Halo fires up Japanese gamers

TOKYO--The localized version of Halo for the PC was released in Japan today, with enthusiastic reviews and apparently strong sales marking the game's first day at retail. Featuring Japanese voice acting for non-player characters as well as a Japanese interface, the game sells for considerably more than its American cousin: it lists at 7,800 yen (about $74), with a street price of 6,980 yen (about $65).

A review in Impress Game Watch described the multiplayer version as "exhilarating" and praised the smooth online play. And Asobi-City ("Play City"), a game-only store, run by major hardware and software retailer LaOX, reported strong first-day sales.