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November 22, 2024
 

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Ryan Payton
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / NAME OF THE GAME
Mar 1, 2006
Nintendo scores with consumers and then almost squanders its edge
Xbox 360 vs. PlayStation 3, Microsoft vs. Sony, DVD vs. Blu-ray -- there's a glimpse into the world of the hardcore game community. Tech talk and brand loyalty create enough static to scare away normal people who just want to play some games in their free time.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / NAME OF THE GAME
Nov 2, 2005
Once-lovable prince goes medieval
Like any other entertainment medium, it isn't hard to point out certain qualities that suggest whether a game was developed in Japan or abroad. Japanese games tend to be very character driven, boast a more artistic visual style and are often a part of a long-standing series. ("Final Fantasy XII" rings...
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / NAME OF THE GAME
Sep 28, 2005
'NBA Street' ain't got game
Take the official NBA license, a few dozen nerdy game designers, douse it with store-bought hip-hop flavor, and what do you get? "NBA Street Showdown."
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / NAME OF THE GAME
Sep 1, 2005
Three cheers for cheerleaders
Male cheerleaders jump out of closets, burst into ramen shops and join the daily Japanese rat race -- in a bid to save humanity.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / NAME OF THE GAME
Aug 18, 2005
The Force is strong with this one
Pairing Star Wars with the Lego toy brand is a bizarre concept to begin with, let alone making a video game based on this surprisingly fun (and lucrative) cocktail. Since the Danish toy maker's release several years back of Star Wars-related items, collectors have gone crazy over Lego versions of their...
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / NAME OF THE GAME
Jul 28, 2005
A one-way trip down psycho alley
Feeling that virtual, killer instinct when playing violent games is a guilty pleasure of the PlayStation era. We kill zombies in "Biohazard," Chinese warlords in "Dynasty Warriors" and police officers in "Grand Theft Auto." For many of us, the aim-fire-reload mechanics of games have become second nature....
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / NAME OF THE GAME
Jul 7, 2005
Sega online adventure hits the PC
Not to be confused with the original "Phantasy Star Online" that hit the stores back in 2000, Sega has added some new content to this PC version and a slick subtitle: "Blue Burst." The game play hasn't changed much since "PSO" debuted on the Sega Dreamcast console five years ago, but the developers have...
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / NAME OF THE GAME
Jun 16, 2005
Ancient China never looked so good
Buyers of "Jade Empire" are greeted with laughable cover art and silly character names like "Furious Ming." At first glance, the mythological theme appears to be a mockery of ancient Chinese culture. But beneath the regrettable packaging lies an honest and fun game that engulfs players in an awe-inspiring...
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / NAME OF THE GAME
Jun 2, 2005
Racer for PSP is a real drag
The appeal of the "Shutoko Battle" series (known as "Tokyo Xtreme Racer" abroad) has always been the way it gives players a free pass to race through a digital representation of Tokyo. For car enthusiasts and armchair racers thirsting for the thrill of hitting Kasumigaseki at 150 kph, the lure of "Shutoko"...
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / NAME OF THE GAME
May 19, 2005
Puppies for the digital age
Let me introduce Funky. He's a young, short-haired Chihuahua with a happy temperament and distaste for learning new tricks. With a job and family duties, it's hard to give Funky the attention he deserves. But I've surprised myself. Even though I'm more of a cat-lover than a dog-lover, I'm showing a great...
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / NAME OF THE GAME
May 5, 2005
Techno racing on the edge
The original "Wipeout" racing game hit the PlayStation in the midst of a worldwide cultural movement -- electronica. Beatboxes and keyboards were ringing in the new millennium as dance clubs saw renewed interest along with the club drugs that fueled the all-night raves. With its spacey visuals and techno...
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / NAME OF THE GAME
Apr 7, 2005
Finding fun in moral dilemmas
Steven Kent is taking some time off to pursue other projects. Stepping into the breach is experienced game reviewer Ryan Payton.
Two of America’s biggest debt holders are dumping Treasurys
The U.S. Treasury building in Washington. Investors in Japan and China sold a pile of U.S. debt in the last quarter, just before the U.S. presidential election.
Tokyo Metro’s overseas efforts begin in earnest with London deal
Tokyo Metro will soon have a role in the running of London's Elizabeth Line, a major train route serving the U.K.’s capital city and environs.
Russia fired experimental ballistic missile at Ukraine, Putin says
Ukrainian firefighters work on a spot following an airstrike in Dnipro on Thursday.
Ex-yokozuna Kitanofuji dies at 82
Yokozuna Kitanofuji enters the ring during the May 1970 grand sumo tournament in Tokyo.
Man charged with murder allegedly made victim date other men for money
A car carrying suspect Ryotaro Masuda, who was indicted for allegedly beating his 25-year-old girlfriend to death, leaves the Shibuya Police Station in Tokyo on Thursday.
Shohei Ohtani wins National League MVP award
Shohei Ohtani celebrates after hitting a three-run home run against the Padres during the National League Division Series at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles last month.
The slow-burn success of ‘A Samurai in Time’
A 19th-century warrior gets struck by lightning and wakes to find himself in 21st-century Kyoto in Junichi Yasuda’s surprise hit “A Samurai in Time.”
Around a quarter of Japan married couples in their 20s met through dating apps
A survey released by an organization promoting “Good Couples Day” shows that 24% of couples in their 20s met their marriage partner through a dating app.
'Tokyo Swindlers': Get deep into the minds of real estate con artists
In Ko Shinjo's "Tokyo Swindlers," a group of con artists manipulates real estate giants into falsified deals within the highly competitive, quick market.
Japan, U.K. and Italy discuss inviting more countries to joint fighter project
A new concept model of a next-generation fighter jet to be jointly developed by Japan, Britain and Italy is on display in Farnborough, Hampshire, in July.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.
Kabukicho: Tokyo’s ‘stadium of desire’

Longform

Construction takes place on the Takanawa Gateway Convention Center in Tokyo, slated to open in 2025.
A boom for business tourism in Japan?
By Kathryn Wortley

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