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Hey, you! There's this really tough student that's driving us all nuts! Your gonna go beat him up, right?! Right! Now get to it!
Here we go again! Kenka Bancho 4 is the sequel to Kenka Bancho: Badass Rumble for the PSP. This beat'em up is about Yuuta, who transfers to a new school full of tough kids, because he wants to beat up the strongest student there. When he arrives, he learns that he needs to get the student's attention to be able to meet and fight him. To do that, he needs to beat up all 300 students at his new school!
Being the sequel to Kenka Bancho: Badass Rumble, the core gameplay remains the same, but with a few differences. You are no longer required to do stuff by a time limit now, for example. You can still customize your character and his fighting moves, so that's cool. Another neat little feature is that you can rename all the students at your school. Odd, but still neat.
Another thing about this game is fighting with honor. For example, you should never just walk up to a student and hit them. To initiate a fight, you should use the Menchi Beam instead. The Menchi Beam is a laser eye beam that signals another student to fight you. Upon using it, you will trade insults via a mini-game where you press a button at the right time. If you win, you get the first strike. If they win, they hit you first. As I mentioned before, you must fight with honor to remain a cool badass. As such, you shouldn't use weapons, just your bodily techniques to fight.
Overall, this is one hell of a game, and a great improvement over Badass Rumble. This is one of those rare cases where the sequel is better than the prequel.
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That game is Idolmaster SP: Perfect Sun for the PSP. Released only in Japan, it was fan translated, allowing English-Speakers to enjoy it. It brings with it a unique genre known as the Raising Sim, which you don't see much of here in the US. Where to begin...
The Idolmaster (actually spelled iDOLM@ASTER) series of games are a big hit in Japan, though they are widely unknown in the US, due to none of the games being officially released here. In the games, you take on the role of a Producer whose job is to help girls known as "Idols" become successful. In case you weren't aware, an Idol is a heavily promoted singer or actor, in this case a singer. The only difference with this title in the series is that you only help one girl at a time, as opposed to many at once.
You pick one of three girls to manage, and you have to train her to sing with a rhythm mini-game of sorts, interact with her, and generally manage her day (your day as well). If she becomes successful over the course of 52 weeks (I think it's 52, it's been a while since I've played this one), you win the game.
As mentioned above, this is a Raising Sim, but there's also some Visual Novel elements thrown in, but there's no graphic adult material, so anyone 16 and older should be able to play it.
So why should you play this game? If you live in the US and enjoy Anime, you'll enjoy this, as it's completely fresh and new (at least, it was for me). It's most likely going to be unlike anything you've ever played before.
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Today, I'm here to review a great PSP Game called Rockman DASH 2 (Full Title: Rockman DASH Episode 2: The Great Inheritance). Originally released on the PlayStation 1, the PS1 Version has become incredibly rare, commanding a premium price. Today, however, you can buy the PSP Version for around 45 US Dollars on Playasia, a Website that sells Japanese Games. Enough about that though, onto the review!
Gameplay: Action RPG (A-)
Rockman Dash 2 is an Action RPG...kind of. It's actually more Action with RPG Elements. Anyway, you run around in 3D Environments shooting enemies with your Buster Gun (Arm Cannon) and searching for Treasure. While doing this, you'll get "Parts" to upgrade your Buster Gun and Body Parts, making you stronger. Alongside these parts are Items to increase and restore your HP Gauge. You'll also find Zenny (Money) to upgrade the Special Weapons that you get on your Adventure. The are plenty of Side-Quests too, so you can become overpowered if you feel like it. For example, one Side-Quest has you tracking down parts for an Ultra-Powerful Weapon called the Shining Laser, which will decimate any enemy, even bosses, in seconds!
Story: Original For It's Time (B+)
The Story picks up where Rockman DASH 1 left off (or a little bit after it, really...). It begins when your Adoptive Father, Barrel Caskett, gets lost while trying to land on an island called "Forbidden Island". After you rescue him, you learn of 4 Keys that unlock a legendary treasure called The Mother Lode, which is what you are after. From there, your quest begins: Get the 4 Keys and find The Mother Lode. The story has one hell of a Plot Twist, so get ready for a good tale!
Graphics: Old-School 3D (A+)
As mentioned before, this was originally a PS1 Game, so that's what the graphics look like; that of a PS1 Game...sort of. They've been upscaled a little bit, so that it looks a LITTLE like a PSP Game. Anyway, Graphics aren't that important to me.
Content: A LOT!! (S)
This game is absolutely packed with stuff to do! It's practically Non-Linear! One cool feature is that it includes all the Content from a Demo Disc of it back in the PS1 Days. Said Demo Disc featured a Scenario that's not present in the final product, so it's a nice feature.
Final Score: A+
This game is absolutely awesome, and if you buy it, it's worth every penny! If you played the English Version of it on the PS1, Mega Man Legends 2, you'll know exactly what to do, regardless of it being in Japanese. And no, this game, sadly, did not get a US Release.
Special Thanks to:
- bickman2k for helping me track the game down! 
- Playasia for just being awesome. (Yes, I have bought products from them before.)
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Hey, you! Yeah, you! I'm talking to you, Yankii! Are you a Badass?! I'm a Badass, and I'm gonna teach you how to be the Top Bancho in all of Japan!
......I might be milking this thing a little. Heh.
But seriously, everyone. This is Kenka Bancho: Badass Rumble for the PSP, which I've been playing on my newly-acquired PS Vita. (Don't ask. I just thought it would be cooler.)
Anyway, this beat'em up was obviously inspired by River City Ransom, as they share some similarities. The game gives you the "Main Goal" of beating up 46 Banchos from all across Japan, who ALL just happen to be in the fictional prefecture of Kyouto. (Not to be confused with the real prefecture of Kyoto.)
However, there's a lot more to do than just kick ass. You can customize your Character with all kinds of different gear, hairstyles, and so on. You can also try and find Romance if you don't feel like fighting. Still, no matter what you end up doing, your gonna end up fighting SOMEONE. That is, unless you spend the whole week in your Hotel Room. (The only real point being to earn a Title.)
Overall, this is one excellent game, and if your pining for a game like River City Ransom, then this is for you. Give it a try!
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