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Real Sound: Kaze No Regret is a Japanese game made for blind people, so
there are no visuals to speak of as the game is made entirely around sound,
kind of like an interactive audiobook. Made by WARP, the creators of D no Shokutaku
and EO (Enemy Zero,) this is without a doubt the most unique and interesting
game on the Sega Saturn. WARP were known for using sound as an important
mechanic in some of their games, so Real Sound seems like a natural fit for the
developer, and they also have the honour of being the first developer to create
one of the first ever games to be made for blind people which is still highly
sort after in Japan to this day.
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Kenji Eno, WARPs founder and director decided to make Real Sound after
visiting visually impaired fans who had wrote to him about his games. Curious
as to how they were able to experience playing video games, Kenji went to visit
them and see for himself first hand how they were able to experience and enjoy
games. This inspired Kenji to make the game specifically for blind people,
where the game was based around sound and would give them the same experience
as those who weren’t blind. The game was a Sega Saturn exclusive and did
receive a re-release on the Dreamcast with some visuals, but the game was
essentially the same, and still one to be played by listening to the audio.
I wish I could tell you what the game is about, but I can’t, as to play
the game requires an understanding of Japanese, which sadly I do not possess.
But what I can say is that if you are studying Japanese, and are at an
intermediate to advanced stage of your learning of the language, then this game
is the perfect study aid. Most Japanese adventure games are a perfect way of
helping you learn and further your studies of Japanese, but none will ‘test
your metal’ as to just how much you have learned as Real Sound will, as without
any visuals to help you interpret what you don’t understand, you have nothing
to go on other than the audio itself.
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Real Sound comes in a double Saturn case as the game is spread across
four disks, and comes in a plastic slip case, which has clouds pictured on it,
with the all important collectors spine card cased within it. The game has an
accompanying braille manual, a post card, and numerous other cards that have Japanese
on one side and pictures of cloud skylines on the other. What really makes the
game unusual from a collecting standpoint is that it comes with a packet of
herb seeds, that’s herbs as in the traditional garden or ‘kitchen’ herb, and
not the cannabis variety. I have tried in the past to find out what herb the
seeds are, but haven’t been able to find anything out, and although I know I
could just plant them and find out, I’d rather not open the packet and plant
them as this would make the game incomplete from a collectors standpoint. Some
might find this a really unusual thing to pack in with a game as an extra, and
it is, but for WARP its rather tame as a previous game, Short Warp, came
packaged with a condom amongst other things, so in light of this, its not that
outlandish.
Real Sound: Kaze No Regret - Sega
Saturn
4 disks
Outer plastic sleeve
Spine card
Braille manual
Post Card
8 Cards
Packet of herb seeds
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| Herb Seeds Front |
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| Herb Seeds Back |
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| Braille manual |
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