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April 16, 2024
 

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Ryan Payton
For Ryan Payton's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / NAME OF THE GAME
Mar 1, 2006
Nintendo scores with consumers and then almost squanders its edge
Xbox 360 vs. PlayStation 3, Microsoft vs. Sony, DVD vs. Blu-ray -- there's a glimpse into the world of the hardcore game community. Tech talk and brand loyalty create enough static to scare away normal people who just want to play some games in their free time.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / NAME OF THE GAME
Nov 2, 2005
Once-lovable prince goes medieval
Like any other entertainment medium, it isn't hard to point out certain qualities that suggest whether a game was developed in Japan or abroad. Japanese games tend to be very character driven, boast a more artistic visual style and are often a part of a long-standing series. ("Final Fantasy XII" rings a bell.)
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / NAME OF THE GAME
Sep 28, 2005
'NBA Street' ain't got game
Take the official NBA license, a few dozen nerdy game designers, douse it with store-bought hip-hop flavor, and what do you get? "NBA Street Showdown."
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / NAME OF THE GAME
Sep 1, 2005
Three cheers for cheerleaders
Male cheerleaders jump out of closets, burst into ramen shops and join the daily Japanese rat race -- in a bid to save humanity.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / NAME OF THE GAME
Aug 18, 2005
The Force is strong with this one
Pairing Star Wars with the Lego toy brand is a bizarre concept to begin with, let alone making a video game based on this surprisingly fun (and lucrative) cocktail. Since the Danish toy maker's release several years back of Star Wars-related items, collectors have gone crazy over Lego versions of their favorite characters such as Darth Vader, Yoda and Obi Wan. They all share Lego's signature look, right down to their hooklike hands and stubby legs. Even the ominous Death Star can be constructed out of hundreds of plastic building blocks. Now a video game version of this crossover is available for the PlayStation 2, with pint-sized Darth Vader intact.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / NAME OF THE GAME
Jul 28, 2005
A one-way trip down psycho alley
Feeling that virtual, killer instinct when playing violent games is a guilty pleasure of the PlayStation era. We kill zombies in "Biohazard," Chinese warlords in "Dynasty Warriors" and police officers in "Grand Theft Auto." For many of us, the aim-fire-reload mechanics of games have become second nature. But in "Killer 7," new for the PlayStation 2 andGameCube, players evoke that killer instinct only to discover a digital peep-hole into the mind of a killer littered with psychotic visions and extreme paranoia, all with a hint of humor. It's a fresh approach to an age-old genre that makes "Killer 7" one of the most important games of the year.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / NAME OF THE GAME
Jul 7, 2005
Sega online adventure hits the PC
Not to be confused with the original "Phantasy Star Online" that hit the stores back in 2000, Sega has added some new content to this PC version and a slick subtitle: "Blue Burst." The game play hasn't changed much since "PSO" debuted on the Sega Dreamcast console five years ago, but the developers have made the game even more accessible for the international community.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / NAME OF THE GAME
Jun 16, 2005
Ancient China never looked so good
Buyers of "Jade Empire" are greeted with laughable cover art and silly character names like "Furious Ming." At first glance, the mythological theme appears to be a mockery of ancient Chinese culture. But beneath the regrettable packaging lies an honest and fun game that engulfs players in an awe-inspiring virtual world, and in doing so, becomes a milestone in Western game design.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / NAME OF THE GAME
Jun 2, 2005
Racer for PSP is a real drag
The appeal of the "Shutoko Battle" series (known as "Tokyo Xtreme Racer" abroad) has always been the way it gives players a free pass to race through a digital representation of Tokyo. For car enthusiasts and armchair racers thirsting for the thrill of hitting Kasumigaseki at 150 kph, the lure of "Shutoko" is hard to resist. On Sega's Dreamcast and Sony's PlayStation consoles, the series has been a retail success.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / NAME OF THE GAME
May 19, 2005
Puppies for the digital age
Let me introduce Funky. He's a young, short-haired Chihuahua with a happy temperament and distaste for learning new tricks. With a job and family duties, it's hard to give Funky the attention he deserves. But I've surprised myself. Even though I'm more of a cat-lover than a dog-lover, I'm showing a great degree of commitment to this new pup. He's a great companion, he's got a wiry sense of humor and -- don't tell him this -- he's not real.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / NAME OF THE GAME
May 5, 2005
Techno racing on the edge
The original "Wipeout" racing game hit the PlayStation in the midst of a worldwide cultural movement -- electronica. Beatboxes and keyboards were ringing in the new millennium as dance clubs saw renewed interest along with the club drugs that fueled the all-night raves. With its spacey visuals and techno soundtrack, the original "Wipeout" racing game was a digital companion to young Americans and Europeans caught up in the electronica new wave. Its success was pivotal in helping Sony shed the game industry's juvenile image that Nintendo had so earnestly maintained for nearly two decades.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / NAME OF THE GAME
Apr 7, 2005
Finding fun in moral dilemmas
Steven Kent is taking some time off to pursue other projects. Stepping into the breach is experienced game reviewer Ryan Payton.
Japan’s young workers head abroad as huge wage gap persists
The departure hall at Haneda Airport in Tokyo. Now with inflation at its strongest in decades, Japanese are starting to realize that years of static wages leave many of them budgeting each month before their next pay check.
EVs head for junkyard as mechanic shortage inflates repair costs
An AA patrol for electric vehicles in Birmingham, England. Fewer than 10% of the U.K.’s 236,000 auto mechanics are qualified to work directly on EV batteries or their cases, according to the Institute of the Motor Industry.
Japan strongly condemns Iranian attack on Israel as 'escalation'
Missiles are showcased in a parade marking Iran's National Army Day in Tehran on April 18, 2023.
Worries remain one year to go before Osaka Expo
Construction at Yumeshima island, the venue for the Osaka Expo
How ‘winged’ gyōza took flight from a Tokyo suburb
The creator of "hanetsuki gyōza" is Isao Yagi, and his restaurant, Nihao, can be found right on the border of Tokyo and Kawasaki in Ota Ward.
Akebono's human side eclipsed his incredible sumo achievements
The heights Akebono reached in sumo helped pave the way for future foreign-born yokozuna Asashoryu and Hakuho.
Ohtani’s dizzying three weeks end in exoneration by authorities
Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani during a spring training game on March 12.
How ‘winged’ gyōza took flight from a Tokyo suburb
The creator of "hanetsuki gyōza" is Isao Yagi, and his restaurant, Nihao, can be found right on the border of Tokyo and Kawasaki in Ota Ward.
How Ippei Mizuhara allegedly wired millions from Shohei Ohtani’s account
Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani and his interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, in December at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California
Fear the impending heat? Escape to Kushiro, the land of no summer.
Summer averages in eastern Hokkaido float in the high teens and low 20s, not necessitating widespread air conditioning usage in homes and businesses.

Podcast

Two people try to take a selfie under the illuminated cherry blossoms in Kyoto’s Gion district last year.
Sakura stories revisited: Getting in the mood for hanami

Longform

Historically, kabuki was considered the entertainment of the merchant and peasant classes, a far cry from how it is regarded today.
For Japan's oldest kabuki theater, the show must go on
By Lance Henderstein

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Prize winner Maki Imoto catches light with glass
Prize winner Maki Imoto catches light with glass

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