What to watch for at this week's Tokyo Game Show 2016

SOME of Japan's biggest video game publishers will be displaying their slates of upcoming titles at the 2016 Tokyo Game Show, which runs Sept 15-18 at the Makuhari Messe convention centre.
One of the most globally anticipated titles of TGS 2016 is sure to be Atlus's "Persona 5," whose Japanese release date on Sept 15 coincides with the show's opening day.
The adventure game is the latest entry to a franchise known for its high production values, character development, and novel application of Jungian philosophies.
Despite its title, "Persona 5" doesn't require prior knowledge of the series, though prior knowledge has assured it of a warm welcome.
Concurrently, "Monster Hunter Stories" spins off from one of Capcom's bigger franchises and, without Nintendo's "Pokémon Sun & Moon" on the show floor, could emerge as one of TGS's bigger handheld titles.
Speaking of which, Capcom has two milestone franchise anniversaries this year. Courtroom drama "Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Spirit of Justice," released earlier in 2016, arrived on 3DS some 15 years after the franchise's first game; "Resident Evil 7," due January 2017, should benefit from a new showing – the original "Resident Evil" was a sensation in 2001, when TGS made its own debut.
Turning to Sega, it is looking forward to December's "Yakuza 6" – in some ways a Japanese equivalent to "Grand Theft Auto" – and January's strategy adventure "Valkyria: Azure Revolution," whose predecessors have been very highly regarded.
Bandai Namco will have plenty of upcoming licensed adaptations to hand, including "Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2," "One Piece: Great Pirate Colosseum," "Pac-Man Championship Edition 2," and "Disney Magical World 2" in addition to its own fighting game "Tekken 7."
Similarly, Koei Tecmo is making the most of its classic 1983 historical strategy "Nobunga's Ambition," with numerous spin-offs and sequels; two "Dead or Alive" fighting games and its version of popular comic book series "Berserk" are also scheduled.
As for Square Enix, the games giant is bringing November's epic "Final Fantasy XV," October's cuter derivation "World of Final Fantasy" and 2017's eagerly awaited "NieR: Automata" to the show.
With Nintendo absent from TGS as usual, Sony is the only major console manufacturer with a presence.
It has the worldwide launch of virtual reality kit PlayStation VR on Oct 13; a new, smaller PlayStation 4 is set for retail from Sept 15, while a more powerful PlayStation 4 Pro is due November – both console revisions were announced in New York on Sept 7.
However, despite its official absence, Nintendo could yet draw attention away by hosting a simultaneous presentation. Many game fans will be hoping for that to happen, with March 2017's Nintendo NX console still unrevealed. — AFP Relaxnews