Senran Kagura

The explanation they gave was that it was a limited because it would be a (relatively) small print and every copy would come with the bonus. They have mentioned that the pre sales numbers are really good though.

Regarding Rin and Daidouji, the last sequence on the attack is an homage to FOTNS (http://imgur.com/sibTpXb), those two are quickly becoming my favorite characters. Hopefully they'll have a bigger role this time and are better balanced (it was kind of boring playing with them on Burst). I also heard the messages left by their VA on the official page and is really jarring to hear Daidouji's VA out of character.

Great article answering ONM UK complaints about SK

http://www.readwave.com/is-senran-kagura-burst-sexist-_s55491

So SK 2 was released a week ago and despite being a massive improvement on all fronts over Burst, is selling poorly (although still good numbers, all things considered). It seems that it was too diferent for the average SK "fan"

Sounds interesting. I certainty do hope it plays better. I was so disappointed with Burst that I went straight back into Code Of Princess (it was a noble effort, though, i certainly don't regret buying it)

Excellent article, btw. That word and that accusation is NOT to be thrown around, and people have to start realizing it.

edited 17th Aug '14 9:57:39 AM by Schitzo

ALL CREATURE WILL DIE AND ALL THE THINGS WILL BE BROKEN. THAT'S THE LAW OF SAMURAI.

Hopefully it and Shinobi Versus will be brought into Europe besides its fairly poor reception.

On a different point of matter, has any one here even seen the dub of the anime? Just curious.

Continue the bloodline, Fujimaru!

Versus and Dekamori are confirmed for release on Europe (both as digital only titles though). Versus is scheduled for October and Dekamori on November.

Actually it seems being too diferent is the main reason of its poor selling numbers. The game is more technichal and demands to the player to be on its toes at all times.

This is a pretty good walk around over all the changes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjbQdTWOLVE

Aww, that sucks. I cannot access the Internet with my 3DS or Vita. I guess I got lucky that they released Burst physically in Europe.

[Looking at the video] Wait, Orochi has breasts!? That somehow made it even more horrifying.

edited 17th Aug '14 12:10:16 PM by TPPR10

Continue the bloodline, Fujimaru!

Well, you could always import Versus.

Glad to hear that the sequel is more technical, not so much how that apparently polarized gamers/its fanbase. Hopefully it picks up in numbers soon.

I've only watched a little of that video, but the game at least looks more polished than Burst, and apparently more difficult (which seems to just translate to "less button-mashy"), which I would think wouldn't be a bad thing overall...

Does anyone know what the Japanese consensus on it is based on reviews or fan reaction or anything like that?

I didn't even know (or rather, I forgot) that the anime got a dub, though I guess I should've expected as much when I saw Funimation's DVD set pop up in my email (that, and the English VAs being added to the character pages). I'm considering getting it, if only to support Funimation and the series. Is there any news of any of the manga getting official translations?

Though I haven't gotten that far yet in Burst, I did see that Orochi has those in the artwork on SK 2's official site, but I also assumed that the one in 2 is somewhat different from the one at the end of the first game...

edited 17th Aug '14 12:23:32 PM by Customer

I have bad experience with ordering stuff online from my own country (Finland btw). So I don't have high hopes for import.

I just checked Orochi's artwork in Burst and it actually had breasts back then. I never noticed that. How do you even unlock its artwork in the gallery, anyway? I have beaten the game in both paths and I don't have it. Do you have to do other stuff?

edited 17th Aug '14 12:30:43 PM by TPPR10

Continue the bloodline, Fujimaru!

The first impressions was that the game is a mess, too hard, with an awful system that replaced Versus' "perfect one" (quotes are mine), too unforgiving, didn't explain things properly, a step down on playable characters and generally, a dissapointment after Versus.

It doesn't help that most threads about it became an argument over Vita's superiority over the 3DS. There's reports about some serious bugs but I haven't found reports about it so that should show how is the fanbase.

People who imported the game over 4chan, Gamefaqs and Neogaf only give praise to the game though.

You can unlock Orochi's art by getting the "see all secret ninpos from bosses" achievement on Hanzo story. And regarding the import, You can't order from Amazon? I'm on Mexico and I've never had issues with them.

I seem to have problems with that achievement. You see, most of the bosses seem to do that whenever you die. However, Mirai seems to always do her normal Secret Art and Homura just refuses to do anything unless it is Crimson Homura.

Continue the bloodline, Fujimaru!

Barring Hibari, Homura and Crimson Homura all the bosses have two ninpos. However, the second one is ony used on CH 5 (and Hikage only uses hers while berserk) For the boss to use her ninpo first it needs to fill her own bar, so you need to let them beat you for a bit. Some ninpos are used on close distance and others, far away. If you are killed the Ninpo doesn't count.

I guess those system debates occur because the Vita is doing well in Japan compared to the US. I mean, I've yet to talk to a single person IRL that doesn't make me think that a Vita purchase will end up being a bad decision (I still plan to get one though).

Anyway, it sounds like some of the disappointment is coming from people expecting SK 2 to be a sequel to Shinovi Versus than to the first game, which is sort of disappointing, but not all that unexpected, considering how much more popular the Vita spin-off was. If it continues like this, Takaki might have to rethink his idea of making the 3DS the "main" platform for the series (that, or start moving the Versus games to the 3DS as well).

Going by the video though, it seems like the first portion of the game is much more difficult than the later portion, if only because the Hebijo girls seem ridiculously tough for being the first bosses in the game. And I imagine trying to get used to the new mechanics doesn't help in the least.

At this rate (and I realize it's way too early and I'm jumping the gun on this), Estival Versus, which seems to be a Vita sequel to Shinovi Versus^note Is that "v" in Shinovi supposed to represent something, by the way? "Estival" seems like it's supposed to be "Festival", which is making me thing these mispellings are intentional, though I don't know why., seems like it'll be more well-received than Senran Kagura 2 is right now...

Apparently the higher price point of Senran Kagura 2 means they're at least making more money off of it. Hopefully the balance patch will at least fix the difficulty. It seems the Japanese are complaining quite a bit about games being too hard lately, though.

And I believe the Vita arguments are more in relation to power and input options. The 3DS is inherently more limited on both fronts. Honestly, the main reasons people tell you to avoid the Vita are likely either ignorance or because they don't like Japanese games or indies and thus see the library as crap (on the other side of the coin, you're flooded if you like either).

edited 17th Aug '14 5:57:27 PM by burnpsy

I think that it was more Takaki overstimating the fanbase. He worked hard to deliver a game that was both deep and fanservicey but people reacted poorly because it wasn't the same as Versus (as Customer accurately pointed out, the biggest beef is that isn't Versus 2). Some of the complaints are frankly irrational, the most prominent is about Kagura and Naraku not being playable but Takaki tweeted back on April that they weren't and they were never advertised as playable to begin with.

More of the bashing is the "fans" throwing a fit, the game has a pretty great 3.7 review on Amazon JP and some people who has actually bothered with the game admit that is better than Burst.

I'm worried that Deep Crimson low sales mean that Senran Kagura is but a fad on Japan eyes and it has begin to vanish from the people's mind, I want the series to keep going strong and becoming a stable franchise.

Most arguments about Vita and 3DS are insane troll logic textbook examples since suggest that the Vita should be SK home because is the Otaku machine, so yeah...

Shinovi Versus is a wordplay on Vita, Tom explained it over the XSEED forums:

"The official reason it was written as "Shinovi Versus" is because it's a Vita game, so it's V for Vita. And since fans of the series already know it by this name, we elected not to mess with a good thing, so to speak.

I actually suggested renaming it "Senran Kagura: Shinovita" to make the V for Vita connection more apparent, but literally NO ONE ELSE AT XSEED liked that name. ;)"

http://forum.marvelous-usa.com/index.php?showtopic=27600&#entry857694

EDIT: The guy who did the mechanics video has just uploaded another about the character customization and challenge modes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzoYSSNmYho

Customization is absurdly deep and is pretty much a game by itself while the challenge mode is pretty reminiscent of DMC's Bloody Palace.

edited 17th Aug '14 7:14:17 PM by Tzitzimine

More technical? I usually see that as a good thing.

ALL CREATURE WILL DIE AND ALL THE THINGS WILL BE BROKEN. THAT'S THE LAW OF SAMURAI.

So you actually have to hope that the bosses do their Ninja Arts on their own? Normally this would be fine, but of course they had to make an achievement on that. And seriously bosses, no need to taunt me like that. EDIT: I got the achievement. Thank you, Daidouji and your gigantic health bar. But wait a minute, how come I still don't have Orochi's artwork?

The only times I can remember bosses using Ninja Arts normally is with Haruka, who did her normal one while I was stunned (tried it yesterday) and using her Super Secret Ninja Art to murder me twice. And of course there is Daidouji who once missed her Dragon Punch, probably because she launched me too high.

Other discoveries I found that for some reason, max Yang mode seems to make bosses feel like they are dumb. Like they cannot attack you at all since you have super armor, and Yomi somehow missed with her charge cannon attack twice while I was standing front of her. Also, Mirai has hard time doing clothing damage to you and Chapter 5 Homura cannot do any clothing damage at all until Crimson Homura mode.

edited 18th Aug '14 8:26:09 AM by TPPR10

Continue the bloodline, Fujimaru!

Hmmm, weird. Have you gotten all the other achievements? I'm only lacking the "raise everyone level to 50" one and I've already filled the gallery.

And you know, Daidouji's slow as molasses but is really fun to play as since you can't just button mash your way to victory (if you aren't cheap, looking for an A rank or using Yang's super armor that is)

So, do you guys think that Deep Crimson low sales stem from a bad marketing?

I feel like SK is on the edge of becoming a lasting (if niche) series or being forgotten by everyone, it all hinges on Takaki's and Marvelous management of the brand.

The long list of missing ones are Greater Shinobi, 100% character missions, almost all of Master character, Risk Your Life (I wish the game would show Frantic clears on the top screen), Yin and Yang Master, Valedictorian, Bibliophile and Flawless.

And yes, Daidouji is rather fun to play as. Her heavy aerial (a.k.a. Godly Heeldrop) is such a great move in my opinion.

Continue the bloodline, Fujimaru!

I really want to see the sub this Saturday. God dem bewbs.

edited 18th Aug '14 11:59:57 AM by KingKix

Dakota's blog An odd agent of justice

Was there bad marketing? I wouldn't know... I assumed it was marketed as much as any other game really.

I'm mostly hoping that the negativity is just from first impressions, since that's mostly stemming from people (supposedly) being too lazy to research a game in a series they like before they buy it (there are several videos on the main site that show that it wasn't like Shinovi at all; oh, and thanks for telling me why they went with that spelling). And hopefully the reaction will change a bit before it's been a month out. From what I've seen, it seems that most people who actually knew what they were getting into (read: didn't think it was going to be Versus 2) actually felt that the game is better than Burst, and is pretty fun once you get the new mechanics down.

Basically, all SK 2 needs to do is get over this initial reaction hurdle (and hope that word of mouth based on said reaction doesn't kill any more potential sales) and it should do well enough that Estival Versus could still be developed and released (as, I'm assuming, Estival will be the better received game at this rate). As been said, despite the bad reaction, the game appears to be doing well in general.

---

On another note about the reaction being based on Versus, now that I'm aware that people were disappointed that the new girls weren't playable, I think fans were also anticipating the large roster that Shinovi had (not to mention New Wave having a ton of other characters as well), so going back to just playing Hanzo and Hebijo was probably seen as a(nother) step down (especially for fans of Yumi and Miyabi's teams).

...Speaking of, do we know how well New Wave does for the series? That might help the series stay alive as a niche if SK 2 does indeed somehow severely damage the franchise.

edited 18th Aug '14 2:23:14 PM by Customer

Okey, I went back to check my file and it turns out that Orochi's art is unlocked by getting the "Get an A rank on every mission" title, I unlocked both titles at the same time so that's why I get confused. Sorry.

Having said that, getting an A rank is pretty easy once you get the mechanics down. My suggestion is using Ikaruga since she does tons of damage and can link her ninpos into combos with ease, or Hibari and abuse the hell out of her air kunai.

Yeah, for some reason most fans was expecting Versus 2 despite all the marketing material showing clearly that it wasn't the case. Opinion seems to be slowly shifting though.

And is definitely Estival what is gonna seal the fate of the franchise, is confirmed to be multiplat on Sony consoles, I'm assuming that means PS 3 and Vita since doing it for PS 4 is a way too risky to be profitable. So Marvelous will have a lot riding on it, hopefully the reception will be way better since it would be more like the fans want.

New Wave is constantly getting updates and new cards so I'm assuming is doing pretty well but since is Japan exclusive(unless you're willing to go through some loops to play it) is hard to find hard data on it.

Siliconera has just posted this article:

http://www.siliconera.com/2014/08/18/senran-kagura-producer-wants-narrow-release-gap-outside-japan/#JjicLmqYYHgE5lzs.99

Where Takaki says that he wants to narrow the release gap on the west for Senran Kagura titles, those are fantastic news but is important to note that the interview was done on Deep Crimson's release wake so is possible that things have changed based on its reception.

In any case, Takaki's a hell of a guy and his hard work reallly deserves to pay off.

Hmm, not being able to play as the Cram School girls does sound bit disappointing (who doesn't want to play as a girl who uses a giant cleaver as a weapon?). I mean, I dout the cast would have been as large as Versus, but you know.

I also just noticed that Haruka's robot buddy gets upgraded between 2 and Versus.

Continue the bloodline, Fujimaru!

Second week numbers

10./03. [3DS] Senran Kagura 2: Crimson # <ACT> (Marvelous AQL) {2014.08.07} (¥6.998) - 9.624 / 56.119 (-79%)

If it keeps moving those numbers weekly for a while it will have a great shelf life (plus there's the balance/bug fixing patch coming) so I'm not too worried, it wasn't a hit but also it wasn't a bomb.

I'm also confident it would do better on the west.