Persona 4 Gets Official Japanese Boxart

Japan's upcoming Persona 4 has finally gotten itself some official boxart. The game is set to be released in Japan on July 10, 2008, meaning the US and EU releases will probably come later after that.

If you ask me the new boxart looks much better than the Persona 3 boxart, and it really draws me in to check the game out. Enjoy!

[Amazon JP]

Games that Japanese Gamers Want Remade

Dengeki Online recently had a polling asking Japanese gamers what games they would like to have remade. The results are below. I wonder what came in first.

1. Final Fantasy VII (PSone) (Square Enix)

Oh, duh.

2. Xenogears (PSone) (Square Enix)

3. Seiken Densetsu 3 (Super Famicom) (Square Enix)

4. Romancing SaGa 3 (Super Famicom) (Square Enix)

5. Tactics Ogre (PSone) (Atlus)

6. Megami Ibunroku Perusona (PSone) (Atlus)

7. Final Fantasy IX (PSone) (Square Enix)

8. Romancing SaGa 2 (Super Famicom) (Square Enix)

9. Saga Frontier (PSone) (Square Enix)

10. Wild Arms 2 (PSone) (SCEA)

Not surprising that mostly every game here is from Square Enix, and all of them (minus 3 games) are on the PSone. I mean, come on people, we are talking about Japan. Square should get to work on that Final Fantasy VII remake (please, won't you?), after that a Persona remake from Atlus wouldn't hurt at all either, or perhaps Persona 2. Hmm.

[Dengeki Remake Poll] [Kotaku]

Tears to Tiara Gets a Gameplay Video

Upcoming Japanese PC remake for the PlayStation 3, Tears to Tiara, has finally gotten a gameplay video. The video is basically Fire Emblem meeting with Thoursand Arms. The gameplay doesn't look half-bad either, it actually looks like it's worth a try. Enjoy!

[JRPG Tears to Tiara gets a video, waits for an audience]

Japan Gets Another Metal Gear Solid 4 Bundle

Sony Computer Entertainment Japan announced today that they will be releasing a new PlayStation 3 bundle called the "Metal Gear Solid 4 Welcome Box" for the release of the game next month. The bundle will be released on June 12, 2008 (same day as the game's release), retailing for ¥49,800. The bundle includes a 40GB PlayStation 3, a SIXAXIS controller, Metal Gear Solid 4 (the game), and a DUALSHOCK 3 controller. The bundle will come in three colors: black, white, and silver. View the press release below.

Tokyo, May 2, 2008 - Sony Computer Entertainment Japan (SCEJ), a division of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCEI) responsible for business operations in Japan, today announced that it would release "PLAYSTATION®3 METAL GEAR SOLID 4 GUNS OF THE PATRIOTS WELCOME BOX with DUALSHOCK®3"on June 12th, 2008, as a limited offer, at a recommended retail price of 49,800yen (including tax). It will become available concurrently with the release of the software title, Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, from Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd. (Konami).

"PLAYSTATION®3 METAL GEAR SOLID 4 GUNS OF THE PATRIOTS WELCOME BOX with DUALSHOCK®3" comprises 40GB model of the PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3®) computer entertainment system (CECHH00 Series), Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots for PS3 (You Got This From Kotaku), and a special bundled item of DUALSHOCK 3 wireless controller in addition to the SIXAXIS™ wireless controller that comes together with PS3. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots is scheduled to be released from Konami on June 12th, 2008, as the final chapter of the highly popular Metal Gear Solid franchise, which has sold more than 22 million units to date worldwide.

The PS3 system for this bundle pack will be available in three different colors of "Clear Black", "Ceramic White" and "Satin Silver", and users will be able to choose the color of their preference.

With this offering, SCEJ will continue to further expand the PS3 platform and create a new world of computer entertainment with innovative and exciting new titles and an enhanced line-up of the PS3 systems.

Battle Fantasia Demo on Japanese PlayStation Network

If you head over to the Japanese PlayStation Network, you'll find a new demo on the PlayStation Store. The demo is of Arc System Works' Battle Fantasia. It's a new fighter, so I'd recommend you give it a try.

[Thanks Jimmy!]

Siren: New Translation: Demo Gameplay

Well, the Siren: New Translation demo is live on the Japanese PlayStation Network, so you are probably wondering how it looks and plays. If you don't want to play and prefer to watch, KurowaSan of NeoGAF has made a video for us to enjoy. The game certainly is a dark game, we can tell you that much. View the demo video above or download it here.

[SIREN PS3 Demo impressions thread]

Siren: New Translation Demo Live on Japanese PlayStation Network

Now up on the Japanese PlayStation Network is the Siren: New Translation demo that was recently announced. The demo weighs in at about 550MB in size, containing two short missions. We are going to give it a go tomorrow. Hopefully, it will be good, and if it is, hopefully then it will come to the US.

Valkyria Chronicles XMB Theme for Download

Valkyria Chronicles is releasing in Japan this week, and they are promoting it with some new XMB themes for the PlayStation 3. Head over to Valkyria Chronicle's Japanese website and hit "Download" then "Custom Theme" and get this baby. It looks pretty good.

[Download free Valkyria Chronicles XMB theme]

Capcom to Roll Out Grand Theft Auto IV in Japan

Capcom Japan announced today that it will be publishing the Japanese version of Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto IV. the game will be released in Japan sometime this year for both the PlayStation 3 and Japan.

Capcom has published past Grand Theft Auto titles in Japan, and they have seen critical success, with games usually selling over 200,000.

[GTAIV Heads to Japan]

Tears to Tiara Releasing July 17, 2008?

Remember that SRPG, Tears to Tiara? Well, it is a PlayStation 3 remake of a 2005 PC Game. PlayAsia has just posted up the title for pre-order along with a release date of July 17, 2008 for Asia. Could this game finally be seeing a release this year? When we find out more on this, we will let you know.

[Play-Asia] [PS3Fanboy]

PlayStation Store Revamp: Japanese Screenshots

We were able to get some new screenshots of the Japanese version of the upcoming PlayStation Store revamp. The new store will include a preview functionality as you can see below, along with other new features as well. Enjoy!

Dragon Ball Z: Burst Limit: Japanese Gameplay

Some new Japanese gameplay of Namco Bandai and Atari's upcoming Dragon Ball Z: Burst Limit has surfaced today. The new gameplay tours you through some dialogue, the character select screen, and some fighting. Enjoy!

Metal Gear Solid 4 Steel PlayStation 3 Bundle Sells Out

Konami's Japanese site has recently revealed the steel PlayStation 3 Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots bundle as "Sold Out". Yes, that was pretty quick. The bundle includes Metal Gear Solid 4, a DualShock 3 controller, and the limited edition Steel PlayStation 3. Poor importers, is there still hope yet for this bundle in the US?

[Japanese Metal Gear Solid 4 bundle sells out]

JP PLAYSTATION Store Update: March 20, 2008

Well, lets see what the Japanese PlayStation Store will be receiving today as their weekly update (yes we are a bit late). It's just a bunch of PSone Games, but it wouldn't hurt to bring Metal Gear Solid to the US and EU Stores, now would it?

PSOne Games
- Metal Gear Solid (600 yen) (PC Store)
- デザエモン Kids! (600 yen) (PC Store)
- プロ麻雀 極PLUSII (600 yen) (PC Store)
- Atelier Elie 2 (600 yen) (PC Store)
- Crash Bandicoot Carnival (600 yen) (PC Store)

Once again, please Sony, bring Metal Gear Solid to our shores as well.

Metal Gear Solid 4 Site Updates with Merchandise

The official Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots website has updated today with some merchandise. The merchandise includes the Limited Edition Steel PlayStation 3, the actual game, the special edition of the game, a charge stand, and headphones, all branded with Metal Gear Solid 4.

The site reveals some pricing as well. The standard edition of the game will cost 8,800 Yen with the special edition cosing 9,900 Yene. The 40GB Steel PlayStation 3 will cost 51,800 Yen. Hopefully, these items will arrive in the Statest.

[Official Metal Gear Solid 4 site updated; MGS4 merchandise]

Metal Gear Solid 4 Steel PlayStation 3 Images

If you're looking to get a better image of the Steel Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots Limited Edition Japan only PlayStation 3, then here you have it. Next to it, we have the steel DualShock 3. Yes, it does look very nice, looks like it is made of gun-metal. Still no word on whether this is the PlayStation 3 that will be in the US bundle.

[A Better Look At MGS4's "Steel" PS3]

Soul Calibur IV Japanese PlayStation 3 Teaser

Namco Bandai have released a new teaser trailer for their upcoming fighter, Soul Calibur IV. The trailer has only been released in Japan, and sure does leave us with a tease. Enjoy!

Japan Receiving Promotion DVDs With Metal Gear Solid 4 Pre-Orders

A GameTrailers user by the name of DeathSeeker who lives in Japan pre-ordered Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots last month. When he pre-ordered, they took down his address and phone number and such to send him promotional gifts.

Today, he received this promotional DVD in the mail. No word on whats on it. But we will update you when he lets us know.

[I preoreded my MGS last month and today i got this MGS4 disc sent to me]

Possible New Final Fantasy Versus XIII Trailer Coming Midnight

Square Enix today announced that they will be releasing a Final Fantasy Versus XIII trailer at midnight o n their Mobile News Channel for Docomo cell phones. We are still unsure whether it is a new trailer or the old one released on the CLOUD DVD. Either one is possible.

However you must remember, chances are slim that this trailer will make an appearance on the web

[Possible new FF Versus XIII trailer to be released]

PlayStation Home: OGC 2008 Presentation Shots

The Online Game Conference in Japan brought along a PlayStation Home presentation with it. Let me say, the Japanese version is looking much different than the US/EU version. Anyway, for now, lets enjoy the Japanese presentation shots that likely nobody here will understand. Enjoy! [Thanks Ruliweb!]