Portable

Japanese writers are especially adept at allegory, crafting eloquent and often evocative metaphors when tackling provocative subjects like animism, environmental abuse, or war. With the release of Bad Apple Wars for the PS Vita and ...

Following the success of 2010’s Hyperdimension Neptunia, developer Compile Heart’s output drifted toward the formulaic. Beyond a structure split between visual novel-based storytelling and turn-based combat, the Toshima-ku based studio integrated a copious amount of ...

Although disregarded by Sony, the PS Vita survives thanks to a steady stream of niche software. Sure, support from big third-party publishers like Ubisoft and Electronic Arts dried up years ago, but thanks to a ...

When Americans travel to Japan, they often remark on how safe the country feels. Unlike many parts of the U.S., you’re able to walk freely without the fear of assault or mugging – at any ...

In the West, Nihon Falcom’s output is tarnished with the rare blemish. Notably, The Legend of Heroes: A Tear of Vermillion and Prophecy of the Moonlight Witch– the first two entries in the Gagharv Trilogy ...

Occasionally, the industry treats games as disposable commodities to be purchased, played, remastered, and then purchased anew. Fortunately, that’s not always the case, with some efforts favoring an autonomous experience that serves as an outlet ...

The ‘90s were a glorious time for the strategy role-playing genre, with SEGA crafting the Shining Force series while Quest Corporation earned critical acclaim with the Ogre Battle franchise. Later, key Tactics Ogre: Let Us ...

2012’s Hakuoki: Demon of the Fleeting Bloom was released at an unfortunate time, just as the PSP’s user base was beginning to erode. But those who did get an opportunity to play the Aksys-published title ...

Japanese role-playing aficionados know that allegory is a frequent storytelling strategy. Whether it’s Hyperdimension Neptunia’s spirted take on game console competition or the Persona series’ ruminations about our inner psyches, there’s something rather potent about ...

Travel to Japan and an appreciation for rail transit is inevitable. Whether you’re traveling on the Akebono’s sleeper car between Ueno to Aomori, taking the Shinkansen (bullet train) to race between Tokyo and Kyoto, or ...