Atlus to release all female 2D fighter Arcana Heart for PS2...

[heybtbm]

Is this game any good? It's a Japanese 2D fighter for the PS2, so I'll probably be picking this one up either way. I've never heard of it.

http://www.gamespot.com/news/6185393.html?om_act=convert&om_clk=newstop&tag=newstop;more;5

[pookninja]

that looks cool.if its $19.99,i will preorder it.

[Chuplayer]

Hells yeah! They'd better not change the box art unless they make it something even cuter.

[djbeatmongrel]

Hells yeah! They'd better not change the box art unless they make it something even cuter.

Creepy yet I agree.

I am a little pissed since i just got the Japanese version for Xmas and thought this would be the last game to get localized :^S. It is a very very good fighter though and i will buy the US version as soon as it comes out to support it.

I suggest to anyone who likes fighters to pick this up to, its a really fun,solid game that has a great character balance in my opinion.

[Dreamc@sting]

W00t, I been itching to import this game, how I <3 2D fighters...and females...and cute females beating each other game.......I'm so buying this

[josekortez]

Dammit, I just ordered the Japanese version of this game from Playasia.com on Monday!!! BTW, they have it up for $29.99 this week...

[Kitsune Sniper]

Holy

DAMN, I wish it wasn't $30, but yeah, new game here I come!

[Mark III]

It's nothing to write home about but a pretty solid fighter and definately worth $30. Has kind of a goofy style like Melty Blood or Waku Waku 7. I've been considering picking up a copy but now that I know it's getting a North American release I'll definately have to pick one up come april.

[ubersaurus]

I really like the game. Very solid stuff, there's even a tourney scene starting up around it. This should help that out a lot.

I didn't expect to ever see it stateside, though!

[mailman187666]

I usually can trust Atlus to bring good games so this is a title I'll probably pick up. Atlus shows the PS2 lots of love STILL. Come on though Atlus, lets start making some SMT games for PS3 now.

[MrRoboto19XX]

You know, it looks like a decent fighter and all, but lets think about this:

Atlus
2D Fighter
The End of the PS2 Life Cycle
Oddly Low Price

Seems like a future rarity to me...

Either way, looks like I may have to pick this up.

[Damaramu]

Yeah, I'm getting this. I'll be ordering from Amazon cause I'm sure Gamestop will only get 1 copy in and/or bump the price up.

[CosmicMonkey]

Quality. Didn't realise that this had a PStwo release. I was wanting to get the PCB, but it's currently around £500+. I'm sure I can live with low-res 15Khz graphics considering the rather vast price difference.

[courtesi96]

Oh hells yes!! Gimme Gimme Gimme!

[Cmosfm]

BTW this game, as an import, is only 29.99 this week at Play Asia if you guys can't wait.

[DJ Daishi]

oh yah, I got this game on the PC...can't wait for the PS2 version.

[Kid Fenris]

Arcana Heart has a fairly interesting fighting system, which makes it all the sadder that the game's characters and general atmosphere are aimed at people like this:

http://www.kidfenris.com/ronery.png

[DJ Daishi]

Arcana Heart has a fairly interesting fighting system, which makes it all the sadder that the game's characters and general atmosphere are aimed at people like this:

http://www.kidfenris.com/ronery.png

lol!!!



.....but seriously, that will probably be me in 17 years.

[Overbite]

I thought this was a pedo fighter

[Push Upstairs]

Thats why you are going to buy it, right?

[Chuplayer]

Arcana Heart has a fairly interesting fighting system, which makes it all the sadder that the game's characters and general atmosphere are aimed at people like this:

http://www.kidfenris.com/ronery.png

Well, I already have the Haruhi pillowcases...

[The 1 2 P]

I already have so many 2D import all-female fighers for my Playstation and I have to admit that most of them sucked, but hopefully this one is alittle better.

[Matt-El]

Now all we need is a domestic release of Power Instinct: Matrimelee....

[The 1 2 P]

Now all we need is a domestic release of Power Instinct: Matrimelee....

I have Power Instinct 2 for the orignal PS.

[Nirvana]

I love 2D fighters. I'll check this one out.

[josekortez]

I recently got the import in the mail from Playasia and I tried it this morning finally. It is a fun game and you can score 100 hit combos (in that way, it reminds me a lot of Marvel vs. Capcom 2 because of the over the top moves). The graphics are great for PS2. The girls aren't that exciting; I played Neo Geo Battle Coliseum with Mai shortly afterwards because of the low "jiggle" factor in Arcana Heart.

I'll probably get the U.S. version anyway, but it ticks me off that I can't read the manual to figure out what the moves are. I checked gamefaqs but the only move list was for the arcade version.

Anyway, it was worth the $30 I paid.

[Chuplayer]

The girls aren't that exciting

The girls appear to be more on the cute side. I like that. A teddy bear ninja? Hanyan!!!

I reserved this and MGS4 earlier today. Go me!

[josekortez]

The girls appear to be more on the cute side. I like that. A teddy bear ninja? Hanyan!!!

Yeah, I remember Play Japan editor Nick Des Barres' review of the game a few months back. In a screenshot blurb, he told the readers not to get excited at the picture of one of the characters in the bathing suit, Kira, who was a pre-teen. I laughed so hard, I almost cried.

It's funny, though, she's one of the best characters. She rolls around, connected to a sentient bubble of water that grows fists and punches and bodyslams the other characters.

[XYXZYZ]

I'll probably pick this up. I was never really attracted to it, but I like supporting these kinds of releases.

And I like how Gamespot says it will be "under $30.00", retailing for $29.99.:hmm:

Here's a great review for it on Insomia.ac (fabulous website by the way)
http://insomnia.ac/reviews/custom/arcanaheart/

[Wolf]

It's a pretty solid 2d fighting game and the backgrounds and 2d in it are breathtaking really.

There are some interesting and fun characters to use but there is a few silly ones also. I have been playing it the last week and trying to learn the combos and moves.

The intro is actually good quality but I have to say the intro itself is quite possibly one of the most ridiculous things I have ever seen, it is so over the top that is ends up being good.

Check it out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlXf3o7Ry_w

[heybtbm]

After a few delays, the game finally hits stores today (Friday, April 11th). I just picked up my copy at Gamestop. They had several additional copies (about 4) that weren't reserves, so if you didn't pre-order you may still be in luck. For those interested, Amazon has a 2 month wait for this game...Gamestop/EB may be your best bet.

[Bojay1997]

After a few delays, the game finally hits stores today (Friday, April 11th). I just picked up my copy at Gamestop. They had several additional copies (about 4) that weren't reserves, so if you didn't pre-order you may still be in luck. For those interested, Amazon has a 2 month wait for this game...Gamestop/EB may be your best bet.

Actually, Amazon has them in stock. Often, when a game is released but isn't in their system yet, they default to a 2-4 week shipping quote, sometimes longer. In any event, the game is readily available now.

[Krook]

Hmm... 40-50 bucks from Ebay to Sweden.
Gonna think about it...

[josekortez]

After a few delays, the game finally hits stores today (Friday, April 11th). I just picked up my copy at Gamestop. They had several additional copies (about 4) that weren't reserves, so if you didn't pre-order you may still be in luck. For those interested, Amazon has a 2 month wait for this game...Gamestop/EB may be your best bet.

Yeah, it was great how the guy at Gamestop was still trying to convince me to pre-order the game on Wednesday when it was coming out on Friday. He looked pretty damn sad, and I felt sorry for the guy since he probably hadn't had a pre-order all day. I didn't have the heart to tell him I had the import already, so I just walked away...

[Chuplayer]

I can't stand the final boss!

But the rest of the game is great. I think I like this fighting engine. I haven't understood all of its quirks yet, but it seems like it's got a lot of potential. I haven't managed to get the homing attacking to work properly yet, though. Still, Heart is so cuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuute!!!

[TonyTheTiger]

I think this game is made by a few ex-SNK employees. Hence, the demi-god last boss.

What I hate about these godly last bosses is that they aren't hard in the "If I were a better player I could win" sort of way. It really just comes down to whether or not you get lucky. I don't care how good you are. If she decides to use her 0-frame startup, full screen super move two times in the match...you will lose unless you're lucky enough to just be in a spot where most of the lasers miss. Also, most of the time, these bosses end up falling to simple A.I. exploits like repeating the same combo over and over.

[DJ Daishi]

damn, I'm having a blast with this game!...and yay, they finally fixed the balance issues that plagued the original japanese version!

[djbeatmongrel]

i still need the US version but i am glad to see people are liking it

[Cinder6]

I really ought to open the game... :) I've been playing too much Darkstalkers, though.

[TonyTheTiger]

It's really not that great. It's kinda fun but there are infinitely better options out there.

I think what gets people giddy for a game that's adequate at best is because it's a new 2d fighting game and we don't get those a lot anymore.

[DJ Daishi]

It's really not that great. It's kinda fun but there are infinitely better options out there.

I think what gets people giddy for a game that's adequate at best is because it's a new 2d fighting game and we don't get those a lot anymore.

very true. I miss the good ol days (around 1999,2000) where AAA fighting games used to come out every other month...now I'm just desperate for anything!...that said, Arcana Heart is a pretty good fighter...a little slower than I'm used to, but good.

[The 1 2 P]

I need to go pick this up too. It reminds me of all the import 2D all-girl fighting games I played on the PS1.

[VACRMH]

I finally opened it up a few days ago, and my first impression was that I didn't like it. It felt too slow, and just odd.

But the more I got into it, learning moves and how to use homing, I'm really starting to enjoy it. Save for that stupid final boss <_<

[Cinder6]

I finally opened it up a few days ago, and my first impression was that I didn't like it. It felt too slow, and just odd.

I did the same thing. The only difference is, after I thought it was too slow, I stopped playing. Maybe I should give it another chance.

[DreamTR]

The game is not slow. It has dashes and air dashing, you just need to use this instead of walking speed.

Though I will agree that this game is overrated. People are just giddy because it is a new 2D Fighting game, and you don't see these out too often anymore. And now, trying NOT to be sexist alert, but it's just like if ANY girl walks into an arcade sea of guys. More attractive than she might actually be because the guys are more likely to pay attention to her regardless.

[DJ Daishi]

The game is not slow. It has dashes and air dashing, you just need to use this instead of walking speed.

Though I will agree that this game is overrated. People are just giddy because it is a new 2D Fighting game, and you don't see these out too often anymore. And now, trying NOT to be sexist alert, but it's just like if ANY girl walks into an arcade sea of guys. More attractive than she might actually be because the guys are more likely to pay attention to her regardless.

wow, how did this go from talking about a 2d all girl fighter, to checking out girls at an arcade....:?

[Kid Fenris]

And now, trying NOT to be sexist alert, but it's just like if ANY girl walks into an arcade sea of guys. More attractive than she might actually be because the guys are more likely to pay attention to her regardless.

I am not trying to be racist but the Irish are a blight upon this fair land and must be exterminated like the red-haired, potato-sucking papist vermin they so clearly are.

[XYXZYZ]

walks into an arcade

A what?

[DreamTR]

LOL, all I am saying is that the game is not as good as everyone thinks because it's one of the only games in town. Not many choices to choose from, so it looks better than it is. I know it was a bad analogy, but it's the only one I could think of off the top of my head...

[Hwj_Chim]

It may not be in the same league as a Guilty Gear xx or Melty Blood, but It is still a good game that at least deserves a look. But I do agree that a lot of the games flaws are overlooked. just because other than snk ports the 2d fighting seen is very stagnant right now in america.