Tag Archives: afrika

Call this a friendly reminder, if you will, as Natsume has announced that Afrika is now available in the US on PS3.

‘Bout damn time, we say.

It has over 70 animals in it with over 100 missions, and if you are in the US and want it, check with your local retailer.

Hooray.

Via Press Release.

With production values beyond the typical budget game, Natsume promises that Afrika will not destroy your wallet too much.

“We are not so interested in the so-called ‘value’ titles,” Yasuhiro Maekawa told Gamasutra. “Most of the Natsume games I’d say are about in the middle. Sort of normal retail price titles with normal graphical levels.

“For a PlayStation 3 title, this will probably be $49.99. That’s what we’re thinking. Between $39.99 and $49.99. $59.99 is probably too much.”

Via Joystiq.

Natsume’s VP of Operations, Graham Markay, has told Siliconera that the PS2 localization for Finny the Fish was how the publisher reeled in the rights to publish Afrika in the US.

“We have a relationship with Sony Japan,” Markay told the site. “You might remember Finny the Fish? That game was done by Sony Japan. So we licensed that game from them. We have a little bit of a history with their licensing department in Japan.

“It really fits with the Natsume theme. That is it’s non-violent, it’s in nature, you know animals, being one with nature, you’re taking pictures and not running around with a shotgun or a baseball bat. So it fits in the encompassing umbrella of what Natsume stands behind. Long answer short, it went from there and we got it.

Markay also revealed that the game will have a trophy system, which “wasn’t in the Asian release or Japanese release.”

Good to know.

Via Joystiq.

Everyone has been talking about Afrika for what seems like ten years now.

Finally leaving Japan this year, the game was on hand at E3 and Kotaku got 20 minutes of play time with it.

If you can get past the comparisons to Pokemon snap, you should get a bit of information out of it. Who hasn’t compared it to Pokemon Snap though?

At any rate, there is nothing there that you didn’t know already.

Regardless, it still looks nice – even if we are a bit tried of seeing zebras all the time.

Natsume has announced its E3 line-up for next week, and attendees who love Harvest Moon or are excited about Afrika are in for a treat.

“We can’t wait to show everyone our outstanding lineup of titles for 2009, said Natsume president Hiro Maekawa.

“This is our biggest lineup ever! We have something for people of all ages and tastes, no matter which gaming console or handheld is their favorite.”

• Adventures To Go (PSP)
• Animal Kingdom: Wildlife Expedition (Wii)
• Afrika (PS3)
• Cheer We Go! (DS)
• Harvest Moon: Animal Parade (Wii)
• Harvest Moon: Frantic Farming (DS)
• Harvest Moon: My Little Shop (WiiWare)
• Harvest Moon: Sunshine Islands (DS)
• Reel Fishing: Angler’s Dream (Wii)
• Squishy Tank (DS)

All games are expected sometime this year, and more information about each is detailed in the press release below.
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Natsume is to release PS3′s Afrika in the US this year, according to this IGN report.

We know at least two people that’ll be pleased by this.

There’s lots of preview detail through the link. Same thing. Still has charging hippos.

Dead Space received two awards during the 7th Annual Game Audio Network Guild Awards during GDC last week.

Audio of The Year and Sound Design of The Year were accepted by EA Redwood Studios for it’s space-horror shooter, while composer Wataru Hokoyama took home two as well – one for Rookie of the Year and another for Music of the Year for his work on PS3 game Afrika.

GANG is a non-profit focused on advancement and recognition is game audio.

The full list of winner after the break.

Via Gamasutra.

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According to this PS3F story, National Geographic has picked up the rights to Afrika and is to publish the game in America until the title National Geographic: Africa.

Not sure where this came from originally, but we know at least one person who’ll probably piss his pants at this.

More through the link.

Sony Europe has confirmed to videogaming247 today that there are “no plans” for a European release of the safari-photography game, Afrika, as was rumoured earlier today.

“I can now confirm that there are currently no plans to release Afrika in Europe,” a Sony spokesperson said.

Consider that official.

By Mike Bowden

French site Play3-live reckons that Sony’s game of the year candidate, Afrika, will be coming to Europe after all.

Apparently there was a Sony stand at Photokina in Cologne last week, showing the safari photo-bonanza in English. When inquisitive journalists inquired about it, they were told that the game would be releasing in Europe in 2009.

We find this news rather annoying as we’ve just ordered the import. We’ll check with Sony.

By Mike Bowden

Ubisoft’s Far Cry 2 isn’t far-off, but until the game actually launches, you’ll only be looking at the mutant-free shooter – not touching. In a live chat with the Eurogamer community, producer Louis-Pierre Pharand explained:

“No demos will be available. It became too complex to do a demo of an open-world game. We decided to put those efforts in the game, so that everyone can enjoy a better and more polished experience.”

Shame, too. We were really hoping to give this one a pre-release test drive. Our poor hearts aren’t ready for another Afrika-level disappointment just yet.

By Nathan Grayson

Words fail us, frankly. Eurogamer’s given Afrika a 7/10 review score, saying that the graphics are “a little disappointing.” After all that. Snip:

It’s not perfect. The visuals are a little disappointing; they’re pretty rather than stunning. While the animals look realistic they don’t exhibit much individual behaviour, and their actions can be predictable. And, oh all right, hiding behind bushes can get a bit boring.

Still. Afrika is one of the most pleasant, enjoyable and gently engrossing games I’ve played in a while. It’s a shame Sony isn’t releasing it here, and it’s worth importing. Especially if you’re the type of person who can imagine experiencing a special kind of thrill from snapping a monkey up a tree instead of shooting a zombie in the face. Though it’s not as much fun as running over a lion, obviously.

Read the rest, if you must.

Oh, sweet Jesus. A game hasn’t made us laugh this much for years. Gamersyde’s posted a movie of the first eight minutes of Afrika, the PS3 game Europe didn’t want.

Seriously, our words are pointless. Watch it right to the end. The terror that woman feels must be indescribable.

After the jump. Gamekyo again. Looks the same as it ever did: pretty and relaxing although too much Japanese text to even consider an import.

Go watch.

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You can watch it here. Loads of purdy backdrops and lighting going on with some animals milling about a watering hole. We’re having internal battles about this at videogaming247.

Make your own minds up through the link.

By Mike Bowden

We’re a bit late on the first one, but Watch.Impress published a truckload of superb looking Afrika screenshots last week. On top of that there’s a new “making of” soundtrack video that you can see after the break.

This game is looking better by the minute, we reckon, and we’re going to start one of those highly effective internet petitions to get Sony to release it in Europe.

Imagine being able to be driven around in a jeep and take photos of wild animals. Sensational.

All the other VG247 Afrika details can be found here.

Dive in.

By Mike Bowden

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Some details from a hands-on of Sony Japan’s Afrika here, and some new screens. Don’t get us started. To quote:

“GNN says they found the zebras, gazelles and giraffes earlier in the game extremely life-like, like watching National Geographic channel. However, getting too close to these animals will either scare them away or being attacked by the fiercer types.”

Brilliant. Full thing through the link.

Here it is. Be sure you’re sitting in case you foul yourself. According to this Kotaku piece, Afrika will release in Japan on August 28, priced 5980 yen.

SCEE’s already said this isn’t going to make it to Europe, so you’d better get importing.

Provided you can stand the tension of waiting for the post. You could spare yourself the pain by flying to Japan on August 27, sitting outside a game shop and waiting for it to open, buying a PS3, getting a hotel room a week, taking thousands of pictures of fucking zebras, realising how futile the entire exercise was, how dull the game actually is, then jumping off the Tokyo bridge in self-disgust.

Just saying.

Earlier today Sony Japan released a new gameplay trailer for safari photo-shoot game, Afrika, on the Japanese PSN.

For those of you who aren’t able to download the trailer, click the link to see it for yourselves.

Afrika will be released in Japan August 28.

By Mike Bowden

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Have a front page? Hold it. Stop all presses while you’re at it. A Japanese retailer has posted a description of what Afrika actually is, meaning those endless, dreary dark nights of the soul are o-o-over: it’s a game where you trot in air balloons and take photographs.

Apparently, “As a photojournalist for the foot, by car, sometimes trotting air balloon… Stare hard, looking for the find… In some cases, the bent leg, throbbing heart of it.”

Double-awesome.

“Forget that when the earth and play with fun and excitement. Very SAFARI! It is also nice new place to aim at the same leisurely stop at a well. My foot, by jeep, sometimes in a balloon. Many animals unusual behavior, such as ‘AFRIKA’ variety show will look to meet, fun approach.”

SCEE doesn’t want this. Buy it from Japan anyway. Baffle yourself.