We've not long since got Deathsmiles, Cave's loll bullet hell shooter. If you haven't played it I really recommend it, the way the game structures difficulty is very clever, really playing with the risk/reward mentality. A few weeks back you could also get it for Ł2 from an online retailer, which suggests it wont break the bank if you do want to pick it up.

Anyway, the sequel is out in Japan, has been for a while, and it's soon to get a release in America via digital download.

Basically it's the Games on Demand service, only for a non-localised game. It's due out on the 17th May and will cost $30.

Now I know this is of no use to us Europeans, but given that there's no localisation, so long as ave don't lose money on whatever they have to pay Microsoft to use their service, surely it's only a matter of time before we get the game too... I hope

No WWP last week, because my browser decided to crash half way through and I lost it all, and couldn't be bothered doing it again.


Excuses aside, the big new game this fortnight week has been Deathsmiles, which I'm enjoying, but struggling to hold any particularly strong feelings about.

Other games getting attention also include XBLA Doom II, and I've finally toppled the eighth gym leader in Pokémon HeartGold.

And those games, announced at an event announced late last year are Nin2-Jump, Akai Katana Shin, and Instant Brain.

The former, pictured, and pronounced "Nin Nin Jump", is a platform game with bullet hell elements, and due for XBLA some time this year. It has been designed to look like a Japanese 'shadow play', and the silhouettes of people watching the play will react to the player's performance.

The second game is a port of arcade title Akai Katana, which is a more traditional shooter. Unlike the XBLA port of Guwange, this has received a full HD makeover, alongside a new stage and boss. This will be released for xBox 360 on disc in May, and the first run will contain a download code for new character voices, although it's not known if this is a limited edition add-on, or a Project $10-type initiative.

Finally, the final game is an adventure title, which, according to reports, is "centered around a camera which you use to progress through the story. The game is set in the near future."

Andriasang also reports that Cave have announced an update for the iPhone port of Bug Panic and an iPhone release for DeathSmiles, the latter of which made it to xBox 360 in the west last week.

More details on all the games at Andriasang's event page.

..as February 18- that's a month yesterday.

The European-exclusive "Deluxe" edition of the game contains the main game, the Mega Black Label DLC, a soundtrack CD and a 'desktop accessories' disc, which sounds a lot like wallpapers- although no faceplate like the US version.

Told you!

Rising Star Games are going to be bringing Cave shoot-em-up DeathSmiles to Europe early next year. The package is ostensibly the same one the US recieved in the past, with its three game modes and co-op option, but also the "Mega Black Label pack", which includes an extra character, an extra stage and "a range of special features", whatever those might be.

The game itself hails from 2007, and gameplay centres around being attacked from both sides of the screen, rather than one, as is traditional in the genre.

MCV are reporting that Makoto Asada, a producer at Cave, has let slip Rising Star Games' plans to release DeathSmiles on xBox 360 to retail in Europe early next year at TGS, which RSG themselves are yet to comment on.

This marks the first time any of the developers' games have been released on disc in Europe, although DeathSmiles has been released Stateside, alongside a nice bundle containing a soundtrack CD and an xBox 360 faceplate.