Kotaku: Yaoi

The Japanese Cosplay Better Than You

Mike Fahey — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 10:00:50 MDT

I might never be able to go to a U.S. anime convention again. The cosplayers in Japan are making fools of you people here. It's embarrassing. Check out this Sephiroth, taken from GayGamer.net's TGS cosplay gallery. Look at how that outfit sits on this girl. Hell, even the wig looks halfway decent, which is extremely hard to do with silver hair. Are her eyebrows powdered silver as well? Damn. You just don't get that level of dedication around these parts. Most American cosplay makes me giggle. Japanese cosplay makes me begin to understand this whole Cloud and Sephiroth kissing thing the girls seem to like so much.

TGS 07: Cosplay Gallery [GayGamer.net]

Duel Love: Scrub That Boy!

fdemarco — Sun, 23 Sep 2007 03:00:34 MDT

Despite rumors to the contrary, being the resident gay dude I do not enjoy wiping the sweat off of high school boys. But when I heard there was a game where you could do such a thing I had to go try it out, mostly because I just had to see what is was about and also because no one else wanted to.

The game is called Duel Love and is actually made for girls to play on their DSs. The demo was extremely short but from what I could gather, the story involves you being a female transfer student who discovers a secret fight club for boys. The boys (who are surprisingly skinny) engage n various matches that cause them to start sweating. Some dialog is exchanged to the effect of "Boy I sure am tired and sweaty after all that working out." You're then taken to another screen showing the close up shot of the shirtless, skinny, hairless (and nipple-less) young man who appears to be fully naked although the picture crops off just above crotch. Some music plays and beads of sweat begin forming on his chest and arms which you then "wipe off" using the stylus. The icon is a little hand with a rag and as you wipe him down we moans a little and after a certain number of sweat beads are wiped away, a little bell sound rings and the background color changes. Once you've finished your arduous task you are rewarded with a bit of innocent flirtation from your boy who tells you "That was a great massage. Be sure you don't walk home alone. You know I could walk you home if you wanted." How sweet!

After that, the demo is over and it takes you back to the start screen. Not really a whole lot of action and I wasn't able to see this infamous "fight club". Literally the entire demo was wiping sweat. Odd to be sure and remarkably un-sexy. As I turned to leave I suddenly realized the game I had been playing was being shown above my head on a large screen and behind me was a quartet of young Japanese girls giggling into their hands. Oddly, when I returned to the press room and told the rest of the guys about the game they all did the same thing...

Falling Stars: RPG for Kids

Mike Fahey — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 13:20:09 MDT

You say you want your child to grow up to be a well-adjusted, intelligent, insightful RPG gamer with an active imagination and a taste for anime, but you don't want to thrust them immediately into the yaoi-inspiring world of Final Fantasy? Falling Stars might be just what you're looking for. The balance of good and evil on the world of Dazzleon is threatened. The player, as the doe-eyed young girl Luna (because it sounds mystical!) must restore peace and thwart evil as only an RPG female can, only less...sexy.

The game features a pet you control in battle, changeable outfits (*glee*), a variety of mini-games and quests, all folded into a detailed story filled with mystery, wonder, and wondrous mystery. Falling Stars is coming out this August for the PC and Playstation 2 courtesy of Lithuanian developer Ivolgamus. It sounds like the perfect way to get your child into RPGs without having to worry about catching them drawing pictures of Squall and Cloud making out. At least not yet. Michael Fahey

Falling Stars [Official Product Page]

Uncover the mysteries of Dazzleon ...

Fighting evil and protecting the innocent has never been this fun!

Falling Stars is a role-playing game aimed at children, and features an engrossing story with many hours of gripping gameplay. As the player solves the mysteries of Dazzleon, they must train their own pet, dress their character in an assortment of unique outfits, participate in seven exciting mini-games, and battle deadly monsters.

Falling Stars is a visual feast, as the world and characters are brightly coloured and beautiful to see in motion. The world of Dazzleon is incredibly detailed and there is a definite 'feel-good' atmosphere that can be noticed just wandering through the world. Butterflies gently flutter around forests, autumn leaves drop rhythmically from orange trees, and stunning waterfalls add even more to the ambience and mood in this magical world.

Falling Stars features everything needed to keep a younger audience entertained and engaged, and is certainly worth waiting for. It is due to be released in August by Ivolgamus.

Features

- Many hours of exhilarating RPG-style gameplay for kids!
- A detailed story that unfolds as you try to discover the truth behind the mysteries of Dazzleon!
- Your very own pet to train, nurture, and command in battle!
- Customise your character with a large selection of changeable outfits. Some inhabitants of Dazzleon can be very picky about what you wear!
- Help your neighbours and put your skills to the test with 7 unique mini-games as part of the adventure!

Final Fantasy VII Crisis Core Trailer

Mike Fahey — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 12:40:18 MST

Finally something solid on on the PSP Final Fantasy VII game, Crisis Core! Up until now all we've known is that it focuses mainly on Cloud's SOLDIER buddy Zack and would take place before the events of FFVII...obviously, since Zack died before the game started. Now Squeenix delivers the goods with its 2006 TGS trailer.

Looks like an action/turn-based hybrid in the Tales series style. Interesting. Ahhh, there's Sephiroth. I'm looking forward to a whole new crop of Seph/Zack yaoi fanart once the game hits the States. If this doesn't launch PSP sales into the stratosphere, nothing will. Michael Fahey

Final Fantasy VII Crisis Core Trailer Emerges [GameBrink - Thanks Jeremy]