Game collectors and importers should start searching for copies of Zettai Zetsumei Toshi. That is, entries in Irem’s Disaster Report series. It turns out the whole series is over. If you’re in Japan or shopping online and see cheap copies of Disaster Report (PS2), Disaster Report 2 (PS2) or Disaster Report 3 (PSP), then grab them and keep them somewhere safe, in mint condition. It’ll be the last time you’ll see them anywhere now that they’re out of print.

This announcement arrived shortly after Irem decided to completely cancel Disaster Report 4…

PS3 owners won’t be helping their virtual avatar survive a virtual disaster anytime soon. After everything that has happened in Japan as a result of the 2011 Sendai earthquake, Irem has decided that releasing its PS3 adventure game Disaster Report 4 – Summer Memories - would have been in extremely poor taste. So instead of marking it as TBA, the company has just decided to completely cancel it. It also issued an apology to everyone anticipating the game’s release. I’m sure they’ll all understand…

There’s some bad news if you’ve been waiting for a new Suikoden game. Konami and Irem have just announced one, but it isn’t the Suikoden you’ve been waiting for. Instead of being an RPG where you battle bad guys and collect 108 characters to aid you in your fight, it’s a dating sim called Doki Doki Suikoden. Better yet, a PSP dating sim inspired by an April Fool’s prank from 2001…

You can now buy the Monkey Island Ghost Pirate Ship Personal Space. This space is huge but, if you’re sensitive to colors, this may be a bit harsh on your eyes (as you can see in the video). You can also get a new SOCOM space, IREM Square Bon Festival has a new vendor and the Gamer’s Lounge gets a major update. don’t miss the giant list o’ new stuffs as well…

If you ever thought about taking a peaceful vacation on a tropical island, IREM just opened its Seaside of Memories on the US Server. This space is gorgeous, overlooking the ocean with huts, white sandy beaches and dolphins leaping near by.

Also available are the Santorini Greece apartment and yacht. You caan also head to the Central Plaza to ask Yoda for advice, Evolving items have evolved and the Salt Shooter Game Space game has been updated.

There’s more and, as usual, a giant list of stuff for your avatar…

Steambot Chronicles: Battle Tournament takes place in Orion City and the area surrounding it. The player is a new resident, a Trotmobile driver drawn to the area by the allure of tournaments, fame and fortune.

When he (or she!) first arrives in Orion City, the player befriends a mechanic and learns the basics about upgrading a Trotmobile, taking missions to earn money and fame and entering tournaments to become more established. After spending about ten or fifteen minutes doing that, it’s all in the players’ hands. While Steambot Chronicles: Battle Tournament is about earning the right to participate in battle tournaments, it’s also about doing whatever makes you happy…

I’d never had the opportunity to play Irem and Atlus’ PS2 Steambot Chronicles, but had heard good things. So when given the chance to test drive the portable Steambot Chronicles: Battle Tournament, I looked forward to an interesting experience.

Adventures in Orion City began after I’d named my character and Trotmobile. (I went with Jenni for me and Shiva for my Trotmobile.) The game begins dark, with a sailor telling you to wake up and arrive. Immediately I was given the opportunity to choose how to react to the announcement. After asking for a few more minutes to sleep, I was informed that we’re in Orion City and it’s time to get off the ship!

Right away, familiar voices greeted me. Laura Bailey (Rise from Persona 4) voices the female heroine, and Tracey Rooney (Chie from Persona 4) provides the voice for your personal mechanic Venus. After helping Venus deal with an arrogant Trotmobile driver, she took an interest in my Trotmobile. She offered to fix it up for free at her Pola Motors repair shop. After that, we decided to team up to work towards competing in Trotmobile championships…

Other companies may neglect the PSP, but Atlus never will. The company has just announced another game for North America, Steambot Chronicles Battle Tournament. That makes four games so far this year. Not bad, considering it’s only May.

Where the PS2 sandbox RPG Steambot Chronicles allowed for a bit more freedom, controlling the adventures and future of an amnesic young man as he ended up becoming good or evil, the PSP game Steambot Chronicles Battle Tournament is a bit more structured. The ultimate goal in Steambot Chronicles Battle Tournament is to win the Orion City Trotmobile gladiator tournament, however it is up to the player to decide how to achieve that goal. There are numerous missions to choose from and you can customize your Trotmobile to suit your own needs…

Great news for Sony Home addicts like myself. According to an article on Pocket Lint, Sony Japan announced that more companies will be creating content for the Playstation Home.

Companies currently on Home include Capcom, Incognito, Sony Computer Entertainment (of course) and Red Bull who all have either an in-Home world or products for sale in the Home mall.

Companies that have already obtained a license and will soon make its presence noticed on Home include…

Here’s a pleasant surprise we missed this past week. Last Wednesday (February 13, 2008) Atlus announced it had picked up R-Type Command (known in Japan as R-Type Tactics) for North American localization. This PSP turn-based strategy game will be released on May 6, 2008, for $39.99.

While it looked as if Irem was done with their classic shoot-em-up (aka “shmups”) series when they launched the (in?)appropriately titled R-Type Final for the Playstation 2 back in 2004, it apparently didn’t rule out the possibility for other types of games in the franchise.

From the looks of it, the game’s plot is…