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Guild 02 - Attack of the Friday Monsters: A Tokyo Tale |OT|

M

McKeeverFever

Banned
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Only on
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Attack of the Friday Monsters
Developer: Kaz Ayabe
Publisher: Level-5 [Japan]/Level-5 International America [North America & PAL]
Platform: Nintendo 3DS (eShop Exclusive)
Genre: Adventure/Simulation
Release Date: March 13, 2013 [Japan]/July 18th, 2013 [North America & PAL]
Price: ¥800 [Japan]/$7.99 [North America]/€7.99|£7.19 [PAL]
Official Websites: North American Site

About the game
The world of our childhood when giant monsters captured our imaginations. Experience a world where enormous monsters from Japan's 1970's go on a rampage every Friday. In this rustic town of tranquil days and idyllic scenery, there lies a nostalgic tale sure to warm your heart.

Features
Step into the life of Sohta, the young son of a family that has just setup a dry cleaners shop in the idyllic town of Fuji no Hana. In his interactions with the town's unique residents, episodic mysteries are revealed that portend to the strange events surrounding the appearance of a giant monster every Friday. And finally, when Friday evening falls, the giant monster will appear right before your eyes!

Collect the "Monster Glims" scattered around town to form Monster Cards, and once you've collected five cards, Sohta can battle his friends for dominance. Winning at Monster Cards gives you the chance to collect useful information, more Monster Glims, and even to cast a secret spell on your friends that will make them fall down at your whim. Why? Because that's the rules!

A touching drama about family, friendship, and the innocence of being a child unfolds against hand-drawn backgrounds, charming music, and memorable characters.


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Previously on Guild 02
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H

hiro4

Member
Great op.
But I still don't know what I can expect from this game. The monsters and the card game seems really disconnected to me.

I'm curious about what other people think about it. It is on my watch list.
 
F

fr4nz

Member
Finished the game in about 2h30 (I've finished the japanese version before). There's plenty card to collect , but the story is wrapped.
The gameplay is between a visual novel and a very scripted point & click. It's really more scripted than the Boku no Natsuyasumi serie, with less exploration and more 'go there, talk to X'

I don't want to sound negative : I really love this game, but I just want to warn people expecting some sort of gameplay or replay value. You still can play the card game, which is a rock/paper/scissors mechanic and collect all cards (Everytime you complete a part of the story, you earn gem, and 7 gems of the same color give you a new card. You can also earn gem by beating someone at the card game).

In the end, the game is all about atmosphere, story and characters. If you are in that kind of stuff , i can't recomand enough trying this game :p
 
H

hiro4

Member
fr4nz said:
Finished the game in about 2h30 (I've finished the japanese version before). There's plenty card to collect , but the story is wrapped.
The gameplay is between a visual novel and a very scripted point & click. It's really more scripted than the Boku no Natsuyasumi serie, with less exploration and more 'go there, talk to X'

I don't want to sound negative : I really love this game, but I just want to warn people expecting some sort of gameplay or replay value. You still can play the card game, which is a rock/paper/scissors mechanic and collect all cards (Everytime you complete a part of the story, you earn gem, and 7 gems of the same color give you a new card. You can also earn gem by beating someone at the card game).

In the end, the game is all about atmosphere, story and characters. If you are in that kind of stuff , i can't recomand enough trying this game :p
Click to expand...

Thanks for your impressions.
I kind of got that feeling with the maker that it would be more about atmosphere and story.

Still a bit disappointed by the 2,5 hours. I expected more around 4 to 5. But that is not a reason to not buy it I guess.
 
F

fr4nz

Member
Tiktaalik said:
any reviews/impressions?
Click to expand...
There's not much more to say about it without spoiling the story (and since it's all about the story, it would be really dumb).

ah.. the game is not dubbed, so it's japanese voice with english texts and subtitles.
 
F

FlynnCL

Unconfirmed Member
Dissapointed about the length being 2.5 hours. I'll try to get this anyway; it's such a charming looking game.
 
W

Watashiwa

Member
FlynnCL said:
Dissapointed about the length being 2.5 hours. I'll try to get this anyway; it's such a charming looking game.
Click to expand...

fr4nz mentioned that he played the Japanese version. A first time playthrough is probably longer.

Anyway, this is first on my purchase list with that $30 credit. Between this, Kokuga, and my SMTIV DLC I'm in a pretty good place.
 
D

Danneee

Member
Am I the only one that actually like the fact that this is only 3 hrs long? Most games would benefit from being a lot shorter, especially with all the insanely large backlogs people have. A lot of work must go to making stuff a lot of people, myself included, never see.
 
H

Hours Left

Member
Nice OT.

I'll be picking this up quite soon. I'm very glad Level 5 took a shot on an English release for this game. Hopefully it'll be as intriguing as The Starship Damrey.
 
J

Javier

Member
Daaaammnnn... I'm incredibly tempted to get this. I've been wanting a card game on the 3DS for a while, and the atmosphere and characters certainly seem to add a lot.

I'll probably cave in soon.
 
N

ngower

Member
I've played just under three hours, but I'm not done with the game yet, so don't take the earlier "2h30m" timeline as definitive. It seems like I'm in the final act, so to speak, but I can see another 30-45 minutes of gameplay on the horizon. I'm also in no rush and am taking my time with the game.

I've really enjoyed the game thus far. I hope to see more games like this, whether at brick-and-mortar stores or through digital release.

In another thread I likened the game to Spirited Away or most of the Hayao Miyazaki movies, and I think that still stands. It's a charming title and I'm really happy while playing it. Excited to finish it when I get home from work later today.

Bulbasaur said:
Im assuming it has original japanese audio or did they dub it?
Click to expand...

Original Japanese audio.
 
I

Impossiburu

Neo Member
Happy to see this thread.

Attack of the Friday Monsters! is whimsical, charming and pretty basic. I think I've logged around two hours, maybe, and I know it'll be over soon.

Still, if slow pacing and simplistic mechanics below a gorgeous face and interesting story sounds good to you, do it.
 
F

ForteanMan

Member
This does look really interested and I feel like I want to pick it up, but the $7.99 price tag is a bit off putting to me. Considering that the Guild01 titles have been on sale in the past, I will likely hold off on picking this up if it ever goes on sale. Anyway I still have SMT IV to keep me plenty busy for the mean time.

But I do appreciate titles such as this and would be interested in seeing more like it in the future on the eShop.
 
N

ngower

Member
Neuromancer said:
Ooh this looks great. How's the difficulty?
Click to expand...

The most challenging component is the card game, which really isn't all that challenging. You and your opponent lay five cards face down with a rock/paper/scissors (generally...there are a few exceptions) symbol. The game then tells you how many wins, losses and draws you have, but does not specify which particular cards are wins, losses and draws. You get two to three hints from the game, where you're told whether you won, lost or drew. You and your opponent then swap two cards.

For example, if you see that you're winning with a rock, you can assume they have scissors. They may swap that card, likely for a rock to draw or paper to win, so you have to adjust accordingly without messing up your other cards that might be winners. It just takes a little bit of concentration, but if you lose, you simply ask to play them again.
 
A

ash_ag

Member
Just started playing this, and it's a fantastic little game so far. A lot of polish in music, art and gameplay; it does what it does splendid. The vibe it manages to gives off is amazingly unique.

By the way, I was about to make the |OT|, but thankfully I checked. :p Clean assets are hard to come by, but you can use stuff from the official site if you want. Also, be sure to mention in the OP that there is a special unlockable if you have previously played a Guild01 game. How about Jiwa-Jiwa Guru-Guru Doron-Doron! as the |OT| sub?
 
N

ngower

Member
clay_ghost said:
I will wait for a sales. Looks fun but $8 is too much for 2.5 hours of game play, $6 will be just nice.
Click to expand...

To this criticism I'd suggest approaching it more from a film perspective—I've happily paid about $8 for a film that evoked feelings more so than challenged me as a filmgoer. Not to say that you should expect over-the-top cinematic production, but that I liken this game to a film with interactive elements rather than as a truly immersive game. I'm not explaining myself particularly well, but I see no reason why the $8 isn't well spent.
 
F

ForteanMan

Member
ngower said:
To this criticism I'd suggest approaching it more from a film perspective—I've happily paid about $8 for a film that evoked feelings more so than challenged me as a filmgoer. Not to say that you should expect over-the-top cinematic production, but that I liken this game to a film with interactive elements rather than as a truly immersive game. I'm not explaining myself particularly well, but I see no reason why the $8 isn't well spent.
Click to expand...

$8 is just a bit too steep for me when I'm only getting a few hours out of the experience. Whether it's "right or wrong" I look at dollar amount per hour of entertainment when it comes to movies or video games. I rarely go to the theater anymore because most movies aren't worth $20 (fiance and I), but I'll gladly go to redbox for just $2 for about 24 hrs. The same thing holds true for games. I just picked up SMT IV for $50, but already have 18hrs into it and I'm nowhere near done. So $8 for maybe 3 hours just doesn't sit well with me.
 
B

Brianimaniac

Banned
I finished it in 2:58. It's a quirky little game. I didn't have a strong reaction one way or the other, but it was a nice breather between other things. Certainly worth the money, and so far the only Guild game I'm glad I bought/played.

I want more Kaz Ayabe in the West.
 
N

ngower

Member
ForteanMan said:
$8 is just a bit too steep for me when I'm only getting a few hours out of the experience. Whether it's "right or wrong" I look at dollar amount per hour of entertainment when it comes to movies or video games. I rarely go to the theater anymore because most movies aren't worth $20 (fiance and I), but I'll gladly go to redbox for just $2 for about 24 hrs. The same thing holds true for games. I just picked up SMT IV for $50, but already have 18hrs into it and I'm nowhere near done. So $8 for maybe 3 hours just doesn't sit well with me.
Click to expand...

That's a bit unfair to say $2 for 24 hours. It's $2 for about two hours of actually watching the film.

I'm certainly not trying to push the product by any stretch, but I'd definitely caution against waiting for a sale to experience it to try and milk value out of the title. This $8 is likely my only game purchase until Pokemon XY comes out, and I don't regret picking it over, let's say, an RPG or something that would have given me much more value for my money, assuming we rate value as merely time-per-dollar. The experience of this game rivals, if not bests, most of my favorite games on the 3DS.
 
F

ForteanMan

Member
ngower said:
That's a bit unfair to say $2 for 24 hours. It's $2 for about two hours of actually watching the film.

I'm certainly not trying to push the product by any stretch, but I'd definitely caution against waiting for a sale to experience it to try and milk value out of the title. This $8 is likely my only game purchase until Pokemon XY comes out, and I don't regret picking it over, let's say, an RPG or something that would have given me much more value for my money, assuming we rate value as merely time-per-dollar. The experience of this game rivals, if not bests, most of my favorite games on the 3DS.
Click to expand...

I didn't think about how the redbox part would sound when I typed it out.

I really am interested in checking the game out, it's just that on my budget I have to really justify the purchase of a new game. And unfortunately I really do have to milk the experiences sometimes. So I'll keep this game on my radar until I can purchase it at the suggested price or, hopefully, at a sale price sometime later. I'm also not trying to undervalue the game, having not played it, I can't say one way or the other whether the cost is justified. I just am not in a position currently where I can get every game I wish. Such is life. I do appreciate yours and everyone's opinions on the game. It will certainly make the wait all that much more difficult :)
 
GeekyDad

GeekyDad

Member
ngower said:
That's a bit unfair to say $2 for 24 hours. It's $2 for about two hours of actually watching the film.

I'm certainly not trying to push the product by any stretch, but I'd definitely caution against waiting for a sale to experience it to try and milk value out of the title. This $8 is likely my only game purchase until Pokemon XY comes out, and I don't regret picking it over, let's say, an RPG or something that would have given me much more value for my money, assuming we rate value as merely time-per-dollar. The experience of this game rivals, if not bests, most of my favorite games on the 3DS.
Click to expand...

:) It's fruitless argument, I think. I feel you and agree, but you're just gonna go round and round anytime this issue comes up. Value is in the eye of the beholder. People can launch reasoning at anything, and it is what it is.

I also just (well, not just -- I had it pre-ordered for months) paid $50 for SMTIV, and I realistically see myself getting over 100 hours of play out of it before shelving it. But this still looks worthy of $8 to me.
 
F

ForteanMan

Member
GeekyDad said:
:) It's fruitless argument, I think. I feel you and agree, but you're just gonna go round and round anytime this issue comes up. Value is in the eye of the beholder. People can launch reasoning at anything, and it is what it is.

I also just (well, not just -- I had it pre-ordered for months) paid $50 for SMTIV, and I realistically see myself getting over 100 hours of play out of it before shelving it. But this still looks worthy of $8 to me.
Click to expand...

In my case value is in the eye of my wallet and not really up to me to decide. And the game may very well be worth $8. And if it never goes on sale I may eventually pick it up at that price.


EDIT: I don't wish to derail the thread anymore than I have. Back OT, the game looks great and I look forward to playing it sometime in the near future.
 
N

ngower

Member
Ha! Played for about five minutes before the credits started rolling. So I could have finished the game last night. Oh well, was definitely a fun game. About three hours for me.
 
T

TehOh

Member
I swore up and down that I wouldn't buy any more games until I finish a few more, but I broke down and grabbed Attack of the Friday Monsters today. Used some of the $30 from the Fire Emblem/SMT4 deal.

Only played about 30 minutes so far, but I'm completely in love with it. It's so utterly charming, the writing is clever, and the atmosphere sucks you in. The game also looks gorgeous.

It's kind of a Ghibli-esque short novel in game form. I love it.
 
P

PK Strawstorm

Member
This game has the best atmosphere of anything I've played in a long time. Maybe it's the story of a kid from 10 years before I was a kid, in a country I've never visited, obsessed with a specific show-type I never watched... but it's amazing how much the feeling of being a kid in the summer translates despite what prove to be very artificial differences.

I get legit emotional just walking around the perfect summer village, which I was lucky enough to experience as an adult in Luxembourg, although my grown-up experience was especially lacking in these perfectly innocent childhood friendships.

The music is great. Love that they kept the Japanese voice track, whatever the reason. I hope everyone buys this, and I hope parents nowadays still make sure their kids get away from the computer and go outside to play.
 
C

Camjo-Z

Member
Skimmed the description in the eShop and saw something about card-battling, so I decided to get this last night... very underwhelming in that respect. It's got a minimal amount of strategy, so anyone like me who was expecting something deeper - you've been warned.

On the other hand, this game looks and sounds very nice, and the story is interesting. It's basically the video game equivalent of a Ghibli movie, come to think of it. I'd say it's probably the best of the Guild 02 games, but would have 100 times better had they fleshed out the card battling aspect more.
 
J

javac

Member
Damn didn't't realise this came out. Was waiting for this. Will buy!

Do you think Level 5 will put these on sale too?
 
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