Cave is currently working on 5 titles

[Geeb]

not quite on topic, but I thought I'd bring this up: Shinji Hosoe (composer for Ibara) thought about releasing an arrange album in a recent interview:

Chris: You also found the time to score a shooter for Cave, Ibara. What resulted in your decision to take a hard rock focus on this project instead of using electronic music like Manabu Namiki's scores? Would you be interested in seeing this score receive a multi-artist arranged album like other Cave productions in the future?

Shinji Hosoe: The basic direction of the music is usually given by the clients. Speaking of Ibara, rock was not the genre that I was particularly good at. I tried my best to follow their expectations, but I am not so sure if I succeeded personally. Maybe we should plan an arranged album if people like it.

of course immediately I thought "Ibara port" but I dunno, they might just do like DFK and Ketsui. then again, those were a bit more popular and both had ports at least planned, so I really do not know.

[bcass]

Speaking of Ibara, rock was not the genre that I was particularly good at.

No shit.  The Ibara OST is abysmal.

[Monouchi]

Well, a 360 port of Ibara Kuro with HD graphics would be welcome in my book. 

[fuse]

Speaking of Ibara, rock was not the genre that I was particularly good at.

No shit.  The Ibara OST is abysmal.

Horses for courses fella. Ibara is one of my least favourite Cave titles and the only thing I like about it is the OST.

[bcass]

Tssk.  I'll bet you like the Pro-Gear soundtrack too...

[Geeb]

Which I do. It's not unbearable and Kikuchi actually gave the songs some length, more than I can say for Kusunoki. What's your point?

[emphatic]

Well, a 360 port of Ibara Kuro with HD graphics would be welcome in my book. 

Let's hope 5PB didn't snatch this title up along with DOJ-BL and Ketsui then. I played Kuro a couple of weeks ago and it was really something I'd like to play lots more.

[bcass]

Which I do. It's not unbearable and Kikuchi actually gave the songs some length, more than I can say for Kusunoki. What's your point?

My point is that the Pro-Gear and Ibara soundtracks are abysmal.  Very, very poor compared to most of the rest of the Cave soundtracks.  Bearable does not a good soundtrack make, and Hosoe practically admits that he got it wrong.

[EOJ]

Yeah, Ibara's music is pretty bad. Its sequel Pink Sweets, on the other hand, has quite catchy music. 

[bcass]

Indeed.  I've not played the game yet, but I have the OST, and it's ace.

[EOJ]

Localizations from here on out! Well, if the Deathsmiles US version sells well.

http://www.siliconera.com/2010/02/12/cave-chats-about-deathsmiles-and-overseas-expansion/

No more region-free, but we already knew that.

[neomoe]

wow, great news, thanks for posting the link. 
I think once the Deathsmiles localization was announced this was on the back of alot of our minds, but it's really nice to hear it from Cave directly.

[bcass]

It's good news, potentially, but are these highly niche titles really going to sell enough in the west to keep releasing them?  I'll be amazed if they do.

[neomoe]

It's good news, potentially, but are these highly niche titles really going to sell enough in the west to keep releasing them?  I'll be amazed if they do.

yeah, I know what you mean.  Plus, as they mentioned in the interview, Deathsmiles probably was the most "accessible" to localize for western gamers not only because of its style, but also because it's a hori.  Not sure how many folks would be interested in vertical games, especially those who don't have access to easily tateable monitors.  Not one of my friends has ever even heard/seen someone flipping a screen on its side to play a game - and they all think I'm nuts for doing it

I think it's pretty safe to assume these games won't sell like gangbusters here...they will really be for the folks who already know about shmups but didn't want to invest in a jpn console/another 360...which is a very small/niche group of people.  Hopefully though, it is large enough group of people to encourage Cave to localize their games...

[Hive]

honestly, I'm really jacked to see how the Western gaming public reacts to Deathsmiles,
but especially Mushi Futari and Espgaluda II Black Label if/when they're localized.

[lam47]

I half think this is all great news and half find it annoying.
Just because I went the extra mile in buying an Asian Xbox and paid UK import duty on a lot of my Japanese games.
The thought of them all getting western releases is an ambiguous one.
To have English text would be a bonus and then there is the extra content being included with the LE of Deathsmiles. I paid over the odds for Japanese points to buy MBL.
It is a good thing of course for the games to get a wider audience. I guess I am just being selfish.

[Hive]

I guess I am just being selfish.

not really, but you almost have to expect these kinda things by now from devs. who have a history of revisions/upgrades.
It's annoying to be burned like that, but at least Cave's looking to improve their product with better + more content, etc. 

[emphatic]

I will never regret getting a NTSC-J 360, because first of all, you get to play the games no more than some week after release (depending on your shipping choice) instead of waiting/hoping/wondering when it's coming to your locale, and secondly if sales for DeathSmiles are so weak in the west that you won't see more titles, no worries, just get the Japanese release and game on! 

[Shalashaska]

Honestly I just don't see DS doing well in the states. I don't think we can rely on the current, FPS crazed gamers to give it a chance unless some mainstream review sites/mags talk it up (a la Ikaruga) to generate at least some interest. I already own both the standard and LE versions of DS but will pick up a copy of the western release just to help support the localization (I don't own a US 360). I suggest everyone does the same and recommend it to all your friends and talk about it on other mainstream gaming forums you may be a member of. Don't let the release come and go then bitch about no more localizations.

I think a Japanese 360 will continue to be a good investment but I'm a pessimist and enjoy being proven wrong.

[Hive]

we'll have to see how many copies are shipped-versus-sold in order to get a decent measure of how well the localization did in the West.

[thamasha69]

I have a US 360 and a Japanese 360 (that I got on ebay for $50) - I think the localization is great, but I don't mind the cost of importing the games.  Being able to play the games outside of spending hundreds on pcb's is value enough for me.  I have a supergun and can purchase pcb's as well, but in terms of $$$ and such, it's more realistic/feasible at this financial point in my life to spoil myself on importing ports rather than waiting/hoping for localization - it still is a lot less than buying pcb's.

[EOJ]

New cave blog post:
http://cave-game.cocolog-nifty.com/blog/2010/02/post-3a1a.html

Asada says they will announce "a number of new games" at the Xbox 360 Shooting Festa on Saturday, the 27th. He is preparing a promo video to show there as well.

[adverse]

He also mentions some announcements in the development journal vol. 2 which is shipped with CAVE shop orders from the online matsuri.  Once I get mine I'll post up.

[krokounleashed]

*fingers crossed* muchimuchipork, dfk bl, ibara pink sweets.

[Monouchi]

*fingers crossed* muchimuchipork, dfk bl, ibara pink sweets.

Me too! *fingers crossed*

[antares]

My only wish would be that their next 360 game won't be released before fall 2010 but I guess this is highly unlikely.

[dimmu--borgir]

This is definately the news I've been waiting for for sooo long now. I will scream out loud if DFK and Pink Sweets will be ported. DS2 would be fine as well.

Saturday now!!!

[EOJ]

Just one more day until the announcement(s).  

[Hive]

Woot! Getting mah popcorn ready!

Nintendo Media Summit WHO??? 

[vercimber]

I had a dream recently in which CAVE released a "CAVE STG Classics" for the 360, which contained HD remakes of Donpachi, Dodonpachi, Guwange, Dangun Feveron, Pink Sweets, and Muchi Muchi Pork. Unlockable was a remake of Batsugun somehow. It was disc-based and had so many extras, scanline options, etc. I was disappointed when I woke up.  

I'm really looking forward to the announcement(s) and will hover around here and shmups.com on Saturday.