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Japanese Mobile Gacha Games: Gatcha hand on your wallet and I'm never letting go!

ReaperXL7

Member
Coming to the US? When was this? I know it has an English SEA release around last year, are you talking about that?

It is hard to play without knowledge of Japanese, more so now with all the extra effects and conditions for cards nowadays compared to to the start of the game. Still, the JP version has the benefit of being, well, the JP version so all the extra gems, collabs, apology gems as well as fast and consistent game updates. I think MA2 has done a real great job at improving their game over the last almost two years it's been operating, it would be a shame to give that all up for a slowly updated, content drought translated version, even if I could understand the cards a lot easier.

Nevermind, I was thinking about the announcement of the PlayStation versions, for some reason I thought a western announcement was included with that but I was misremembering.

http://gematsu.com/2016/07/kai-ri-sei-million-arthur-coming-ps4-ps-vita

In general though from the little amount of time I've spent with it so far it seems like a pretty solid mobile game, and the visuals are very nice.
 
So no opinion about Panzer Waltz ? Anyone ? I'm curious ffs.
Yeah I know I could download it but I also tend to hate cheap knockoffs, so if the game isn't good I would very much like to not try it at all. But at the same time I want a wacky f2p with waifu slash random weapon and Kancolle hasn't discovered the west.

i know this is like 8 days after you asked but I tried it and it's okay. Doesn't seem too nasty in terms of stamina or needling you to pay for coins, battle is all automated

Has both girl and base upgrading with repleneshing "silver" (for upgrading, buying items, etc) and "metal" (for random character/item pulls) and all that is okay.

The thing I do hate about it is the unskippable dialogue (oh god why) that you have to get through once, and the time limit to complete all the sub-missions within the mission. This means that you can't just step away from the long battles for too long because you have to manually click through the dialogue to keep the mission as a whole from timing out so you're basically forced to check in with it every few minutes if you're in the middle of the mission. This would be fine if the battles weren't automated so all you get to do is watch.
 

chrono01

Member
Eh, I tried it. Took for.ev.er. to finish downloading the assests. Gameplay was fun, but there were no Attack on Titan collabs to be found, dropped it a few days later.

Also, article says it's out of soft launch now.
You weren't kidding. The second download batch is taking FOREVER! Seriously, I've had full games download faster through my Wii U/PS4. :/

I'll see if I can get a nice monster with my initial tutorial pull, if not, I'll just delete and move on. I'd be interested in re-rolling to try for something nice, but not for a re-roll that takes one hour to do. Seriously, this download has been going for around 20 minutes now and it's only at 55%.

Edit: Still going, 78%. Slowest download for a gatcha-based game I've ever experienced.
 

chrono01

Member
Over an hour to download all of the Puzzle Monster Quest data, only to get a 3* monster with my initial pull. Oh well, onto other gatcha games.
 

chrono01

Member
Haha SO TRUE.
There's just no reason why they couldn't have made the "free" pull part of the tutorial, like virtually every other gatcha game does. I didn't even know where to go initially to start the pull, since the tutorial never walked me through it. The only reason I could see was so the developers could initiate the game data batch download (and an extensive one at that), simply to discourage re-rolling.

That kind of rubs me the wrong way.
 

commish

Jason Kidd murdered my dog in cold blood!
There's just no reason why they couldn't have made the "free" pull part of the tutorial, like virtually every other gatcha game does. I didn't even know where to go initially to start the pull, since the tutorial never walked me through it. The only reason I could see was so the developers could initiate the game data batch download (and an extensive one at that), simply to discourage re-rolling.

That kind of rubs me the wrong way.

Devs out of touch with how ppl expect these games to work. Game seems pretty cool though. We will see.
 

Uthred

Member
Apparently the Attack on Titan isnt actually in the game yet either, it's "Coming soon", and no kidding about those download times. Very rocky launch.
 

commish

Jason Kidd murdered my dog in cold blood!
Apparently the Attack on Titan isnt actually in the game yet either, it's "Coming soon", and no kidding about those download times. Very rocky launch.

Pretty silly. Feel like a bait and switch! Anyway, I deleted the game.
 

MiTYH

Member
So I know it wasn't too Gacha-like, but it kind of was. Marvel Avengers Alliance 1 and 2 close on Sept 30th. Shame, I had fun with it when I played it, hate to see a good game go down like that
 

commish

Jason Kidd murdered my dog in cold blood!
So I know it wasn't too Gacha-like, but it kind of was. Marvel Avengers Alliance 1 and 2 close on Sept 30th. Shame, I had fun with it when I played it, hate to see a good game go down like that

Wow really? I played the FUCK out of MAA 1. My first and only Facebook game. I actually had a hole in the wall of my old apartment where I slammed my monitor while raging at MAA's PvP, the first and only time I've ever gotten made while playing a game. The pvp was rage inducing haha.

Anyway, RIP.
 

ReaperXL7

Member
Capcom released Street Fighter Puzzle spirits today

You can download either version from here

http://forums.toucharcade.com/showthread.php?t=293419

screen696x696.jpeg

it's a bit different from the older Puzzle fighter games but it's still quite fun. There is a gacha element in these skill cards that you can pull but I haven't had a chance to really dig into the game yet. It does seem quite fun, and Puzzle fighter is one of my favorite puzzle games of all time even if I would have preferred this not be a F2P gacha game.
 

HawthorneKitty

Sgt. 2nd Class in the Creep Battalion, Waifu Wars
In Naruto:

*playing co-op*

If a member other than the leader disconnects, the control of that character is switched to the leader. The game continues. If the leader disconnects, the entire room is kicked.

In Bleach:

*playing co-op*

If a member other than the leader disconnects, the control of that character is switched over to the AI. The game continues. If the leader disconnects, all members currently in that run are switched over to AI and control remains with you. The game continues and you're able to finish the run.

Bleach has it so much better. :(
Games where you enter for free should never allow you to gain access because you can just join, cut connection yourself and play with yourself. Rinse and repeat. What kind of multiplayer is that.
 

chrono01

Member
Games where you enter for free should never allow you to gain access because you can just join, cut connection yourself and play with yourself. Rinse and repeat. What kind of multiplayer is that.
It doesn't work like that, though.

In Brave Souls, if someone other than the host disconnects, that's it. You're out. Control of your character is switched to the AI for those still remaining. If the host disconnects (the one who uses their ticket to start the co-op), the game switches to single-player for those remaining, your other party members being controlled via AI. It just ensures that the run for everyone goes on, if the host suddenly loses connection. Considering some of the runs, especially the newly-introduced raids, can take a decent amount of time to complete, it's definitely appreciated.

Unless you're saying that Naruto shouldn't have this system, in which case, it would (or should) work the same way. If you joined for free (via co-op), entered the run, and then severed the connection to play on your own, it wouldn't work. You'd be removed, while the quest continues for everyone else (the host gaining control of your character, in this instance). If the host themselves purposely disconnected, to gain control of your characters and play the co-op solo (if they didn't have characters strong enough themselves, and intended to "use" yours), the game would switch over to single-player for the 2P and 3P. Everyone wins.
 

chrono01

Member
I downloaded Otogi Spirit Agents (it's available on the iOS store), but can you really not re-roll? I started the game, got my premium summon, and then uninstalled/reinstalled. It automatically logged me back in. :/

Edit: Wait, you get a free premium summon every single day, if you log in between 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM (it's automatically converted in-game for your time-zone)? That's incredibly generous, it makes not being to re-roll a lot less frustrating. I still wish I could, but I see no way to start on iOS without it automatically linking to your Game Center account. Maybe if I had logged out before I started the game...

But anyway, apparently the only real way to re-roll is between the time I posted above. Apparently, the first two summons are locked in (3* axe guy, and 4* Chimera) so if you want something different, you have to use the daily free summon (only available during the 90 duration) to try your hand at a 5*. Probably not worth it, considering there are other means of obtaining 5* in the game (through the mocha), as well as daily free summons.
 
I just found this game called Demon's Gate which launched last month while reading the recap of last months' new and noteworthy games on one of the Japanese blogs I frequent. It's set in the year Showa 10 (1935 by the western calendar) and is developed by a ton of ex-SMT-series staff (the producer/game designer was the scenario writer for SMT3, co-designer worked on Megaten until SMT If... just to highlight a few). It basically looks like a MegaTen game set in pre-war Japan. I haven't downloaded it yet, but holy crap, the moment I saw the screenshots I started getting excited.

Anyone playing this? I'm gonna go ahead and say it's never gonna leave Japan, and that it's gonna require a fairly proficient level of Japanese to play it. I've read a bit indicating that it's quite story and worldbuilding heavy for a gacha game, with a somewhat restrained battle system. Basically the gameplay doesn't carry it, the world and design does, which is rather unusual.

I wonder how successful it will be; most of the praise I've seen for it is couched by the reviewer saying that for them personally this game is unbelievably cool, but other people may not be quite so hooked. I'll be downloading this as soon as I get home from work.
 

hmmmdonuts

Neo Member
Curious, I'm looking at Sword Art Online Memory Defrag's gameplay
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToQt8oS6XX4
Notice a lot of the UI including character skills are already in English, although it's region locked to Japan.

I noticed this with other official Janpanese games as well, so any reason for this? A way to teach English to the Japanese people? Or is this a sign it'll be translated to English eventually?
 

Azusa

Member
Curious, I'm looking at Sword Art Online Memory Defrag's gameplay
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToQt8oS6XX4
Notice a lot of the UI including character skills are already in English, although it's region locked to Japan.

I noticed this with other official Janpanese games as well, so any reason for this? A way to teach English to the Japanese people? Or is this a sign it'll be translated to English eventually?

Its just cool.
 

Uthred

Member
Setting for Otogi seems sort of interesting, I am a sucker for Onmyoji stuff. Though I think I missed that daily premium summon window. Any kind of tier list? Probably going to play this very casually so wont re-roll but its always nice to amp up ones disappointment by knowing what you could'a should'a got ;)

Edit: Or not, seems like its 12-14 local time
 

ReaperXL7

Member
Curious, I'm looking at Sword Art Online Memory Defrag's gameplay
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToQt8oS6XX4
Notice a lot of the UI including character skills are already in English, although it's region locked to Japan.

I noticed this with other official Janpanese games as well, so any reason for this? A way to teach English to the Japanese people? Or is this a sign it'll be translated to English eventually?

Bandai haven't announced anything yet but SAO is pretty popular in the west so it wouldn't surprise me if it does come over. I'm hoping it does even though I have been playing the Japanese version because it would make the co-op a lot easier being able to understand each other. The mechanics are a lot of fun in my opinion, especially the boss mechanics which make me pretty interested in how they will implement advanced raids.
 

Jeffrey

Member
maybe its just an age thing or something, but I'm less and less patient about rerolling in mobile games. Often just delete the game if the rerolling is too much of a hassle.
 

Uthred

Member
maybe its just an age thing or something, but I'm less and less patient about rerolling in mobile games. Often just delete the game if the rerolling is too much of a hassle.

I dont think its an age thing, it feels more like attrition, the first few times its annoying but you do it. But with each successive bout of re-rolling it erodes your patience a little more and then when every new game seems to "require" it, well everyone has a limit for tedium.
 

MiTYH

Member
Bandai haven't announced anything yet but SAO is pretty popular in the west so it wouldn't surprise me if it does come over. I'm hoping it does even though I have been playing the Japanese version because it would make the co-op a lot easier being able to understand each other. The mechanics are a lot of fun in my opinion, especially the boss mechanics which make me pretty interested in how they will implement advanced raids.

Tokyo Game show's this week and I think Bandai has a lot to announce, so here's hoping for some western information!
 

commish

Jason Kidd murdered my dog in cold blood!
I dont think its an age thing, it feels more like attrition, the first few times its annoying but you do it. But with each successive bout of re-rolling it erodes your patience a little more and then when every new game seems to "require" it, well everyone has a limit for tedium.

It's such a thing that I can't imagine why companies aren't factoring this into their game design. Make it easy for people to re-roll. If you make it hard, and people feel like their starting character "isn't good enough", then they will just move on.
 
I think part of it is also that it's pretty rare to see a new mobage that's super fresh these days, so rerolling for a game that isn't even really all that special just doesn't seem fun.
 

Jeffrey

Member
Think im also tired of being 'salty' from pulls.

Wonder if there are any decent 'f2p' games that aren't all about gacha.


Like the equivalent of a good f2p mmo, where the money element is mostly cosmetics.
 

commish

Jason Kidd murdered my dog in cold blood!
Think im also tired of being 'salty' from pulls.

Wonder if there are any decent 'f2p' games that aren't all about gacha.


Like the equivalent of a good f2p mmo, where the money element is mostly cosmetics.

If I put a lot of money into these games, I would throw my phone after spending $40 and getting nothing remotely useful. GBF does it best. You can pick the stupid character you want. No disappointment for your dollars. Sure the gacha may screw you over on your pulls, but at least you don't have to pay for those.
 
maybe its just an age thing or something, but I'm less and less patient about rerolling in mobile games. Often just delete the game if the rerolling is too much of a hassle.
I find it more odd when someone rerolls in a game they 100% know they'll quit in a week. :O

Personally, not rerolling and getting shit in your first big 10 pull makes it more demoralizing.
That first overpowered reroll character will usually at least let you progress some more.
 

ReaperXL7

Member
wasnt there already a SAO gacha game with brave frontier style gameplay?

Yeah there is another one on the Japanese App Store that is more similar to brave frontier. This new one is far better in my opinion though and the co op adds a lot because of the premise and I think the action RPG style of gameplay has the benefit of making more characters viable to use. I still rerolled for a 4 star Klein since thats the highest rarity so far but I probably did not need to.
 

Jeffrey

Member
Always wondered how well anime/movie/comic/game franchises do with multiple f2p games.

Theres like a new final fantasy one every month. And disney seems to shut down a Marvel or star wars one every month lol.


Looking at the app store, it does seem like most of the Final fantasy ones do pretty well in japan though.
 

Zafir

Member
If I put a lot of money into these games, I would throw my phone after spending $40 and getting nothing remotely useful. GBF does it best. You can pick the stupid character you want. No disappointment for your dollars. Sure the gacha may screw you over on your pulls, but at least you don't have to pay for those.

Even worse most of the time they're rather silly priced. I mean you're paying roughly £25 give or take for one multi-pull. Which will most likely contain a load of rubbish.

In comparison you could spend that £25 on a good console/pc/handheld game, buying two movies, or even just having a nice night out(be it some drinks, a cinema trip+meal or whatever).

But yeah, the latest casualty of the re-roll problem for me was Justice Monsters V. Got a rubbish first roll, and didn't care enough about the game to bother re-rolling. :p
 

Azusa

Member
maybe its just an age thing or something, but I'm less and less patient about rerolling in mobile games. Often just delete the game if the rerolling is too much of a hassle.

but why? I didnt reroll in the last few mobage I tried. I started granblue with R character and it didnt bother me. I dont see any value in rerolling. I rather spend this time playing the game. You are too esports in the wrong type of games.
 

Uthred

Member
but why? I didnt reroll in the last few mobage I tried. I started granblue with R character and it didnt bother me. I dont see any value in rerolling. I rather spend this time playing the game. You are too esports in the wrong type of games.

I don't think its an issue of being too "esports", some gacha games are set up so that if you want to remain F2P but be able to progress through the content you have to start with a good unit. Granblue is an exception in this regard as the lions share of your teams ability will depend on what you grind in game, so I'm not sure it serves well as an illustrative example.
 

bjork

Member
After spending a bunch of time with the Jojo game, I think it's alright. It took a little while to get used to the gameplay because I hadn't played Monster Strike prior to this, but it's pretty generous with gems and reward characters, etc.

The gatcha part is pretty decent as well. There's one option where you buy guys one at a time, and after 7, the 8th one is free. There have also been options where you buy 7, but it gives you 7+2 and I don't know if there's a higher success rate there, but I got 4 SSRs from one of those pulls. There are also the usual friend point pulls and some other ones you can only get by earning rings by getting specific story drops or evolving characters, but it sure seems to have a ton of characters. It's good for unwinding in bed, any way.
 

Jeffrey

Member
Still wish GBF behaved less like a webpage and more like any other mobile game where you only sync with server occasionally.

Just a huge pain playing it in the US in terms of delays between all interactions.
 

chrono01

Member
Still wish GBF behaved less like a webpage and more like any other mobile game where you only sync with server occasionally.

Just a huge pain playing it in the US in terms of delays between all interactions.
Agreed. I've watched streams of Japanese players, and everything is lightning-fast. It's not a terrible delay playing through Chrome (or the Chrome App), but it is slower compared to them. It's even more frustrating when you're trying to MVP a fight.

For a game as big as GBF, you'd think they would have done an overhaul and released a full-fledged application, but I guess that might be too much work. Still, with the amount of income they're getting, it's something they should definitely be able to do. They'd have to migrate all of the user data over to it, so that could complicate things.
 
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