Releases for the week of July 29-August 4:

Playstation Portable:

Corpse Party - The Anthology - Hysteric Birthday 2U
Publisher: 5pb
Online Price: 4,640 Yen ($59.90)

I loved the first PSP Corpse Party and so did Chris if his review is any indication. Despite foregoing realistic graphics, it was one of the more gripping and scary video game experiences I've had in quite some time. It's a gem of a title and I highly recommend downloading it off the PSN and putting it in your PSP/Vita ASAP. Unfortunately I've yet to get my hands on Book of Shadows, the PSP sequel. It's surprisingly difficult to find and it hasn't been uploaded to the PSN at this point.

Hysteric Birthday however, confuses the ever living hell out of me. Rather than continue down the path of horror, Hysteric Birthday is a romantic comedy featuring the cast of Corpse Party. It also brings in characters from Book of Shadows and introduces some new ones as well. I have no clue what the CP team is trying to achieve with this game, but all I can do is cross my fingers and hope for a true sequel sometime in the near future.

I wouldn't hold my breath about this one going west. Book of Shadows would be the first sequel to hit English speaking shores if XSEED decides to localize more of this franchise.

All Kamen Rider: Rider Generation 2
Publisher: Bandai Namco Games
Online Price: 5,930 Yen ($75.90)

If there's one series that I think would make for a great side scrolling beat-em-up, it's Kamen Rider. With it's gigantic history of heroes and villains, there's so many scenarios that game designers could pull from to make a really cool game. Enter Rider Generation 2. 

A 2D side scrolling beat-em-up, players can choose from a massive list of old and new Riders and take them on a quest to rider kick the bad guys into oblivion. In motion the game looks quite rad as well, with the choice to go with 2D characters really paying off on the PSP. Rider Generation 2 contains co-op ass kicking, but unfortunately no online play.

I'm looking forward to seeing this series make the jump to one of the next gen handhelds. I'd love to be able to beat up some Shocker troops with friends across the country. The language barrier is low on this one so if you're a big fan, I'd say go ahead and import away!

Kono Bushitsu wa Kitakushinai -bu ga Senkyo Shimashita. Portable Gakuen Summer Wars Hen 
Publisher: Boost On 
Online Price: 5,700 Yen ($72.90)

Kono Bushitsu is the strange story of a club that refuses to go home during the summer, meeting everyday to have crazy amounts of sex or something.

Honestly I have no idea what this is about and I don't especially care. The name alone irritates me due to how stupidly long it is for no reason. To publishers; novel/anime/game names do not equal long sentences. For the love of god, please stop.

Soreyuke! Burunyan-Man Portable
Publisher: Alchemist
Online Price: 4,680 Yen ($59.90)

This is one of those games that you will never want to play in front of your loved ones. Their painful, judging glares will undoubtedly send you into a spiral of despair that you will be unable to crawl out of. Living hell will become a part of your daily life as you wear nothing but hoodies in an attempt to avert the gaze of all around you.

Soreyuke! is a horizontal shooter starring loli cat girls in school swimsuits. It is entirely as terrible as it sounds and if anybody is actually planning to purchase this game, don't say a word to me because I really don't want to know.

The language barrier on this one is pretty nonexistent so yeah... import it or something. 

Playstation Vita:

Moe Moe Daisensou * Gendaiban + +
Publisher: System Soft
Online Price: 5,700 Yen ($72.90)

When I first noticed the title on this one, I could have sworn that I had covered a game with the same name before. Turns out I had, except that version took place during the Sengoku Jidai and this one takes place in moder times. 

Joy.

Much like the other game, Gendaiban is a strategy simulation game in which you control military units to take out your enemies. Each country is recreated as an attractive anime character with clothes that undoubtedly explode off of them at some point. I dare you to guess which country the above blonde haired bombshell is supposed to represent.

Yup, difficult right?

[And that's another week of Go West! folks. It's hard to believe there's already been 26 of these things, but I couldn't have taken it this far without all of you. Remember to check out the Red Sun Gamer Podcast, which I appear on weekly to talk with three other ex-pats about Japan and gaming. It's pretty much Go West! in podcast form so I highly recommend it. In light of the recent trend of ending each column with a question, here's mine! What Japanese game have you always wanted to play but haven't been able to due to the language barrier? Sound off!]