Blaze Union: Story to Reach the Future (PSP)

[Sagadego]

"at this time" read more carefully

[KingOfPrinces]

Originally Posted by Sagadego

"at this time" read more carefully

I Suppose theres still hope. But I still don't see this as a very good sign since 99% of the time Atlus just gives us the silent treatment when it comes to unanounced game localizations.

[Phoenix_Apollo]

They're probably waiting to see how the Yggdra Union bonus does with Knights in the Nightmare before they commit.

[Kishou]

and if that goes well, they might do Yggdra Unison too.

[KingOfPrinces]

Originally Posted by Phoenix_Apollo

They're probably waiting to see how the Yggdra Union bonus does with Knights in the Nightmare before they commit.

I doubt it. It seems silly to me to project the amount game sales based on another game (even if it is a game from the same series and developer). Each game succeeds or fails by its own merits. For all we know Blaze Union may very well sell twice as many copies as Knights in the Nightmare and Yggdra Union Put together.

[kujiko88]

Yes, I too wish that this particular game would be localized, but unfortunately, it's not quite up to us. It's up to these people on whose forums we're posting. Either way google petitions and just see how many you can find. I'm sure those might do something, then again, everyone has a free will.
I can't wait to play this game, either in Japanese import or in English.
Whatever happens, I'll be a fan of YU til the end at least.
Although, I am getting sick of looking up a release day and getting nothing back but:
"A NA release date has yet to be announced, blah blah, and blah"

[KingOfPrinces]

It's been six months since this game has been released in Japan and their has not even been an announcement for USA. Out of all of STING's games to choose not to localize does it really have to be this particular one?!?!?!?!?!?!

Come on were not requesting some obscure release from a difficult to work with Japanese developer with a high price for licensing or a port of a ten year old PS1 game. This is STING were talking about, ATLUS's old comrade in arms.

[MODCA]

Have to admit I'm getting worried too... I was hoping that at the end of last month we would hear something about this game's localization.

[Tiamat]

I'd like to play this game....but I'd rather Sting just continue the Dept. Heaven series than do spinoffs like this.

[KingOfPrinces]

Originally Posted by Tiamat

I'd like to play this game....but I'd rather Sting just continue the Dept. Heaven series than do spinoffs like this.

I don't want Atlus/Sting to move on without localizing what they already have first. Besides this game is practically part of the Dept. Heaven series though not officially. Its also just as much a prequel as it is a spinoff. It adds alot to the story of the Dept. Heaven Series.

[four_black_hearts]

As much as I love Yggdra Union, I gotta side with Tiamat on this one. This game wasn't handled by Product Team A, and while I can't speak as to the writing, the music and art direction have obviously suffered. Blaze Union just takes the desire to cash in on fan service a little too far.

[KingOfPrinces]

If it is an attempt to cash in than why hasn't it been released in the US? STING's games almost always tend to sell better in the US than in Japan.

If anything the new story, art and music seems to have been made to cater to the US more than Japan because they have a more "Mature" feel than Yggdra Union. And americans love "Mature" games. Hence why so many people are requesting Catherine to be localized.

[four_black_hearts]

If this game was "made for the US", then why hasn't there been a localization announcement? Beside that, I'm a little confused as to where you got your sales figures, what makes the art style and music direction of Blaze Union more "Mature", and what exactly does an SRPG like this have to do with Catherine?

[Tiamat]

I actually like the artwork but it is certainly nothing like Yggdra Union's. The art for this game is pretty sexualized, where on the other hand all the games in the main Dept. Heaven series have mostly cutesy styles. It's just matter of personal taste I think, though I think if this game was part of the main Dept. Heaven series it would feel more out of place.

My problems with the game are more to do with (what looks like) just rehashing Yggdra Union graphics and gameplay. I'm also very skeptical about the story. If this is a prequel why does it show so many Yggdra union characters in the anime cutscene(s)? Does it take place like RIGHT beforehand? I've heard this one has a more "mature" story but I'm not sure what that entails (edit: redrighthand said a little about it earlier in the topic, still have to see it myself tho). Yggdra Union's story was pretty dark if you think about it.

If Atlus USA published Blaze Union I would certainly give it a go though. Maybe I'd be pleasantly surprised or maybe disapointed, I really can't say.

[KingOfPrinces]

Well even if this is a rehashing or cash in it wouldn't be unusual. Many game series seem to be that way (and they still sell). and despite it's faults The game still deserves to be localized. no game or game series is perfect.

I don't think the game is mature. Only compared to Yggdra Union is it mature.

Also, I find it so funny that this game has been criticized for being BOTH so different AND so similiar to Yggdra Union.

[redrighthand]

Ze fans, zey will wank over anything and everything.

@Tiamat: Blaze Union takes place three years before Yggdra Union and tells the story of how the Imperial Army came together, which is why they all show up in the trailer.

For what it's worth, the "mature themes" in this game aren't just a matter of a few of the new female characters wearing revealing outfits--there's a plot-relevant battlefield that depicts an attempted sexual assault on the female characters in the party, many of whom are underage; one route of the game suggests that Garlot is bisexual; one of the party members is a drunkard; there's a character that plays with genderqueer themes; the writers spare no expense in creating a gritty and almost-but-not-quite grimdark atmosphere to hammer it in that Bronquia in 1487 is a terrible place to live. It's a dark story on a more personal level than Yggdra Union, which was a war tragedy with a grand scale.

There are also a few parts of the script that conflict with translation choices that Atlus made in Yggdra Union--for instance, Gulcasa's title in Japanese is 焔帝 (Blazing Emperor) and that obviously got translated as "Emperor of Carnage" instead. This turns out to be plot-relevant in Blaze Union (just look at the game's title!), so there may need to be some translation retconning to do it justice.

These things don't make the game impossible to be localized, though, and if Atlus was willing to be careful and meticulous with the translation, it could really be successful--and create more sales for Yggdra Union itself. Since Blaze Union can stand on its own, it would involve less risk to bring over in this market, unlike Yggdra Unison (which would really only appeal to Dept. Heaven fans). Atlus has given us SMT, so we know that they won't balk from LGBT and sexual themes.

As for the differences: Yes, the art is a big change, but whether you like it or not, you get used to it after a while--and it's fun to see the characters drawn in somebody else's style. In my opinion, Hayashi's actually improved since the age of Yggdra Union; the soundtrack to Blaze is a lot more cohesive and emotional (and I say this as somebody that loves the YU ost).

For the most part the writing is really good, although there have been some complaints about the story branches seeming rushed because of the limited memory space. The focus of the story is different--Yggdra Union had a lot of grand philosophical drama, whereas Blaze Union is Gulcasa's coming-of-age story, so it's more character-based. I personally enjoyed the plot a lot, although the C route is a little... well, I'll just say "a little", since I think Nessiah was handled poorly in it and C route hands the plot to a character I despise on principle (she's an abusive parent, and I hate that archetype). That's just my opinion though.

The fanbase deserves a chance to see how dorky and sweet Gulcasa is when he's not stomping your army into the ground, so it'd be a crying shame if Blaze Union never got localized.

[Phoenix_Apollo]

They could just call him "Blazing Emperor of Carnage" and somehow manage it so that he looses the "Blazing" part by the end.

[kujiko88]

Originally Posted by KingOfPrinces

It's been six months since this game has been released in Japan and their has not even been an announcement for USA.

Has it really only been 6 months? Feels like years to me... This has increased my want 4 this game so much... I feel as if I'm about to explode!!! Just please,ATLUS?

[kujiko88]

But, why is it that the U.S. misses out on so many great games like this? If there is no US release, i`ll have to learn Japanese! i'm already trilingual, don't do this to us...

[Sseklebeast]

Don't want this title. America already has too many Union titles.

[Sseklebeast]

Ive always disliked the Dept. Heaven series. The Blaze Union Branch is no exception.

[KingOfPrinces]

Originally Posted by Sseklebeast

Don't want this title. America already has too many Union titles.

Originally Posted by Sseklebeast

Ive always disliked the Dept. Heaven series. The Blaze Union Branch is no exception.

...

[Sseklebeast]

Hahaha

[kujiko88]

It just dawned on me why this may be taking so long! The voicing... While watchin BU on youtube, I noticed the insane amount of it... Hopefully this'll only delay localisation.

[KingOfPrinces]

I am also worried because of the voice acting. I fear that one of the reasons that they might not localize the title is because Voice acting is expensive.

[four_black_hearts]

I don't like voice acting, America already has too many games with voice acting.

[MugenNoFrontierFan]

Seems interesting enough to me. I played and finished Yggdra Union only a couple months ago, and if it's somehow linked to the same universe as YU, I'm all for it. I'm still pining to buy Knights in The Nightmare (correct title?) for that same reason.

[KingOfPrinces]

I just thought of something. STING is notorius for porting their games to other handheld systems. Maybe with the eventual phase out PSP and the upcomming 3DS maybe STING is planning on porting the game to that platform and ATLUS knows this and they are holding off localization of this game so they don't have to waste resources on two localizations. But what worries me is the fact that this game is a 2D game and i don't know if its possible to have a game with 2D graphics and 3D visuals. But on the other hand, few people(including an ATLUS employee) thought it would be possible for Knights in the Nightmare to appear on the PSP but STING found a way.

[Tiamat]

red: cool

ssek - is hating on unions!

king: I doubt it

sry for the wall of text!

[redrighthand]

well if y'all are done ~wankin~


Of course, the real reason Atlus isn't localizing this game is because Gulcasa is far too popular with the boys. Clearly the whole Gulcasa/Nessiah thing is far saucier than anything you would find in Catherine. All that hot implied dragonjesus-on-fallen angel action is way more religiously offensive and potentially scarring than any weird phallic beast we've yet seen in Persona. It's a wonder how ~31:00 to the end of this battlefield (mild spoilers?) even made it in Japan uncut.


...All silly jokes aside, it'd be super cool if a representative could tell us why Atlus isn't interested--if it's a question of the work involved taking too much effort, the way Blaze Union would create inconsistencies with their translation of Yggdra Union, or just worry that it wouldn't sell well enough in this tight economy.

If you're dying to know more about the game, though, the Wikipedia and TvTropes pages for it are both accurate and informative. The spoiler-sensitive might not want to look at them, however--the Wikipedia page especially gives away where Gulcasa is fast, if you haven't figured it out yet.