411mania talks about this week's game releases. Highlights include Oboro Muramasa, Suggoi! Arcana Heart 2, Guilty Gear XX Accent Core Plus, The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena, Hammerin' Hero, Professor Heinz Wolff's Gravity, and Rhythm Heaven.
411mania gives a rundown on this week's game releases. Highlights include The Chase: Felix Meets Felicity, DJ Max Fever, and Ninja Blade. The Chase: Felix Meets Felicity Despite still being in pre-alpha, the glimpse that I got of The Chase at last year's E3 was already looking pretty good. Unfortunately, more high-profile 2D platformers like Mega Man 9, Bionic Commando, and Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia were getting most of the attention. So, it's understandable that this game was overlooked. DJ Max Fever What's surprising is that PM Studios decided not to follow in Konami's footsteps by bastardizing the series with crappy songs from 2nd-tier US bands that nobody has ever heard of. Granted, most of the people who pick this up will not have heard of any of its songs either, but one of the game's main strengths is its song selection, and changing what works would kill the series before it has a chance to plant its feet. Ninja Blade Ninja Blade is a 'Cinematic Action' game developed by the people who brought us the Otogi series It looks to be a cross between Ninja Gaiden, Shinobi, Heavenly Sword, God of War, and Onimusha.
A large number of Team Ninja employees are reported to have left Tecmo following Itagaki's walkout earlier this month, according to rumours.
It is reported that "as many as three dozen" Team Ninja employees have done a runner and, to make things worse for Tecmo, also plan to take the company to court over unpaid bonuses for completed games.
Things got nasty early this month when Dead or Alive and Ninja Gaiden creator Tomonobu
Publisher Tecmo's share price has plummeted more than 10 percent since news broke that Tomonobu Itagaki had both sued the company and handed in his resignation.
Earlier this week it emerged that Itagaki had filed a complaint with the Tokyo District Court against his employer Tecmo for unpaid completion bonuses, and against the company's president for "unreasonable and disingenuous statements" made towards him.
He announced that
Tecmo has defended its position in the conundrum over Itagaki's resignation and lawsuit against the company announced yesterday.
The company says the "unpaid completion bonuses" Itagaki speaks of were an agreement of previous management, and that Itagaki had been paid his dues in the form of annual bonuses.
Dead or Alive creator Tomonobu Itagaki is leaving Tecmo and has filed a lawsuit against the company for "unpaid completion bonuses" over Dead or Alive 4.
Itagaki's translator contacted Kotaku yesterday, telling them: "At approximately 2:30 PM Japan Standard Time today, June 3rd 2008, an official statement from Tomonobu Itagaki was sent by fax to major Japanese news outlets."
In the official statement, Itagaki said: "I,
Rob Hearn of Pocket Gamer writes: It's a good day to be a European. Not only has Nintendo confirmed the imminent arrival of three vaguely interesting DS colours, but we've learned that Bangai-O Spirits is getting a European release, and the keenly awaited Ninja Gaiden Dragon Sword has got date we can write in our diaries. [...] The game's due out on June the 27th.
Speaking to press at a Ninja Gaiden 2 event being held in London today, Team Ninja's Tomonobu Itagaki has offered further insight into what he plans to do next. I love the action game genre, in particular I am very focussed on movement and the animation. One of the precepts I always have for my games is making sure that the animation of all the characters is as fluid and as cool looking as they can be, explained Itagaki. I think that I'm going to continue to explore the action genre and do something that allows me to go in directions that I haven't been able to go with the Ninja Gaiden series, with an entirely new franchise.
Those who didn't take advantage of certain Nintendo Channel downloadable demos for the Nintendo DS, such as Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword and Cooking Mama 2 are now officially out of luck.
Ubisoft has announced plans to launch Tecmo's Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword in Europe this June.
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