Can this game be enjoyed in Japanese?

[Raidou Kuzunoha XIV]

I've been interested in this game for a long time, but as anyone that's interested in this game knows, it's unfortunately very rare to come by, and expensive, for an American physical copy or any of the Asian physical copies with English (some of which are called "Hakuna Matata" and don't have trophies). This game isn't available digitally either.

 

Japanese copies however, are pretty common and reasonably priced, I can still find new copies on ebay and PlayAsia. But unfortunately, that version doesn't have English language support.

 

I understand very little Japanese, especially when it comes to kanji. For anyone out there that's played this in any form, do you think it would be possible to understand and enjoy it to some degree if I don't understand the language?

 

It's just really bugging me that this is the only PS3 game I don't own that I've always wanted, but have been constantly put off by the price and scarcity of English copies. My PS3 backlog is slowly dwindling, will likely be finished it in another year or two, but this game is always going to nagging me at the back of my mind, leaving this empty Afrika shaped hole in my otherwise "complete" PS3 library.

[HuntingFever]

Not a chance in hell. This game is very text and menu heavy so If you don't know the language, you won't have the faintest idea what you're supposed to do, where to look or where to go so stick with the English version.

Edited June 25, 2021 by HuntingFever
Update.

[MidnightDragon]

17 minutes ago, NERVergoproxy said:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/324691124532?hash=item4b99196134:g:16EAAOSwUWpg1hmM $58 with "make offer"
 

Maybe they will accept it a bit lower, though I dont know what the norm price is for a korean copy is but seems all the other NA copies are at a eww price. 

 

edit: ah looking further they may not do international shipping.

Any game labeled Hakuna Matata has no trophies

[Helyx]

2 hours ago, HuntingFever said:

Not a chance in hell.

 

In all fairness, it's not enjoyable in English either.

[MidnightDragon]

51 minutes ago, Helyx said:

 

In all fairness, it's not enjoyable in English either.

My issues with the turtle aside, been enjoying it. 

[HuntingFever]

8 hours ago, MidnightDragon said:

My issues with the turtle aside, been enjoying it. 

This^

 

It's a fun and relaxing game, just with a really funky mission structure.

[Drag-On-Detritus]

Damn, I laughed at the 'no fun in English' comment but this game is in my top 10 on ps3 for sure. There's nothing like this game & even where there is, the small handful of other titles don't have nice realistic renders of animals like this game does. I imported Hakuna Matata when it came out & ended up double dipping on a 'cheap' ($60USD 2nd hand) copy later on down the track & don't regret the expense. The trophy set was great to do as it was one of a handful of 3D games on ps3 that had a good trophy list that just let you enjoy what the game had to offer without overstaying its welcome.

 

With that said, the Japanese version doesn't have trophies. Even if it's titled "Afrika". That JPN region "Afrika" title that's available for cheap was the first one that got released in 2008. If you want the trophy set you've got to get the NA version, no way around it. Just a heads up. 

[Dark_Overlord]

Just looked at the Ebay prices.... holy shit it's expensive.  I imported a brand new US copy when it came out and just never got round to playing it ?

[MidnightDragon]

29 minutes ago, Dark_Overlord said:

Just looked at the Ebay prices.... holy shit it's expensive.  I imported a brand new US copy when it came out and just never got round to playing it

I will make something off this when I’m done

[Ninjise]

I remember seeing the game available at the stores, I even hold it in my hands, but not giving too much though after reading some less positive reviews.

 

I guess these niche games are great to profit decades later, sucks for those that want to play many years laters. 

[Raidou Kuzunoha XIV]

On 25/06/2021 at 9:16 PM, HuntingFever said:

Not a chance in hell. This game is very text and menu heavy so If you don't know the language, you won't have the faintest idea what you're supposed to do, where to look or where to go so stick with the English version.

 

Yeah, I watched a few youtube vids of the Japanese version and it seems that's sadly the case. Oh well.

 

7 minutes ago, Ninjise said:

I remember seeing the game available at the stores, I even hold it in my hands, but not giving too much though after reading some less positive reviews.

 

I guess these niche games are great to profit decades later, sucks for those that want to play many years laters. 

 

I've always been mildly interested in this game, but it's not like it was ever easy to obtain here in the UK, since it never got a European physical, and I didn't feel like spending extra importing a game I was only a bit interested in.

 

At least nowadays, if I happen to miss out on a game that's gone rare/expensive physically, there's usually the option to get it digitally (if it hasn't been delisted), but that isn't the case for Afrika.

 

Because of this game and others, I generally just try to buy any niche game I'm mildly interested enough in nowadays close to launch. Seen way too many even somewhat niche games get super expensive very quickly after release. If I end up never playing it or not liking it, it may be worth double or more the price than when I got it. And if it isn't, it doesn't feel like a huge loss, would have been more regretful not getting it when it was reasonably priced vs wasting some money on a game I end up never playing or disliking.

 

I'm not too hard to please anyway, I generally enjoy most games I play enough to finish them, it's rare that I drop anything. It has to be something super boring and/or frustrating/unenjoyable that I won't even at least reach the credits, even if I don't enjoy a game enough to bother with side content. Most recent case of that is Way of the Samurai 3, and I kinda regret having also bought Way of the Samurai 4 as a result now (got them both at that same time), but I'll give 4 a chance eventually at least, maybe it might be more enjoyable.