Namco Bandai Announces Tales of Graces, Ports Tales of Vesperia

The latest issue of V Jump gives us the first look at the long-obscured-from-view Wii Tales of title, now confirmed to be titled Tales of Graces.

The article doesn't give us many details, but the game's protagonist has been revealed to be a young man named Asbel Lant, the 18 year old son of a regional lord who sets off to seek power after a certain event. The game's theme is reportedly "to protect," though we have no further details on the game's story at this time.

The game's character designs appear to be entrusted to Megumi Inomata, one of the series' staple character designers. It is unknown if the title is being developed by Team Destiny, or if a new team is handling the development.

Tales of Graces will reportedly be available sometime this winter on Nintendo Wii in Japan.

The article also briefly announces that the PlayStation 3 will again be receiving the Xbox 360's hand-me-downs, as last year's highly popular in Japan Xbox 360 RPG, Tales of Vesperia, will be reportedly be ported to Sony's fat 3rd child later this year.

To sweeten the deal, it appears that a new character will be added to the game. Her name is Patty Fleur, and she is a child sailor in search of the famous pirate Aifread's treasure. She reportedly fights with guns and knives (so I would imagine she will handle similarly to Raven).

Tales of Vesperia will apparently be ported to PlayStation 3 sometime this year in Japan. Since it was touted as an Xbox 360 exclusive here in North America, it is unknown if the PS3 port will make it over here, or if it will remain Japan-only like the PS2 port of Tales of Symphonia.

Incidentally, you may also be interested to know that Tales of Vs. (indeed pronouced 'Tales of Versus') was announced to indeed be a Tales of crossover brawler for PSP, in the same vein as Dissidia: Final Fantasy or Super Smash Bros.

Tales of the Abyss' Luke fon Fabre, Tales of Symphonia 2's Richter, Tales of Vesperia's Yuri Lowell, and Tales of Hearts' Shing Meteoryte have all been confirmed as playable characters, and the game appears to support up to 4 players simultaneously.

However, since it isn't an RPG, I won't be covering it any further.

Personally, Tales of Graces looks quite promising from the little bit we've seen. Asbel is one of Inomata's most likeable character designs to date (imo), and its nice to see the next main series Tales of game appear on a console (as opposed to the DS).

Tales of Vesperia being ported to the PS3, however, is rather insulting. Xbox 360 owners should be upset that a game they already paid for is being moved to another platform with extra content that they (likely) won't get, while PS3 owners should be upset that they have to settle for a port of a year-old game rather than receive their own. It is my view that nobody wins with timed exclusives.

...Except maybe console fanboys who get to gloat about it, but I don't consider them real people anyway.

As a head's up, since all of these games were revealed yesterday, I'm going to tentatively tag them as "RUMORS" until we get further confirmation. The scans look legit though.

Thoughts?

Tales of Vesperia FINALLY Gets a European Release

In case you didn't get the memo, Tales of Vesperia is a fantastic game, and remains what I feel is the best RPG of the 7th generation. Japanese and North American RPG fans have had access to the game since last August, but our poor European friends have been left waiting with nothing more than a "sometime in 2009" to hang on to.

Thankfully, then, Namco Bandai has finally announced that the gorgeous RPG will finally be heading to European Xbox 360s this June. There's no day announced yet, but to finally hear something must be a wonderful sigh of relief.

Any European readers happy to finally get some good news on this game?

Tales of Vesperia Gets the Movie Treatment

The Japanese publication Kinema Junpou announced in their latest issue that Kadokawa Pictures will be releasing an animated motion picture adaptation of Namco Bandai's Xbox 360 RPG Tales of Vesperia in Japan this year.

The film is being directed by Kanta Kamei, who has previously directed Digimon: Revenge of Diablomon and Kill Bill: The Origin of O-Ren. Voice actor Kousuke Toriumi will be filling a role in the film, most likely that of protagonist Yuri Lowell, which he played for the game.

There has been no specific target release announced for the film at this time, except that it will be out sometime this year.

Cool news. I love me some Tales of Vesperia, so I'm stoked to see how the movie turns out. I would have preferred a TV series like Tales of the Abyss got, but I guess I'll take what I can get.

RPGs Dominate the Xbox 360 Charts in Japan

In news that should surprise roughly no one, 2008's biggest 3 Xbox 360 titles in Japan were all RPGs. And I bet you could name them all without even looking!

They are, in order, Namco Bandai's Tales of Vesperia, Square Enix's The Last Remnant, and tri-Ace and Square Enix's Infinite Undiscovery. Shocking stuff, right?

In addition to these obvious titles, other RPGs also managed to rank in decently. Bethesda's Fallout 3 ranked in at number 8, Lionhead and Microsoft's Fable II pulls the number 12 spot, and Mistwalker and Microsoft's Lost Odyssey shuffles in at number 26 (not bad for a 2007 title).

Check out the full list scanned from Famitsu Xbox 360 below.

You Cannot Has: Tales of Vesperia T-shirts

If you like game-related swag (I do) and live anywhere besides Japan, prepare to be upset.

The online shopping site Lalabit Market (owned by Bandai) is selling limited edition Tales of Vesperia t-shirts in 5 different varieties: the white "Kishidan" (Order of Knights) (pictured), the black "Teikoku" (Empire), the violet "Madoushi" (Mage), the grey "Yuuri" (as in Yuri Lowell), and the brown "Go-Dai-Guild" (Five Master Guilds) for 2,940 yen a piece (roughly $30).

The offer is only available to those with a shipping address within Japan, which means NONE FOR YOU. =(

If these were just straight-up character print shirts or something, I wouldn't care. But these shirts are cool. Like, I wouldn't even mind wearing a video game shirt in public kind of cool.

My tears of sadness are on your head, Namdai!

Tales of Vesperia Receives an Award

I hope it shouldn't shock anyone here to learn that I absolutely love Tales of Vesperia. It's a fantastic game, and I would highly recommend it to just about anyone.

However, that is not news. What is news is that though the hype for the game has mostly quieted down over here (it seems we are always obsessed with waiting for the next big thing), Japan still loves them some ToV. So much so, that at Microsoft's annual post-TGS party in Japan, Namco Bandai and the development team behind Tales of Vesperia were awarded the Japanese Great Hit Title award.

Honestly, this is the first I've ever heard of this award (and I love its distinctly Japenglish name), but apparently it goes to a Japan-developed title that has sold the most copies on Xbox 360 that year. (As a side note, it appears that the game continues to sell well in Japan.)

I'm always happy to see such a well-developed game receive its rightful praise.

The Japanese capable among you can read Producer Goda's blog post about it here.

Tales of Vesperia Who's Who

Well, here it is. The last entry into today's Tales of Vesperia Day. I hope you enjoyed it! =)

Below I have spared no effort in bringing you character bios translated directly from the official Japanese Tales of Vesperia website, complete with Kousuke Fujishima's character illustrations.

Give this a read for one last look at the characters before the game will be on shelves sometime tomorrow.

Yuri Lowell (21)

“Saying its for the sake of the world, or whatever, it doesn’t help anyone if all it brings is tears.”

Main Weapon: Sword, Hand Axe
Sub Weapon: Fist

A young man who once dreamed of life as a knight, Yuri became disillusioned with the establishment after joining them, and eventually left. Though his best friend remains in the knights, Yuri took up life as a civilian bodyguard in the city.
Seeing the severe oppression from the higher-ups, Yuri has grown to hate nobles and officials.
After being imprisoned after a certain incident, he has a strange encounter with a girl named Estelle. This meeting pushes him to venture out into the world to find his own meaning of “justice.”
Though he tends to say whatever he thinks very candidly, and often runs his mouth, he can’t ignore anyone in need of help, and thus is often seen as the “older brother” of the group.

Estellise Cides Feurasseign (Estelle) (18)

“There’s so much more I could learn, if only our journey could continue…”

Main Weapon: Sword, Rod
Sub Weapon: Shield

Estelle is a young woman who encounters Yuri in the castle under strange circumstances. Though her real name is Estellise, Yuri gives her the nickname “Estelle,” and she introduces herself as such from then on.
Having been raised as a noble separated from the rest of the world, and tending to be something of a daydreamer, Estelle’s words and actions often confuse those around her. At the same time, she also loves to read, and is thus quite knowledgeable on various topics.
Though she is initially shocked by the realities of the world outside her imaginations in the castle, Estelle tries earnestly to ascertain the real world for herself, and find somewhere that she can fit in.
Estelle possesses strong healing magic, and will go out of her way to help someone who she sees is injured, even if it means putting herself in danger.

Repede (4 ½)

“…”

Main Weapon: Dagger
Sub Weapon: Collar

Yuri’s pet dog and loyal companion, Repede can always be seen next to Yuri. He has a prominent scar running down the side of his face and over his left eye.
Though he always has a pipe in his mouth, Repede, of course, does not actually smoke, but keeps the pipe as it is actually a memento of his former master.
Repede is not an affectionate dog, and does not like to play or be petted. However, once he has accepted someone, he will never betray them.
It sometimes appears as though he actually understands what people are saying.
He may actually be the most discerning and most cool-headed member of the group.

Flynn Scifo (21)

“If the law is wrong, then its important to first correct that law!”

Weapon: Sword

Having grown up together in the Imperial city, Flynn had the same dreams of knighthood as Yuri, and joined up at the same time. He remained in the knights even after Yuri left, and rose through the ranks with steady success.
Though he is mocked as an upstart by the knights of noble descent, he is seen as a great hope by those of common descent.
Though he has a strong sense of duty, and always an ally to the weak, he often feels torn with his position of enforcing the law, and thus has a “too serious” side that can be quite cold to others.
He often scolds Yuri, but this is actually out of concern for his friend who cannot seem to move on with his life.

Karol Capel (12)

“Brave Vesperia is my, no our guild! So I want to go with you too!”

Main Weapon: Axe, Hammer, Two-Handed Sword
Sub Weapon: Bag
A young boy who is always full of energy and always seems to be causing a commotion, Karol is only ever concerned about what is immediately in front of him. His high spirits can often be dizzying.
Karol is a member of the Hunters’ Blades Guild, which specializes in monster hunting. He has grand ambitions resting on his huge weapon, which he wields against the monsters he hunts. However, due to certain circumstances, he ends up tagging along with Yuri and the others.
He is surprisingly handy, and very “in the know,” with various contacts around.

Rita Mordio (15)

“Worrying about fulfilling your dreams without hurting anyone… I can do it because I am strong-willed!”

Main Weapon: Scarf, Whip
Sub Weapon: Book

A magic user and member of the Blastia Research Institute, Rita is known for her genius. She takes no interest in anything outside of her research, and thus has very poor social skills. As a result, she has a very matter-of-fact way of speaking.
Rita hates anything that gets in the way of her research, and tends to be very short-tempered. Due to this, she doesn’t appear to really have any friends, and is ostracized by even the other researchers (who, themselves, are not considered especially ‘normal’), though she acts as though she doesn’t notice.
Rita attitude is normally cold, but she has the habit of suddenly speaking very passionately and excitedly when it comes to her research.
In general, Rita is not used to interacting with other people, and should she find herself having to do so, she often tends not to deal well and often becomes flustered.

Judith (19)
“You. Exactly what is it that you really want to do?”

Main Weapon: Spear, Staff
Sub Weapon: Boots (with a ‘t’)

A lancer of the few remaining Klitea tribe, the beautiful Judith comes into contact with Yuri as she is traveling the world with a friend.
Judith is often considerate in the way that she approaches topics, but often tends to act before explaining her thinking, making her seem unpredictable. Upon first glance, she appears to be a very calm and collected individual, but once she has made her mind up on something, she will proceed without reservation, and will candidly say things the way she sees them.
In battle, Judith becomes relentless, almost as if she were a different person. Her lack of restraint belies her appearance, thus giving off an air of mystery about her.
Yuri nicknames her “Judy,” as “Judith” seems more difficult to say.

Raven (35)

“Oh! Is this the end for me? Farewell, all my worldwide fans!”

Main Weapon: Bow
Sub Weapon: Dagger

An older man who seems to personify superficiality and shadiness, Raven shows up around the party at several of their destinations, harassing them with his frivolous stories.
Whether it’s treating everything he has to do as a pain in the ass, changing his stories depending on his circumstances, or rephrasing his questions when he doesn’t like the answers, Raven is a very troublesome man.
That being said, he is not a bad person.
He has many years under his belt, and occasionally says surprisingly meaningful things, leading one to think that he may have quite a difficult past behind him, though no one knows for sure.
Then, without warning, he can whip out his bow and dagger and display incredible fighting abilities. Clearly, Raven is a man of limitless surprises.

As usual, remember that my translations may inevitably differ from the official English translation.

Happy Tales of Vesperia Day!

Tales of Vesperia Trailer and CM Compilation

As you know, Tales of Vesperia was a big deal in Japan. It received 2 main trailers (and 1 slight variation on the first one), 3 TV commercials, and a web commercial. Compared to the 1 trailer we got in North America, it just doesn't seem fair. But what can you do. Check them all out below.

Japanese Trailer 1


Japanese Trailer 2


Japanese TV CM 1


Japanese TV CM 2


Japanese TV CM 3


Japanese Web CM


English Trailer


Happy Tales of Vesperia Day!

Tales of Vesperia Screenshot Bonanza

Japan's Official Xbox site has a bunch of new-ish screens up for your viewing pleasure. I've taken the liberty of selecting several of my favorites and posting them here.

Take a look:







Happy Tales of Vesperia Day!

Happy Tales of Vesperia Day!

So, we had a mini Tales of Vesperia Day back a few weeks ago when the Japanese version shipped. But, as many of you know, the North American version of the game ships today! So I thought something of a celebration was in order.

Today, here on Sword Machine, we'll be celebrating the release of Tales of Vesperia, and 10 years of Tales of in North America!

The party will include trailers, previews, images, character bios, and coverage of some of the other games in the series.

To get you warmed up, here is a link to perhaps the most entertaining preview of the game that I have read, which basically addresses issues that haters have with JRPGs, and turns them around to tell you why ToV rocks.

Also, below I've embedded the highest quality YouTube video I could find of the English opening for the game.



Happy Tales of Vesperia Day!

ToV robs Japan of all its 360s

If you are living in Japan and were hoping to pick up an Xbox 360, I'm afraid you are going to be out of luck for a while. Apparently Tales of Vesperia is so big in Japan that it went beyond causing Xbox 360 shortages and utterly sold the console out throughout the entire country!

Yes, apparently every last Arcade, Pro, and Elite is GONE. EVERYWHERE.

Apparently Microsoft Japan was just as surprised as we are over this development, and has issued an official apology for not being able to keep up with demand. They have said that they will be stepping up production in the region, and will be shipping out more Arcades and Elites to hopefully tide over retailers until the 60 GB Pro units will ship in September.

On the one hand you have shake your head for all of the potential sales that the Xbox could have garnered with ToV, but on the other, I'm sure Microsoft was just trying to be realistic with the amount of units they planned to move.

However, as RPG fans this means a couple of very good things: Microsoft now knows what moves 360s in Japan - exclusive JRPGs. The more established the better. With Infinite Undiscovery, The Last Remnant, Star Ocean 4, and of course Mistwalker on their side, they have clearly been banking on this already, but this development really ought to hit it home.

Even more RPGs on Xbox 360 confirmed? I think so.

Xbox Japan's RPG Site Updated and Sexy

So, remember back during E3 when Xbox Japan got their very own RPG-themed site? Well, as of today (most likely timed with the release of Tales of Vesperia), the site is up and running with a slick Flash interface, and showing off details for several of its upcoming games.

Cruise on over via the link here to check out art, screens, and videos for Tales of Vesperia, Infinite Undiscovery, The Last Remnant, and Star Ocean: The Last Hope. There are also less detailed sections for Fable II, Mass Effect (still not released in Japan yet), and Fallout 3. There are also details and a critical acclaim section for ToV for those among you with Japanese-reading powers.

There is still one spot left open on the site. This section could be for another Western RPG, like Rise of the Argonauts or Dungeon Hero, or it could be for something else (Cry On? Blue Dragon 2? Final Fantasy XIII?) Whatever its for, we are eagerly anticipating its arrival on the site, and will let you know as soon as we do.

Happy Tales of Vesperia Day (in Japan)!

Yes, today is the day that lucky Japanese gamers get their hands on Tales of Vesperia.

For those of us in North America, we have another 19 days to go (yes, I am counting down), but that doesn't mean we can't celebrate along with them!

Below I have embedded the official opening video for the Japanese version of Tales of Vesperia. It has been on YouTube sporadically since the Xbox 360 RPG Premier a while back, but Namco Bandai has apparently been quite faithful at getting the videos removed almost as fast as they popped up. Now, with the game finally out, we can finally get you a high quality (as much as possible on YouTube, mind you) version for your viewing pleasure.

Take a watch, and try to feel happy for your Japanese counterparts, rather than jealous. (It's hard, I know.)



If you would like to stream or download a true high-quality version, truck on over to Gamersyde. They also have several gameplay vids from the beginning of the game, but I don't want to spoil anything for myself, so I won't be watching them.

Happy Tales of Vesperia Day!

Tales of Vesperia gets Special Treatment

Tales of Vesperia gets released in 2 days in Japan, along with its very own premium pack (which, by the way, is 100% completely sold out everywhere except YesAsia - because they are charging like $800 or something crazy like that - and is apparently causing Xbox 360 shortages in Japan).

But what about North America? We like Tales of too, y'know! Sure, we get different boxart, but where is our special edition?

Well fear not, Talesophiles, Namco Bandai has heard your cries and announced (via their developer blog on IGN) a Special Edition for North America. Supposedly seeing a very limited printing (and this is one of the few Special Editions I believe will be limited), the special version will ship in a pretty "SteelBook" case, feature a modified version of the Japanese cover art by character designer Kousuke Fujishima, and bundle in a limited soundtrack compilation with tracks from Tales of Phantasia, Tales of Destiny, Tales of Symphonia, Tales of the Abyss, and (of course) Tales of Vesperia.

The Special Edition will ship at the same time as the normal version, and run you about $10 extra.

To quote myself when I saw this last night, "This is hotter than porn!"

Is This Tales of Vesperia's Boxart?

In what appears to be the second entry into today's "Is This (insert game here)'s Boxart?" mini-series, I give you a possible North American boxart sample for Tales of Vesperia, courtesy of Walmart.com.

Even though the game is hitting Japanese 360s next week, and follows up on our shores in less than a month, Namco Bandai North America is extremely tight-lipped on the game. Even their official website shows basically nothing.

We currently have no way of knowing if the above truly is the final draft of the North American box or not, but our guess is that it is. Why Walmart.com has a picture of it and no other online retailer? No idea. But I just don't believe that there is someone over at Walmart.com with enough talent in photoshop and interest in this game to whip something like this up just for kicks and giggles.

After Soul Calibur IV releases worldwide this week, perhaps we will finally get those Namdai peoples talking. Until then, gaze at the above picture and dream of what could be.

Me? I don't mind it (it's much better than ToA's abomination), but I'd still prefer the Japanese box on this one. What about you?

Buy ToV, Get Stuff

So, as you probably know, I'm already completely whipped over the upcoming Tales of Vesperia for Xbox 360. Well, apparently so is Japan.

Not only is there an already sold out (at least at Play Asia and Amazon.co.jp) Japan-only Premium Xbox 360 x Tales of Vesperia bundle, plus a special DVD with every pre-order, and a special meet-the-cast event, but there is also a sweepstakes with the game, with 2,003 prizes.

If you live in Japan and are planning on picking up (or have already pre-ordered) Tales of Vesperia, all you have to do is fill out a little survey included in the game package and send it out with a 50 yen stamp stuck on it and you could win some stuff. Admittedly, this stuff would probably only appeal to you if you were an exteremly hardcore Tales of fan, but it's still stuff nonethelss.

There are 3 "A" prizes which consist of a set of 6 recording scripts for the game, signed by the game's voice cast.

There are 1,000 "B" prizes which consist of a set of 8 B4-size, full-color ToV character posters.

Finally, there are 1,000 "C" prizes which consist of a set of 'Faceplate Seals.' (Basically stickers.)

Some of these prizes may be something of an eyebrow-raiser to many North American gamers, but hardcore fans of the series (especially in Japan) would be stoked to get most of these prizes (I can't say the stickers really look that great, but I guess free is free).

Since I don't live in Japan anymore, and will be getting the NA version of the game (I don't have a JP 360 at the moment), I am obviously out of luck on this contest. And let's face it, we'll be lucky if we get any kind of pre-order bonus at all in North America.

You can take a look at the prizes and read the details of the contest (you'll need to be Japanese-enabled) right here.

Heroes Need to Eat too! Cooking and Other Stuff in ToV

With the main characters and overarching plot showcased previously, the latest issue of Famitsu brings word of some of the more detailed points of Namco Bandai's upcoming Xbox 360 RPG Tales of Vesperia.

First off, those familiar with the Tales of series should be pleased to know that the ever-elusive Wonder Chef will be making an appearance in ToV. Having previously gone MIA in Tales of the Abyss and Tales of Innocence (I don't remember if he/she was in Tales of the Tempest), the Wonder Chef is back and as sneaky as ever. (The article shows him disguised as a fish in the marketplace.) As usual, players will be required to find the Wonder Chef by examining out-of-place objects with the hope that he will appear before them and offer a new recipe.

As with ToA before it, ToV's cooking system allows characters to become better at cooking the more they do it, and certain characters will think up variations on recipes that they have a lot of practice making. See? Eating is important too.

The second point the article mentions is the inclusion of various vehicles. Terca Lumires (the world ToV takes place in) is extremely vast, and the article states that just walking everywhere the party needs to go would be a little tough. A boat and an airship are both shown in the screens, but there are apparently more. (Sweet!)

Third up is the mention of strong, unique enemies, such as Nan and Tison (Tyson?) of the Hunters' Guild. (Those of you who have gone hands-on with the demo will probably reconize Nan's name.) As in ToA, these recurring enemies (will they always be enemies?) will also be able to pull off Overlimits and Burst Artes, and truly give your party a run for its money.

Also included in this section is the introduction of a new guild. Known as the Leviathan Claws, the members of this guild are assassins and arms dealers by trade, and seem decidedly more dangerous than even the Hunters' Guild. The leader (?) of the guild, Iegar (Jager?) appears to be a cold professional who will do anything to further his business. Two of his lackeys, Goash (the red-haired girl) and Dolowat (the blonde-ish girl) apparently always work as a pair, and even their Burst Artes are done together.

Fourth is an expansion on "attachments," a feature new to the Tales of series that allows players to tweak various aspects of the characters' appearances. These attachments are separate from the costumes (now a Tales of staple feature). Both attachments and costumes will be set from the character status screen under "Title" (just like ToS and ToA), and attachments will be set under "Attachment" on the same screen.

Finally, there is some information on the beginning of the story. Players who want to keep the story a surprise may want to skip the next paragraph. (In other words, THE NEXT PARAGRAPH CONTAINS SPOILERS. Okay?)

The story apparently begins with an accident occuring in the waterway blastia underneath the capital city Zarfius. Since the waterway is the main water supply for the people within the barrier city, all haste is made to repair the damage, and Yuri (a mercenary for hire) is enlisted to help. However, during the operation, things take a turn that he never expected, and he winds up meeting Estelle, a young noble who is apparently fleeing the castle for her own reasons. The article doesn't give any further details, but somehow the two end up working together and leave the city behind, but not before Estelle mysteriously brings a great tree, poisoned by magic, into bloom with her prayer. Just what power does Estelle have?

Tales of Vesperia will be available for Xbox 360 on August 7th, 2008 in Japan, and on August 26th, 2008 in North America from Namco Bandai Games. May I also add in a plug here that I really really want to get my hands on this game. One month to go!

Famitsu scans are included below.



As usual, note that my translations may differ from the final, official translation.

E3 2008: Namco Bandai Tales of Round-up

Namco Bandai, as was expected, didn't really make any waves this year at E3. Both Tales of Vesperia for the Xbox 360 and Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World for the Nintendo Wii were shown, but only ToV had a playable demo on the floor. Tales of Vesperia was also given an official release date for North America, as well as an official Xbox Live demo.

Below are gameplay videos for the two upcoming RPGs. There are certainly more gameplay videos available at various sites around the internet (including GameTrailers, IGN, GameVideos, Gamekyo, and Gamersyde) for those interested. (I personally tried to stay away from them to keep as much of the games a surprise as possible).

Tales of Vesperia (Xbox 360)


Developed by Namco Tales Studio (Team Symphonia)
Published by Namco Bandai
Available August 26, 2008 in North America


Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World (Nintendo Wii)


Developed by Namco Tales Studio (unknown team)
Published by Namco Bandai
Available November 2008 in North America

Note that ToS2 was developed by a team that was put together specifically for it. I can't seem to find that team's name at the moment, but will update this post if/when I do.

EDIT: Whoops! I totally forgot about the PS3 port of Eternal Sonata. I've embedded a battle clip with Polka in one of the new costumes below.

The game still looks like Eternal Sonata. Not necessarily a bad thing. Not necessarily a good thing either.

Eternal Sonata (PlayStation 3)


Developed by Tri-Crescendo
Published by Namco Bandai
Available Fall 2008

Upcoming RPG CM Compilation

Okay, so I had to post this because I'm a slave to 3 out of 4 of these games. (The jury needs more convincing with Last Remnant - I like the idea and the art, but I'm not sold yet.)

Take a look to see what kind of commercials Japanese gamers get to watch.

Note that this video may also be used to hype whatever interest you have in any of the included games.



Thanks to YouTuber NOBURIN2006 for posting the vid.

P.S. Also, ESUTERUUUUUUUUUUU! XD

E3 2008: Tales of Vesperia gets a Release Date

Namco Bandai finally got around to announcing an official North American release date for their upcoming Xbox 360 RPG, Tales of Vesperia.

Though the game has already long been announced for August 7, 2008 for Japan, but while we knew the NA release would be very close to that, no official date had been given until today.

According to Namco Bandai's E3 staff, Tales of Vesperia will be available for North American Xbox 360 on August 26, 2008 (about 2 1/2 weeks after the Japanese launch).

So mark your calendars and set up whatever vacation time you'll need now. I know I'll be taking a "Tale of Vesperia Day" in late August. =P