Dream C Club sold out in the Osaka and Kobe

(tags game, gal-ge, sexy, Xbox 360, Dream C Club, ECsite)

By Sunday afternoon, all the stores I visited in the Osaka and Kobe areas (7) were sold out of Dream C Club (ドリームクラブ). Either the shipment was small, or there was a real demand for this gal-ge cabaret sim. The Famitsu 4 reviewer rating wasn't so high though, at 24 out of 40.

No I don't want to buy it, yet.

Update: Senaka Otaroad blog confirms it in ドリームクラブ完売店が続出 「思った以上に売れまくった」.

Two clear: Gears of War 2, ToHeart 2 and 1 Hoshina scenario

(tags game, Xbox 360, Gears of War, ToHeart, PlayStation Portable, gal-ge)

Woops I wrote this about two weeks ago:

I finally saw the localized version of Gears of War 2 for the Xbox 360 on the store shelves recently. Before that, I picked up the Chinese/English version of GoW2 for a nice used price of 2000 yen (yes A-Too rocks). I plodded through Normal difficultly with probably less than 30 continues. Yeh, 30 continues. Still, I couldn't believe how fast the single player went by. Then again I played it for one day straight plus this is a sequel. I like how there is now a partial indicator for Achievements. The "Seriously 2.0" Achievement requires killing 100,000 enemies. Going through the normal campaign was about 1000 enemies, and I completed it in a day, so it will take about 100 or more days. Without that partial indicator I would not even consider it. Of course, I rejected it.

And I picked up ToHeart 2 for the PlayStation Portable. I didn't pre-order, so I missed the special first edition. I got the regular edition after bugging the store clerk and holding up the purchase line. It includes ToHeart 1 (finally ported to the PSP) because it was the "W pack". Only after realizing the difference between the SKUs, I came to accept that I didn't need 2 small figurines and a bigger box. Well they weren't cute enough. I was satisfied with getting at least the Gamers tokuten: telephone card, paper fan, and PSP sticker set.

Yes! ToHeart 1! I put that in my PSP and smoked it. I put the ToHeart2 away. I cleared the iincho or 保科智子 Tomoko Hoshina scenario immediately because she's one of my favorite tsundere characters. And Aya Hisakawa is always alright with me. Even though this is the PSP version, it's full voice. Visuals are switchable from original 4:3 ratio and PSP 16:9 pan-and-scan mode. Both look passable. Unfortunately I was feeling nostalgia remorse for some reason. I didn't remember this scenario being so short, just 5 hours from the start. Plus I forgot that the scenario climaxed in bed, literally. (No sex scene of course CERO C but first kiss?!?). I was expecting a less vigorous ending, lol. It's that feeling of reading one's favorite book again and feeling the diminishing returns.

There is no force skip for unread sections, but thankfully I found the fast skip. Also Multi's seiyuu Yui Horie is as recognizable as ever. If I get back to this game, I will probably want to finish the other scenarios in this order: Multi, Remi, Kotone, Shiho, Akari, Kurusugawa-senpai, etc. Running this visual novel game on the PSP-2000 was pretty fast.

Now that I think about it, this is my fourth copy of the game. PS1, PS2, Windows (all ages), and now PSP. Geez.

I put Hatsune Miku Project Diva back in the PSP though because I want to finish that.

Gal Game for Xbox Achievement Points, it is inevitable (Clannad)

(tags game, Xbox 360, gal-ge, Clannad, telephone card)

I often wondered why the Xbox 360 doesn't have as many gal-ge games as the Xbox 1. I mean come on, no Bistro Cupid sequel or followup for that strange metal-girl game? Hahah.

Today Clannad for the Xbox 360 came out. This is a visual novel game from famed software developer Key. The original PC game came out eons ago (whoa 2004!). There's also a PS2 and PSP version I think. I was going to buy this version because (1) it's easy Xbox Achievement Points for a read-em-up and (2) this lovely telephone card:

Flowers, kawaii.

However, my local Sofmap did not have this special telephone card for the walk-in purchase. Pre-orders got it though, and I had ample time to pre-order. Anyways, I jetted over to Gamers to check if there was a similar (but different design) telephone card offer but there was none. So I skipped buying the game today. I'm keeping an eye on the auctions right now, though. Perhaps stealing one of those auction's scans (as shown above) will diminish my TC-lust. I think its working. :-)

Here are two other exclusive designs, both from Kantou-based shops Media Land and Messe Sanoh respectively. I think only the latter allows mail ordering.

Thanks to those auctioners who aren't scrupulous enough to watermark their photos. :-)

I checked the opinions of two friends who played the game. On the PC version, one of them said it was long and I got the feeling that he wasn't very satisfied in comparison to the other Key games like Air and Kanon. The other played it on the console, but I forget which one, and he was also not very forthcoming with his evaluation. So is it junk? It's probably long convoluted junk. I didn't bother watching the 2008 tv anime adaptation, either. Hm.

edit: added those two other telephone card designs for throughness

Looking for this: Yuiko Tokumi stuff

(tags stick poster, poster, anime, gal-ge, zettai ryouiki)

I'd like to think I learn from blind purchasing, but I'm just barely checking the Yahoo Auctions for illustrator Yuiko Tokumi == Hakka-ya stuff (keywords: 「篤見唯子」 or 「薄荷屋」), before I head out today.

Looking at that page reminded me about the stick poster postings I promised to show. Well here's one from my collection illustrated by Tokumi, on the right.

Yes, Comic Market 73 ended yesterday, but will those returning-to-Kinki-area otaku resell their stuff to K-Books, et al, in time for me to scoop them up today and tomorrow? I doubt it. I bet you the action day is January 2nd, Wednesday. I don't really want to spend that much time in Den Den Town, yikes.

Evil revisited: my second binder for Stick Posters

(tags stick poster, poster, anime, gal-ge, zettai ryouiki)

As I said, I was cleaning my bomb shelter and I unearthed my Stick Poster Collection binder (pictured left). I celebrated by buying a second binder. :-/ I forgot who did the cover for the right binder, but its one of those Leaf/AquaPlus illustrators, right? Zettai ryouiki FTW, rawr.

The second binder was marked down to 2000 yen. Basically I bought it for the inserts, because they DON'T fsckin' SELL refill inserts (at the shop). Where do I get refills?

Remember that Stick Posters (スティックポスター) are an AquaPlus invention that measure 182 mm by 515 mm (B3 paper size divided in half). On the same page, lots of interesting illustrations come out for the format. Personally I hope Stick Posters die a fast death, but it seem Mobile Suit Gundam will appear 2007-12-20, which will float this troublesome collectable a little bit more. Hm, do those Gundam heads go for paper? I thought they go for model kits and video game demos.

I will slowly posting pictures of my stick posters collection, so keep the label "stick poster" at the ready. Too bad my hand is not steady and my digi-cam is Sony quality.

Touch it again and again: Doki Doki Majo Shinpan 2 (Duo)

(tags game, gal-ge, Dual Screen, 2008)

Yea, Doki Doki Majo Shinpan 2 Duo (どきどき魔女神判2（DUO）) announced! (Thanks dengeki, famitsu, via zepy.) Thankfully it will be next year and not this year. I can't say I like the designs of this one time around, though. You really can't top "Maho", I think.