Cave titles confirmed for 360

[englishbob]

I'm calling it, there will be no more Cave releases on the 360 in the US and Europe this generation. Like the Radiant Fighter Aces release, this is a non-event.

Cave, on the other hand, have some seriously bizarre business practices that, if they want to make some money out the games, they need to address quick-sharp. Sadly, the announcement that Akai Katana is region locked with the pre-tense that someone might publish it abroad (even though no one is talking to them about this and their usual partners have pretty much said we are not interested) means that region locking a game is a daft move, especially when you have already issued 3 other titles that weren't

Common sense would surely mean that, when developing a title before releasing it or making any decisions on it, you would court foriegn publisher interest at that stage? not region lock it and then HOPE someone would be interested in it after release?

I don't know, Cave's 360 games have been frustrating. At times its almost to wish they hadn't bothered in doing ANY region free games at all and just region locked everything, therefore their (great) games would of been the persuit of the few, not the many, and they would of continued to plug away at survial.

I'm not sure what my point is, other than ARRRGGGHHHH FRUSTRATION!

[fuse]

It costs Cave money to submit a game to additional approval boards and thus make a game region-free, so if they're not getting sufficient additional sales on the back of that, it makes more sense for it to stay in one region and hope that an overseas publisher picks it up. Besides, if they make a game region-free, everyone who is interested (across the world) will buy it, so who does that leave to buy it if later on another publisher then releases it elsewhere (other than those just doing it out of support)? Note that Death Smiles is the only game that's been picked up by non-JP publishers, and guess what? That was locked on it's original Japanese release.

The fact that they have tried 3 region-free releases should be a blessing in itself, not a reason to condemn them for coming back from that with their tails between their legs. AK looks fantastic and I pray (for their sake more than ours) it does get picked up by a western publisher, but I don't think it could be any clearer by this point - if you want to play the games, buy a Japanese 360 and stop complaining.

[dvdx2]

I'm calling it, there will be no more Cave releases on the 360 in the US and Europe this generation. Like the Radiant Fighter Aces release, this is a non-event.

Cave, on the other hand, have some seriously bizarre business practices that, if they want to make some money out the games, they need to address quick-sharp. Sadly, the announcement that Akai Katana is region locked with the pre-tense that someone might publish it abroad (even though no one is talking to them about this and their usual partners have pretty much said we are not interested) means that region locking a game is a daft move, especially when you have already issued 3 other titles that weren't

Common sense would surely mean that, when developing a title before releasing it or making any decisions on it, you would court foriegn publisher interest at that stage? not region lock it and then HOPE someone would be interested in it after release?

I don't know, Cave's 360 games have been frustrating. At times its almost to wish they hadn't bothered in doing ANY region free games at all and just region locked everything, therefore their (great) games would of been the persuit of the few, not the many, and they would of continued to plug away at survial.

I'm not sure what my point is, other than ARRRGGGHHHH FRUSTRATION!

sounds like you need to invest in a jp x360.....

[Super Monkey Balls]

Jesus, how many times
If there's a chance one of their games will have western appeal they'd be stupid to spend money region approving if for a few hundred extra sales thus alienating overseas publishers. MMP/PS had no chance, "Red Katana" is widescreen HD and relatively moe-free.
The game's not even out in Japan yet. Don't rule out localisation because one guy on one publishers forum said they're not looking into any Cave games at the moment. Deathsmiles took almost two years to make it here.

[eastyy]

would be curious what sales figures are for death smiles in japan europe and america

personally death smiles was my fav cave game by far ...though the sequel is growing on me

[Kaosu]

They did. The PAL manual is pretty-much a verbatim copy of the one in the US version.

Knowing this now, I'm actually somewhat disappointed. It's a decent manual, but being a close rendition of the US manual is... for lack of a better word - lazy.

[BaronSqwelch]

how much different could it be tho? its the same game....

[englishbob]

sounds like you need to invest in a jp x360.....

Well I thought about it, but I can't go down that route. With the reliability of the machine and all, its too much pain to bear. On my 4th Euro 360 as it is.

Plus owning these games on Japanese import is a minefield in itself! Loads of DLC plus quite a few games have now gone OOP

stop complaining.

Jesus, how many times

What?

[dvdx2]

Well I thought about it, but I can't go down that route. With the reliability of the machine and all, its too much pain to bear. On my 4th Euro 360 as it is.

Plus owning these games on Japanese import is a minefield in itself! Loads of DLC plus quite a few games have now gone OOP

agree with you m8 - tis the reason why i have never taken the plunge - i have been through about 7 of them

Even had a jasper unit conk out about 2 months ago - dreadful piece of hardware

[SharkSkin-Man]

agree with you m8 - tis the reason why i have never taken the plunge - i have been through about 7 of them

Even had a jasper unit conk out about 2 months ago - dreadful piece of hardware

Slims are reliable enough aren't they?

[ozzzy189]

Knowing this now, I'm actually somewhat disappointed. It's a decent manual, but being a close rendition of the US manual is... for lack of a better word - lazy.

I was surprised that pal deathsmiles had a colour booklet and that costs loads more than a ****ty black and white job, maybe four times as much from what I was told. Katana is a game that looks suited to this gen more than any other cave game- hd, 16:9, and very pretty. Maybe rsg will pick it up eventually.

[Kaosu]

I was surprised that pal deathsmiles had a colour booklet and that costs loads more than a ****ty black and white job, maybe four times as much from what I was told.

Absolutely, I didn't mean to be negative on the content put into the manual, because as Loftgroover mentioned, you can't really change much as it's the same game, including the on-disc DLC which the US version has too.

[Family Fry]

I am sure there was a thread about this game but I can't find it and not wanting to duplicate I will just put the news in here.
Nin2-Jump the Cave XBLA game will be released this month April, although no confirmed date, it's gonna be 13th,20th or 27th.
(also added it to my XBLA release calender thread "pimping it up!")

They have also confirmed that All proceeds from sale of the game from release until the end of June will be donated to relief efforts for Japan, game will be sold for 400 Microsoft points.
Incase no one has seen it, looks like this.

[nuskool]

The Golden Harvest type intro is fantastic!

[Ebisamaru]

Thank you zavvi, ?9.99 for a delux version of death smiles, think it has went up to ?14 now but still a good price for 3 disks and a fantastic shooter imo