Wednesday, November 12, 2014

I'll be pre-ordering the 3DS version of Rodea: The Sky Soldier, too--as soon as somebody allows it

How's this for a blast from the past? A game that first made noise all the way back in 2011, but has barely been heard from since, is roaring back onto the scene courtesy of the latest issue of Japan's Famitsu magazine.

The game in question is Rodea: The Sky Soldier, a unique-looking action game that, a couple of years ago, was being prepped by former Sonic Team-er Yuji Naka and his team at Prope for an eventual release--courtesy of Kadokawa Games--on both 3DS and Wii.

Unsurprisingly, the Wii iteration has been moved to the Wii U. Aside from that, though, it appears that little else has changed in regard to the "NiGHTS into Dreams meets Shadow of the Colossus meets Sonic the Hedgehog" action that was showcased in this old trailer:



The only thing that doesn't thrill me about all of this: I'm still not the biggest fan of the design of Rodea's protagonist.

Still, I'm all set to put some money down on the 3DS title--as soon as somebody allows me to do so. Considering Rodea doesn't yet have a specific release date (it's supposed to be released "next spring"), I have a feeling my pre-ordering is going to have to wait at least a few months.

In the meantime, I'll save up a few bucks, as the 3DS version is set to be released with a 5,800-yen (about $50) price tag attached to it. (The Wii U game will cost 7,200 yen.)

(Via neogaf.com)

16 comments:

Chief said...

I forgot all about this. I'll be hoping for an english version or a guide. Since it's on 3DS as well, I'm sure there will be a guide somewhere even if minimal.


The protag is odd looking :D.

thegaygamer.com said...

At least it looks like a game that won't be hard to play if you don't know Japanese, Chief. I mean, it's not an RPG or even some other text-heavy game (I'm looking at you, Solitiba). All that said, yes, I'd also like to see an English version be released, even if I end up pre-ordering the JP version.

Justin Difazzio said...

Oooh...yeah...this one doesn't grab me in ANY way. The protagonist's design is eh. I wasn't a fan of Nights or Sonic, but Shadow of the Colossus is great. It just looks a little too "Team Sonic" for my tastes.

thegaygamer.com said...

Aw, that's too bad! I can't fault you for feeling that way, though, especially since I agree with you about the meh-worthy character design. (Seriously, I'd find the game A LOT more appealing if the character designs were better.)


I'm surprised to hear you aren't much of a fan of NiGHTS, BTW. I really liked the Saturn original, although I have to admit I've yet to play the HD re-release or the (supposedly not so great) Wii sequel.


I'm with you RE: Sonic, though. Although I've always thought Sonic as a character was OK, I've never liked any of his games--even the "best ones" that were released during the Genesis' heyday. Which is all well and good, I guess, since the games he stars in today seem to suck big time.

Chief said...

Nights Wii Sequel was very so so. Very lukewarm, treaded safely in the shoes of it's predecessor and took no risks. It was disappointing considering the original was a showcase for analog stick games & the 3D controller. Not that I was a big fan of the original but I did dig it.


Yeah Sonic peaked on the Genesis. The character is such an icon that they keep throwing him into games and they magically sell even though the games are terrible. I have Sonic Boom and I'd snap the disc if, I was that kind of person. 2 hours in and I'm falling through stages and getting other glitches. I only keep buying Sonic games because, SEGA nostalgia. I don't even like them anymore. ;_; I haven't since Dreamcast. The consolation prize is the fantastic soundtracks.

Chief said...

I'd pre-order but, I generally don't do that at all. I'm sure I'll be okay. I just prefer to know what I'm doing and why.

thegaygamer.com said...

I don't know why I've gotten into pre-ordering as of late, Chief. I never used to do it, at any rate. I think it's because I know that if I don't pre-order some games, I'll forget about them--or at least forget their release dates. Also, some of the more obscure JP games I tend to be interested in can get pricey if you don't pre-order them via places like AmiAmi.

Justin Difazzio said...

I actually never played the original Nights. I bought the Wii sequel and got about two worlds in and went....MEH. I had a very frustrating boss fight or two and just decided I didn't like it enough to continue.

thegaygamer.com said...

Yeah, I've heard from many others that the NiGHTS sequel for Wii was disappointing, which is too bad for all sorts of reasons.


I didn't even like how it looked, which is weird, as I'm quite fond of the Saturn original, and clearly the Wii could've handled a better looking version of that game. I guess it just goes to show how important "art style" is in such situations.


Other than that, oh, man, am I sorry to hear you're a Sonic fan. The hell you guys have to go through! I couldn't take it.


Will you still buy Sonic games after Boom, by the way? Or is this basically the end of your "relationship" with the series?

thegaygamer.com said...

Ah, I thought that may be the case. Not that I'm going to suggest you go out and buy the Saturn original or its HD re-release, which I think has been released on all sorts of platforms (Steam, 360, etc.). I do remember quite liking the original, though, if that means anything...

Chief said...

I don't think I can quit Sonic. I'm missing the Sonic RPG for 3DS. Besides that one and some of the spin-offs, I've got them all. I probably wont be buying them new. This one was given to me by a friend. He did the Target buy 2 get 1 free.


I suppose if they did something crazy to Sonic's design, then I would pass.

thegaygamer.com said...

Wow. Well, I applaud your allegiance, Chief, even if I can't entirely understand it :)

Chief said...

Nostalgia. SEGA was my favorite publisher growing up. I grew up playing Alex The Kidd & Sonic.

Chief said...

Yeah. I'm thankful I have a friend in Japan that helps me out on occasion. I wish he would help me out with translations. :-D

thegaygamer.com said...

That's the best way to go, obviously. That said, I'm amazed at how cheaply AmiAmi.com is able/willing to sell new, current-gen games these days. You basically pay the Japanese "retail" price for most games, and their shipping costs aren't bad at all.


As such, they've become my go-to site for most of my "new" JP 3DS game purchases. The only issue with them is that once a game goes out of stock on their site, they rarely seem to re-stock it, so you either have to pre-order them or nab them right after they're released.

thegaygamer.com said...

I can understand that. I'm similarly nostalgic about some other companies and/or characters/IPs/series.