Well I only have half of it done, but regardless; here is the first half of the 1998 Tokyo Game Show:
From May 8th to May 11th, the Spring 1998 edition of the Tokyo Game Show was held at the Makuhari Messe Convention Hall in Chiba prefecture. Previous years had saw the official announcements of games like Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, Tekken 2, and Final Fantasy 7. But this year, the focus would be on hardware, as three of the four console manufacturers would be on the show floor. Before I get into the hardware, I’d like to do a quick recap of the third-party software companies:
Capcom would show the final trailer for Biohazard 2: The Racoon City Incident. This game would see Elza Walker, a renowned motorcycle enthusiast and Leon Kennedy, rookie cop of the Raccoon City Police Department attempt to escape the city after the Umbrella Corporation release the T-Virus into the city. Transforming several people into ravenous zombies and others into mutants. The game is set for release in June for both the Hydra and Aurora.
Next would be the official showcase trailer for the next Marvel vs. Capcom game: Onslaught’s clash. The game would continue the two on two tag team battle mechanic but with an expanded roster from the Capcom side: (Mega Man, Captain Commando, Veronica “Tron” Bonnet, Zero Omega, Arthur the Knight, Firebrand the Gargoyle, Chris Redfield, Jill Valentine, and Strider Hiryu). The game is already out in arcades, but will be making the jump to the Panther next year.
Finally, Capcom’s big holiday game, Volnutt: The Sunken Hollow is coming as a timed exclusive for the Aurora. This game puts you in the role of Volnutt, a member of the Kattelox militia the Diggers as he scavenges old pieces of technology around the island to defend his home against the ruthless Lex Loath. The game is a combination of a dungeon crawler and a dating simulator, with the latter allowing you to build bonds with your childhood friend Collette Casket, the eccentric but slightly snobbish Veronica Bonnet, and the headstrong Nobana Tenryu. With the game requiring the use of Aurora Borealis mode and a dub being provided by Ocean Group Vancouver, this seems to be a heavy risk to put forth a new franchise. But if Biohazard can break out, so can Volnutt.
In contrast to Capcom’s showcase, Konami only came forth with two titles for their TGS booth.
The first title was Metal Gear: The Alaskan Complex. Based off the stealth titles for the NES and the MS computer, this game takes FOXHOUND agent Solid Snake deployed to a military base in Alaska to stop a group of terrorists from launching a nuclear weapon. The game goes out of its way to show off its thematic cutscenes (a massive task due to the console its being released for and its limitations for video playback), over the top shoulder gameplay, and cast of characters. Metal Gear is set for release in September in Japan with a North American release in 1999.
The second title was the return of Ganbare Goemon. This new game, the Tailed Beasts; see the titular ninja facing off again the nefarious Bisimaru as he moves to reseal 9 monstrous monsters who control the elements. The game expands by adding a second playable character, Kyuubi no Kitsune; a nine tailed fox boy who’s just as much of a prankster as Goemon yet cannot attack enemies in his human form. The game is set for release next month along with a North American release in October. The biggest surprise for both of these games would be their console of release: the Nintendo 64.
Namco’s booth would fall in between Capcom and Konami this year as their booth was primarily focused on the arcade with Tekken 3: The Ogre’s Wrath, a follow up to Soul Edge: The Nightmare’s Bane. Both games will be hitting arcades in June in all territories, but no mention of a home console release was mentioned for Soul Edge.
Also on the show floor is the sequel to Klonoa: Door to Phantomile. This game sees Klonoa attempting to stop the webs of the Spinster, an arrogant spider weaver who’s looking to weave Phantomile into a compressed ball of web so she can feed on its inhabitants. Without Huepow to help him, Klonoa must find the pieces of the Lunaveil armor to stop this fiend from webbing his world. Klonoa 2 is set for release this January and like its prequel; exclusive to the Panther. It seems that Namco is trying to prop themselves up in the yes of public before the Warner sale goes through.
Right alongside Konami was Squaresoft, who pulled all Nintendo related franchises off this show to show off new titles for the other platforms. This disappointed many fans in Japan as many were hoping for the announcement for Final Fantasy VIII.
The first game was DreamFactory’s third fighting game Ehrgeiz: The Forsaken Cavern. This game moves away from the focused tracking camera used in games like Tobal or Tekken to allow full 360-degree movement for your characters to fight each other. With a roster of ten characters and a single player mode that will see you travel into the cavern to fight the other members of the roster along with the native monsters living within, this game is set to push a greater single player experience for the fighting game genre. Look forward to the game in October exclusively to the Hydra.
The next title on the show floor would be Einhander. This 2D rail shooter allows your ship to steal weapons from downed enemies along with storing these weapons for safe keeping along with an all-electronic soundtrack, this game ships as soon in July for both the Hydra and the Aurora.
The biggest title on their show floor is Parasite Eve. Directed and written by Chrono Trigger alumni Takashi Tokita, this third person shooter see you take the role of NYPD police officer Aya Brea as she fights through a horde of mutated creatures who have taken over Manhattan. An added focus to the gunplay is the inclusion of a mixing system that allows you to create special ammunition along with a light gun support. Parasite Eve will be hitting arcades in July with a home console release in December.
In place of a new Final Fantasy is the final trailer for Tetsuya Takahashi’s Xenogears. This RPG harkens back to the SNES era of Final Fantasy with an ATB system and up to four party members in battle, but adds the use of special moves being inputted through the use of analog inputs and button presses. With a sci-fi premise (everyone wants a piece of that Star Wars money it seems), this game seems like a worthy successor to Final Fantasy 7 and is set for release this October for the Panther, Aurora, and Hydra.
As for the new kid on the block, Sony came into the show with a massive recreation of their logo with four arches leading into the booth saying you are not ready. As for their showcase, Sony came with a massive coup:
Space Battleship Yamato: Journey to Gamillas is a management sim/shoot em up adaption of the classic anime. As Susumu Kodai, it is your duty to lead the Yamato through the brutal attacks of the Galman Empire along with gathering resources and allies for your growing fleet. This massive title is set for release in August for the PC, with no home console release announced yet.
Next on the show floor is the sequel to Twisted Metal: Global Mayhem. This title adds co-op for the story mode along with an online mode that brings in 8 players to the carnage. The game is set for release in September.
The second half will focus on the console manufacturers along with Sega and Panasonic's online add-ons.
