NOTE: Even though this post covers the news from August 1 to 7, I decided to add some extra information from the week before regarding the games Level-5 revealed at Level-5 Vision since I couldn’t post about them that week. This is mostly for archive purposes and in case you missed the news.
Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past
Nintendo has starterd releasing new videos dedicated to Dragon Quest VII in anticipation of the game’s release. The two videos below focus on the game’s battle system and classes. There are over 30 classes included, the highest number in any Dragon Quest title. Check out the videos below:
Monster Hunter Generations
Capcom’s Monster Hunter Generations is getting free DLC on the first Friday of every month, and the DLC for August is now available.
To download the content, you’ll have to choose the Download option from the game’s main menu, and then talk to the appropriate NPCs.
Items for August include Wind Waker, Okami, Metroid, and Animal Crossing outfits.
You can find a list of the new additional content below:
Quest: (HIGH) Okami: Most Wanted
Objective: Hunt a Hyper Malfestio
Rewards: (Prowler) F Tsumugari, F Okami SetQuest: (HIGH) Yowamushi Pedal: Princess
Objective: Hunt 3 Rathians
Rewards: (Palico) F Modousuji Bike, F Sohoku SetQuest: (HIGH) Metroid: Special Mission
Objective: Hunt a Hyper Yian Garuga
Rewards: (Light Bowgun) Arm Cannon, (Hunter armor) Varia Suit, Zero SuitQuest: (HIGH) CoroCoro: Rolling Bowlers
Objective: Hunt 2 Volvidons and an Uragaan
Rewards: (Sword and Shield) LevindicatorQuest: (HIGH) Felyne Village: The Tourney
Objective: Hunt a Yian Kut-Ku, a Rathalos and a Tigrex
Rewards: (Palico) F Sunsnug SetQuest: (HIGH) Fan Club: Great All Stars
Objective: Hunt an Iodrome, a Velocidrome, a Gendrome and a Great Maccao
Rewards: (Long Sword) Fan Club Bamboo Rod, (Dual Blades) Fan Club Fans, (Hunting Horn) Megaphone, (Torso Armor) X Astalos Jacket, X Gammoth Jacket, X Mizutsune, X Dino JacketQuest: (LOW) A Season for Lava
Objective: Hunt 2 Uragaan before time expires or deliver a Paw Pass ticketQuest: (HIGH) Making the Cut
Objective: (Prowler) Sever Rathian’s tailPROWLER QUESTS
Quest: (HIGH) A Hero’s Return
Objective: Hunt a Bulldrome
Rewards: (Palico) F Wind Waker, F Link SetQuest: (HIGH) Animal Crossing: Picnic Day
Objective: Obtain 3,000 Wycademy Points
Rewards: (Palico) F Isabelle Set, F Resetti SetQuest: (LOW) The Uniqlo Avant-garde
Objective: Slay a total of 20 Vespoids and Bnahabras
Rewards: (Palico) F Monqlo SetQuest: (HIGH) CoroCoro: Big Bad Bugs
Objective: (Prowler) Slay 12 Konchus
Rewards: (Palico) F Gramdpaw SetARENA CHALLENGES
Quest: Event: Slay a Nargacuga
Objective: Slay a NargacugaQuest: Event: Slay a Rathalos
Objective: Slay a RathalosQuest: Event: Slay a Yian Kut-Ku
Objective: (Prowler) Slay a Yian Kut-KuEXTRAS
22x Guild Card Titles
1x Guild Card Pose
8x Guild Card Backgrounds
1x Pet Outfit: Summer ResortSPECIAL PALICOES
Monqlo
Danger
Link
Tom Nook
Samus
Nekomichi
MeowniacITEMS: SUPPORT PACK
99x Honey
30x Nitroshroom
30x Energy Drink
10x Max Potion
30x Lifepowder
5x Health Flute
5x Demon Flute
5x Armor Flute
20x Hunter’s Drink
20x Barrel Bomb L+
Monster Hunter Stories
A new Monster Hunter Stories trailer recently debuted during the latest episode of Capcom TV. You can watch it below:
Besides this, Famitsu magazine reveals new characters, areas, details on equipment, and more. This new information has now been reflected on the official website as well, so several new screenshots are now available. Below you can find a roundup of the new details and a gallery with the various screenshots.
Details:
The first page of Famitsu’s coverage goes over the hunter Rivelt and his felyne Popola. He is voiced by Sugita Tomokazu.
Rivelt may look lazy usually, but when he goes out to hunt, his sharp observation skills and experience always gain him results. He likes to act alone, and is considered to be an aloof hunter by people around him.
His felyne Popola keeps his home tidy. Despite whining about its master’s laziness, it cannot abandon Rivelt because he’s a skilled hunter.
Rivelt seems to be open to the concept of riders and acknowledges the necessity of their existence. In return, the protagonist will also learn about the values of a hunter from him.
The second page reveals a new wave of Otomon for Monster Hunter Stories. Those are as follows:
Stygian Zinogre
– Ride Action: Jump; same as the original Zinogre.
– Bond Technique: Cross High Bolt; engulfs own body with dragon light, then leaps up high and finally charges toward the enemy like a meteor.
Seregios
– Ride Action: Flying.
– Bond Technique: Shooting Star; launches countless blade scales from the air, and charges towards the enemy together with the scales to cut them into nothingness.
Barroth
– Ride Action: Underground Movement; can be used when there is a hole on the ground. May also enable to go through under obstacles like walls.
– Bond Technique: Barroth Charge; Sticks head into the ground and runs forward. After that, throws a large rock at the enemy.
In the next section, Famitsu covers characters in Girudekaran.
The captain hunter Gentras cannot acknowledge the existence of riders and is always wary of the protagonist.
Meanwhile, the guild master Mahho is a Wyverian who knows of the existence of riders. He’s the one who introduces the protagonist to Rivelt.
We’re also given info on the guild receptionist sisters:
– The eldest is Limon, the blonde-haired easygoing lady.
– The second is Mel, the shrewd red-haired girl.
– The youngest is Mafy, the purple-haired girl who is serious but also easily gets nervous.
While Gentras detests riders, Mahho and the receptionist sisters are interested in them, and willingly help the protagonist.
Another section of the magazine is about equipment and quests.
Equipment is obtained by clearing Production Quests. Each equipment has its own quest, which requires a number of materials to be collected. Once gathered, players report with the materials and money needed for production to complete the quest and obtain the equipment.
It is possible to take multiple quests at once, and things like armor will be produced in a full set. Famitsu points out that the location of monsters you obtain the materials from will be mentioned in the quest list, and unneeded materials can be stashed and exchanged for points which can be used to create equipment once enough is gathered. Equipment can also be upgraded by gathering required amount of materials, points, and money. Lastly, it’s implied that by upgrading equipment, not only will the stats increase, but you may also have a chance of activating skills.
Finally, Famitsu shares details about certain areas and characters, which you can read below:
– Kuba Desert: Desert monsters like Cephalos live here. This place used to have many trees, but it became a desert after an environmental change.
– Albracus Village: Rivelt’s hometown village located in the Kuba Desert. It used to be flourishing as a center point for trade, but recently sandstorms have been affecting the trade route.
– Shakurd: An area of camps set up by hunters in the middle of a desert. It’s built near a cliff to prepare against monster raids. It may also be used as a resting place for people who just passed through the desert and are heading to Albracus Village.
– Chief Norm: The village chief of Albracus. He meets the protagonist by chance when he is away from his village due to a certain event.
– Famal: A hunter from Albracus who is also Rivelt’s senior. She is rather cautious towards riders.
The next batch of information on Monster Hunter Stories will be published in Famitsu’s September 1 issue. Meanwhile, check out the screenshots I mentioned above in the gallery below:
Digimon Universe: Appli Monsters
Bandai Namco has shared a new trailer for their upcoming 3DS game Digimon Universe: Appli Monsters.
You can watch it below:
Dragon Ball: Fusions
Bandai Namco’s Dragon Ball: Fusions is now out in Japan, but the company is still promoting it with a new fusions video and a new batch of screenshots. You can also find the opening cinematic and some gameplay footage below, after the aforementioned material.
Besides all of that, Shonen Gamez translated another scan from Weekly Jump that shows off Gorus, the Ultimate God fusion (created by a fan) between Goku and the God of Destruction Beerus. Players can add the character to their squad by scanning a QR code, which is pictured in the scan below.
3D Puyo Puyo Tsu
Sega has released a 3D version of Puyo Puyo Tsu on the Japanese 3DS eShop, and has prepared a trailer to celebrate the occasion.
You can watch the trailer below:
Etrian Odyssey V
Japanese outlet 4Gamer has recently posted 15 minutes of footage from the final version of Etrian Odyssey V, which is now out in Japan. You can watch it below:
Famitsu’s review of the game is also availabe in english over here, thanks to Nintendo Everything’s translation.
Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse
Atlus has sent it a new Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse trailer focusing on the game’s demons. Check it out:
Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse features over 450 demons, the most in the series thus far. They’re based in various mythologies and can be used to fight, fuse, or recruit.
Here’s some information on the demons from Atlus:
When encountering demons in Tokyo such as the fabulous Napaea or strong Centaur, players can fight, negotiate, or flee. While annihilating every single demon may be the knee jerk reaction, negotiating with them opens up a wealth of options that can greatly benefit the party. Choosing to talk to demons opens up a dialogue tree that gives players to opportunity to recruit them or receive items/bonuses. A successfully recruited demon can be summoned to fight alongside the protagonist, but if negotiations fail demons will happily tear you to shreds.
Once a demon has been added to the party, they’ll gain experience, new abilities, and stronger attributes with every victory in battle. The protagonists can also learn powerful new skills from demons that level up, but that’s not even the best part about demon collection. Using the Cathedral of Shadows, monsters can be fused together to create even stronger ones! Mix and match or use recommended formulas to create the demon of your dreams (or nightmares)!
Aside from the new video, Atlus has shared details on a ton of DLC lined up for Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse. You can find the full information and release schedule below:
Bonus Item: Asahi/Nozomi Set
Price: $0.99
Availability: 9/20/2016
Description: Now you, too, can look like Asahi and Nozomi, thanks to these helmets! Must become an official Hunter before you can access them.Bonus Item: Green Pompadour
Price: $0.99
Availability: 9/20/2016
Description: Now you, too, can be as smug as Navarre! Must become an official Hunter before you can access it.Bonus Movie: Fall of Tokyo Promo Video
Price: Free
Availability: 9/20/2016
Description: A look into the events that set SMTIV: A in motion (warning: contains graphic content). Must become an official Hunter before you can access it.Bonus Item: Earring Set
Price: Free for a week, then $0.49
Availability: 9/20/2016
Description: The “Peace Earring” and “Anarchy Earring” are redeemed from the eShop. Must become an official Hunter before you can access them.Bonus Quest: A GodSlayer Needs Levels
Price: $2.99
Availability: 9/20/2016
Description: This Challenge Quest provides a means to level up quickly by gaining EXP-increasing items for your party. Must become an official Hunter before you can access it. Recommended for players that have reached the Fairy Forest.Bonus Add-On: Ranking Program 1
Price: Free
Availability: 9/20/2016
Description: This add-on uses the highest-ranked demons from DDS Cards acquired via StreetPass to power up the same demons in your stock. Must become an official Hunter before you can access it.Bonus Quest: A GodSlayer Needs Demons
Price: $1.99
Availability: 9/27/2016
Description: This Challenge Quest grants you access to the “Demon Market,” where you spend Macca to buy pre-trained demons. Must become an official Hunter before you can access it.Bonus Quest: A GodSlayer Needs Macca
Price: $2.99
Availability: 9/27/2016
Description: This is a Challenge Quest that helps you increase your Macca. Must become an official Hunter before you can access it.Bonus Add-On: Ranking Program 2
Price: Free
Availability: 9/27/2016
Description: This add-on determines the highest-ranked Main Partners from people whom you made StreePass exchanges with and powers those Partners up for you! Must become an official Hunter before you can access it.Bonus Item: Chiro Mask
Price: $0.99
Availability: 9/27/2016
Description: A mask that makes you look like Hallelujah’s partner, Chironnupu. Must become an official Hunter before you can access it.Bonus Item: Avatar’s Hat
Price: $0.99
Availability: 9/27/2016
Description: Dress just like Krishna with this snazzy fedora. Flute not included. Must become an official Hunter before you can access it.Bonus Quest: A GodSlayer Needs Apps
Price: $2.49
Availability: 9/27/2016
Description: This is a Challenge Quest that helps you increase your App Points. Must become an official Hunter before you can access it. Recommended for players that have reached the Fairy Forest.Bonus Item: Tokyo’s Past Set
Price: Free
Availability: 9/27/2016
Description: Download the Cute Glasses, Secret Eye Power Seal, and Surgical Mask! Must become an official Hunter before you can access them.Bonus Add-On: Extra Difficulty Levels
Price: Free
Availability: 10/4/2016
Description: This free add-on unlocks “Paradise,” the easiest difficulty setting for RPG newcomers and “Apocalypse,” the hardest difficulty setting for the most hardcore Shin Megami Tensei fans.Bonus Quest: The Inverted Pyramid
Price: $1.99
Availability: 10/4/2016
Description: This is a Challenge Quest that unlocks Cleopatra for fusion after you’ve beaten her in battle. Recommended for players who are near to or have completed the game.Bonus Quest: A GodSlayer Needs Jewels
Price: $2.99
Availability: 10/4/2016
Description: This Challenge Quest helps you collect jewels to trade for powerful items. Must become an official Hunter before you can access it.Bonus Add-On: Lore 1: Parallel Universes
Price: Free
Availability: 10/4/2016
Description: This lore add-on is a secret entry in the Hunter database, for those interested in more of the game’s back story. Spoiler alert! This entry contains several spoilers for the main story. Must become an official Hunter before you can access it.Bonus Quest: Explosive Epidemic in Mikado
Price: $1.99
Availability: 10/4/2016
Description: This is a Challenge Quest that sends you back to Mikado to solve a mystery within a limited number of turns. Recommended for players who are near to or have completed the game.Bonus Quest: A Trip to Hawaii
Price: $2.49
Availability: 10/4/2016
Description: This is a Challenge Quest that unlocks Mephisto for fusion after you’be beaten him in battle. Recommended for players who are near to or have completed the game.Bonus Add-On: Lore 2: “Observation” Explained
Price: Free
Availability: 10/4/2016
Description: This lore add-on is a secret entry in the Hunter database, for those interested in more of the game’s back story! Spoiler alert! This entry contains several spoilers for the main story.Bonus Quest: Depths of Twisted Tokyo
Price: $1.49
Availability: 10/11/2016
Description: Obtain the “Eternal Torus” to reach its lowest level. Recommended for players who are near to or have completed the game.Bonus Quest: A GodSlayer needs Items
Price: $3.49
Availability: 10/11/2016
Description: A Challenge Quest that lets you obtain HP/MP- and stat-increasing items. Must become an official Hunter before you can access it.Bonus Add-On: Level Cap Unlock
Price: Free
Availability: 10/11/2016
Description: This free add-on unlocks the level cap, allowing you to exceed level 100.Bonus Quest: Messiahs in the Diamond Realm
Price: $3.99
Availability: 10/11/2016
Description: Experience a short side story and fight alongside familiar faces to challenge an unexpected foe. Recommended for players who are near to or have completed the game.Bonus Add-On: Lore 3: Tokyo and Mikado History
Price: Free
Availability: 10/11/2016
Description: This lore add-on is a secret entry in the Hunter database, for those interested in more of the game’s back story! Spoiler alert! This entry contains several spoilers for the main story.
Inazuma Eleven Ares
Level-5 has recently announced a new Inazuma Eleven game as promised.
At its Level-5 Vision 2016 event, the company pulled back the curtain on “Inazuma Eleven Ares”, which takes place after the first game in a parallel world.
It stars protagonists Ryouhei Haizaki, Asuto Inamori, and Yuuma Nosaka.
Gematsu published the following overview:
The story revolves around a group of boys living on an island who love to play soccer. Their soccer club is suddenly abolished, and the only way they can regain it is to win the Football Frontier. Protagonist Asuto Inamori and company leave the island for Tokyo to attend Raimon Junior High School and take on the Football Frontier. But their first match is against the number one-ranked Seishou Gakuen.
One of Inazuma Eleven Ares’ big features is the new “Eleven Band” device. You can register a chosen player from the game to the band, and increase the character’s speed, technique, and stamina stats by walking and running.
Inazuma Eleven Ares will also have an anime in Japan which airs next summer. Additional “Locker Room” shorts will be shown online too.
Unlike the other games that had associated platforms at Level-5 Vision, this title had none, so no one knows where it will end up. That said, until a Nintendo platform is revealed for it, I likely won’t be posting much more about it.
You can watch the trailers for the new series and the Eleven Band below:
Lady Layton
Level-5 has recently announced a new game in the Professor Layton series at its Level-5 Vision 2016 event. The game is called Lady Layton: The Millionaire Ariadone’s Conspiracy and features Professor Layton’s daughter Katrielle Layton. You can find an english subbed trailer for the game below, followed by some screenshots and artwork:
Here’s the official blurb about the game from Level-5:
“As one of LEVEL-5’s masterpieces, the PROFESSOR LAYTON series of puzzle adventure games has sold more than 15.5 million units worldwide to date. Its newest official sequel, Lady Layton: The Millionaire Ariadone’s Conspiracy — available on Nintendo 3DS/Android/iOS — was announced to be released in Spring 2017 in Japan. Not only will the main character switch from ‘Professor Layton’ (Hershel Layton) to ‘Kat’ (Katrielle Layton), many of its characters will be brand new. The story will focus less on dynamic problem-solving and more on solving multiple mystery cases observed in the everyday lives of Londoners, which will bring a faster tempo and more comical tone to the series. It will be more familiar — and funnier — than ever, while maintaining an adventurous quality. The creators of the puzzles and brain-teasers, the core element of the series, will also be new. Please look forward to the new PROFESSOR LAYTON series, targeting a Western release in 2017.”
The official Japanese Lady Layton website is now open too, and you can access it here.
Finally, Level-5 CEO Akihiro Hino told Famitsu that the team decided to have Katrielle featured in the new entry because roughly half of the franchise’s user base is female. Even though there might be a feeling that men do not connect with male characters with the same going for women and female characters, Hino still hopes to appeal to the latter demographic. With drama series, main female characters were able to become big hits after women responded well to them. Hino also mentioned to Famitsu that Lady Layton has various chapters with their own stories, and that the overall structure can be compared to that of a television series.
Megaton Musashi
Level-5 has recently announced a new cross-media project at its Level-5 Vision 2016 event called Megaton Musashi.
Megaton Mushashi will be receiving a TV anime plus a multiplayer-style action RPG on 3DS and seemingly tablets.
The official Japanese Megaton Musashi website can be found over here.
Here’s what we were told in the presentation:
– The plot takes place on Earth, in the year 2118
– Invaders from outer space known as “Dorakuta” devastated the planet
– The protagonists and main characters pilot giant machines called “Musashi” to combat the Dorakuta
– Memories of mankind’s downfall have been erased from the minds of the human race, who were evacuated to a shelter at the time of the Dorukatua’s invasion
– Protagonists: Ryougo Hijikata, Yamato Ichidaiji, and Teru Asami
– These characters seem to be “chosen people” whose minds were not erased
You can find a trailer for the anime below, followed by some artwork from the project:
Finally, the latest issue of Famitsu also featured all the Level-5 Vision games, including more details on Megaton Musashi.
Here’s the roundup, courtesy of Siliconera:
– Going all-out with robots
– Has a world setting that will resonate with the generation of older folks
– Yamato Ichidaiji is the protagonist
– Will see it in the perspective of characters other than Yamato
– Level-5 wants to focus on showing the cool factor of robots in Megaton Musashi, along with the “awesome action that takes place inside the cockpit” where you’ll see characters shouting out special attack names and pulling levers
– We’ve seen a toy resembling Musashi’s cockpit, but Hino hopes to have something that resembles something that connects to the game like what we saw in Steel Battalion on Xbox
– Level-5 still deciding on supporting hardware
– Level-5 is thinking about 3DS developments for now
– Given how Megaton Musashi’s production revolves around giant robots and anime, they’re considering high-spec consoles that will allow you to fully enjoy such contents
– Hino wants players to play on screens that are as large as possible if they can
The Snack World
Level-5 showed more details of its new cross-media project The Snack World at its Level-5 Vision 2016 event.
The Snack World makes it possible to play as protagonist Chup or go on an adventure using your own characters.
Level-5 is also incorporating the keychain items “Jara” in real life, which can connect with the game to obtain weapons via NFC. Various Jara “brands” will exist with their own characteristics, and seem to form equipment sets.
The Snack World launches for 3DS in July 2017. You can check out the official Japanese website over here.
Level-5’s western press release also snuck in a mention that its subsidiary Level-5 abby will be handling “overseas expansion” of the franchise. The rollout schedule has not yet been determined, however.
Finally, you can find the new trailer, screenshots and gameplay footage below:
Yo-kai Watch 3
Yo-kai Watch 3 launched in Japan a couple of weeks ago, but Level-5 is still promoting the game with a new series of commercials for the RPG.
Check them out below:
https://youtu.be/-U8MQh0BlNM
https://youtu.be/uCVdygGsNFM
Azure Striker Gunvolt 2
Azure Striker Gunvolt 2 is almost ready for its Japanese release, so Inti Creates has introduced yet another pair of new characters: Asrock and Jibryll. An official update on the two should be shared soon, but both are already confirmed to be new bosses in the game.
You can take a look at them in the screenshots below, and also at some more gameplay footage that happens to show off Asrock too.
River City: Tokyo Rumble
Natsume recently tweeted that River City: Tokyo Rumble will hit North America around September. On top of that, Play-Asia and GameFly flat-out claim that River City: Tokyo Rumble is scheduled for September 13, which might eventually become the final date.
The company also sent out a few more screenshots which you can find in the gallery below:
Just Dance 2017
Ubisoft is giving fans a chance to try out Just Dance 2017 before the game launches in October.You can now download a demo from the Wii U eShop based on “Sorry” from Justin Bieber.
Three new songs have also been added to Just Dance 2017’s track list. They are as follows:
“Cake By The Ocean” – DNCE
“Watch Me (Whip/ Nae Nae)” – Silentó
“Hips Don’t Lie” – Shakira Ft. Wyclef Jean
Previously announced tracks include:
“Sorry” – Justin Bieber
“DADDY” – Psy Ft. CL of 2NE1
“Cheap Thrills” – Sia Ft. Sean Paul
“Lean On” – Major Lazer Ft. MØ & DJ Snake
“Worth It” – Fifth Harmony Ft. Kid Ink
“Don’t Stop Me Now” – Queen
“PoPiPo” – Hatsune Miku
“RADICAL” – Dyro & Dannic
“El Tiki” – Maluma
“September” – Equinox Stars
“What Is Love” – Ultraclub 90