New Website is live! WE HAVE MOVED

It's been a whirlwind nine months, and with two out of three campaign games announced for release in America, many people have wondered what Operation Rainfall has accomplished, and if there will be future relevancy for a campaign like this.

First off, the staff of Operation Rainfall make no claims to be the absolute, direct reason why Nintendo of America chose to release Xenoblade Chronicles and The Last Story in America. However, if we accomplished anything, it was that we spent nine months promoting sales of games that would be readily available in Europe. If Nintendo was watching sales numbers alone, at least we can claim to have informed several Europeans about the games. If nothing else, even sales in Japan for the titles saw a resurgence upon this hyped-up group of fans in America.

Now, you are probably wondering what we plan to do next. Rest assured, we have every intention to make sure Xenoblade Chronicles and The Last Story see sales numbers deserving of their pedigree. As for Pandora's Tower, we will be celebrating an entire month dedicated to the game beginning on April 13th.

Our new website is located at both http://operationrainfall.com and http://oprainfall.com - Have a look around, hm? Feel free to browse, but try not to carouse! Ho ho!

To ease any fears, the campaign is still in the same capable hands that have been running things from the beginning. A few staff member have come and have been replaced by new dedicated individuals, but the leadership remains the same. We will continue to provide coverage of the campaign games exclusively on our Facebook page and social media sites, with any news and articles about non-campaign games being kept strictly on the website for the time being.

And, in case you are wondering, yes, we will be covering other games on the website. We will even be providing coverage for niche games on non-Nintendo platforms. We expect this to be minimal at first, because we will still have a heavy focus on the campaign, but we want to make sure other niche games get sufficient hype in advance of their release in Japan. Prevention is the best medicine, as they say.

We hope you enjoy the look and layout of the new website, and if you have any questions or concerns, please use the "Contact" page on the new site. We will be giving putting this old blog to rest in the next few weeks and having it auto-redirect to the new page. All posts and comments here have been archived and moved to the new site and can be found here: http://operationrainfall.com/blog-archive/.

The past nine months have seen their fair share of ups and downs, and for everyone who has been with us this far, thanks. For anyone newly joining us, welcome! This thriving community of niche game fans has worked hard to provide coverage for deserving games, and we plan to keep doing so for a long time to come.

We want to personally thank you for reading this and being a valuable part of our community, and we hope you'll stay with us for the ride.

Thanks again,
Sincerely,
Steven Boaz (aka Marko Mac) and the rest of the Operation Rainfall staff.

Check Out This Article From Kotaku

They directly mention Operation Rainfall and also give their opinion on all three Operation Rainfall games
http://kotaku.com/5893763/does-this-rpg-carry-its-own-weight/ 

NEW BLOG COMING SOON!

NOTICE: We will be making some major changes to our blog format this week, while we do this, the domain names http://oprainfall.com/ and http://operationrainfall.com/ may periodically display errors. This is a normal part of the process as we switch nameservers and get everything up and running.

If you wish to go to our current (soon-to-be-replaced) blog, you may continue to do so by visiting http://oprainfall.blogspot.com/

Thanks for bearing with us as we work hard to bring you the latest news!

☰☰ RUMOR WATCH ☰☰

VGChartz Weekly US Xenoblade Pre-order Numbers- Xenoblade Jumps to 18k!


This Week
Rank #-------Weeks Left--------- Pre-orders Up-----------Pre-orders Total
07 -----------04 -------------------18,095 --------------------148,161


Last Week
Rank #-------Weeks Left---------Pre-orders Up------------Pre-orders Total
09 -----------05 -------------------13,462 --------------------130,066


GameStop http://www.gamestop.com/wii/games/xenoblade-chronicles-gamestop-exclusive/98535
VGChartz http://www.vgchartz.com/preorders/40979/USA/


Note: VGChartz may use speculative information to come up with their numbers and should not be taken as fact.

‎* THE WEEKLY RAIN - March 4-10, 2012 *

Just a quick heads up to everyone, we will be upgrading our blog over the course of the week, so please bear with us as we get ready for some major updates. The website may experience a few down periods during the transition, but rest assured that you can also catch the latest updates here on Facebook, Twitter, Goog+, and tumblr.

A lot of the staff here have been taking some personal time from investing so much promoting The Last Story in February, but we have every intention to come back full-swing to promote Xenoblade Chronicles with a TEN-DAY "Countdown to Xenoblade!" starting on March 27th.

Xenoblade Chronicles launches in North America on April 6, 2012,

Pandora's Tower launches in Europe on April 13, 2012, and we will be sure to provide ample coverage for folks in Europe, cross-promoting alongside NTSC Xenoblade.

Starting with the European launch of Pandora's Tower, we will be dedicating an entire month to the game, similar to what we did for The Last Story in February.

Also, be on the lookout for The Last Story updates this month from XSEED Games, who are currently hard at work getting the game ready for folks in America. XSEED is known for their high quality work and they have impeccable taste when it comes to making fans happy, so we can't wait to see what they have in store!

So basically, get ready for another busy month leading up to the day when you will all get to hold your own copy of Xenoblade Chronicles in your hands. Savor that moment. Then enjoy the hell out of the next 200 hours of gaming bliss.

We'll have more details on the "Countdown to Xenoblade!" and "Pandora's Tower Month" over the next few weeks, so stay tuned!

HAVE A GREAT WEEK EVERYBODY!

╰☆ Xenoblade Chronicles Tidbit of the Day #21 ☆╮

Xenoblade’s Beyond the Sky was sung by Sarah Alainn, also known as Sarah Lim. She helped to write the lyrics to Shackles of Night, the theme song for the Otakon convention in 2010. Alainn also performed some songs for Makai Senki Disgaea 4 and Chaos Ring Omega.

Pre-Orders for Pandora's Tower

Some news that is sure to please all of our followers and give hope on a Pandora's Tower North American release. Pandora's Tower is currently the 5th best selling pre-order on amazon.co.uk and number 1 for Wii Pre-Orders in general! Hopefully this is an indicator of things to come! You rock Europe!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pandoras-Tower-Special-Edition-Wii/dp/B007C6EQGO/ref=zg_bsnr_videogames_5

╰☆ Xenoblade Chronicles Tidbit of the Day #22 ☆╮

Gem Crafting 101 Part 3

Now comes the crucial part: any enhancement values under 100 will be up for Cylindration. This is where the Cylinder Gauge comes into play. Depending upon the Cylinder number on top, you can select just as many enhancement values. Each selected value will be ‘recycled’ into a Cylinder, to be used as a future material in adifferent crafting session. Once your Cylinder amount is empty, all remaining enhancement values will be lost.

This is why you should aim for 3 to 4 enhancement values while selecting materials as mentioned earlier. If you go overboard with 5-7 values, you might lose materials in the end as they cannot be Cylindrized. Of course, you can still hit an unlucky crafting streak and only generate 2 Cylinders even with a great character couple, but that’s the luck of the draw. What works best in terms of the amount of values chosen is wholly dependent upon the characters’ ability as a Shooter or Engineer and their Affinity.

Once you’ve selected all values for Cylindration, the game will hand you the resulting Cylinders and Gems to put into your inventory. As space is limited, be sure you have enough space left before starting the process. You’ll then be asked to continue for another session or quit crafting.

These are the basics of Gem Crafting, there is so much to this mechanic that we can't even keep it all in parts. We hope this info was beneficial to you, and help's you all on your adventure in the world of Xenoblade.

Something Fun!

Here's something fun you can do since it's usually slow during the weekend.
Find Aeron, Shulk, Zael, and a mystery character.

Helpful tip: Click on the image to make it bigger. 

Say "Thank You" to Monolithsoft

If you are looking forward to Xenoblade Chronicles, say "thank you" to the developers: 株式会社モノリスソフト (Facebook) / @MONOLITHSOFT (Twitter).

(HINT: You should LIKE/FOLLOW that page and/or FOLLOW them on Twitter!)

N-Europe Review of The Last Story

"When discussing The Last Story as it moved along the final stages of development, it didn’t take Hironobu Sakaguchi long to draw the comparison with what is considered to be the gold standard of the JRPG. “I used the same method with Final Fantasy VII”, he conceded to Nintendo president Satoru Iwata. The method in question is very simple: design a game from its most basic parts before even starting on extraneous details like graphics, plot or characters. On the one hand, it sounds like a plan tailor-fitted to developing games on the modestly-powered Wii. On the other, this was clearly never a game that was going be treated with anything but the highest production values by Nintendo and Mistwalker. The result is a slick marriage of adventure homage and modern cinematic sensibilities that almost all comes together perfectly."

8/10

http://n-europe.com/review.php?rid=607

╰☆ Xenoblade Chronicles Tidbit of the Day #23 ☆╮

Gem Crafting 101 Part 2

This is probably the most confusing part as it involves Flames, Fever and whatnot. This is where is get's really confusing, but in short: during crafting the Shooter and the Engineer will boost the stat values of the enhancements chosen through your materials and will fill the Cylinder gauge respectively. How many times they will boost and fill is dependent upon the Affinity of the chosen characters. 

A good exmaple would be to put Reyn in Shooter and Shulk in Engineer roles, but this may vary depending upon your personal game. Then select a balanced approach of the best boost of the Shooter and the most stable Flames of the Engineer (with a high Affinity of course) 

Now the animation will start. You can fast-forward through it by holding the A button. Depending upon the selection of your Shooter and Engineer (and just plain luck) your enhancements will be boosted and your Cylinder Gauge (the green gauge right of the ehancements list) will fill up. When they are done, all enhancements with values above 100 will be converted into Gems. If you have values above 200 these will display as ‘Heat’ and will generate a higher Rank Gem instead (as a bonus it also boosts other values)!

Xenoblade Chronicles Preview in the March Issue of Game Informer

The March Issue of Game Informer has given a full page preview of Xenoblade, page 71. Below are two excepts from it, the first and second paragraphs:

"Xenoblade Chronicles has been readily available in most major gaming markets in the world other than North America for a while now, and RPG fans have been raving about it. Here are just a few of the reasons you should pay attention to this April release:

The Wii has never looked this good. It's easy to complain about the lack of HD on Nintendo's consumer-friendly console, but Xenoblade Chronicles proves that you can still put out some stunning standard display visuals. From the detailed character models and animations to the gorgeous environments, the only games on the system that come close to looking this nice are Nintendo-developed releases like Skyward Sword and Mario Galaxy."

If you want to get your hands on it yourself buy it at a local Gamestop or if you're waiting for it to come in the mail be share to keep your eyes on the look out. 

NOTE: Game Informer hints that there will be a review of Xenoblade in the next month issue.

╰☆ Xenoblade Chronicles Tidbit of the Day #24 ☆╮

Gem Crafting 101 Part 1

Each material has a value for certain stats enhancers. Say, Agility Up or Poison Defense. To gain a Gem from materials, you need to raise the stat above 100. This will ensure a Gem will be created. The trick is to select Crystals and Cylinders until you reach a 100+ value on the stat of your preference. This is a delicate proccess, as when the value is over 100 you can not add any more to it. So it's imporant to keep materials for crafting in order.

Thankfully the game helps you, with highlighting the material compatiable with another material. This means they enhance at least one of the stats of your chosen material. Continue until you’ve reached a 100+ stat and try to not have more than 3 or 4 stat enhancement affected in total.

Nintendojo Review of The Last Story

"All in all, The Last Story is simply a delightful game to play. With its rich, lively combat system and entertaining characters, it strikes a masterful balance between engaging gameplay and heartfelt story-telling. "


A- for Outstanding


http://www.nintendojo.com/reviews/the-last-story-review

╰☆ Xenoblade Chronicles Tidbit of the Day #25 ☆╮

Monolith Soft, a subsidary of Nintendo, developed Xenoblade Chronicles, but did you know that they also co-developed the RPG Baten Kaitos (alongside Tri-Crescendo) on the Nintendo GameCube as well as it's prequel Baten Kaitos Origins which was even published by Nintendo in the year 2006. 

You can play two of these games on your Nintendo GameCube or your Nintendo Wii since it's backwards compatible if you didn't play them when they came out, to give you an idea of the talent and arsenal that Monolith Soft possesses while waiting for Xenoblade Chronicles!

Intend To Buy Xenoblade Chronicles?

Fill out the "Intend to Buy" survey on Club Nintendo NOW to earn 10 bonus coins when you register the game! If you heard about the game from Operation Rainfall, be sure to let them know in the survey (Select "Other", Enter: "Operation Rainfall")! Visit https://club.nintendo.com/coins.do, sign in, and select Xenoblade Chronicles to begin the survey and earn your reward!

╰☆ Xenoblade Chronicles Tidbit of the Day #26 ☆╮

Makna Forest is the warm, temperate forest that the Nopon make their home in. It is split in two by a great chasm, through which a fast-flowing river flows at the bottom. The river is fed by the beautiful Makna Falls, found near the forest’s entrance.

Makna Forest is located on the Bionis’ back. It has huge Ether deposits in various places, which attract all kinds of weird and wonderful creatures. It’s a huge area to explore, and there are plenty of difficult places to find. One in particular gives a fantastic view of the falls. Make sure to explore the area very thoroughly!

Join Us In Our Forums

Did you realize that Xenoblade is just one month away! Let's start getting excited people! There is perhaps no better place to talk about Xenoblade than in our forums. There are tons of topics already to choose from, so join us! Once the game is released, staff will be on hand to answer questions about the game, and even help people if they can't find something or if they get stuck! If you haven't signed up yet, signing up is a breeze. Just hit the register button and enter in your information. You'll be good to go in no time!  

http://oprainfall.freeforums.org/xenoblade-chronicles-portal-f14.html

✰✰ Xenoblade is One Month Away! ✰✰

...in case you didn't realize. Which means starting today, you're going to be seeing a lot of Xenoblade coverage from us. Come on people, let's get excited!

Kotaku Review of The Last Story

"The Last Story is an excellent game and truly the Wii's swansong. The story is emotionally complex with interesting characters, the combat is fast and engaging, and the world it creates is just a pleasure to visit."


Should you play this game? YES! WHY: Because it takes all the best things from old-school RPGs and brings them into a modern format.


http://kotaku.com/5889812/the-last-story-the-kotaku-review

Nintendo Gamer Previews Gameplay Features for Pandora's Tower

"While we’re doubtful that a meat-harvesting action RPG can turn Wii’s fortunes around this late in the day, we’re glad to see Nintendo bringing a game as unusual as Pandora’s Tower to UK audiences. If you can’t go out with a bang, go out with a splat, a squelch and an om-nom-nom-nom."
http://www.nintendo-gamer.net/2012/03/05/pandoras-tower-gameplay-features/

Spong Review for The Last Story

"Plunging you immediately into a dungeon skirmish with a group of pale, androgynous teen orphans clad in buckles, crop tops and sporting shocks of spiky hair, The Last Story flaunts its roots. "

8/10


http://spong.com/feature/10110636/Review-The-Last-Story

Mirror Review of The Last Story

"The name feels strangely prophetic, because as a Japanese RPG on the Wii, The Last Story resides in a gaming genre regularly read its last rites on a console in the twilight of its years."

4/5


http://www.mirror.co.uk/lifestyle/staying-in/video-games/the-last-story-review-this-winner-suggests-749606

Xenoblade Jumps 13k Pre-orders (VGChartz)

VGChartz Weekly US Xenoblade Pre-order Numbers- Xenoblade Jumps 13k!

☰☰ RUMOR WATCH ☰☰ 

This Week

Rank #———-Weeks Left————- Pre-orders Up————Pre-orders Total

09 —————-05 —————————-13,462 ——————130,066

Last Week

Rank #———-Weeks Left————-Pre-orders Up———-Pre-orders Total

09 —————-06 —————————-4,142 —————-116,604

GameStop http://bit.ly/rsxvtx

VGChartz http://bit.ly/xEMYYR

Note: VGChartz may use speculative information to come up with their numbers and should not be taken as fact.

╰☆ Xenoblade Chronicles Tidbit of the Day #27 ☆╮

Xenoblade does what only a few JRPG do, any clothing/equipment you equip is reflected in cutscenes & heart to heart moments, meaning you can start a new game plus, have the best equipment, and the look will be seen throughout the game at all times. You can even be as pictured for the entire game, after the game's prologue, to the final battle.

The Last Story Is Coming To America! - Geekscape

An article from a fan. NOTE: The opinions in this article may not reflect those of Operation Rainfall.
http://www.geekscape.net/the-last-story-is-coming-to-america

╰☆ Xenoblade Chronicles Tidbit of the Day #29, 28 ☆╮

Character Profile: Melia
Melia is of the High Entia race that mostly reside in the city if Alcamoth. Relatively, Melia is quite young when compared to other members of her race. The party first encounters Melia in Makna Forest. 

Melia uses ether(magic) to attack, making her the only mage in the game. Melia is capable of doing serious damage if the right gems and skills are equipped on her such as Electric Plus. Unfortunately, the AI does a poor job of handling her. However, if you personally control her, she can become a force capable of single-handedly defeating the toughest of enemies.

Pre-order Bonus ONLY Gamestop?

One of our staff members emailed Nintendo to ask if the art book pre-order bonus would be included to those who pre-ordered from the Nintendo online store and this was the response they received:


"Thank you for contacting us about Xenoblade Chronicles. The artbook that you asked about is only being offered as a pre-order bonus through Gamestop, not through Nintendo.


Sincerely,


Nintendo of America"


As of right now, it sounds like ONLY Gamestop is getting the Art Book pre-order bonus so if you want the Art Book we suggest pre-ordering from Gamestop.

╰★╮OFFICIAL ART BOOK COVER╭★╯

Curious to know what the art book will look like? Here it is! 
Gamestop has it posted on their site:http://www.gamestop.com/wii/games/xenoblade-chronicles-gamestop-exclusive/98535
We're still awaiting for full details on the art book as far as how many pages it will be and what it will include. Look forward for more details as it becomes available.

Tatsunoko vs. Capcom Tournament Information

The Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars tournament has been relaunched (we never say never) and it's taking place Saturday March 31st, 2012 at 6:30pm EST! Sign-Up by Saturday, March 24th, 11:59pm to enter! Here are the two places to read the rules AND sign-up.

http://oprainfall.freeforums.org/tatsunoko-vs-capcom-tournament-rebooted-t414.html

http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=337547746280776

╰★╮OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE FROM XSEED ╭★╯

“XSEED Games, an independent-minded publisher, today announced a partnership with Nintendo that will bring The Last Story™ to North America, exclusively for Wii™. Developed by legendary creator Hironobu Sakaguchi, and his studio, MISTWALKER, in conjunction with Nintendo, The Last Story has players taking charge of a band of mercenaries and journeying with them into a sprawling cinematic adventure. The agreement with Nintendo grants XSEED Games exclusive publishing rights to The Last Story in North America when the game ships this summer.”

“I am very happy to be able to confirm that The Last Story will be released in North America,” stated Hironobu Sakaguchi, CEO of MISTWALKER. “XSEED Games has a reputation for bringing high-quality JRPGs to America, and I’m sure they will do a great job with this release too.”

Jun Iwasaki, President of XSEED Games, shared Mr. Sakaguchi’s sentiments. “I am excited to have the opportunity to work on such a unique and ground-breaking RPG. I’m sure that North American gamers will love this title.”


http://www.xseedgames.com/index.php

╰★╮OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE FROM NINTENDO OF AMERICA╭★╯

"Nintendo is loading 2012 with surprises for all kinds of gamers. Today Nintendo can confirm that the acclaimed role-playing game The Last Story™ will come to North America for the Wii™ console in 2012, published by XSEED Games. Nintendo also can reveal that Xenoblade Chronicles™ will launch on April 6, complete with fan-chosen artwork that will be featured in the game's packaging.

"Together, these two games level up the excitement for RPG fans in America," said Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime. "Whether roaming the vast landscape of Xenoblade Chronicles or choosing crossbows to battle with or against companions in The Last Story, gamers will recognize these titles as benchmarks for the genre." 

http://www.nintendo.com/whatsnew/detail/3mIPO4MhJnDdJ-THNtE_ehlRYMM4XIMR

╰☆ Xenoblade Chronicles Tidbit of the Day #30 ☆╮

Dunban's Japanese voice actor, Ryō Horikawa, has his own major body of work as well: Vegeta in the Dragon Ball series, Andromeda Shun in Saint Seiya, Heiji Hattori in Detective Conan/Case Closed, Tolten in the game Lost Odyssey, and most notably, Captain Falcon in the Super Smash Bros. games.

╰★╮OFFICIAL COVER ART - XENOBLADE CHRONICLES ╭★╯

Here is the official cover art for Xenoblade Chronicles! Right click and select "Save Image As..." to save this file and use it in your own artwork and promotions for the game. Be sure to come back and share any art you create with us! We'd love to see your creations!


We will be continuing our promotion of the game throughout the month, culminating in a 10-day countdown until the game's launch on April 6.
As always we plan to keep things spoiler free, and if a minor spoiler is about to be revealed, we will be sure to add a SPOILER WARNING.

Gaming Union Review of The Last Story

"The Last Story demonstrates that there is still life and innovation left in the form of the Japanese RPG, despite the constant crowing of naysayers to the contrary."
8/10

http://www.gamingunion.net/reviews/the-last-story--649.html

"One of The Last?"

Operation Rainfall is mentioned on Anime News Network, and we agree wholeheartedly about what they say about Pandora's Tower. There is still a chance that it will be localized as well.


http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/the-x-button/2012-02-29

╰☆ Xenoblade Chronicles Tidbit of the Day #31 ☆╮

Party Tension During Battle. During battle, you can increase your Tension and Affinity (Party Gauge) by shouting encouragement to party members when their tension is low or when they land a critical hit. You can also help party members who are in bad condition or who are unable to fight. Your party members can also come to your own character's assistance when you are in a bind. Using 'Affinity Actions' during Battle can increase your Party Members' morale.

The Party Performs better in battle when their tension is high.

IGN Review of The Last Story

She does a very nice job of covering the battle system, so pay special attention to that part if you are interested in seeing how the game play mechanics work.


Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Please respect the opinions of others.

Should You Pre-order Xenoblade?

One of our staff members emailed Nintendo to ask if “their friends” should pre-order Xenoblade Chronicles and this was the response they received:

“Thank you for writing. While this is expected to be a hit, there's no way of knowing how quickly it will sell. If your friend knows that they want to purchase Xenoblade, my suggestion would be to pre-order it. Why take the chance?

As added incentive, GameStop is offering a pre sell Xenoblade art book (quantities are limited). See your local GameStop for details.

Sincerely,
Nintendo of America Inc.”

Now, let’s consider what they have said:
“Xenoblade is expected to be a hit. There’s no way of knowing how fast it will sell.”
Would you like to be the person that walks into Gamestop and find out there’s no more copies? Why take that chance?

With that said, there’s a little over a month until Xenoblade is released, and would you want to take the chance of not getting Xenoblade? Who knows when Gamestop will get their next shipment of Xenoblade, we’ve heard stories of Xenoblade in Europe being sold out and people waiting for the next shipment to arrive. We do not know if Nintendo will be sending out another shipment or not. This is a limited and exclusive release.

Even if you are not someone that typically pre-orders, it is still HIGHLY recommended.

Remember, you do not have to pre-order it from Gamestop, you have two other alternatives; Nintendo’s online store and Play-Asia.

You wouldn’t want to be that person waiting for Xenoblade used hoping that it will drop in price only to find out that it’s holding its value for years, and missing out on one of the last and most critically acclaimed RPG titles for the Wii.