PlayStation Golden Week Sale Offers Huge Savings On Japanese Titles

Sony Corp's PlayStation 4 Console — A man plays a video game on Sony Corp's PlayStation 4 console at its showroom in Tokyo July 16, 2014. Reuters/Yuya Shino

It’s Golden Week in Japan, and the folks at PlayStation are celebrating in a big way, offering up a raft of Japanese and Japanese-inspired games at a deep discount. From games in the “Metal Gear Solid” franchise to “Dragon Ball Z,” “Demon’s Souls,” and much more, gamers can get up to 66 percent off, with PlayStation Plus subscribers enjoying up to a 75 percent discount.

The full list of Golden Week titles on the PlayStation Blog sees over 100 titles discounted, with a deep and varied selection of AAA blockbusters and niche titles available to choose from. In addition to the list of games, there’s also a glut of anime titles available at a cut price.

Those looking for quirky fun need look no further than XSEED Game’s “Akiba’s Trip: Undead & Undressed,” an entertaining beat-’em-up available on the PS4, PS3 and PS Vita. Set in the famous Akihabara shopping district of Tokyo, “Undead & Undressed” sees players battle against creatures called Synthisters who attack patrons of Akihabara. Synthisters can only be defeated by stripping them of their clothes during combat, exposing them to direct sunlight.

Another quirky title fans might want to consider is Atlus’ puzzle-platformer adventure game, “Catherine,” which was directed by none other than Katsura Hashino, director of the upcoming “Persona 5.” IGN rated “Catherine” a 9 out of 10 in its review, citing the unique story, engaging puzzle gameplay and replayability.Those looking for more action-oriented fare, remastered PS2 classics make an appearance with “Zone of the Enders HD Collection,” as does the recently released “Resident Evil HD Remaster.”

Also available are a number of games in the acclaimed “Metal Gear” series, including the “Metal Gear Solid HD Collection,” “Peace Walker,” “Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance,” “Portable Ops” and last year’s “Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes.” Gamespot scored “Ground Zeroes” an 8 out of 10, praising the game’s mechanics, replayability and gameplay. The sale offers the perfect way for fans of the series to catch up on any titles they may have missed and recap the series storyline before “The Phantom Pain” is released later this year.

Aside from a barrage of Japanese titles, there are also a number of western-developed, Japanese-inspired titles up for sale. Action sidescroller “Strider” sees the return of the infamous ninja, Strider Hiryu, and was developed by Double Helix games. Offbeat action adventure title by French developer Don’tnod, “Remember Me,” is also for sale as is the excellent “Bionic Commando Rearmed,” by defunct Swedish developer, Grin. Whether gamers are looking for something fast-paced or a relaxing adventure, there’s something available for just about everyone.