to submit one version of a game on Switch for the entire world

XSEED titles discounted on the North American eShop

[customspoiler='The lineup of games on sale']
Corpse Party (3DS) – $19.99 (was $29.99)
Exile’s End (Wii U) – $4.99 (was $9.99)
Lord of Magna: Maiden Heaven (3DS) – $9.99 (was $19.99)
Return to Popolocrois: A Story of Seasons Fairytale (3DS) – $9.99 (was $19.99)
Rune Factory 4 (3DS) – $19.99 (was $29.99)
Senran Kagura 2: Deep Crimson (3DS) – $19.99 (was $29.99)
Senran Kagura Burst (3DS) – $9.99 (was $19.99)
Story of Seasons (3DS) – $19.99 (was $29.99)
Unchained Blades (3DS) – $7.49 (was $14.99)
 
The prices listed above are valid until March 24.
[/customspoiler]
 


 
Souffrir said:
Has anyone heard whether the standard steelbook edition comes with it, or just the basic BASIC version?
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Nope, if you look at the unboxing video above by a fan that got it very early, the steelbook as part of the LE doesn't even include the skin, sorry. Its only available for the standard edition.

 
A lot of games releasing this week, including Mass Effect: Andromeda which I'm not listing below. There's also Dreamfall Chapters, an Adventure game, releasing on the PS4 & XB1 which I recommend taking a look at as the series is rather good and I recommend it for people wanting a story. Other than that, two weeks until Persona 5.

Other stuff that released without warning last week (Assume PC unless otherwise noted):
- Momodora: Reverie Under the Moonlight (PS4 | Metroidvania)

Weekly Releases (March 19th - March 25th)

Mario Sports Superstars
- Platform(s): 3DS
- Genre: Sports
- Demo: N/A
- Online: Yes.

Anima: Gate of Memories (Beyond Fantasy Edition)
- Platform(s): PS4
- Genre: Hack'n'Slash / RPG
- Demo: N/A
- Online: N/A
- Comments: Previously released on the PC.

Freedom Planet
- Platform(s): PS4
- Genre: Platformer
- Demo: N/A
- Online: N/A
- Comments: Previously released on PC years ago. Similar to 2D Sonic games.

Touhou Genso Wanderer
- Platform(s): PS4, Vita
- Genre: Roguelike
- Demo: N/A
- Online: N/A

Touhou Double Focus
- Platform(s): PS4, Vita
- Genre: Action Platformer / Metroidvania?
- Demo: N/A
- Online: N/A

Toukiden 2
- Platform(s): PS4, Vita, PC
- Genre: Action / RPG / Monster Hunter
- Demo: Yes.
- Online: Yes.
- Comments: Demo carries progress over and gives you a bonus.

Zero Escape: The Nonary Games
- Platform(s): PS4, Vita, PC
- Genre: Visual Novel / Mystery
- Demo: N/A
- Online: N/A
- Comments: Remaster port of 999 & Virtue's Last Reward in one package. Includes both ENG & JP voice overs.

Demonheart
- Platform(s): PC
- Genre: Visual Novel
- Demo: N/A
- Online: N/A
- Comments: Not Japanese. Episodic.

In Vitra
- Platform(s): PC
- Genre: RPG
- Demo: Yes.
- Online: N/A
- Comments: German I think?


Past Releases
March 12th - March 18th
March 5th - March 11th
February 26th - March 4th
February 19th - February 25th
February 12th - February 18th

 
Boo missed the cheap Akiba's Beat pre-order price....I'm sure that game will bomb...but i'd rather have the bomb at a cheaper price, esp since I'd prefer it on the PS4.

 
I actually found a deal at Gamestop yesterday.  :joystick:

IMG_3090_zpsofbd1czw.jpg


 
Commodore Wheeler said:
Lemme know if you do end up selling everything else, I'm interested in the steelbook.
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If I do sell everything off, I'll definitely send you a PM about that steelbook.

StryderOmega said:
:ps4: Onechanbara Z2: Chaos record low shipped and sold Amazon $18.44
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Word of warning for anyone who might not know, this is not the "Banana Split" edition with the artbook, soundtrack, and DLC. The picture shows the Banana Split version, but this is just the standard game.

 
SolidSnake86 said:
Word of warning for anyone who might not know, this is not the "Banana Split" edition with the artbook, soundtrack, and DLC. The picture shows the Banana Split version, but this is just the standard game.
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The Banana Split Edition went OOP quite a long time ago but it was $20 for some time before it happened. I recall XSEED selling the extra goodies in their store for $20 as well tho it's probably sold out there too since the Banana Split Edition goes for $80 now.

roger watersmelon said:
I wish I had already received my $10 card from the Tekken cancellation.
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Don't worry Walmart will be sure to send out our gift cards as soon as possible any good deals are gone.

 
NeoMonk said:
#InB4EveryoneGetsACopyOfAkibaStripUndeadInstead :D/
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I was wondering if that was going to happen actually lol. When I started to checkout it said it was going to be ready to pick up on March 23th, or here in 3-5 days for shipping. That was one reason I hesitated, but I will risk it if it is still going when I get my $10 giftcard.

 
Does anyone think if people buy into the switch and get it, that companies would start putting games on the switch?

Like I would love to play Legend of Heroes on the switch or games like Stardew Valley or Rainbow Moon type games?

I am planning on getting the Switch for my birthday in May and think I would love to play RPG on the console specially the pick up and go feature. Like play on my couch and then on the way to work and on my lunch break and when I get home back on my TV.

 
umbry said:
Does anyone think if people buy into the switch and get it, that companies would start putting games on the switch?

Like I would love to play Legend of Heroes on the switch or games like Stardew Valley or Rainbow Moon type games?

I am planning on getting the Switch for my birthday in May and think I would love to play RPG on the console specially the pick up and go feature. Like play on my couch and then on the way to work and on my lunch break and when I get home back on my TV.
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Time will tell. Sooner or later, time will tell.

 
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The Switch is going to start to get a lot of developer and publisher support, yeah.   Sales for the system shattered expectations.  You're just probably going to have to wait a year and longer for titles to get ported over.  Stardew Valley is a lock to happen.  However, Falcom games have never been on domestic Nintendo systems (except Ys III SNES), so that would be a first. 

It's a really exciting time for the Switch and a lot of people are just starting to come around on the system's potential, customers and developers alike. 

 
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So I finally got through endings A-E in Nier. I know I'm missing the other 21 endings, but I'm going to take a break from the game while.

I really liked it, don't get me wrong, but I felt it was a bit too repetitive at times. Plus, those hacking mini-games get really annoying (especially towards the end of a certain playthrough...)

I really like the soundtrack. But its kind of a weird thing where in the beginning I thought it was cool, in the middle I kinda started getting annoyed with it, and at the end I can't get enough of it. (I actually have one of the songs stuck in my head right now lol)

I have no idea why, but after playing this I really feel like going back and playing Metal Gear Solid 2 and Revengeance.

 
It's still way too early to tell if the Switch is going to shape up to anything. Initial hardware sales don't necessarily mean anything even though the reverse would be quite worrying. It's all up to third party support and people actually buying games from those third parties to keep them developing/porting to the Switch. So it's basically a waiting game, however there's no guarantee that the developers you want will even develop/port anything for it.

Nothing371 said:
However, Falcom games have never been on Nintendo systems (except Ys III SNES), so that would be a first.
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I believe it's Ys V and Popful Mail on the SNES and that's it. The rest is PC until they switched over to Sony systems.

Anyways, played some Toukiden 2 demo yesterday. It's a decent upgrade from the first game. However after playing Nioh, everything just feels so god damned slow. Pretty much had to switch to daggers just to not feel like I don't take half a year to swing a weapon even though it's generally faster than Monster Hunter if I remember correctly. The graphics were never great with it, but it feels worse than Kiwami did on the PS4. Most likely due to the incorporation of the semi-open world which is an interesting addition. Lots of other changes as well that don't seem bad either. All in all it seems like a decent improvement over the original. Not sure I'll get it anytime soon as I'll be leeching Mass Effect: Andromeda from a friend on the PS4.

Which I guess also brings me to a question for anybody in this thread. Despite all the shit Andromeda is getting, is anybody here still planning on getting it on the PS4 (I know there's an Xbox thread)? Could probably use more people to play with in multiplayer as the combat is actually pretty decent.

I'll probably do a short write-up of Atelier Firis too. It will be some time before I beat it, but I think I've played enough to touch on it. Might write it up today since I'll be playing Andromeda tomorrow.

 
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umbry said:
Does anyone think if people buy into the switch and get it, that companies would start putting games on the switch?

Like I would love to play Legend of Heroes on the switch or games like Stardew Valley or Rainbow Moon type games?

I am planning on getting the Switch for my birthday in May and think I would love to play RPG on the console specially the pick up and go feature. Like play on my couch and then on the way to work and on my lunch break and when I get home back on my TV.
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Don't count on it. The Switch is yet another gamble by Nintendo that if it fails like their last home hardware, the people left on the hook will be any devs that chose to support it. These niche companies have found a home where they are now. To go out to another platform, especially one this new, would be spreading themselves pretty thin.

The concept of the Switch is sound, but the execution is lacking. There's not much of a reason for me to get one until Mario and Xenoblade come out, and neither of those games have solid release dates.

 
The Dead Texan said:
Don't count on it. The Switch is yet another gamble by Nintendo that if it fails like their last home hardware, the people left on the hook will be any devs that chose to support it. These niche companies have found a home where they are now. To go out to another platform, especially one this new, would be spreading themselves pretty thin.

The concept of the Switch is sound, but the execution is lacking. There's not much of a reason for me to get one until Mario and Xenoblade come out, and neither of those games have solid release dates.
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I tend to agree that there isn't a whole lot of upside for third parties to back the Switch at this point. Even if Nintendo sells all 16 million units they are purportedly working on manufacturing this year, the install base will still fall short of Xbox One and PS4 by a wide margin. The industry has also changed from what it was during the peak of the Wii and there just aren't a lot of third party publishers (outside of true indies) in the middle or lower end of the market that can make games and still turn a profit on a few hundred thousand units. I do think Switch will be a success for Nintendo and will probably be enough to keep pumping out first party games for years to come, but that's not going to be much comfort to people who were hoping for broader support.

 
The Switch is Nintendo being Nintendo.  Make under-powered console/handheld, where they actually make money on each console + 1st party titles = profit.  3rd parties titles.....what's that??  Imo it's gonna be a repeat of the Wii where Nintendo rakes in the money and 3rd parties titles are left hanging out to dry.

Now if only Sony would make something like the Switch, and call it the Vita Pro.....

 
I believe anyone who would buy vita version over PS4 version of a game would opt for the switch version of multiplatform games. The switch is literally console gaming on the go, exactly what the vita was advertised to be. That's a distinct advantage it has for multiplatform games. Sure it'll also have the disadvantage of being weaker graphically but I don't people need 4K graphics on that small screen...

Plus it's the successor to 3ds so it's already guaranteed to get all that japanese third party support.
 
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As much as I want to do exactly that, the Switch is slightly too big for me to. Mainly because I put my Vita in my pocket a lot but I can't with the Switch.

 
godofwar7 said:
I believe anyone who would buy vita version over PS4 version of a game would opt for the switch version of multiplatform games. The switch is literally console gaming on the go, exactly what the vita was advertised to be. That's a distinct advantage it has for multiplatform games. Sure it'll also have the disadvantage of being weaker graphically but I don't people need 4K graphics on that small screen...

Plus it's the successor to 3ds so it's already guaranteed to get all that japanese third party support.
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The big difference between the NS and the Vita(outside of memory card pricing), is one is a handheld and is priced in that fashion. The NS price is console based, and is priced in that way. I'm a handheld gamer, and devices from "N" are my normal go to, as is my 3DS, but I have no interest in the NS currently, due to it's slightly bigger size, and a bunch of crap I don't need for handheld gaming, that is driving the price up.

I agree with most of the opinions above, "N" will sale well for themselves(as they always make sure of), but outside of that, a small number of indies will probably do well, like yacht club and such, but overall, I'm just not seeing most 3rd parties taking the risk with anything worth most consumers time.

Street Fighter and FIFA are the biggest 3rd party titles for now, and those are going to be ports of old games, and not going to do anywhere near the latest versions on consoles and PC. They will sale OK, maybe they make money, maybe they don't, but this is the types of software risk that most will be willing to make, and these types of games are not going to get the NS to 15, 20 or even 30 million units sold.

 
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