It wouldn’t be an E3 without a stop at the XSeed booth and this year was no exception. The company had a wide range of games with that certain anime flare splashed in that XSeed has been known for in the industry. From growing rice, rocking out and kicking ass, XSeed brought with them some pretty interesting games to show off during E3 so let’s get right into it!
First up is Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin, the story of Sakuna, the harvest goddess. Sakuna teams up with a group of humans to try to reclaim Hinoe Island as per the Celestial Ruler’s orders. The island has been taken over by demons and it’s up to our ragtag group to save it! The game combines side scrolling with a farm simulation where you grow rice in the village. The platforming is pretty straightforward where you attack monsters and have button-pushing combo moves to use as well as special attacks. While roving, you’ll have to attack larger demons, boss demons if you will, to claim victory! You’ll be able to use farming tools as weapons such as a hoe or rice-ballers. The farming mechanic is an interesting feature because you need to learn how to grow rice quickly. If you don’t, you won’t receive the benefits of good rice and the benefits are better stats. Growing things takes a little getting used to at first but the controls are rather simple to perform.
Gal Metal for the Nintendo Switch was up next and this is another interesting game. The story goes that an alien invasion is coming to the town of Kichiijoji and you and another student, a girl, have been taken hostage for revenge. The octopus looking aliens want revenge for the broadcast of the Golden Record from the Voyager Probe. The aliens combine your character with that of Rinko, the female hostage who also a member of a metal band at school. Using Rinko’s body, the pair will have to use metal to take down the alien invasion along with the band,K.M.G. the Kichijoji Metal Girls. The Nintendo Switch Joy Cons each control one drumstick in this rhythm-based adventure!
The last game I was able to check out was Senran Kagura Burst Re: Newal for the PlayStation 4. You’ll learn the ways of the Shinobi at Hanzo National Academy, a training area that trains good shinobi and the Hebijo Clandestine Girls Academy for evil Shinobi. The game was originally released on the Nintendo 3DS as a brawler, the game keeps the brawler mentality and shifts to a 3D version. You’ll be able to perform combo attacks with the burst maneuver and burst finisher as well as the game having better physics than the previous installments. You’ll also have the options to customize the looks of the girls and that ranges from hair to skin tones. You’ll also be able to pick outfits for your characters to wear as well. There are special attacks and transformations that could be considered “fan service” in the anime universe and when you have low health/get attacked by a powerful attack, your clothes start to rip. Keep your health high and learn powerful combo attacks and special attacks so you can be top shinobi!