In Real Life

Professor Layton’s Puzzles Paid For This Stadium

Fans of professional American sports will be used to seeing stadiums named after companies. Insurance companies, banking companies, telecommunications companies. It’s a shame, then, that unlike in Japan, none of them are named after video game developers.


January 21, 2011
In Real Life

Making Video Games Is A Harsh Mistress

Five years ago, Akihiro Hino was coming off designing, writing, producing and directing two role-playing games, Rogue Galaxy and Jeanne d’Arc. He was young, ruddy and full of life. Then, the unthinkable happened. His games started taking over the entire country.


November 4, 2010

The Surprising Ways Japanese Games Are Changed For Westerners

There’s an old translator’s joke that goes something like this: If you literally translated what is said when a Japanese businessman calls another businessman, you’d get two people constantly apologising. Not exactly fall over funny, but it’s true.


September 28, 2010
News

At Least One Japanese Game Developer Is Doing Great

Level-5, the Fukuoka-based developer behind Professor Layton and White Knight Chronicles, is loving the Japanese game industry. Why? Because it has made the company lots of money and funded some swanky corporate digs.


September 1, 2010
News

White Knight Chronicles Is PSP Bound

The latest entry in PS3 exclusive series White Knight Chronicles won’t be coming to Sony’s home console. It will arrive on its PSP. And it’s a prequel.


News

The PSP Lives On In Japan With More Monster Hunter, White Knight Chronicles

The PSP, healthier as a platform in Japan than anywhere else, is still the portable of choice for many in its native land. The new issue of Famitsu magazine unveils new details on two of the PSP’s big forthcoming games.


June 30, 2010
News

White Knight Chronicles Ready To Slay PSPs

PS3 role-playing game White Knight Chronicles is coming to the PSP.


May 27, 2010

Let’s Look At White Knight Chronicles 2

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Role playing game White Knight Chronicles 2 is the upcoming sequel to White Knight Chronicles 1. Here is the “opening trailer”.


May 14, 2010

Will White Knight Chronicles 2 Turn Things Around?

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This brand new look at the sequel to Level 5′s so-so Japanese role-playing game certainly looks to ramp up the excitement, the big bad guys and the JRPG cliches. But White Knight Chronicles 2 will do it in style.


April 14, 2010
News

Is Professor Layton Developer Working On Nintendo 3DS Game?

Level-5, the Fukuoka-based developer behind the Professor Layton puzzle series, is working on a new game. A new game for hardware it hasn’t yet seen. Hrm.