Perhaps one of their biggest and most in demand upcoming titles, JAST USA have today announced that their English localized release of School Days HQ is nearing completion, and have celebrated this by unveiling the visual novels Collector’s Edition. School Days HQ is a fully-animated bishoujo game that is well known for its numerous bad endings that end well…. tragically. Yes…. there is more than just the one ending in the anime series that attracted attention for its unexpected and gory conclusion.

But moving on to the Collectors Edition, this will be the first such release in JAST USA’s history, and includes two items not available through any other source:

1. An original Kotonoha oppai mousepad, with new art drawn by School Days character designer Goto Junji. This mousepad was commissioned expressly for the School Days Limited Edition, and is not available anywhere in Japan.

2. An original rubber keychain with “yukkuri” style art of Makoto’s head. This keychain was also commissioned for the Collector’s Edition, and is sure to please fans of the anime.

The Collectors Edition is currently set at $59.95 and can be ordered through HERE. Preorders will recieve free shipping to the United States or $7.50 extra to international destinations. Those who have already pre-ordered the games standard edition can go HERE to upgrade. All preorder customers will receive an email in the next several days informing them of this opportunity. This set will only be produced in a limited quantity, allowing fans of the series to get some exclusive goods that are not available anywhere else. School Days HQ is currently in the final stages of testing, which is set to be concluded in late-May, with release following shortly thereafter.

A short while ago I shared some images on Persona 4 Golden, initially released on Japanese gaming website Famitsu and focused on the use of Rise Kujikawa’s abilities in battle and the new gameplay feature “Insect Catching”. ATLUS have today released the same images along with a few additional ones – all of which can be seen below:

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Released by the Pokemon Company, the above video is an animated movie for the upcoming Nintendo DS release of Pokemon Black 2 and Pokemon White 2, a unique path they have taken with the series by instead of creating a whole new region and adding a new colour or gem to the name, they will set the game primarily in the same world with new areas, changes to current areas and a completely new set of storylines and characters. This video is set to introduce the game to newcomers and fans alike.

It seems like Neptune V will not only have game industry crossovers such as Airship Keiji Inafune and former Division Chief of the XBox 360 Special Forces “Izawa”, but according to this latest teaser clip by Compile Heart – will involve music to some degree from Earthbound Papas – a group formed by Nobuo Uematsu , composer for a number of Final Fantasy games.

While previous screenshots of Persona 4 Arena’s story mode have been based upon Yu Narukami (Protagonist), Yosuke Hanamura and Chie Satonaka – the latest batch of screenshots from ATLUS focus on two further main characters Yukiko Amagi (Who considering her healing abilities in the RPG releases of the game – is perhaps the most frequently included party member with the exception of the Protagonist) and Kanji Tatsumi.

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Sega Europe and Sega of America have launched their release of Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II. This new entry in the Sonic 4 storyline has the iconic blue hedgehog taking on two legendary rivals with the help of one of his oldest friends, Miles “Tails” Prower. Sonic The Hedgehog 4 Episode II is now available through a number of consoles including the Playstation Network and Steam for $18.25 AUD, the XBox Live Arcade for 1,200 MSP, NVidia Tegra 3 powered devices on Android for AUD $7.49 and finally on the iPhone and iPad for the same price as the android release.

Haruki Satomi, Senior Vice President of Digital Business at SEGA of America had this to say:

Sonic 4 Episode II is very special because we’ve integrated community feedback into the game. We have some of the most loyal and dedicated fans and I hope they enjoy this next chapter in the Sonic 4 saga.

Sonic The Hedgehog 4 Episode II also offers players who have purchased Sonic The Hedgehog 4 Episode I the exclusive chance to experience Episode Metal, a special unlockable story available to anyone who owns both titles on the same platform. Lead one of Sonic’s greatest foes, Metal Sonic, across four reworked Acts from Episode I to learn more about how he survived the events at the end of Sonic CD.

You will be able to pick up your copy of Tom Clancy’s: Ghost Recon Future Soldier from the 24th May 2012.

Anime distributor and producer Right Stuf, and more specifically their Nozomi Entertainment division have announced that their release of Maria Watches Over Us, Season 1 DVD set will be available on the 4th September 2012. This new DVD set repackages the entire 13-episode first television season of Maria Watches Over Us, plus the Season 1 specials, in a single DVD keepcase. It features Japanese audio, along with English on-screen translations, and two English-language subtitle tracks: one with regular dialogue subtitles and a second, special subtitle track that retains the Japanese honorifics.

The Maria Watches Over Us anime is based upon a series of novels – written by Oyuki Konno and illustrated by Reine Hibiki – that began in 1998 and spans 38 volumes. Short stories related to the series have been published in the shoujo (girls’) magazine Cobalt, and a manga adaptation was serialized in the anthology magazine Margaret. The series’ publisher, Shueisha, produced 14 drama CDs (featuring radio-style plays), and there are also several Internet radio plays, a live-action film adaptation and a spin-off novel series.

The anime adaptation of Maria-sama ga Miteru – also referred to by fans as “MariMite” – encompasses two, 13-episode TV seasons, a 5-episode OVA (original video animation) as its third season, and a 13-episode fourth season, which aired on Japanese television during 2009. All four seasons are licensed for English-speaking audiences by and available on DVD from Right Stuf’s Nozomi Entertainment.

When Yumi Fukuzawa entered the Lillian Girls’ Academy, a prestigious all-girls Catholic school in Tokyo, she never imagined that she would catch the eye of beautiful and demure Sachiko Ogasawara, one of the school’s most popular students. Now Sachiko has offered to be Yumi’s sœur – her “sister” and guide for all her years at the academy. The whole idea has Yumi completely flustered – after all, they hardly know each other! The entire school is abuzz with rumors about the two of them, but Yumi is conflicted over accepting Sachiko’s offer. While she admires Sachiko, being her sœur would also mean constantly being at the center of the entire school’s attention!

This current planned SRP is$39.99 and will be spread over four discs for a total of 325 Minutes

Anime Producer and Distributor Right Stuf Inc, and more specifically their Nozomi Entertainment division have announced their planned release of Martian Successor Nadesico Complete Collection Limited Edition DVD Set (Long title) will be available for purchase from the 4th September 2012. This new DVD box set will feature the entire 26-episode television series and its sequel motion picture (Prince of Darkness), as well as its Gekigangar 3 OVA spin-off. This will be the first time Gekigangar 3 will be available to North American audiences. It will also include remastered video from the Japanese DVD release for the Nadesico TV series and Gekigangar 3 OVA and the previously released English-language dub (TV series and film), plus Japanese audio, English-language subtitles and on-screen translations, and on-disc extras. The limited-edition set’s seven discs will be housed in a Thinpak-style, full-color chipboard art box.

The Earth, its moon and its Martian colonies are under alien attack, but the war against the “Jovian lizards” has, so far, been nothing short of a series of disasters.Disgusted by the incompetence of Earth’s military, the independent arms manufacturer Nergal builds its own space battleship and plans to launch a desperate offensive to save humanity. But due to a shortage of trained soldiers, they’ve assembled the most unorthodox crew to ever launch into orbit! With a pacifist cook-turned-unwilling mecha pilot and a ditsy admiral’s daughter in command, can this unprecedented gathering of geeks, misfits and anime fans prevail against the Jovian menace?

The current planned SRP is $59.99 and will span over 7 discs in the set for a total time of 740 minutes.

Following this announcement, Nozomi Entertainment wants fans to submit questions for Tatsuo Sato, the director of the series to answer. You can submit these questions HERE. Be sure to get your questions in before 4pm CDT on Friday, 25th May 2012!

ATLUS USA and ACE Team have announced that Rock of Ages, the balls-to-the-walls game of tower offence is now available on the North American Playstation Network for the Playstation 3, following last years releases on the XBox360 and PC. This release has included within it, a host of newly added features and content such as a new game mode “Obstacle Course” which challenges players to complete head-to-head with a friend or an AI opponent to navigate a stage full of randomly placed defenses. The player to cross the finish line first wins, although the inclusion of boulder power-ups that can be acquired along the way offers an element of excitement and unpredictability that’s sure to satisfy existing fans and newcomers alike.  An enhanced version of the classic “War” mode allows players to utilize defensive units that would otherwise be locked away and inaccessible given the stage and its time period.  There is also a new tactical wrinkle for explosive defenses, added boulder skins to enjoy, and a wealth of tweaks and refinements.  The new features and content in the PlayStation Network release of Rock of Ages are currently exclusive to the console, although that may change at a later date.

The release is free for a limited time to those holding a North American Playstation Plus subscription.

About Rock of Ages
A rock-solid combination of deep strategy, rock-rolling action, and captivating art and music from throughout history! Two castles stand opposed, bridged by an uneven, narrow pathway. One is yours, and you’re quite fond of it. See how the parapets catch the sunlight ever so stylishly? The other is your enemy’s; they’re a jerk, and their crappy crenellations are driving down your property values. Also, their castle sucks, justification enough to try crush it using an enormous rolling stone. Unfortunately, they’ll have a chance to plan and build up some security, doing everything they can to derail your razing rock. Get through their defenses and you’re one step closer to crushing their unsightly tower (see also: their hopes and dreams). But don’t take your turn for granite. Once your turn is over, your opponent’s begins…

D3 Publisher and Cartoon Network Enterprises have announced that they plan on bringing Ben 10: Omniverse, the first game in the brand new animated series of the same name to store shelves this fall, and to be distributed by Namco Bandai Partners (Namco Bandai Games S.A.S) across Australia and other Asia Pacific regions. The series will introduce fans to an entirely different Ben 10 experience through an all-new character design that pays homage to Ben’s past and a fresh batch of aliens to battle.  Ben 10: Omniverse will also mark the debut of Ben’s new sidekick Rook, a skilled but inexperienced Plumber graduate. The game itself is being developed by Monkey Bar Games for all platforms with the exception of the Nintendo DS and 3DS versions with are being developed by 1st Playable Productions.

In Ben: 10 Omniverse, players will be immersed in exciting action-brawler gameplay featuring the new art style inspired from the show.  Gamers will have the power to switch forms and battle as one of 13 playable alien heroes, including never-before-seen aliens like Bloxx and Gravattack, as they work with either Ben or Rook to defeat the evil plans of a fierce villain, intent on destroying the world. Ben 10: Omniverse gives fans the option to play single-player or two-player co-op mode (for all platforms except the Nintendo DS and Nintendo 3DS), where one player controls Ben and his alien forms and the other can play as Rook with his Proto-Tool, a high-tech multifunction weapon designed to battle evil.

The Ben 10: Omniverse interactive game from D3Publisher will release on the upcoming WiiU system from Nintendo, the Wii system from Nintendo, Xbox 360 game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system, Nintendo 3DS hand-held system and Nintendo DS hand-held system.