Whenever a console enters its twilight years, more and more smaller publishers are looking to take advantage of the large install base, who might be willing to entertain more off the beaten path offerings, now that the big guys are focused on the next generation.
As is the case with the PlayStation 3 at the moment. And a perfect example of the tried and proven formula is in the form of the just announced Mamorukun Curse! from UFO Interactive Games.
Mamorukun Curse! is somewhat better known by its Japanese name, Mamoru-kun wa Norowarete Shimatta!, which translates to Mamoru Has Been Cursed! It's by G.rev and Gulti. The former is revered by shump aficionados, mostly Border Down and Senko no Ronde, and latter is a company that formed in the ashes of Seibu Kaihatsu, best known for Raiden, which is also well know among shumps players.
Shmups, for those not in the know, is short for "shoot 'em ups", which is basically any game in which you control a lone space ship against waves and waves of enemy craft. It's a niche genre in its homeland, one that has very few followers in America. But those that do are passionate to say the least.
At a time in which publishers are starting to bring over more and more esoteric offerings from the east, shumps are still left far behind, despite not having all that much in the realm of questionable content, which would make localization a real risk. Though one of G.rev's previous titles for the PS3, Under Defeat, managed to make it out here not long ago, which was published by Rising Star Games (they also localized several titles from Cave, another major producer of shumps, to both US and European territories, as well).
Much like Under Defeat, Mamorukun Curse! will be a digital release only, whereas the original was a retail game. And an old one at that, having originally been published in 2008. To say that no one saw this coming is an understatement.
Mamorukun Curse! makes its surprise appearance in the US on July 16 on the PlayStation Network for $19.99.
