Mojib Ribbon Video.. Umm what happened?

[IntvGene]

Well, there's a new Mojib Ribbon video available, if you haven't seen it. It's available here.

http://www.playstation.jp/ch/asx_tgs/pv_mojiburibon.asx

It looks like this is a RAPPING game in Japanese. From what I can tell.. which isn't much, but it seems like you use the analog sticks to produce the Japanese characters (ie. lyrics) for the song. It doesn't look to import friendly if that is the case, and I have also yet to see it advertised that you can use your own CDs for this one. So, from what I can tell, you choose the words for the song, in a sort of DDR / Amplitude fashion. Anyone else have any ideas what's going on? Now, is it just me, or was this not what people were expecting from this game? x_x

[Oobgarm]

Honestly, this is exactly what I expected and feared. I knew that Japanese text/dialogue would be incorporated, which I'm OK with even though I have NO CLUE about it. I was concerned about how much would be in there and how much of a barrier it would create for us Westerners. I'd want to know a bit more than the tidbits we've been getting from the media outlets before I pass judgement.

I doubt the game will be impossible to play, as Nanaonsha's games are usually simple in their mechanics. Besides, I'm sure that SOMEONE will write a FAQ on it.

[IntvGene]

Update:
source: http://gamesarefun.com

Unlike Vib Ribbon, which had players tapping buttons to make music, Mojib Ribbon has Mojibi, the main "character," running along a line and writing out stories. This occurs by means of manipulating the analog stick in rhythm with the Dual Shock's multitude of buttons. The resulting "ribbons" are comprised of sentences and short stories conceived by Japanese comedian Seiko Ito. Additional lines of text can be imported onto the PlayStation 2 by means of its Network Adapter, thus possibly providing limitless levels of play. Difficulty changes drastically depending on the complexity of the language.

Since an enormous emphasis is being placed on the Japanese alphabet, it's unlikely that most English-speaking folk will be able to get anything out of Mojib Ribbon.

Damn!

[Oobgarm]

I got the chance to playtest this today at a local store that carries imports.

I liked it. The gameplay itself doesn't require a knoweledge of the Japanese language, though it would serve a great purpose by allowing you to understand what the little guy is saying.

The action on the first 2 levels I played merely consisted of me tapping/holding down on the right analogue stick when the game prompted me to do so, and by tapping up when I had completed the phrase. The little guy runs around a loop, which is broken into smaller phrases, each requiring the player to hold the stick down for different amounts of time. You have a little pen that acts as a life bar, and your character "devolves" like he does in Vib Ribbon if you make too many mistakes. I'm sure the gameplay will get much more difficult later on, just as it did in VR.

I was able to actually play the game with very little effort put into figuring it out. The menus were the most difficult part, but I made it through with perseverance. They definitely require a FAQ, which is on GameFAQS as a matter of fact, to get through and understand. *scampers off to read FAQ* The FAQ certianly helps with the menus, and gives a very detailed explanation of the gameplay.

I fully intend on purchasing it when I get paid next Monday. I never thought I'd be able to find it, especially since it's premise is a bit daunting.

Oh yes, according to the FAQ, you cannot put in your own CDs, but you can unlock an editor later on. Sadly, the editor section of the FAQ is still empty.

[IntvGene]

Thanks for the update.

I think that what happened was just that the first one was such a unique game, and a classic. This game seems to be directed to a smaller audience, and sadly is missing some of the innovative features of the first one. Having said that, I am sure that the game will be fun, and let us know more once you get it. Now that our expectations are probably more realistic, we can probably assess the game better.

[Ed Oscuro]

Having a translation next to each character input would be great, and a nice thing for a Japanese language student/gamer. But...but nooo...