3DS Dungeon Crawler, Picdun 2: Witch’s Curse, Headed To Europe

By Ishaan . February 16, 2013 . 5:00pm

Back in August, Escape Trick developer, Intense, released a Nintendo 3DS dungeon crawler in Japan for the Nintendo eShop, titled Dungeon RPG Picdun 2. This game is headed to Europe, titled Picdun 2: Witch’s Curse, according to a PEGI rating.

As previously reported, Picdun 2 has over 60 floors to go through. You can learn more about the game here and watch a trailer for it here.

Harlock

That’s a unique pose. Lol.
- Nameless App 1989
  
  The last game got an A rating in Japan, and E10+ rating in America.
  This game got a B rating in Japan, and I don’t even know if it will hit the US, but I guess it can get a T rating, with descriptors similar to Hyperdimensional Neptunia V, and Unchained Blades.
Ethan_Twain

Oh my LORD! What is up with this surge of Japanese style first person dungeon crawlers, and getting localized? I’m thinking of Unchained Blades, SMT Soul Hackers, Etrian Odyssey IV, and Picdun 2. All in the same genre, all on the same hardware. Why are we seeing so many of these games all of a sudden? Has the market been gobbling them up? Is this maybe just Nintendo’s “get more Japanese software localized to bolster the 3DS” strategy? Is this resurgence also happening in Japan, or have these games always been around and only now are they getting localized more?

I am confused!
- TwinTails
  
  I don’t know either, but it seems like a good year for 3DS. I’ve been hearing lately that 3rd parties struggle on the big N’s platforms (mainly NA and all) and that got me a little down, but this may prove some people wrong as long as more localizations arise.
  - Ethan_Twain
    
    Oh no, that’s definitely true. Back in the days when Nintendo hardware wasn’t so gosh darn different from other hardware as to require totally different software, multiplatform games like Prince of Persia, Timesplitters, or James Bond always sold worst on the Nintendo console. With the Wii U Nintendo is coming back to a place in the console space where, at least for a little while, they can have normal multiplatform games again and already games like Madden and Assassin’s Creed are WAY underperforming on the hardware.
    
    However, that’s not to say that it’s impossible for a third party to make bank developing for Nintendo hardware. But Nintendo hardware traditionally sells to a different demographic group than other game machines and that demographic group has different tastes. Shooters, violent games, and most action games are not going to do well. JRPGs, platformers, rhythm games, and puzzle games have a history of performing well though.
    
    Now wait, I already see those gears turning in your head, “Wait, those are the types of games that are traditionally most successful in Japan aren’t they?”. Yes TwinTails, you are correct! Nintendo has always been a company that builds their hardware and software primarily for the Japanese market, and have always enjoyed stronger market position there than elsewhere. Because of this most third party success stories on Nintendo hardware are Japanese developers. Games like Taiko Drum Master or Inazuma Eleven can find wild success on the hardware within the domestic space.
    
    Even now, with the 3DS looking to have an absolutely KILLER 2013 if you look at the upcoming lineup and the only big games coming to the device this year from outside Japan are Donkey Kong and Luigi’s Mansion… and those are both funded and produced by Nintendo of Japan directly.
    - TwinTails
      
      Yeah I was asking about North America specifically, and I noticed those games are the type of games that don’t get localized very often. Would we have a greater chance of getting more Japanese games localized if that was all that came out for Nintendo platforms?
      
      I mean, if companies like EA won’t support the big N, would a company like Namco support them? If so, then hopefully Nintendo meant what they said about helping JP publishers with western localization.
      
      I heard they were just sitting on billions of dollars, so they would be able to make something like all of that possible.
      - Ethan_Twain
        
        That’s actually the really interesting question of our current industry. Nintendo is more and more positioning themselves as the Japanese game company. They dominate the domestic market and all their biggest games internationally are localized Japanese games. It seems that rather than trying to compete for the latest games from EA, Activision, and whoever else is big in Western publishing Nintendo is focusing on just getting all of the biggest and best Japanese games. Would a company like Namco support them? Absolutely! Nintendo is enjoying record support from almost ALL the Japanese development scene. Namco is even making the new Smash Brothers right now :)
        
        So then the question I’m waiting to see answered is: Is there a place in the western market for a Japanese games machine?
      - TwinTails
        
        I guess the answer for that question is: They’ll have to force a place into the western market, one way or another.
        
        If Nintendo want’s to help with localizations, then by all means, make the product look more attractive through ad campaigns. JP titles already do well by a certain margin over here, mainly fans of those games.
        
        So they’ll have to make their console grab the attention of those types of gamers. It may not seem like it, but that type of demographic may be larger than one could think I suppose.
        
        EDIT: I just found out that Nintendo has over 15 billion dollars in cash reserves, so they’re pretty much all set regarding 3rd party localizations.
- Arla
  
  I think they’ve been getting localized because the budgets are extremely low. Aside from the few you mentioned there’s been a TON localized for PSP/PSN. I’ve got no clue where or why this surge happened. Cool for fans of the genre though. I don’t play em but more localizations is always cool.
SirRichard

Well, certainly didn’t see that one coming.
phangtom

When is it getting released? I’m definitely getting it and to support them :)
FitzpatrickPhillips

All these dungeon crawlers, goddamn. In my opinion though, ecchi + dungeon crawler is a mix you can’t mess up.
cirE

The post about the Japanese version said that this game was priced at the equivalent of $6? I’d pay that if it was released on the US Eshop.
Go2hell66

Europe getting a lot of love lately
Hemppa

Too much localizations and bundles! Cancel them, we pals can’t handle this much love after years and years of neglect.
Mrgrgr and Unacceptable World

Had the first Picdun and love the hell out of the game. Now going to enjoy this one surely.^_^
benhofb

Yay! More 3DS rpgs! Hopefully this hits the states soon…

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3DS Dungeon Crawler, Picdun 2: Witch’s Curse, Headed To Europe

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