5 fantastic Asia-English import games for PS4

I have previously covered 5 recommended Switch games that got Asian physical releases with English subtitles. If you’re looking to swell your PS4 collection, there are plenty of Asia-English imports available, too — and in many cases these releases don’t appear to be as subject to Sony’s heavy-handed western content policies. While these 5 listed are all available for PS4, a few are also available on the Switch.

Alternate Jake Hunter: DAEDALUS The Awakening of Golden Jazz

Jake Hunter will not be a new name to many. This long-running series began in 1987, but more recently has had an overhaul of design and presentation unlike anything the series has ever seen. That makes this game an appropriate point for newcomers to experience this as their first Jake Hunter entry — and an import Asia-English version a lovely addition to your collection.

As a prequel, the story stands by itself and leads into the sixth game as we follow a young Saburo Jinguji (Jake Hunter) returning to New York to investigate the cause of his grandfather’s death. It is still a worthwhile experience for established fans also, including sprinkles of fanservice followers of the series will appreciate such as returning characters — and the fact its scenario writer is Inaba Hirotaka, who worked on an earlier title in the series back in 1998.

While the old-school comic artstyle may be missed, the creative decision to change it up as much as they have makes for a very appealing and unusual experience for a crime game, what with the watercolour backgrounds and character sprites standing out from it. And despite its short run-time, it still offers the varied conclusions we expect from the visual novel format, making the replayability of the title alone worth paying to import.

The title is available as an Asia-English import on the PS4 and Switch.

FATAL TWELVE

We must one again thank Prototype for releasing this title in English so we can import an Asia-English copy to add to our collection.

If you enjoy “battle royale”-style stories, FATAL TWELVE will be right up your street. Delivering ending after ending of high angst, melancholy and depression, FATAL TWELVE is quite an underrated visual novel with high tension and emotional stakes at every turn.

Our protagonist, Rinka, is killed and dragged into a ritual called Divine Selection. In this ritual, 12 participants have a chance of regaining their life back over the course of 12 weeks. In order to do this they must eliminate the other participants through discovering their name, cause of death and regrets in their life.

With a varied cast of characters, each with their own distinct sense of morals, wants, and reasons for them deserving to live, it makes for a very effective, emotional experience. This is helped tremendously with interludes that change the point of view to the supporting characters, making them more fleshed out and significant. It’s a tense and memorable experience similar to that which you’d find in the anime and manga series Mirai Nikki, and topped with some romantic yuri undertones. Highly recommended!

The title is available as an Asia-English import on PS4, as well as digitally on Steam.

Full Metal Panic! Fight! Who Dares Wins

As the only PS4 exclusive import I have had the pleasure of getting my hands on and playing, it proves to be the trickiest at recommending. Brought to us by B.B. Studios, the same company behind the Super Robot Wars series, there were high hopes this tie-in for the Full Meal Panic! franchise would be a blast to play. It does, however, have its limitations, both in its gameplay and its narrative. The gameplay is the most basic form of the Super Robot Wars formula, the story runs through an arc from the later part of the show, leaving newcomers scratching their heads at the story and events, and the visuals and UI could have been much better.

While it has notable faults, it’s still a worthwhile import pickup for those who are fans of the anime series — particularly because it provides a loyal portrayal of the fourth season of the show, from its comedy to the characterisation of its cast we all know and love. It’s especially worth considering due to the fact that second hand copies often go for only £20, and its retail price does drop substantially at times.

While its tactical gameplay is somewhat underwhelming, it does provide some challenges towards its finale and may even require some good old grinding. With three alternative endings to experience, a task of filling up the gallery with the many gorgeous CGs throughout its story, and as the only stand-alone Full Metal Panic! game available, it’s up to you to decide if it’s worth your attention.

The title is available as an Asia-English import on PS4.

Girls und Panzer: Dream Tank Match

On the opposite end we have the near-flawless experience of a tank simulator with cute anime girls at the steering wheels. As a respectful portrayal of its source material, it is extremely humorous and features a ton of fanservice, and backs that up with addictive gameplay, making this a no-brainer of an import for fans of the anime.

The game’s plot takes place after the movie and before the Ribbon Warriors arc of the series. With such a wide cast, characters who never previously got to interact with one another do so in this game, which is a pleasure to see. The battles may be short and not at all complex, but the characters interacting that builds upon canon is the meat on the bones with this entry.

The variety of tanks is also impressive, with many having different weaknesses, strengths, and stats that make each feel unique — and unlocking tanks to use in other modes will keep you playing in the long term. Story mode may be a little lacking other than being a faithful retelling of the movie and providing a great excuse of bringing all the different schools together to celebrate and do battle in, but the true fun is in the domination mode, playing co-op, and collecting a plethora of decals and other customisable features.

This title is available as an Asia-English import on the PS4 and Switch.

I am Setsuna

The few titles from the excellent Tokyo RPG Factory have all had physical releases. Oninaki saw an initial limited release through the Square Enix store, while Lost Sphere was the easiest to obtain with a standard edition release. Both of these games have now become much easier to locate and obtain, and have seen a massive drop in price. When it comes to I am Setsuna, there was no physical English release in the west, but an Asia-English print was made available, and it’s well worth an import.

While the games were targeted to both old and new fans of turn-based RPG’s, reception was a little mixed. It was even reported in 2019 that Square Enix suffered big losses due to the sales under the Tokyo RPG Factory. While it left fans in the cold (pun intended), I am Setsuna still offered a short but sweet adventure, with a battle system you’ll still love despite its tried and true formula, and gorgeously captivating artwork, visuals and music.

The title is available via import for PS4 Multi-Language with Japanese box art, PS4 Asia-English, and Switch Asia-English.

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