thurd Wrote:I don't think that even in America with its ridiculous patent system it is possible to patent the name "World Trade Center", even considering what happened there. I thought it was peculiar but didn't surprise me that much

For what I have deemed is that World Trade Center is related World Trade Centers Association, where the builds in New York City were part of the group, and the build in Tokyo is part of the group. World Trade Centers Association is suppose to be in 90 plus countries.

I just came back from TGS public day 1 and as fun as this whole experience was for me (first time on a game show like this) I'm totally disappointed by games shown.

Global players didn't bother coming here so the only "serious" western games are shown on X360 booth, besides that its all about Japanese games which recently are tragically uninspiring, inadequate and basically just a rehash of old ideas or games. Lots of sequels, refreshments and new-platform launches but very few original games. The Last Guardian didn't show up, FF Versus is missing as always and I've yet to see a "no-big-name" game that actually made me stop and look at it or that I couldn't describe by phases: "just like Final Fantasy", "its basically Resident Evil", "a clone of Gran Tourismo", "another Street Fighter".

Played with XIII-2 for 15 minutes and from what I remember its exactly the same as XIII. Doesn't look better, fighting system still sucks and they didn't fix issues people had with original. Don't get me wrong, they tried and demo was specifically chosen to appear like they did: "cities", more freedom, different paths & exploration etc. but in reality its still empty as hell, freedom is nonexistent and exploration means there are now a few more corridors attached and for example two paths to your target (but they are so small you can actually see the whole detour on minimap...). To me its clearly a sign they know what they did wrong, they got their ass kicked for it (bargain bin just weeks after premiere of XIII) but they cannot do anything about it because their engine and hardware just can't handle more. So they covered the rust of XIII with some fresh paint and try to sell it again as new and improved. Money grabbing at its finest, they would never make it before next gen comes so doing a proper game was impossible but a rehash with few stitches will still net them a few bucks from fanbois and allow to wait for some new hardware.

Another thing I laid my hands on was PS Vita and its Dark Quest, not a bad slasher but just didn't make me feel like I'm looking at a new platform & quality. Except for Uncharted for Vita which looks quite impressive & innovative with its controls, other launch titles look like PSP games but they are hyping them like crazy because there's just nothing else to offer (Asphalt Injection looks awful, others are sometimes so stupid and ugly I couldn't believe my eyes). I saw better graphics on some iPhone 4 games so I don't expect Vita to be a huge hit outside of Japan considering the pressure coming from smartphone market and its quick hardware changes. We probably can still see some good games (Uncharted shows there is enough power to tame) and new control schemes (touchscreen+touch pad at the back) could prove very fun and useful. But the thing is world doesn't wait for Sony anymore and I expect iPhone 6 to be on par with Vita in hardware, so launching a handheld with 1-2 year lifespan seems crazy to me.

Overall, for me big name announcements are missing (except for DoA5 but thats a drop in the ocean) and indie or aspiring studios rather than innovate just serve the same dish as big names but without their budget and nostalgia. It seems right now only new hardware can save us and PS Vita isn't it

I forgot to add a game that actually made an impression on me, which I've known about for a while, that is ニノ国. A bit Zeldaish but seems to treat its RPG elements more seriously and the graphics really look like its a Studio Ghibli movie!! Considering there will be a plot, movie sequences and RPG elements I might actually buy this for education purposes

thurd Wrote:To me its clearly a sign they know what they did wrong, they got their ass kicked for it (bargain bin just weeks after premiere of XIII)

If 5.5+ million worldwide copies sold and best first-week sales in the franchise history counts as "got their ass kicked", I bet a lot of companies would like to line up to get their ass kicked too.

Tokyo Game Show??! Aaah you're so lucky. Hope you got some pics of some nice booth girls

Agree, coverage on kotaku has been fairly uninspiring. Can't see what appeal PSPVita has over mobile phones now-days, therefore it's almost going to be dead on arrival. Still i quite want to play with one!!

aphasiac Wrote:Can't see what appeal PSPVita has over mobile phones now-days, therefore it's almost going to be dead on arrival.

I don't think that's true -- I know people are claiming that but the Vita is both more powerful and has different games from the mobile phones, which is enough to ensure its success at least among Japanese gamers. I think the kind of people who would think "I don't need a Vita since I have a mobile phone" were never really in the target audience for such a gaming system anyway.

I know it's true that mobile phone games are becoming more popular in both the US and Japan, but I haven't seen any indication that a large number of gamers who formerly played games on PSP/DS/etc are abandoning those systems to exclusively play on mobile phones. If you want to play Monster Hunter Portable Third, Ao no Kiseki, Final Fantasy 0-shiki, etc. you need a PSP. And if you want to play any of the upcoming games for Vita you'll need one of those too.

thurd Wrote:I just came back from TGS public day 1 and as fun as this whole experience was for me (first time on a game show like this) I'm totally disappointed by games shown.

Global players didn't bother coming here so the only "serious" western games are shown on X360 booth, besides that its all about Japanese games which recently are tragically uninspiring, inadequate and basically just a rehash of old ideas or games. Lots of sequels, refreshments and new-platform launches but very few original games. The Last Guardian didn't show up, FF Versus is missing as always and I've yet to see a "no-big-name" game that actually made me stop and look at it or that I couldn't describe by phases: "just like Final Fantasy", "its basically Resident Evil", "a clone of Gran Tourismo", "another Street Fighter".

Played with XIII-2 for 15 minutes and from what I remember its exactly the same as XIII. Doesn't look better, fighting system still sucks and they didn't fix issues people had with original. Don't get me wrong, they tried and demo was specifically chosen to appear like they did: "cities", more freedom, different paths & exploration etc. but in reality its still empty as hell, freedom is nonexistent and exploration means there are now a few more corridors attached and for example two paths to your target (but they are so small you can actually see the whole detour on minimap...). To me its clearly a sign they know what they did wrong, they got their ass kicked for it (bargain bin just weeks after premiere of XIII) but they cannot do anything about it because their engine and hardware just can't handle more. So they covered the rust of XIII with some fresh paint and try to sell it again as new and improved. Money grabbing at its finest, they would never make it before next gen comes so doing a proper game was impossible but a rehash with few stitches will still net them a few bucks from fanbois and allow to wait for some new hardware..

hmm harsh words for FF13-2 eh. From what I can see from the trailers, it doesn't really look different from the first one, expect that cinematic sequences. From what I heard about next-gen FF games is that, it's due to the rendering of graphics that the games aren't as big as they used to be (maybe that's why they are taking here time to build versus?). But then again, I enjoyed the FF13 and thought it was a good game but I wouldn't say it's a great or amazing as the past games(FF8,9,10). But when I think about it, FF10 was pretty narrow and still did well lol

i think they announced ニノ国 for ps3? and it'll be localized in english.

that's something to look forward too!

except for fighters (which aren't really so much about innovation on the part of the game designer but by the player-communities), i find myself not really interested in japan's AAA titles that much.

i'm also equally uninterested in western AAA titles though. =)

yudantaiteki Wrote:I know it's true that mobile phone games are becoming more popular in both the US and Japan, but I haven't seen any indication that a large number of gamers who formerly played games on PSP/DS/etc are abandoning those systems to exclusively play on mobile phones.

The strongest indication has been the poor sales of the 3DS. After a strong first few weeks, sales nose-dived:

http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/35288...unches.php
http://playstationlifestyle.net/2011/08/...-in-japan/

Now picking up again after a price-drop (after only 6 months - another indication Nintendo thought the system was in trouble), but it's still unlikely to reach the level of the Nintendo DS.

The 3DS at least offered something unique; PS Vita is basically a portable under-powered ps3, for the same price as a PS3. Sure it'll be an ok success with hardcore gamers, but that market is dwindling. Remember IPhone5 will be out by then, so that's extra competition.

I just don't see the IPhone5 in competition with the Vita, and I still don't see any proof that the "market is dwindling" -- 3DS has done poorly but it's an unpopular console. It's not like the 3DS has a great games library and has been critically acclaimed but nobody's buying it because they're buying mobile phones instead. Japan's phones have been able to play games for years now; it's nothing new.

Are you not much of a gamer? It's just hard for me to imagine someone who actually plays video games regularly thinking that the IPhone 5 is a competitor to the Vita.

I'm a fairly hardcore gamer and used to own all current gen consoles. Since moving to Asia I now just have a PS3, iPod Touch 3G, DS and a Windows 7 Phone. But this is my issue; I'm the Vita's target market, and I'm just not excited about it..

Honestly I can't get massively hyped because it doesn't bring anything new to the table. Plus you have to remember the PSP Go, total bomb.

Dunno, maybe I've just been reading too many opinion pieces recently -
http://www.metro.co.uk/tech/games/875279...ek-feature
http://www.slashgear.com/iphone-5-will-o...-17180647/

The PSP Go isn't really a fair comparison because you could play all the games there on a regular PSP. Vita already has some games that I'm interested in (mostly ports so far, albeit ports of games I haven't played the originals of) -- I doubt I'll buy it immediately when it comes out but I'll definitely buy it.

You might be right about the general reception, but for me I can't even get into the frame of mind where I would consider not buying a Vita because I can play Angry Birds on a smartphone.

i can't really get excited about hardware. i can only get excited about software.

i think the 3DS lacked a killer app.

For the US i don't think the regular DS really took off until games like Mario Kart DS, Tetris DS, and Nintendogs. Diamond and Pearl pretty much brought all the kids. i might even throw Wario Ware in there. even stuff like pictochat was fun. stuff like brain age brought a big market too. (I can't speak for Japan. DQ9 was a completely different experience over there than it was here. the tag mode just doesn't work in the spread-out cities of the US.)

once the 3DS actually gets its killer apps, then we'll see what happens. a new pokemon game that's 3DS exclusive will guarantee 3DS sales.

what made the Wii launch so successful was WiiSports. it was a great game. THE killer app. it's not motion control that made the system so much as it was WiiSports.

so with the Vita, i'm just waiting for the software... though it appears that the Persona 4 remake is already looking like an instant buy. other than that, not too much for me to get excited for.

kainzero Wrote:what made the Wii launch so successful was WiiSports. it was a great game. THE killer app. it's not motion control that made the system so much as it was WiiSports.

No doubt. I had/have no interest in owning a Wii, but I had lots of fun playing Wii tennis while drunk at house parties. Otherwise the motion control is EXTREMELY off-putting for me, like the majority of other gimmicky crap (DS's touch panel, 3DS 3D) Nintendo puts out lately that is making them increasingly insignificant. Sure it attracts casual gamers, but casual gamers are abandoning dedicated game systems in droves for smartphones and facebook games. Nintendo is going to be the next Sega and it's sad to see because I used to be a huge fan until the GC showed up woefully underpowered.

The fact that the PSP Vita has a touch screen, and Xbox 360 and PS3 have added motion controllers suggest these "gimmicks" were largely successful, and embraced by hardcore gamers too. Also Wii has outsold both other consoles this generation by a huge margin, making record profits, and DS is the 2nd highest selling console in history; Nintendo are hardly insignificant, quite the opposite in fact.

The 3DS is an interesting one though. It seems as though all 3DS games have to allow different depths and play in 2D via the slider next to the screen, which means no game can ever rely on 3D for gameplay. This means it is just a gimmick, and not a great one (i was excited about the hardware until I played one).

Vita has some nice launch games (Katamari, Resistance, Uncharted) and interesting PS3 connectivity. But now I'm over the buzz of those first video demo's, the reality is - they're just going to be cut-down ps3 games with some touch-screen controls added.

My portable needs are all met by my iPod touch, which doesn't just cater for casual games; there are plenty of long RPGs etc. That's why the Vita gets a "meh" from me..

aphasiac Wrote:The fact that the PSP Vita has a touch screen, and Xbox 360 and PS3 have added motion controllers suggest these "gimmicks" were largely successful, and embraced by hardcore gamers too. Also Wii has outsold both other consoles this generation by a huge margin, making record profits, and DS is the 2nd highest selling console in history; Nintendo are hardly insignificant, quite the opposite in fact.

well, i'd disagree with calling the ds touch screen gimmicky (i'd call the second screen more gimmicky than the touch screen).

i also hated some of nintendo's practices, since i think all DS games are supposed to be able to be played using the touch screen only... it was mandated by nintendo.

anyway, again, the focus on hardware undermines the great software achievements of these games. i don't view the touch screen as a gimmick because for most of the DS games, it was nearly invisible and used to play the game.

you know why the kinect was great? because of dance central, its killer app. and the move? i haven't heard anything about it. i don't know any real game that it has. (i think it was touted as having 1:1, but... again, hardware vs. software).

the wii was definitely a success, but i feel like the success it has will have little carryover to its successor and there wasn't much of a brand loyalty build up. the top selling wii games:

Wii Sports (76.76 million)
Mario Kart Wii (28.23 million)
Wii Sports Resort (27.68 million)
Wii Play (27.38 million)
Wii Fit (22.61 million)
New Super Mario Bros. Wii (21.94 million)
Wii Fit Plus (18.49 million)
Super Smash Bros. Brawl (9.48 million)
Super Mario Galaxy (8.84 million)
Mario Party 8 (7.6 million)

except for Galaxy and NSMB Wii, I don't find any of the other games to really have a lot of loyalty to them. MK Wii was largely panned, SSBB was met with a lot of mixed reaction from both hardcore and casual, Wii Fit has very few advocates nowadays and with Wii Sports being copied and little to distinguish it from the competition, there's a lot of doubt to their future.

but man, galaxy was an amazing game when i think about it...

Well, for me personally my purchase of a console is decided by a single question -- are there enough games on the console I want to play to justify paying the cost? I don't care about technical matters or whether something is gimmicky or not, it's just about the games.

So it may be that the iPhone has some RPGs, but it doesn't have any RPGs that interest me. On the other hand, if the Vita has the next Eiyuu Densetsu game, and a Tales of the World, and other stuff like that, then it will be a must-buy for me. Currently there are four games that I want to play on the Vita: Tales of Innocence R, Persona 4, Ys: Celceta no Jukai, and Final Fantasy X HD (although the latter I might play on PS3 instead). I most likely won't buy the system immediately on launch but I think it's pretty likely I'll buy it eventually.

Quote:i also hated some of nintendo's practices, since i think all DS games are supposed to be able to be played using the touch screen only... it was mandated by nintendo.

This is definitely not the case; I've played numerous games for the DS that can't be played using only the touch screen (Tales of Innocence, Tales of Hearts, and the two Kingdom Hearts games off the top of my head).

yudantaiteki Wrote:

thurd Wrote:To me its clearly a sign they know what they did wrong, they got their ass kicked for it (bargain bin just weeks after premiere of XIII)

If 5.5+ million worldwide copies sold and best first-week sales in the franchise history counts as "got their ass kicked", I bet a lot of companies would like to line up to get their ass kicked too.

Yeah they sold quite a lot of games but they also got a lot of bad press about their decisions and they achieved that huge number by being in a bargain bin(NSFW). FF XIII sold great at first because its first FF for next gen, of course everybody wants to play it & the graphics are really sweet considering that hardware (hell I ordered it too despite what I kept hearing about it). But after a few bad reviews and loyal FF fans throwing stones at the game its pretty clear they dumbed it too much and sales slowed down considerably. If the game costs peanuts and is one of the longest franchises in gaming history its obvious it will move huge numbers, but I'd rather see how much income it has generated month by month along with its sales.

yudantaiteki Wrote:I know it's true that mobile phone games are becoming more popular in both the US and Japan, but I haven't seen any indication that a large number of gamers who formerly played games on PSP/DS/etc are abandoning those systems to exclusively play on mobile phones. If you want to play Monster Hunter Portable Third, Ao no Kiseki, Final Fantasy 0-shiki, etc. you need a PSP. And if you want to play any of the upcoming games for Vita you'll need one of those too.

Of course they suddenly won't drop a console they paid lots of cash for (or rather their parents paid), but they are far less likely to buy another given what happened in mobile market. It won't be everyone and Japan will be a safe haven for Vita (handhelds here are really popular, Europe and US just doesn't compare) but more people then ever will be second guessing their decision to buy another gadget they have to carry in addition to their phone (+ another charger when traveling).

kainzero Wrote:i think they announced ニノ国 for ps3? and it'll be localized in english.

But you'll buy it in Japanese, right?

yudantaiteki Wrote:Are you not much of a gamer? It's just hard for me to imagine someone who actually plays video games regularly thinking that the IPhone 5 is a competitor to the Vita.

I consider myself a gamer, even a hardcore gamer and I'm thinking that exactly. You seem to think that handhelds are different than phones because they are "hardcore" oriented but to me they never were hardcore to begin with! If I want to game properly I use a normal monitor/TV with a capable console/PC with real controllers that don't feel like a toys from Toys "R" Us. Handhelds are for casual gaming: tiny screen, simple games and inadequate/inprecise controls. iPhone/Android has all of those things already, so if I have to put up with it anyway why bother with another device? Should I just go handheld because Sqare decided to milk me a bit more and offer another watered down Final Fantasy? Big names will come to phones eventually too, you'll see. Once smartphone/pad gaming will dominate game sales of handhelds (its when and not if, despite different price points) and a few unknown companies make loads of cash from it surpassing well established studios/publishers, they will come in droves. Money talks and no matter how you cut it, there are more iPhones/iPods now than PSPs and Android will surpass that really soon.

I have had PSP for like 4 years now and its been gathering dust for a long time, as fun as Crysis Core was I can totally envision myself playing it on iPhone 4 let alone future generations. Same kind of problems but one less crap to carry around with me, just because of that advantage I'm far more likely to finish a game on a phone and buy another one than for any handheld.

kainzero Wrote:the wii was definitely a success, but i feel like the success it has will have little carryover to its successor and there wasn't much of a brand loyalty build up. the top selling wii games:....

Look at that list again and show me games not made by Nintendo, that's the problem. Wii has the worst attach rate from current consoles and their "serious" games collection is thin as ice. It was a fad and a fashion statement generated by brilliant marketing and positioning (a system for non gamers). Unsurprisingly my only friend that owns a Wii is gay but he got bored after a week and didn't buy a single game for it.

yudantaiteki Wrote:So it may be that the iPhone has some RPGs, but it doesn't have any RPGs that interest me. On the other hand, if the Vita has the next Eiyuu Densetsu game, and a Tales of the World, and other stuff like that, then it will be a must-buy for me. Currently there are four games that I want to play on the Vita: Tales of Innocence R, Persona 4, Ys: Celceta no Jukai, and Final Fantasy X HD (although the latter I might play on PS3 instead). I most likely won't buy the system immediately on launch but I think it's pretty likely I'll buy it eventually.

True, games are the most important factor when deciding to buy a console. What you also point out is brand awareness, since you have no interest in iPhone games, you have no idea whats available for it. I on the other hand have never heard about the titles you're talking about (except for FF X) and how good they could be. My predictions about Vita are based on what I saw at TGS and how uninspiring & disappointing experience it was. Better games may come later but mobile vendors are also busy working and hardware advantage in my opinion will be nonexistent by next year.

yudantaiteki Wrote:

Quote:i also hated some of nintendo's practices, since i think all DS games are supposed to be able to be played using the touch screen only... it was mandated by nintendo.

This is definitely not the case; I've played numerous games for the DS that can't be played using only the touch screen (Tales of Innocence, Tales of Hearts, and the two Kingdom Hearts games off the top of my head).

hmm...
i do remember that there was some sort of touch screen requirement but i don't remember exactly what it was. i wonder if it was just for the game i was testing. whoops. =)

thurd Wrote:I have had PSP for like 4 years now and its been gathering dust for a long time, as fun as Crysis Core was I can totally envision myself playing it on iPhone 4 let alone future generations. Same kind of problems but one less crap to carry around with me, just because of that advantage I'm far more likely to finish a game on a phone and buy another one than for any handheld.

i feel like the portable gaming market in japan is way different compared to the US. in japan it seems a bit more social. the kids in mcd's holed up playing MH3, or the surechigai spots in akiba (do they still have those?) were pretty cool. there's also more time to play them on the go because you walk and take the train.

in the US i hardly ever play portable systems portably; i just play them at home, because when i go out to a non-arcade i don't think about playing games. i have to drive anyway, there's no train for me to play something.

i thought mgs peacewalker was a great game with a lot of great modes that i couldn't use in the US. and dq9, there's no way we'd create the legacy in that game that japan had. famous maps were named after certain train stations or people, and spread out through all of japan. in the US after release, i walked through a gaming convention and only tagged 2 people, none of which had maps.

thurd Wrote:

kainzero Wrote:i think they announced ニノ国 for ps3? and it'll be localized in english.

But you'll buy it in Japanese, right?

I played through the SaGa 3 remake on DS. I played Final Fantasy Legend 3 on the GB as a kid, and yet there will still a bunch of parts in the DS version that I was unclear with because my Japanese skill just isn't there yet. I'm not sure if I want to go through that with ニノ国・・・

I feel like the time I will be able to fully enjoy something like ニノ国 natively will be at least 2 years away.



speaking of wii third party games, nintendo found themselves at the heart of controversy by releasing a localized Xenoblade, a highly anticipated RPG, ONLY in europe. you can guess how angry that made a lot of RPG fans in the US.

thurd Wrote:Handhelds are for casual gaming: tiny screen, simple games and inadequate/inprecise controls.

If that's how you feel about handhelds then it may color your perception of them, because there are lots of games for both the DS and PSP that are neither simple nor have inadequate controls.

I think that some day it may happen that portables are taken over by mobile phones -- a few years ago I said that I wouldn't be surprised if the next generation of handhelds was simply a mobile phone. But I don't think that time is here yet, and I doubt the Vita is going to completely fail because of mobile phone competition.

yudantaiteki Wrote:a few years ago I said that I wouldn't be surprised if the next generation of handhelds was simply a mobile phone..

Seriously though, can you imagine if Apple came out with an official game control cradle for the iphone and ipod touch? I mean one that added d-pad, 6 buttons and 1/2 analog sticks? PSP / DS would be screwed big time - surprised it hasn't happened yet (Apple love over-charging for those accessories)

I can see it happening at some point. I'm still not convinced the Vita will tank because of mobile phones, but I do think that at some point they'll find out how to combine the two in a way that satisfies everyone.

yudantaiteki Wrote:I can see it happening at some point. I'm still not convinced the Vita will tank because of mobile phones, but I do think that at some point they'll find out how to combine the two in a way that satisfies everyone.

I think in Japan it will be business as usual, if the economy doesn't tank there are tons of enthusiastic clients willing to spend their hard earned cash, TGS bound train was packed with PSPs and DSs. Outside of Japan it might be a bit different story, Sony is not a "religion" like here and people move on quickly from one tech to another. It took a while before Japan opened to the iPhone and you can already see tons of people using them, in time they'll abandon their ridiculous flap phones and see the error of their ways

Yes of course they will figure how to make these two work together, Experia Play had a huge booth to itself, so they are taking steps in the right direction. It just surprises me the they are willing to also put the effort to beat a dying horse, thats all.

Quick question. I have one week rail pass (starts on monday ends on sunday) and want to use it as best as I can, how should I divide my time between these cities?

Kyoto
Nara
Hiroshima

Are there any other cities I should visit instead or add to this list? Maybe I should visit some of them quickly, use my Rail Pass to the fullest and later stay in one (Kyoto?) even after it expires, bite the bullet and buy a return ticket to Tokyo?

Kyoto has the most stuff to do in any city in Japan as far as tourism goes. Certainly more than Tokyo, so out of those three you should spend the most time in Kyoto. I've lived in Kyoto for three years and I haven't done everything there by a long shot. Though, it's mostly temples and shrines and you may get bored of them if you do them too many days in a row.

You can also do a day trip from Kyoto to Osaka very easily even without a rail pass. It's only like 800 yen JR one way, and takes 30 min if you take the special rapid. The Keihan is a cheaper option, but not always as convenient.

Nara can be done as a day trip from Kyoto, no reason to stay overnight. The main attraction is Toudaiji, and you have plenty of time to do Toudaiji as well as a couple of other things of your choosing in the same day, especially if you head out early. If you are using the rail pass, go JR. If you're not sometimes the Kintetsu line is more convenient.

Hiroshima you need at least two days. One day to do Miyajima, which is awesome, and MAKE SURE THE WEATHER IS NICE. Climb the mountain or take the cable car up or you're not getting the full experience. Try to take a walk through the shrine at high tide, and if possible see the tori at both high and low tide. The second day you can do the peace park/museum/whatever other tourism you want to do. If you don't mind the 12:00 curfew, stay at a hostel called Aster Plaza. It's just as good as a relatively classy hotel for practically no money, thanks to the fact that Hiroshima City is paying part of the cost for you (it's to bring tourism to the peace park). They speak English, so even the non-Japanese savy can call for a reservation easily.

I'm going to Hiroshima Saturday, for my fourth trip there, haha. I think I'm going to do the limestone cave at Akiyoshidai and maybe check out that island with lots of bunnies that is nicknamed usagijima. I'll let you know if either of those are particularly worth checking out.

Great info there Tzadeck, thank you so much. I'll be making reservations of my hostel in Kyoto (I'll probably settle on this one) today or tomorrow so I really needed some input about my priorities. Right now I'm thinking about 4 nights in Kyoto (4 days in Kyoto, one for Nara), on Friday take a late train for Hiroshima (will have to check how to get from the station to the hostel you recommended) and sleep there, get a full day of sightseeing, spend another night and see some more stuff on Sunday, finally get a late train for Tokyo.

Sounds doable and includes every tip you've given me