Bloodborne

Bloodborne, co-developed by From Software and SCE Studio Japan for the PlayStation 4, is the latest game we at Frognation have been hard at work localising into English. Proudly continuing our long-standing relationship with From Software, we were entrusted with the game's script, English text and recording. A resounding critical and commercial success, Bloodborne managed to break sales of over a million copies worldwide in only a month after release.

The game transports the player to Yharnam, a Victorian-era city overrun by the mysterious scourge of the beast, and horrors greater still…

Taking place on the night of the hunt, when Yharnam's few remaining level-headed citizens are safely shut up behind closed doors, you as the player take to the streets in search of something called “Paleblood”, only to encounter an unhinged mob ready to blame you, the outsider, for all the town's misfortunes.

Though a spiritual successor to the proud Souls series heritage, Bloodborne offers players a sleek re-imagining of the series' core gameplay tenets. No longer a sword and shield affair, Bloodborne pushes players to take the initiative in combat by increasing player manoeuverability and incentivising them to stay in the thick of the melee with the brand new “rally” system. Upon taking damage, the player's health bar will indicate a portion of health he or she can regain by rallying their courage and striking back the enemy, rewarding players who struggle and fight instead of retreating. Of course greediness remains your leading cause of misfortune, so don't go in expecting to bludgeon your way to success without strategy.

Also new to Bloodborne is revamped, experimental weaponry. Your character, a Hunter, can equip two weapons at a time. A firearm, used to control space and parry the enemy for counter attacks, and a trick weapon, a transformable melee weapon that affords the player two ways with which to engage the enemy. One of the standout weapons found early in the game is the Threaded Cane. At first glance it looks like nothing more than an elegant walking stick, used to thwack or even stab enemies with its sharp point, but once transformed it becomes a long bladed whip capable of eviscerating enemies from afar! And this is but one of Bloodborne's many ingenious contraptions.

The game's other great departure from the Souls series is the Chalice Dungeons. Optional areas separate from the rest of the game, these dungeons consist on the whole of randomly generated, labyrinthine areas for players to explore. They can be undertaken alone or with friends, for glory and riches, and boast unique and challenging content. They're even shareable online to as many people as you see fit through a password system.

Everything else you might expect from a Souls game is present, and exceptionally well executed. The masterfully interwoven world, the oppressive yet immersive atmosphere, the cryptic storytelling, the vicious bosses, and even the unique multiplayer systems are all present and correct, though with a few new wrinkles that might surprise series veterans.

Take our word with as much salt as you like, but we really can't recommend the game enough! Whether you're a veteran or a newcomer, Bloodborne and Yharnam have much to offer.

And if you've already explored Yharnam and wished for more, you're in luck. Sony and From Software have announced that an expansion for the game will be coming out by the end of the year, so expect more eldritch horror, more terrifying monstrosities, and further insight into Yharnam's murky secrets.

Dark Souls II

Dark Souls II is now available on Playstation 3, Xbox 360, and through Steam on PC.

We’re proud to have continued our long-standing relationship with FromSoftware, who entrusted us with the game’s script, English text, and recording. The script is by far the longest found in a Souls game, and includes around four times as many characters with spoken parts compared to the last game. For the recording, we asked the incomparable Adam Chapman to reprise his role in casting and directing the wealth of vocal talent heard in the game.

Working so closely with the creators is always a real joy for us, and as such it’s been truly gratifying to see the reception the game has garnered. Critics and long-term series fans alike have sung the game’s virtues, and the game currently sits on a whopping metacritic score of 91. It’s fair to say that even without the stewardship of series director and creator Hidetaka Miyazaki, Dark Souls II is a heart-warming success story.

In Dark Souls II, the player once again sets out on a journey in order to lift the curse mysteriously put upon them, this time through the elegiac scenery and stately grandeur of the fallen kingdom of Drangleic. The game boasts a real refinement of the series�� gameplay mechanics, offering improved and nuanced combat, and a real wealth of multiplayer possibilities. Fans of the Souls games and newcomers alike should find plenty to sink their teeth into.

If you haven��t already, do jump in! Maybe you��ll discover the fortitude to persist you never knew you had. Maybe you��ll discover what��s really been going on in Drangleic before your arrival. Maybe you��ll discover you��re fit to be king or queen...

And look out for the newly announced Lost Crowns trilogy coming soon as downloadable content on all platforms.

Puppeteer Update

Puppeteer is a charming, theatrically-themed platform adventure game from the mind of industry veteran Gavin Moore, available now both digitally and at retail for the PlayStation 3. Join Kutaro, and his many lovable costume changes, on his journey to reclaim his own missing head and rescue children of earth, abducted by the fearsome-sounding Moon Bear King through the game’s seven delightful stages.

We worked very closely with Gavin and SCE Japan Studio for the duration of the game’s development to ensure the English version of the game really sings, so we hope you enjoy the whimsical, lyrical script, the endearing presentation, and the compelling gameplay!

Tokyo Jungle

Have you ever dreamt of being a Pomeranian, joyously bounding over the overgrown wilds of post-apocalyptic Tokyo, finally free of the handbag your over-perfumed mistress kept you imprisoned in? Well, us neither, but if the concept of a Darwinian fight for survival in Tokyo’s once-immaculate streets among animals both twee and terrifying intrigues you, you could do worse than download a copy of Tokyo Jungle, available now on the PS3 PlayStation Store.

And do keep an eye out for future games by Tokyo Jungle’s director Yohei Kataoka, as he and his studio, Crispy’s, are tipped for great things.

Dark Souls Prepare to Die edition dated for release & FN featured in EDGE magazine.

Good news! DARK SOULS PREPARE TO DIE EDITION is coming to PC on the 24th of August, including the brand new Artorias of the Abyss content. This will also be made available to Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 players later in the year as downloadable content, alongside a complete boxed package mirroring the PC version.

Accompanying the release details of the PC version are interviews in both the July edition and online home of the highly venerated EDGE magazine, in which our very own Ryan Morris and From Software��s Hidetaka Miyazaki discuss the process of localisation.

Miyazaki talks of his love for Western fantasy literature, his conviction that the voice acting had to be done in British English, and the back and forth involved in crafting the game��s script. Click here for the complete article.

Everybody��s Golf for PlayStation Vita out now in the UK!

We��re happy to announce our first PlayStation Vita localisation project, the latest in the ever-popular Everybody��s Golf series, is out now in Europe!

Featuring a host of international golfing eccentrics, and with even more content to download coming very soon via the PlayStation store, it��s time for another round of easy to pick up, fun, and rapid-fire golf!

PSN Downloadable Game MALICIOUS Available Now!

Released earlier this year on February the 8th, MALICIOUS is now on sale.

A title designed to be played in short bursts, this medieval fantasy world boasts sumptuous art and sound design combined with simple yet satisfying hack and slash combat.

Since going on sale on the PlayStation Network, the title has earned quite a following, leading to the announcement of a PlayStation Vita version now in development.
And as if that weren��t enough, there��s also a (currently only available in Japanese) digital novel, MALICIOUS another story, available for both iPad and iPhone. It looks like MALICIOUS might just become a series to keep an eye on in the future!

Shield up. Take it slow.

All of the struggle, the frustration, the anguish? Well... There��s actually a bit of a secret you should know about this game...("*Shield up. Take it slow. by Ian Milton-Polley*")

To read more, click below.

Space Channel 5 has arrived!

We are happy to report SEGA has made the HD remaster of Space Channel 5: Part 2 available to purchase as a downloadable title on the PlayStation Network and Xbox Live Arcade. Designed by Tetsuya Mizuguchi (Q Entertainment), with our humble selves at Frognation involved in the English version script, this eccentric, on beat rhythm action classic is well worth giving a go. Eurogamer called it the ��camp, brilliant... highlight of the Dreamcast Collection when it launched earlier this year.�� Mizuguchi��s latest work, the well-received Child of Eden, is also available in shops now.

DARK SOULS conquers the world!

DARK SOULS, developed by the creators of the acclaimed Demon's Souls, is finally upon us.

We're excited to hear so many good reviews, since Frognation was involved in the development of the English Script and Voice Recording in DARK SOULS. Just as in Demon's Souls, our English script appears in all international versions of the game, including the Japanese version itself.

Here is a summary of several major game reviews (by Kotaku.com):
Dark Souls Reviewers Like It Long and Hard

Yes as a player myself, it is HARD, but once you get in the habit of trying it over and over again without going mad...then, you may just overcome the hardships! Addictive, YES!

(Ema Kodaka, frognation)

Genre:
Action Role Playing

Platforms:
Xbox 360, PlayStation 3

Namco Bandai Games Europe - PS3 - DARK SOULS
Namco Bandai Games Europe - XBOX 360 - DARK SOULS

Tron article in Cinefex!

In Frognation��s ongoing relationship with Movie special effects magazine Cinefex, earlier this year Asako Kai and Kengo Watanabe translated a feature article on Tron: Legacy for issue 20 of the Japanese publication.

The long-awaited sequel to the 1982 original, Tron: Legacy wowed audiences in cinemas last December with the latest cutting edge visual effects and a powerful score by the electronic music legends Daft Punk. The article, originally written by Jody Duncan, delves into how the film-makers convinced Disney to green-light the project through the amazing possibilities of state-of-the-art CG, as well as the initial creation process of this most-aptly titled film.

Hansoft 6.5 at Kojima Productions!

GAMASUTRA article:
Hansoft 6.5 Adopted Across Kojima Productions

Hansoft

KOJIMA PRODUCTION
English USA site
Japanese site

Split Second will go on PSP!

PSP version of Split Second will be released in Japan on 10th February, 2011! -Announced on Japanese websites GAME Watch, Famitsu.com and others.

Hansoft

We are working with Swedish-based software/application developer
Hansoft AB on the Hansoft Japanese and Chinese localised versions.

Hansoft (Japanese)
Hansoft (Chinese)

Hansoft (Official web)