IC Forum Archive

Chuplayer · Posts: 775

There's a definite lack of animeish games in America, and the ones that are out here are mostly RPGs. I hate RPGs. I really enjoy stuff like Magic Knight Rayearth and Guardian Heroes on the Saturn and stuff like that. Somebody recommend me something like those games, and don't recommend RPGs. And don't recommend imports because I want stuff that's readily available in American game stores.

Bonus points if you can recommend games that have cute girls.

Dark Age Iron Savior · Posts: 3148

Chuplayer wrote:

There's a definite lack of animeish games in America, and the ones that are out here are mostly RPGs. I hate RPGs. I really enjoy stuff like Magic Knight Rayearth and Guardian Heroes on the Saturn and stuff like that. Somebody recommend me something like those games, and don't recommend RPGs. And don't recommend imports because I want stuff that's readily available in American game stores.

Bonus points if you can recommend games that have cute girls.

SHOGO and Oni.

Both are good if you feel like crying a lot.

Chuplayer · Posts: 775

Dark Age Iron Savior wrote:

SHOGO and Oni.

Both are good if you feel like crying a lot.

SHOGO? Never heard of it. I'll have to check it out. I got Oni three years ago, and I loved it. Best five bucks I've ever spent.

BTW, is that avatar a pic from Sin and Punishment? I love that game!

Dark Age Iron Savior · Posts: 3148

Chuplayer wrote:

SHOGO? Never heard of it.

Sci-fi-ish FPS. Features both on-foot and in-giant-robot action. Feels terribly incomplete.[/quote]

Chuplayer wrote:

BTW, is that avatar a pic from Sin and Punishment? I love that game!

Yeah. It's of the novel or manga or whatever it is I'll never read.

Amakusa · Posts: 28

You don't have a lot of choices.

Er... play Robotech. I don't think it's anything like MKR or Guardian Heroes (since I've never played either of them), but I think it's fun.

sklathill · Posts: 184

If you want to play a Miyazaki film: Skygunner. It rocks. I see a lot more new copies of it, these days...
If you want to play a not-terrible fighter: Those DIMPS-developed Inu Yasha fighters fall squarely into not-terrible territory. And you can see the Rumble Fish animation system pre-Rumble Fish in the PS1 fighter.
If you want to have lots of blood and fun action: Berserk for Dreamcast should be pretty cheap. Still a fantastic game. Except for that run toward the camera level. Bah.
If you want to pull your fingers out at the knuckles: Voltage Fighter Gowcaizer, featuring character designs by MASAMI OBARI OMG!

wourme · Posts: 101

How about Incredible Crisis (PS1)? That's pretty heavy on anime, and quite amusing. Also, it's far from an RPG.

I think the US version was USD10 new, so it should be dirt cheap.

You control each member of a family in turn, and their goal is to get home in time for dinner. The grandmother's birthday, if I remember correctly. It's basically a series of minigames, each one different.

--

edit (in response to the following post):

I guess it's true that this game doesn't really have a strong anime art style. I guess it just reminds me a lot of anime because of the Japanese humor and cultural elements. But then, I don't think of, say, Katamari Damacy as anime-like, so I guess I don't know what it is. It's still a pretty entertaining game, at any rate.

BalbanesBeoulve · Posts: 2126

Incredible Crisis is Japanese, but not anime.

yellowlightman · Posts: 359

Robotech: Battlecry did a really good job reproducing the feel of the TV series, but the game is lacking. Definately playable and enjoyable, just lots of limitations and frustrating game aspects.

There's also a whole bunch of Gundam games available, the vs. series is very good.

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone COmplex is out in the US, heard mixed things.

HOw old can the games be? I can think of a number of SNES games released here from anime titles, there was at least one Ranma 1/2 fighting game and U.N. Squadron is a retitled Area 88 game.

Chuplayer · Posts: 775

yellowlightman wrote:

HOw old can the games be? I can think of a number of SNES games released here from anime titles, there was at least one Ranma 1/2 fighting game and U.N. Squadron is a retitled Area 88 game.

I'd prefer PSX-and-up games because they're easier to find and due to the power of the systems can provide more bells and whistles of animeness, but I'll appreciate any recommendation. Even as far back as the NES. That's why I didn't make the specification in the first post up there.

Baines · Posts: 906

Chuplayer wrote:

SHOGO? Never heard of it. I'll have to check it out.

Imagine an FPS made by Americans that watched too much Robotech and other mecha shows. Or an FPS Armored Core without any mech customization.

Kind of fun, but as DAIS said, it feels incomplete. The ending might as well be a Three Stooges skit, and some things are never really addressed. On the whole, the world doesn't feel developed beyond the concept of having mechs and the characters are one dimensional at best. There was supposed to be a sequel, but it was never made.

One of the player made mods was interesting in that it let you play human versus mech multiplayer battles, and yes the scales were kept accurate.

It's a PC game, and was playable on a 200Mhz MMX Pentium with only onboard graphics if you killed the options.

Shogo was re-released in one of those budget two-pack deals a few years back with Septerra Core, which was itself a non-Asian attempt at a Final Fantasy 7+ style RPG.

You can get anime fighters, like Gowcaiser(NeoGeo) or JoJo's Bizarre Adventure (Dreamcast). I'm not actually recommending Gowcaiser. The characters in Tobal No 1 were designed by Toriyama, but the much better Tobal 2 is only an import. Powerstone "feels" kind of animeish.

A variety of games "look" animeish, like Kendo Rage on the SNES. Which raises the question of more exactly what you are looking for in "animeish." Looks? Story? Ephemeral feel?

Anime tie-in? Gun Grave has a tie in. There is a Ghost in the Shell game that is supposedly decent.

Ukyo · Posts: 99

First of all, is this anime style sprites/style? Or did you want something based on anime? Or did you want something with anime like cutscenes?

If it doesn't have to be based on anime, then I'd go with Wild Arms 3. It's pretty cheap anywhere because perhaps it's not that good in the popular eye...But oh wait, no RPGs! Hehe...

The Gundam games can vary from really crappy to not so crappy, I suggest trying to find some Battle Assault (or whatever it's called) for cheap and trying it out, if you can stand it, then that's about the quality of most Gundam games in the US.

It seems they make generic 2D fighters for animes a lot too.

I'll look around for more examples.

Rival Schools Project Justice has a sort of anime feel to it I guess...with the quirky moves and all, that and it's a fun game. Hehe...But again, it's not actually based on an anime.

Ataru · Posts: 295

both Gungrave games are the obvious answer here... character design from Trigun dude, actual Anime series came later, surprisingly well recieved over at animeondvd.com

sklathill · Posts: 184

Kendo Rage does have an anime counterpart. Makeruna Makendo is the title, and it has a short OAV series and a couple other games for PS1. I actually had quite a bit of fun with this game. I am only slightly ashamed...

steamyrobotlove · Posts: 17

If "animeish" implies "quirky, exaggerated, and over-the-top," I can offer Katamari Damacy and Bombastic, which are graphical opposites in terms of controllable objects, spheres and blocks.

Katamari Damacy is a game where you roll up trash, much like a dung beetle, which, I suppose, is what the main character is meant to resemble.

Bombastic is a game where you roll dice to line up a quantity of dice equal to or exceeding the number on top of the dice being queued. Your avatar is a devil-like thing with large, black anime eyes and Teletubby-ish pajamas. In addition to rolling, you can hurl the dice as well as vs. opponents across the playing field.

This comes from looking at my stack of import-light games.

Rez is all I see.

Chuplayer · Posts: 775

Baines wrote:

Which raises the question of more exactly what you are looking for in "animeish." Looks? Story? Ephemeral feel?

Does it seem like anime or manga? Then it's animeish. Rayearth was based on an anime, and it's animeish. Guardian Heroes wasn't based on anime, but it was most definitely animeish, and not just in the animated opening department. That Goemon 64 game was very animeish. The Gundam games? Instant animeish.

If you think of a game and you think anime, it's probably animeish.

I have the Gundam Fed. Vs. Zeon game for PS2. It's really good. I also have the DC Japanese import 2-version pack. My friend just got the Gundam Vs. Z-Gundam game. I'm interested in it, but I'm really more interested in the Gundam Seed Vs. game that'll be coming out somewhere down the line.

Ukyo · Posts: 99

I really don't know what to recommend as I thought most Gundam games were clunky to hell, almost if you were controlling a giant robot. But I didn't want to control a realistic robot, I wanted an anime robot, where I can do things physically unsound, with the touch of a single d-pad.

Try RAD if you're into playing a game that had potential, but really didn't deliver the way it could of. It has ear-bleeding voice acting though, I mean, it's unbelievable, check it out to put it under the category, "When Anime Goes Wrong."

yellowlightman · Posts: 359

Baines wrote:

Chuplayer wrote:

SHOGO? Never heard of it. I'll have to check it out.

Imagine an FPS made by Americans that watched too much Robotech and other mecha shows. Or an FPS Armored Core without any mech customization.

I think part of the appeal of SHOGO was that it was designed to be customized and modified, around it's release I remember a lot of conversion projects popping up for the game.

extralife · Posts: 3316

Admit it: you just want more stuff to masturbate to.

Chuplayer · Posts: 775

extralife wrote:

Admit it: you just want more stuff to masturbate to.

Not necessarily. Sky Gunner has caught my attention, and that doesn't seem to be the sort of thing you'd masturbate to.

extralife · Posts: 3316

You're right--just the sort of thing you'd masturbate to.

Chuplayer · Posts: 775

extralife wrote:

You're right--just the sort of thing you'd masturbate to.

Oh, just shut up. Either recommend some games or get the fuck out of my topic.

extralife · Posts: 3316

Apparently people aren't allowed to make innocent tongue-in-cheek comments on IC. Maybe that was part of the relaunch? Were you a part of that?

x3no · Posts: 8

Chuplayer wrote:

extralife wrote:

You're right--just the sort of thing you'd masturbate to.

Oh, just shut up. Either recommend some games or get the fuck out of my topic.

Jesus. Angry, much?

jiji · Posts: 780

Hirameki have several DVD-player-compatible adventure games out that are most definitely anime-themed. They've got more on the way for that platform, as well as some for PC (including Ever 17, which is supposed to be exceedingly good).

aderack · Posts: 5018

sklathill wrote:

Except for that run toward the camera level. Bah.

Yeah, never did make it through that on the harder difficulties. I don't know if it's actually possible.

dark steve · Posts: 3002

There's Evil Zone.

It's compellingly horrible THIS IS NOW MY TOPIC I CLAIM IT FOR THE SPANISH EMPIRE

Broco · Posts: 546

Even considering the selection of games available in Japan let alone America, I find it hard to think of anime-ish games that aren't RPGs (or lovesims of course). They seem to mostly go into those two genres --- that's what Japanese otaku like.

Everything else I can think of offhand is for the arcade. There's Magical Drop 3 for the Neo Geo, a first-rate two-player bishoujo puzzle game.

There's also Gals Panic, an anime porn arcade game based on Taito's Qix. (Gals Panic 4 and Gals Panic S2 are the best of the series, if you want to know which to start with.) The gameplay is decent if shallow. High on the fap-meter anyway, so you'd like it.

Oh, and there's Guilty Gear, but you know that one.

Baines · Posts: 906

Chuplayer wrote:

If you think of a game and you think anime, it's probably animeish.

Doesn't entirely help for me. I've read a pretty wide range of manga, and have something of a variety of anime.

It also doesn't help that cutscenes and dialogues can easily look animeish in games because that is the style they are being drawn towards. Gigawing and other overhead shooters, for example, fall into that catagory. I'd say Ogre Battle looks like a Japanese game's artstyle (which many might would themselves define with anime,) but I wouldn't say it makes me think of anime. Darkstalkers looks like Western monsters given an anime makeover.

The Misadventures of Tron Bonne (PS1) might be of interest, though the atmosphere is slightly better if you actually play Legends 1&2 first. Megaman Legends 1 & 2 fit animeish as well.

sklathill · Posts: 184

Thank you Broco! You just reminded me of a puzzle game you MUST play. PUCHI CHARAT! A pretty good competitive puzzler/breakout game with some absolutely fantastically rockingly hillarious character portrait animations.

I didn't get a US release...but it does have a Euro release out there. It's PS1, so it should be pretty cheap.

George · Posts: 1656

Ukyo wrote:

I really don't know what to recommend as I thought most Gundam games were clunky to hell, almost if you were controlling a giant robot. But I didn't want to control a realistic robot, I wanted an anime robot, where I can do things physically unsound, with the touch of a single d-pad.

The thing you have to realize is that the vs. games are not developed by Bandai like the rest of the Gundam games, but by Capcom. And Capcom can make a darn fine video game. Federation vs Zeon was a lot of fun, and while both of the updates (AEUG vs Titans and Gundam vs Zeta Gundam) didn't change much, we in the US are lucky that we only got the second one, so that the cumulative upgrade is larger.

the vinculum gate · Posts: 2868

killer7 has a definite anime-esque feel.

cowboy bebop + some bad acid maybe.

but you are probably sick of hearing about that game.

Gouki · Posts: 212

dark steve wrote:

There's Evil Zone.

It's compellingly horrible THIS IS NOW MY TOPIC I CLAIM IT FOR THE SPANISH EMPIRE

God. I hate games like that. And the Spanish Empire.

dark steve · Posts: 3002

Dammit man, you revealed my hidden agenda!

Gouki · Posts: 212

Yes. But truly for the good of mankind, it is.

DaleNixon · Posts: 766

Chuplayer used to post normal topics.

dark steve · Posts: 3002

It's weird how they foreshadow, though.

GrimSweeper · Posts: 530

Drill Milky Punch for the PC. Bizarre beat 'em up, in which one or two of several anime characters try to punch/kick/whatever anything and everything that moves.

Flopping fish? Fire-ball breathing potted plants? Peanut henchmen? Cooks? All here and more. And they all are after you. Beat them against the screen boundaries and you will receive confections that give you bonus points.

Then there's also Perfect Cherry Blossom, Imperishable Nights, the most recent one by ZUN(which I can't remember the name of), Gundeadligne, Lethal Application, and a whole host of other doujin shooters for the PC.

newave · Posts: 616

Its semi-ironic that lots fo games mentioned like Robotech and Oni are american games trying to emulate anime....instead of japanese games based on anime (or with an anime look)

yellowlightman · Posts: 359

newave wrote:

Its semi-ironic that lots fo games mentioned like Robotech and Oni are american games trying to emulate anime....instead of japanese games based on anime (or with an anime look)

Robotech is an American game based on an anime, given that Robotech was a mash-up of three early-80's anime TV series (Macross, Southern Cross and Mospeada). It also does a far better job of capturing the "feel" of the source material than the Japanese-developed Macross games, oddly enough.

DavidDurica · Posts: 367

I agree with the endorsments of Robotech - Battlecry. I've no great love for the Robotech dub, but the game's a damnsight better than the 3d Macross games. DYRL (PSX and Saturn) and Scrambled Valkyrie (SFC) are quite good, but side-scrolling and Japan only.
Gundam stuff's quite common in the States, between Encounters in Space, Rise From the Ashes, Zeonic Front, Journey to Jaburo, and so on. Battle Assault 2 is much better than you'd expect, also. I wasn't that keen on the Fed vs Zeon line of games. They just seemed very generic.
Lupin III had what looked to be an MGS knock-off stateside on the PS2. Dunno how it played, but its out there.
There's a few Inu-Yasha games. meh.
Back on the NES there were a couple of Golgo 13 games, as well as a Fist of the North Star. They even left in the head explodeness. If you want "anime-styled", than Clash at Demonhead is worth checking, too.
The Genesis got Mazin Saga: Mutant Fighter, based on the post-apocolyptic, armor-looking Mazinger Z spin-off Go Nagai came up with for the American market.
The new Bebop game seems less wretched than the old Japanese-only one.

And, while not American released, stay the hell away from Keroro Gunsou - Mellow Mellow Battle Royale. Good show, great comic, but the game is ass. While Powerstone is the perfect game to use as a template for "Generic Chara-centric Anime License Game", it doesn't work out if the game plays like you were trying to control it with a pillow on top of the joystick.

Scratchmonkey · Posts: 2229

King of Fighters.

BalbanesBeoulve · Posts: 2126

DavidDurica wrote:

The new Bebop game seems less wretched than the old Japanese-only one.

Oh hells yes. I didn't know this was getting a US release. but apparently it is

George · Posts: 1656

DavidDurica wrote:

I wasn't that keen on the Fed vs Zeon line of games. They just seemed very generic.

The Fed vs Zeon games are much better than most Gundam games because they're made by an actual developer, Capcom.

DavidDurica wrote:

The Genesis got Mazin Saga: Mutant Fighter, based on the post-apocolyptic, armor-looking Mazinger Z spin-off Go Nagai came up with for the American market.

Woah woah woah. Is this any good? Go Nagai is my hero, and I don't think there's even an anime of this.

Dark Age Iron Savior · Posts: 3148

This isn't really to do with this thread, but I found out a while ago that the plot or dialogue or SOMETHING of Neo Hunter (which is kind of remotely and not really a Snatcher clone done up "Western anime" style) was done by Orson Scott Card, whomp I've never read anything by.

KonamiCode · Posts: 88

Crimson Tears, that Spike?-developed, Capcom-published game that was basically a dungeon crawling beat'em up.

It was...kinda unremarkable. I got a very strong Bubblegum Crisis vibe from it, but it wasn't really as intriguing as the old-school BGC world was to me.
Sure, it was just Blade Runner with CUTE ANIME GRAFIX but hey, I liked it.

newave · Posts: 616

But in Scrambled Valkyrie you fight a giant alien space baby for the final boss.....no American Robotech game features that!

the vinculum gate · Posts: 2868

that gundam wing fighter for the snes is not the worst game ever made

DavidDurica · Posts: 367

George wrote:

The Fed vs Zeon games are much better than most Gundam games because they're made by an actual developer, Capcom.

Meh. They had very little difference in the "feel" I got piloting any specific suit. I like my stuff a bit crunchier towards sim-itry in mecha piloting. I had high expectations going in, although I _did_ like the hell out of the level set in Jaburo with that Solidery Song going. It was by people looking to make a fun robot game, and I was looking to realize the sad fanboy dreams proposed by my Zeonic keychain and dog tags. If I want arcade-style robot fighting, there's always Virtual On.

coin approved · Posts: 20

Tech Romancer. Some people involved in the Macross series were involved in making this game and it was published by Capcom. The game feels like a mecha doujinshi with a professional budget and the Dreamcast port is loaded with tons of extras. Heck, the attract mode already emulates the opening of an anime.

I'd also recommend Hanagumi Taisen Columns. The second one. I'm not too sure of the first.

And speaking of Virtual On, I'm forced to get an Xbox 360 because of Senko no Ronde.