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I’ll it right from the start: I have little to no experience with the Fairy Tail anime or manga. My only previous encounter with the series was playing a bit of the first game, which I found surprisingly enjoyable. However, I do know JRPGs. So while it's important how well Fairy Tail 2 translates the anime's world into a new format, my main question when given the opportunity to preview it on PC was, “Could it end up being a good JRPG?”

In the world of JRPGs, you might expect to see a wealth of titles based on anime, given the strong overlap between the two genres. But surprisingly, there aren’t as many standout JRPGs based on popular anime as one might expect. (However, I did put together a list of some notable anime-based JRPGs a few months ago.) That context made me more interested in seeing how Fairy Tail 2 might hold up.

In Fairy Tail 2, players again follow of the Fairy Tail wizard guild as they navigate the series’ climactic "Alvarez Empire Arc." If you’re like me and aren’t fully familiar with the arc, don’t worry. From my experience with the first moments of Fairy Tail 2, Koei Tecmo goes to great lengths to make the story at least a little accessible to newcomers. The game sets up the narrative, providing clear context for players stepping into the series for the first time. Additionally, It includes detailed lore, backstory, and character explanations through an in-game encyclopedia. This is one of my favorite modern JRPG quality of life mechanics. I found myself consulting it often. It genuinely helped bridge the gap in my limited knowledge of the anime.

But let’s talk gameplay. Fairy Tail 2 builds on the first game’s combat system, which was already a highlight for me. It’s a turn-based system with a twist, resembling an Active Time Battle (ATB) system. Players build SP (Skill Points) through basic attacks as their action bar refreshes. SP can unleash powerful, flashy moves, adding a strategic layer to the gameplay as you decide when to go all-in with bigger attacks.

One of the standout features of combat is the ability to chain together special moves for devastating combos. Timing and strategy are crucial here. You’ll want to set up smaller attacks to build SP before unleashing more powerful abilities. During battle, you also build the Fairy Meter, which gives you access to more SP to extend combos. This can turn longer battles, especially boss fights, into almost cinematic experiences, with explosive attacks flying back and forth. The pacing of combat, alongside the spectacle of special moves, made it fun and engaging, even for someone who doesn’t know the source material inside and out.

What’s more, the variety of characters available from the outset adds a lot to the gameplay, based on what I saw in these early moments. Each character brings a unique set of skills to the table, with different elemental affinities and specialties. This diversity means that you’ll often need to think strategically about party composition and the elements you bring into each battle. Since enemies have their own affinities and weaknesses, planning your approach becomes crucial to maximizing damage and efficiency in combat. This dynamic keeps the gameplay fresh and ensures that encounters never feel like mindless button-mashing.

All of this seems wrapped in a story that still had enough hooks to draw in a relative newcomer like me within about an hour of play. The interactions between characters and their relationships feel authentic. They’re presented in a way that even someone unfamiliar with the history of Fairy Tail can appreciate. Fans of the series will probably find even more to love here, with key moments from the anime and manga brought to life.

While I initially approached Fairy Tail 2 as a game first and adaptation second, I came away pleasantly surprised. I wasn’t just learning about this world ively. I was experiencing it through the characters and their battles. It piqued my interest in the broader series, making me curious to go back and explore the anime or manga to get the full picture.

Ultimately, Fairy Tail 2 has the potential to be more than just a game for fans of the series. It could be the gateway that brings new players into the fold. The combination of accessible storytelling, strategic combat, and a vibrant cast makes it a strong entry in the world of anime-based JRPGs. And for those like me, who might have missed the Fairy Tail phenomenon the first time around, it might just make a fan out of you too.

Fairy Tail 2 will release on Steam on December 11, 2024, and it will be on the PS4, PS5 and Switch on December 13, 2024.

The post Fairy Tail 2 Might Make You a Fan of the Series appeared first on Siliconera.

Nintendo has added new titles to the Nintendo Switch Online subscription lineup, and Angelique is one of them. The first-ever Neoromance otome game produced by Koei Tecmo's Ruby Party team is now available to play to subscribers for the Japanese version of Nintendo Switch Online.

This game places the player as one of the two candidates to become the queen of the universe. It will also encourage the player to seek help from the nine Guardians to speed up the development of the allotted island. However, the player will ultimately have to choose whether to complete the original objective of becoming a queen or pursue a romantic relationship with one of the Guardians.

This release is based on the inaugural Super Famicom (SNES) version that came out in 1994. As such, it does not contain character voiceovers, which Koei only started adding since the 1995 PC-FX port. While Koei Tecmo has since released new series entries based on the game like Angelique Luminarise, the latest direct remake to date is Angelique Retour, which appeared on the PlayStation Portable and Vita in December 2015 in Japan.

Angelique is not the only title added to the Nintendo Switch Online lineup. Nintendo also added two more titles to the collection. They are Cosmo Gang: The Puzzle by Namco (now Bandai Namco) and the Dakar Rally-inspired Big Run: The Supreme 4WD Challenge by Jaleco (now handled by City Connection).

Nintendo also added more playable titles to the North American Nintendo Switch Online on the same day. But while Cosmo Gang and Big Run also appeared for North American subscribers, Angelique did not follow suit. The company tried to compensate by replacing it with two other titles: Rare's Battletoads Double Dragon and Technos' Kunio-kun no Dodgeball da yo: Zen'in Shugo!

Angelique is now available for Nintendo Switch Online subscribers in Japan.

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Last month, the ESRB rated Saiyuki: Journey West and Destrega for the PlayStation 3 and PSP, which tipped us off that the games would soon be available on the PlayStation Network in the U.S. -- and now they are.

Saiyuki: Journey West is a tactical role-playing game based on, as you might suspect, the Chinese classic, Journey to the West. Meanwhile, Destrega (pictured above) is an arena-based fighting game that combines a Rock, Paper, Scissors system with freedom of movement around the arena.

The third Koei game that released on the PlayStation Network alongside these two was Romance of the Three Kingdoms IV: Wall of Fire. All three games cost $5.99.

The post A Trio Of Koei PS One Games Attacks PlayStation Network appeared first on Siliconera.

We often get queries asking if La Pucelle Ragnarok will be published in the U.S. by NIS America, and we’re usually quick to say “no,” stating everything from the state of the PSP market to NISA having too many other games to work on.

Understandably, La Pucelle fans wanted to hear it straight from the horse’s mouth, so here’s a quote from NIS America, when we asked them to give us the final word on the subject:

“All right. No, we will not be able to bring it over. We’ve got a lot of fantastic new titles lined up for 2011, and we think fans will get pumped over those even though we can’t bring LP:R out of Japan. For those who’ve ed it over the years, thank you very much for your efforts, but in the end, we won’t be bringing it out of Japan.”

La Pucelle Ragnarok is the PSP port of La Pucelle: Tactics, a Nippon Ichi-developed PlayStation 2 role-playing game published in North America by Mastiff and Koei in Europe. While Ragnarok was published in 2009 in Japan by NIS, Tactics was originally published way back in 2002.

The post No, NIS America Will Not Be Publishing La Pucelle Ragnarok appeared first on Siliconera.

Samurai Warriors 3 has mobs of enemy troops to slice through. Nintendo, keeping with the theme, sent out a mob of screenshots with Yukimura and Kai cutting them down.

Play with both of characters at the same time, offline with a split screen or online. That's right Samurai Warriors 3 s online play for the Mysterious Murasame Castle mode, a feature based on a Japan-only Famicom game developed by Nintendo. Samurai Warriors 3 also has a historical mode, which explains the significance of the Warring States battles while your custom hero cuts through an army while riding a bear.

The post A Mob Of Samurai Warriors 3 Screenshots appeared first on Siliconera.

Here's the box art for the Japanese version of Samurai Warriors 3, published by Koei in Japan:

And here's the North American version, published by Nintendo:

Notice the difference? The Nintendo Wi-Fi logo on the Japanese cover is red, referring to the game's paid able content, while it's blue on the North American cover.

What does this mean? Either:

1. We aren't getting the able scenarios at all.

2. We'll be getting them free of cost.

3. They're included on the disc itself.

The post What’s Going On With Samurai Warriors 3′s DLC In North America? appeared first on Siliconera.

Earlier today, Capcom published a market data report illustrating the division of videogame market share in their home territory of Japan, based on data shared with them by Enterbrain. Below is a list of Japan's top ten videogame publishers and the market share they each hold:

Additionally, Capcom shared that they are the #10 publisher in North America, with a market share of 2.55%, based on data revealed to them by the NPD Group. Unfortunately, the NPD Group asked that they not name the other publishers, although, common sense would dictate that Activision Blizzard, Electronic Arts, Ubisoft and Nintendo are all contenders.

In the United Kingdom, Capcom hold the #15 position on the same chart, with a market share of 2.1%.

The post Who Are Japan’s Top Ten Game Publishers? appeared first on Siliconera.

Microsoft’s amusing, but fictitious Mission Division are assigned to negotiate with popular video game series and bring them to Xbox 360. They got a monster from Monster Hunter to stamp a contract and that’s how Monster Hunter Frontier became an Xbox 360 game.

A new Mission Division short are teases a “new” title. The only clues we have are a napkin scribble and Morito, one of the mission division , calling it a robot thing. Whatever series is represented by this sketch is coming to the Xbox 360 very soon.

I put “new” in quotes because it might not be a reveal. The Xbox Mission Division also posted a video sketch for Nobunaga’s Ambition: Tendo where they negotiate with Nobunaga to come to the Xbox 360. The game is out in Japan today so it’s not an announcement. Still, you watch to it. It’s funny! See video number 3 on the official mission division site.

The post Microsoft Mission Division Hints At Another Xbox 360 Game appeared first on Siliconera.

The North American cover art for Dynasty Warriors Strikeforce is exactly the same as the PSP version, a picture of Zhao Yun in sparkling silver armor. Tecmo Koei Europe went a different route for PAL territories.

They made a montage, a Grand Theft Auto style montage.

This cover makes Dynasty Warrior Strikeforce standout from the other Warriors games, but will Grand Theft Auto fans be disappointed if they mistakenly pick this up expecting to steal cars?

The post Koei Europe “Borrows” Grand Theft Auto Cover Art For Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce appeared first on Siliconera.

Dying for another Dynasty Warriors fix? There’s a demo of Shin Sangoku Musou: Multi-Raid 2 (Dynasty Warriors Strikeforce 2) online now. We’re talking about the PSP version. Koei hasn’t announced a PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360 port… yet. Head to the PlayStation Store with a Japanese to get it.

Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce 2 features extra characters like Jiang Wei and Da Qiao who fights with two rods. Like the previous game, all characters have an awakening mode. Da Qaio transforms into an angel looking thing. The game is set to come out in Japan on March 11 with no North American release date yet.

Thanks for the tip Andreas!

The post Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce 2 Demo Is Live appeared first on Siliconera.

Koei set a date for Fist of the North Star Musou. Fans of exploding bodies in Japan and importers can pick it up on March 25.

Like other Warriors games, Koei has plans for a Fist of the North Star Musou treasure box. The limited edition set with yet to be announced goodies goes for 13,440 yen ($145) while a standard game costs 8,190 yen ($89).

The post Fist of the North Star Musou Dead On March 25 appeared first on Siliconera.

Koei shared two videos of Hokuto Musou (Fist of the North Star Musou), a Dynasty Warriors style brawler with the Fist of North Star license.

The first trailer is a pre-rendered clip that highlights the main plot. You can follow Kenshiro’s story in Fist of the North Star Musou and a punch through an original story made just for the game.

Speaking of the game, here’s what it actually looks like.

Did you notice the exploding bodies? Fist of the North Star Musou, like the manga, is going to be brutal. Hokuto Musou is slated for release sometime in March 2010 in Japan.  Special thanks to Andreas for the tip!

The post Fist of the North Star Musou Trailers, Now More With Exploding Bodies appeared first on Siliconera.

The sequel to Koei’s Monster Hunter meets Dynasty Warriors mix is set for March 11, 2010. That’s about a year after Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce and half a year after Koei released a PlayStation 3 / Xbox 360 version of the same game.

Shin Sangoku Musou Multi-Raid 2 (aka Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce 2) introduces two not-so-new characters. Jiang Wei and an angel transmorphing Da Qiao are confirmed for the game. Koei hasn’t confirmed Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce 2 for North America at this time. They’re probably too busy with the HD port which comes out here on February 16, 2010.

Da Qiao

Jiang Wei

The post Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce 2 Hits Japan In March appeared first on Siliconera.

Everyone’s favorite vocaloid character, Hatsune Miku, isn’t officially in Samurai Warriors 3, but you can put her in the game by making a custom character.

Here’s how one fan put her in the Warring States era using the built in create a warrior engine.

Not bad. All she needs is a giant leek spear for a weapon akin to her Phantasy Star Portable 2 cameo’s onion rifle.

The post Hatsune Miku Recreated For Samurai Warriors 3 appeared first on Siliconera.

Koei seems intent on releasing a PlayStation 3 port of Shin Sangoku Musou Online. Dynasty Warriors Online during the crowded first quarter. Game Star leaked a release date and details about a box set.

According to the retailer, Dynasty Warriors Online will be available on February 18, 2010. A standard game will retail for 6,090 yen ($69) and a pack containing a soundtrack CD/poster costs  8,190 yen ($92).

Game Star’s description says Dynasty Warriors Online has a versus mode and s musou battles with up to 24 people. Sure, it’s no MAG, but imagine all of the chaos with 24 characters dicing through enemy waves. Other bullet points touch on character customization (there are a lot of options) and ing guilds.

The post Dynasty Warriors Online Brings 24 Player Battles To PS3 appeared first on Siliconera.