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[aku:jiki]

Always had my eye on this, but never did pick it up for some reason. I guess I felt it wasn't worth a shot at full price (since I knew so little about how it actually played, beyond looking cool), and then new games got in the way. Now, though, I managed to score a copy very cheap, and I'm totally in love.

I mean, damn, despite the lack of combos and certain other minor things (that I can't think of since I just got up), this is almost as good as Ninja Gaiden! It is definitely also kind of amusing how Raikoh is so much more limber and athletic than Hotsuma in Shinobi, and Raikoh isn't even a ninja. I guess, actually, this is the game I wanted Shinobi to be.

Gotta love equipping the Twin Rays and unleashing blue and orange airborne fury and then topping the combo off with a level 3 magic attack. You also gotta love a game that not only lets you break shit, but definitely encourages it -- collecting spirits and getting an "A" in destruction is great fun, and can sometimes be a real challenge. Some levels are a bitch. I don't even want to try getting that A in Red Sea yet, because I know that'll end in a whole lot of frustration.

Speaking of Red Sea, I love how they've thrown in some random variation levels, like this one (you follow a flying fox and have to protect him), the one where you break shit to search for those glowing balls, and the one where you run as fast as possible. Perhaps a few too many levels were of the "kill everybody" variety, but I don't mind since the killing is fun!

This game is awesome and I love it, can't wait to play part 2. Are Sega (or anyone) bringing it over at all, or should I just go for it? On the plus side, I won't have to endure terrible voice acting ("The souls of the weak have no flavor!" You must suffer moohhhrrr-ah!") or wait even longer to play it. On the minus side, I won't have any idea what the story is or what the weapons do (which I find important to know).

Anyway...Am I alone with all this <3?

 

[Rhindle]

Yes, Sega is bringing the second game over.

I didn't think the voice acting was particularly objectionable. It's just that the script was fairly random and meaningless.

 

[Andy787]

Sega is bringing it over, thank the lord. And yes, Otogi is fucking awesome, I barely got half way before I had to get rid of my Xbox because of it's CD drive, and you can't copy the save to a mem card, so I'll have to play through it again myself sometime.

None shall pass!



None shall pass! None shall pass! None shall pass! None shall pass! None shall pass! None shall pass! None shall pass! None shall pass! None shall pass! None shall pass! None shall pass! None shall pass! None shall pass! None shall pass! None shall pass! None shall pass! None shall pass! None shall pass! None shall pass! None shall pass! None shall pass!

 

[Teknopathetic]

NONE SHALL PASS!

 

[aku:jiki]

Yes, Sega is bringing the second game over.

I didn't think the voice acting was particularly objectionable. It's just that the script was fairly random and meaningless.

Awesome! Any idea as to when that's happening?

I guess I agree, even though the two following posters after you nailed one of the most annoying aspects of the voices. A few of the bosses were terrible, but I actually like the princess' voice, for example. They've also at least attempted correct pronounciations, which I think is a relief. In the end, I guess "terrible voice acting" was exaggerating it, but what I meant was that I like my samurai and ninja games with japanese speech. Just like I prefer my russians in movies speaking russian, rather than english with a fake russian dialect.

Not giving you voice options in a game that can't possibly take up the whole disc is just sloppy.

All this talk of sound reminds me, though: It has some really great music in parts. (Except that one in the place where you smash urns or something to release essence of gold, that music was just "wtf?" material.)

 

[bloke]

Save your love for Otogi 2. Better and improved over the first game in many ways. It's should be coming out both in US and Europe in October.
Sure it's obvious both games are kinda style-over-substance affairs, but when the style makes your eyes bleed in joy it's hard to complain.

None shall pass!



None shall pass! None shall pass! None shall pass! None shall pass! None shall pass! None shall pass! None shall pass! None shall pass! None shall pass! None shall pass! None shall pass! None shall pass! None shall pass! None shall pass! None shall pass! None shall pass! None shall pass! None shall pass! None shall pass! None shall pass! None shall pass!

...sheesh, just switch to japanese language option.

 

[BuG]

Not giving you voice options in a game that can't possibly take up the whole disc is just sloppy.

You have the PAL version of Otogi too, don't you? The Japanese dubbing was left in the NTSC version of the game, but mysteriously removed from the PAL version. Not giving you voice options in a game that can't possibly take up the whole disc is just sloppy, especially if it was once present in the other English version of the game.

 

[aku:jiki]

You have the PAL version of Otogi too, don't you? The Japanese dubbing was left in the NTSC version of the game, but mysteriously removed from the PAL version. Not giving you voice options in a game that can't possibly take up the whole disc is just sloppy, especially if it was once present in the other English version of the game.

Yes, yes, I do.
That makes little sense, then. Although...I guess maybe they first aimed to add spanish, french and german and thus removed the japanese, then realized there was no time/money for that and forgot to default back to old code?

Sure it's obvious both games are kinda style-over-substance affairs, but when the style makes your eyes bleed in joy it's hard to complain.

I don't really agree. See, eyecandy's what I thought I was getting, but the game is actually a lot of fun too. It's not as visually impressive as I guess it once was either. But I have heard that 2 is even prettier and better, yeah. Can't wait to check it out.

 

[Blimblim]

You have the PAL version of Otogi too, don't you? The Japanese dubbing was left in the NTSC version of the game, but mysteriously removed from the PAL version. Not giving you voice options in a game that can't possibly take up the whole disc is just sloppy, especially if it was once present in the other English version of the game.

I'll have to contact Sega France about that, I really wonder why they did that. Hopefully they won't do that again for Otogi 2, especially since there are 5 main characters now and all of them have rally nice japanese voices.

 

[aku:jiki]

I'll have to contact Sega France about that, I really wonder why they did that. Hopefully they won't do that again for Otogi 2, especially since there are 5 main characters now and all of them have rally nice japanese voices.

Wait, what? Five playable characters?

Man, I don't think I need to hear more about it. I'm just crazy with anticipation from playing the original, I'll need a straight-jacket if I hear more good stuff about it.

 

[Blimblim]

Wait, what? Five playable characters?

Man, I don't think I need to hear more about it. I'm just crazy with anticipation from playing the original, I'll need a straight-jacket if I hear more good stuff about it.

I have done a lot of videos of the japanese version of the game on my site, if you want to take a look (first 3 levels, and some crazy fights)
http://www.xboxyde.com/game_235_en.html (registration required for old content, free and painless )

 

[Subitai]

Halo 2 is the only game I want more this year than Otogi 2.

 

[bloke]

Wait, what? Five playable characters?

Man, I don't think I need to hear more about it. I'm just crazy with anticipation from playing the original, I'll need a straight-jacket if I hear more good stuff about it.

Actually it's six, Raikoh+5. Check the US trailer if you already haven't http://www.gametrailers.com/gt_vault/t_otogi2_e3_2k4.mov

 

[P90]

Save your love for Otogi 2. Better and improved over the first game in many ways. It's should be coming out both in US and Europe in October.
Sure it's obvious both games are kinda style-over-substance affairs, but when the style makes your eyes bleed in joy it's hard to complain.

...sheesh, just switch to japanese language option.

That is good that Otogi 2 is better than 1. Otogi 1 was just a DMC clone. (Better than NG, but not nearly as good as DMC1). More of an Oriental atmosphere, kinda Ico-ish. Very nice visuals. DMC trumps it in gameplay and all out badass cool. I might check out Otogi 2 when it is discounted.

 

[Blimblim]

I fail to see what DMC and Otogi have in common. Ok you control a characted in 3rd person view, and you... kick/shoot enemies That's it. Hardly something DMC invented anyway...

 

[belgurdo]

The voice acting isn't bad...it's just that the lines are corny. This usually happens in "period" games like this so it makes me wonder if the script is odd on purpose...

Did they ever say that you can buy weapons in Otogi 2? Experimenting with everything in Otogi 1 was awesome

 

[Blimblim]

Ok people, good news. Just got a reply from Sega France, PAL Otogi 2 will have both English and Japanese voices

 

[DaCocoBrova]

Just got this game last week. Pretty enjoyable. I love the destructable environments.

 

[jedimike]

Am I the only jackass that mimicks a Jawa when is say Otogi?.... Oh-tah-gee vs. Eww-tee-knee.

 

[BuG]

Ok people, good news. Just got a reply from Sega France, PAL Otogi 2 will have both English and Japanese voices

Woo and yay!

 

[aku:jiki]

I fail to see what DMC and Otogi have in common. Ok you control a characted in 3rd person view, and you... kick/shoot enemies That's it. Hardly something DMC invented anyway...

I guess, if you want to stretch it a little, you could say DMC started a trend of more stylish third person action. I don't mind giving it that title, even though I think the rest of the man's opinions are obviously influenced by crack cocaine.

So..I beat Otogi after a weekend's hard playing (about 18 hours) and I'm on 2nd play. Kicking hard ass, until I reached the first few blackwings and the tables instantly turned. God damn how they spit out those magic-sucking fireballs now.

Anyway.. The FAQs on GameFAQs suck. Are there any other resources for help on this? I'm kinda wondering if I'm too strong to get the Training Sword (400 hit combo on level 11). I'd need about 200 enemies since I kill them in two blows each, and the game only spits out about 150 at you. Didn't attempt it with the weakest possible sword, though. I also can't figure out where the last spirit is on "Chilled Moon" (boss fight with the red-haired dude) -- I've broken everything I can see. Last one: Where are the spirits in Red Sea? That level is a bitch enough without trying to smash everything along the way. I'd rather FAQ the shit.

 

[P90]

I fail to see what DMC and Otogi have in common. Ok you control a characted in 3rd person view, and you... kick/shoot enemies That's it. Hardly something DMC invented anyway...

Let me see: kill demons similarly, short missions similarly, upgrade hack and slazh weapons similarly, etc. DMC is cool. Otogi is more creepy.

here is someone else's opinion echoing mine:

While the game mechanics are similar to Devil May Cry, Otogi's a little bit more cerebral and slower paced with a uniquely Eastern influences give it a personality all its own.

from http://www.the-laser.com/otogi.htm

 

[aku:jiki]

Let me see: kill demons similarly, short missions similarly, upgrade hack and slazh weapons similarly, etc. DMC is cool. Otogi is more creepy.

Um, you can't upgrade your weapons in Otogi. And besides, Onimusha did weapon upgrading half a year before DMC, and is also most likely a clearer inspiration for Otogi since they share the same setting. Also, "kill demons similarly"? That's beyond stretching, not even imagination can save that one. You're honestly saying DMC invented demons, or what?

I can give you the short mission layout, even though DMC didn't invent it and I do believe DMC is an influence. But definitely not for the other reasons you listed.

 

[Blimblim]

Let me see: kill demons similarly, short missions similarly, upgrade hack and slazh weapons similarly, etc. DMC is cool. Otogi is more creepy.

here is someone else's opinion echoing mine:



from http://www.the-laser.com/otogi.htm

Alright, point taken. But then you seem to forget that the the way you get to play the game is very different. Where DMC is more closed environments, Otogi is almost always big open levels (where you can break almost everything to boot). DMC is very fast paced, Otogi is more slow. You also get to play much more close range fights in Otogi than in DMC.
Compare DMC to Ninja Gaiden if you want since they have more in common, but except for the fact that both are hack n' slash with some rpg-ish stuff I really don't see much in common between DMC and Otogi.
Truth be told this is the first time I see someone doing the comparison between these 2 games. Maybe I've been asleep all this time or something.

You seem to think DMC created a new genre or something, but except for the "cool" hero DMC was not that much a special game. Very good in its genre, if not one of the best of this generation but it took a lot of ideas from Onimusha that was released quite a bit before if I remember correctly. Dante is what makes DMC stand out.

 

[BuG]

Anyway.. The FAQs on GameFAQs suck. Are there any other resources for help on this? I'm kinda wondering if I'm too strong to get the Training Sword (400 hit combo on level 11). I'd need about 200 enemies since I kill them in two blows each, and the game only spits out about 150 at you. Didn't attempt it with the weakest possible sword, though.

I'd definitely get the Traning Sword before going too much farther in the game, or else you'll be way too strong. Which Magic are you using? If you're not already, use the weakest version of the impossibly cool butterfly variety at the end of a combo, as it continues to strike enemies even when you start the next combo. The weakest weapon you have also helps.

With the Chilled Moon fight against Crimson King I think there's one hiding under a platform behind the last area he runs to which I missed the first bunch of times through. You might be forced to wander around attacking anything which looks like it might possibly be breakable, though, which is one thing which sucks about the spirit retrieval.

 

[aku:jiki]

I'd definitely get the Traning Sword before going too much farther in the game, or else you'll be way too strong. Which Magic are you using? If you're not already, use the weakest version of the impossibly cool butterfly variety at the end of a combo, as it continues to strike enemies even when you start the next combo. The weakest weapon you have also helps.

With the Chilled Moon fight against Crimson King I think there's one hiding under a platform behind the last area he runs to which I missed the first bunch of times through. You might be forced to wander around attacking anything which looks like it might possibly be breakable, though, which is one thing which sucks about the spirit retrieval.

I'm on "2nd play" and at level "max".
Is there no hope then?

I think I know what you mean under the platform. The little bridge with suspension bars, and some pillars, under it? I don't mind the breaking-everything-to-get-spirits-thing. I like breaking shit. I just can't find anything more to bust up in that level.