The Import Scene 10.02.08: Exploding Clothes Edition

Posted by Tommy Coloma on 10.02.2008

In our first forray into the world of import gaming, we take a look at a full-priced top-down shooter, schoolgirls with clothes that shred on contact, and a WWII first-person shooter on an unexpected system.

Welcome to the first edition of The Import Scene. If you haven't figured it out by now, this column will focus on upcoming import game releases. For one reason or another, many of the games that our Japanese counterparts get to enjoy never make it to the US. Consequently, many good games fly completely over the heads of average consumers. As someone who is always interested finding new gaming experiences, the idea of missing out on something simply because I'm from a different region is pretty annoying. Putting this column together is my way of trying to make things right in the world. If I can get you to buy one import game before I put this column to rest in a few years, then I can rest easy knowing that I've succeeded in getting someone to try something that he/she otherwise wouldn't have touched. I just hope that you don't get mad at me if the import turns out to be complete crap.

Let's go -


Raiden IV (Xbox 360)
Apparently, shooters are still pretty popular in Japan, which might explain why this port of an arcade top-down shooter is selling for full price. The 360 version comes with two new stages not seen in the arcade, eight difficulty levels (because three just isn't enough), and the ability to select a stage that you've already visited. There's also a ranking feature that allows players to store game replays and play back those from other players. Now it's easy to verify that those who beat your highest score by a coulple million did so fair and square.

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Ikki Tousen: Eloquent Fist (PSP)
Ikki Tousen: Eloquent Fist is based on a 2003 anime called... Ikki Tousen. The story revolved around seven warring schools. Students train to become skilled fighters so that they can hold their own while duking it out with those who don't wear the same school uniform as themselves. Here is what I remember after watching a few episodes of the show -

1. The eye-patch girl with blue hair and maids clothes... I don't remember her name or what she did, but that combination is so unique that she's hard to forget about.
2. If you are female and you get punched, your clothes literally shred (or maybe they explode) into pieces.
3. Clothes that can barely contain one's assets do not hinder a person's ability to fight.
4. If you like fan-service-filled shows, this anime is for you. If not, well...

When I first saw some screenshots from Eloquent Fist, I thought that it was going to be a straight-up fighting game. Ikkitousen characters in a fighting game for the PSP could have been good. Ikkitousen characters in a side-scrolling beat 'em up? That's a little iffy, especially if you want something that'll last for a little while. But does it matter? This is going to sell a lot of PSPs in Japan.

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Unknown Soldier: Mokuba no Houkou (NDS)
From the screenshots I've seen at GAME Watch, this looks like a WWII first-person shooter. Based on how much is unknown about this game, and the fact that it looks like it's a few steps away from being a Simple Series game, I'm a little wary about the quality one can expect to from this.

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Jikkyou Powerful Major League 3 (PS2)
If you're interested, maybe you should just check out MLB Power Pros 2008. I can't figure out whether it's last year's or this year's game with a different roster, but they should be essentially the same. Either way, you're getting yet another entry in one of the longest-running baseball series around.

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To Love Ru Trouble: Doki Doki! Rinkaigakkou-Hen (PSP)
I think I found a flaw in my idea to put together a weekly import column - I can only take so many anime-related games per week before freaking out. But this is a series that I watched earlier this year, so I can at least go over the storyline -

A boy named Rito finds himself in a love-triangle between the girl of his dreams (purple hair) and an alien that wants to marry him (pink hair). The alien, Lala, is set to rule her home planet some day, so the guy she marries has to be worthy. Add in an overprotective father who will kill Rito if he isn't up to snuff and a few more girls who eventually fall in love with Rito, and you've got the anime called To Love-Ru. Yeah, it's another harem series. Here's a commercial for the game. Make sure nobody is around when you view it.

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It's only the first week, and I already want to retool this column. That's what I hate about starting new ones...

I'll be flying over to TGS next week, but I should be able to post something before I leave. If not, then expect something big when I get back in three weeks.