Gaming Tidbits 8.28.12: Neptunia Anime, Atelier Vita, and PS Vita Update
Neptunia V Anime
Hyperdimension Neptunia turned many heads with its racy female designs and its unique take on the console gaming wars through the anthropomorphism of gaming consoles. With the recent release of Hyperdimension Neptunia V in Japan, it has been announced in Dengenki PlayStation magazine that there will be an anime version of the franchise [
source]. I have played through the first and second game, calling the original game "a great experience that has some flaws [
source]" and the second game a couple of steps forward and a couple of steps back for "removing some of the satire and humor that made Hyperdimension Neptunia one of the funniest games I have played in a very long time [
source]." The first game was a unique take on the console wars with a very funny script and a strong central narrative. The second game was a reboot in a different universe and cast of characters, Neptunia V is a direct sequel to the second game. Neptunia V, the game in which this anime is influenced from has yet to be announced for a USA release, but it will likely get a release considering that the North American sales have easily eclipsed the Japanese release.
Links
Hyperdimension Neptunia
Hyperdimention Neptunia Mk2
Neptunia V Japanese website
PS Vita Firmware Update
The Sony PlayStation Vita has made headlines due to its
difficult situation that weighs heavily on game development. The newest firmware update to 1.80 add some fairly significant changes. It allows the user to move through the PS Vita menu without physically touching the screen. While it may seem insignificant, it is actually quite important considering that the PS Vita has a plastic screen, not a glass screen that can be found in the Galaxy Nexus, Apple iPad, Apple iPhone, and a variety of other devices. The firmware update also adds the long-desired ability to play PlayStation games on the hardware. Those games should look quite gorgeous on that large 5-inch OLED screen. If you have PS Vita, you can update your hardware right now [
source]
Links
PlayStation Vita Website
Atelier Totori Goes to the Vita
One of my favorite franchises on the PlayStation 3 is the Atelier franchise by GUST. The first three PlayStation 3 games are known as the "Arland Saga" since they are one cohesive story arc. Each game starred a different female apprentice alchemist. Rorona was the clumsy lead of
Atelier Rorona who had to work for the kingdom to save her shop from being closed. I called
Stelier Rorona a great game with "great graphics, an interesting cast, and a very unconventional happy-go-lucky atmosphere that is missing from most modern games [
source]." Totori was the weak female lead of
Atelier Totori who wanted to follow in her mother's footsteps to become and adventurer. It was my game of the year when it was released [
source]. The third and final leg of the trilogy was
Atelier Meruru that centered on Princess Meruru, a stubborn princess who wanted to use alchemy to rebel against her strict father. Each game holds a special place in my heart for its great cast of characters and its unique take on the RPG genre. PS Vita owners now cannot ignore the game since the PS Vita will now have an iteration of the iconic girly girl franchise. There will be a port that will be released on November 29th in Japan [
source]. It is unknown whether this port will see the light in the Western world.
Links
Atelier Rorona
Atelier Totori
Atelier Meruru
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