Hello from the dead. (That's me).I suppose some of you may be wondering where I've been lately. I'll be the first to admit that posts have been sporadic (at best) lately. The thing about that is it turns out that I'm getting married next month, which I've found out is sort of a big deal. I honestly had no idea how much work was involved with a wedding, and my free time has been all but completely destroyed by preparations. Unfortunately, things don't look like they're slowing down anytime soon, either.So, up front, I'm sorry that I've been less than available lately. I'll try to keep up on at least new releases each week, and bigger news items (if I have time). From where I am right now, it looks like things should settle down by either the end of September or the beginning of October, which (hopefully) should allow me to keep up on Tokyo Game Show around that time.Anyways, enough of my excuses. Here are the games that are coming out this week (August 24 - 28, 2009) around the world (except there is only stuff coming out in North America as far as I know):North AmericaHarvest Moon: Magical Melody - Marvelous, Natsume - Nintendo WiiMana Khemia 2: Fall of Alchemy - Gust, NIS America - PlayStation 2Time of Shadows - SkyFallen, Take-Two - PCJapan(none)Europe(none)As a head's up for my miss last week, Spectrobes: Origins, from Genki and Disney, hit the Nintendo Wii in North America last week.This week sees the re-release of a GameCube Harvest Moon entry on the Wii, the sequel to Dawn of Magic on the PC, and what I assume (and hope) to be the last notable RPG release on the can't-we-just-let-it-die-yet? PlayStation 2, Mana Khemia 2.I'll be definitely picking up Mana Khemia 2, though I have no idea when I'll have time to play it. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for '2009' though.Anything on your radar this week?
Hello. It is Monday. I am very tired. There is only 1 RPG coming out in the whole world this week (August 10 - 14, 2009). I think I'll take a nap soon.North AmericaPhantom Brave: We Meet Again - Nippon Ichi, NIS America - Nintendo WiiJapan(none)Europe(none)Wow. If you are hoping for a new RPG this week, I hope you like PS2 SRPG ports. Because that's all you'll get. Sorry about that.
This news kind of really surprised me, but apparently the Wii remake of Capcom and Clover's highly-stylized adventure-RPG, Okami, was only released in the West. Capcom has apparently decided to right its wrongs, and will release the game on Japanese Wiis later this year.Following the story of the Sun Goddess Amaterasu (albeit in wolf form), Okami is a game that is extreeeeeemely Japanese in everything from its folklore references and decidedly Japanesesque humour, to its music and art direction. Quite why the game was released over here at the expense of a Japanese release is rather mind-boggling to me, but to be honest, I never heard any Japanese gamers complain. So whatever, I guess.In order to smooth things out with Japan, Capcom is offering a limited 42-song soundtrack with the first printing of the game. Not a bad deal.Okami is a terrific and highly underappreciated game. While I doubt this re-release will do any wonders in the Land of the Rising Sun, I'm glad to hear that it will see the light of day in its own country.Okami will be available for Nintendo Wii on October 15, 2009 in Japan. It is already available in North America.[Dengeki]
Wizardry is one of those RPG franchises that has existed since what seems like the beginning of the genre. Typically forgotten by most modern RPGamers, publisher Genterprise has not forgotten the first-person dungeon-crawling affairs of Wizardry, and has just announced a new installment of the game on Nintendo DS.Titled Wizardry: Seimei no Kusabi (Wedge of Life), the new RPG brings modern anime-style art and JRPG storytelling to the traditional 3D dungeons of yesteryear in hopes of appealing to both old-school and contemporary fans of the genre.Seimei no Kusabi is apparently part of a larger-scale project aimed at revitalizing the Wizardry brand, and will reportedly be based on the first 3 and 5th original Wizardry titles.Wizardry: Seimei no Kusabi will be available for Nintendo DS on November 19, 2009 in Japan.[
Famitsu]
BioWare and EA's upcoming adult-oriented RPG, Dragon Age: Origins, has been officially postponed by a couple of weeks.Currently, the publisher has announced that the PC and Xbox 360 versions of the game will ship out on November 3, 2009, rather than on October 22, as originally planned. The PlayStation 3 version has not yet received an official date, but EA says that it will ship 'soon' after the 360 and PC versions.Though EA has offered no solid reasoning for the delay, I would like to pretend that EA needs time to hold a pagan ritual on All Hallow's Eve to ensure the new IP's success. Hey, it's as good a guess as any.At any rate, I guess you can now go trick-or-treating without missing out on any bloody/steamy RPGing. Good news?
[Destructoid]
If you are starving to farm, date girls, save the world, and turn into a weresheep, then want no more, for Marvelous has officially dated the Japanese version of Rune Factory 3, a DS farming RPG that will allow you to do all of the above mentioned. Weresheep. Still not old.In addition, if you happen to be planning on reserving a copy from your local Japanese video game retailer (of course you are), then Marvelous has announced that you will also be receiving a bundle including an artbook, drama CD, and comic of the game.Seriously, I don't see how anyone could pass up a comic about a farming kid who wears a hairband and can turn into a sheep.Rune Factory 3 will be available for Nintendo DS on October 22, 2009 in Japan.
[Famitsu]
I just can't make myself excited about this, but for anyone who was a huge fan of Marvelous and imageepoch's DS SRPG series Luminous Arc, rejoice, for the third game has just been revealed.Titled Luminous Arc 3: Eyes, the latest title will remain true to the form of the original, with all the DS SRPGing you can handle, coupled with a soft, feminine art style.What sets Eyes apart from its predecessors is the promise that the game will be school-life based! Alright! I don't think we have enough school-based RPGs yet. Pile another one on!Seriously, though. I'm holding out for Luminous Arc 4: Nose. I hear it will take advantage of the DS' smell function. Or something.Luminous Arc 3: Eyes will be available for Nintendo DS sometime this Winter in Japan.
[Dengeki]
Welcome to the first full week of August, and a new summer month of underacheivement in the RPG new releases world! Yes, another exciting month of almost nothing new at all is upon us, and I can't think of anything comforting to say about it. I'm sorry.
Check out what's coming out (in Japan and nowhere else) this week (August 3 - 8, 2009):
North America(none)JapanBlood of Bahamut - Square Enix - Nintendo DSFinal Fantasy IV - Square Enix - WVC
Item Getter: Bokura no Kagaku to Mahou no Kankei - 5pb. - Nintendo DSMagna Carta II - Softmax, Namco Bandai, Banpresto - Xbox 360
My Room Paradise - iStudio - PCSonic Chronicles: Yami Jigen kara no Shinryakusha - BioWare, Sega - Nintendo DSEurope(none)I suppose the biggest title of the week is Softmax and Banpresto's Magna Carta II for Xbox 360. Announced as one of the first RPGs for the 360 back before the console's launch, it has apparently taken years to reach us. (And by "us" I mean Japan, because North America and Europe are still waiting on a date.)Square Enix's Blood of Bahamut - a title which I could really see being extremely cool or extremely lame - is also hitting Japanese DSes this week, along with 5pb.'s oft forgotten Item Getter. BioWare and Sega's Sonic RPG finally hits Japan as well this week, and Square Enix is dropping off the SNES classic Final Fantasy IV onto Japanese Wii Virtual Consoles. There's also supposedly a PC game called My Room Paradise which I really can't seem to find any real info on, so it may or may not exist (or be an H-Game, which is also highly likely).North America and Europe get a big middle finger instead of a new RPG. Unpleasant.Anything looking worth your cash this week?
Hello from the dead. (That's me).
