I know this announcement is now a week old (equal to about 2 years in internet time), but I thought I'd mention it officially here too.
Following on the heels of its highly charming (and even more addictive) puzzle-RPG hybrid for the Nintendo DS, Ubisoft and Capybara have announced that they will be remaking Might & Magic: Clash of Heroes using HD hand-drawn sprites for Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network.
Additionally, it appears that the gameplay is being tweaked for the new release, and online play has also been confirmed. Furthermore, it has been confirmed that there will be a co-op mode, allowing players to have battlefields beside one another, as well as a new game plus for those who want to go back and play completionist.
While the game is confirmed for XBLA and PSN, Ubisoft apparently hasn't ruled out a WiiWare or PC release.
Might & Magic: Clash of Heroes will be available for Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network sometime this Summer.
According to Square Enix employee Yuuki Akama's LinkedIn profile, Final Fantasy XIV is in development for Xbox 360 on top of its already confirmed PC and PlayStation 3 iterations.
Though not an official announcement by any means, this information is hardly surprising considering Square Enix's comments on the title at last year's E3, hinting that the game could indeed show up on any console.
Since Square Enix and probably Microsoft would rather you hear about this apparently big news from them officially, the LinkedIn profile has been hastily removed, so we'll go ahead and label this one with a trusty RUMOR tag.
Just try to act surprised when someone makes a big deal out of the official reveal.
Final Fantasy XIV has been announced for release sometime this year for PC and PlayStation 3.
Last week Microsoft put up a teaser splash on their official Xbox Japan website which read "Capcom x Microsoft 2010.01.26" and promised a new game announcement. Many Japanese gamers assumed it was the announcement of the Xbox 360 exclusive DLC for GTA4, so I made no effort to report it last week.
However, the mini-event held in connection with this teaser announced many things, the biggest of which is the revelation that Capcom will be porting its highly-popular-in-Japan action-MMO, Monster Hunter Frontier, to the Xbox 360 this summer.
Aside from being run on different servers, it is currently unclear if there will be any major changes from the PC version, and will reportedly have a pay-to-play monthly fee similar to the PC version as well, though the details are still a bit fuzzy.
Though I have no real interest in this series (or MMOs in general), this is undeniably a huge boost for the 360's image in Japan.
Monster Hunter Frontier will be available for Xbox 360 sometime this Summer in Japan. There is currently no word on a possible North American or European release.
If you are one of those people that loves Dragon Quest because the feel of the games never really changes, then you are going to absolutely love the below trailer for Square Enix's 3rd DS remake of the big-in-Japan series. Really, it's Dragon Quest to a 'T.'
I still have no idea what makes these games as popular as they are in Japan. Don't get me wrong, I have moments of really enjoying Dragon Quest, but they are far from my favorite RPG series, and certainly not the first series I would recommend to someone just getting their feet wet in JRPGs.
Anyhow, Dragon Quest VI: Maboroshi no Daichi (to be subtitled Realms of Reverie in North America) will be available someday on Nintendo DS in Japan, North America, and Europe.
Ugh, here we go. Compile Heart announced via the recent issue of Weekly Famitsu that they will be bringing their lame cross-over RPG X-Edge (pronounced 'Cross Edge' and released as such in North America) to the Xbox 360 later this year as X-Edge Dash.
For those who have worked hard to forget this game, I'm sorry to bring it back to your memory. The game features characters from Idea Factory's Spectral Souls series, Nippon Ichi's Disgaea series, Gust's Atelier series, Banpresto (Namco Bandai)'s Ar Tonelico series, and Capcom's Darkstalker series, (which of these things is not like the others?) all utilizing a graphical style reminiscent of old PS1 games.
It is expected that X-Edge Dash will have added features, though it is unclear at this time what those may be.
Though X-Edge is certainly nowhere near as popular as Tales of Vesperia, meaning that there will be less rage over this title going timed-exclusive, I still feel that timed-exclusives are incredibly rude to the game's original fans, especially when the company springs it on everyone. Bad form, Compile Heart. Bad form.
X-Edge Dash will be available for Xbox 360 on October 1, 2009 in Japan. Since NIS America (who has expressed that they will not be working on the Xbox 360) published the PS3 version in North America, I would be very surprised to see it come over here.
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.
Of all of the handheld RPGs Atlus brought/is bringing to North America over this 6 month period, perhaps none was as well recognized or as well received as My World, My Way, or Sekai wa Atashi de Mawatteru (The World Revolves Around Me) in Japan.
...What?
Er, scratch that.
I personally can't comment on My World, My Way, as I haven't actually sat down with it yet. But I've heard that some people aren't really crazy about it.
Well, regardless of critical reception, the game's developer/publisher in Japan, Global A, has decided to give the game another shot at mainstream acceptance through an enhanced PSP port titled Sekai wa Atashi de Mawatteru: Hikari to Yami no Princess (The World Revolves Around Me: Princess of Light and Darkness).
The enhanced port supposedly features new elements that were absent in the DS version, including the ability to choose Angela's color.
The scan is rather blurry and difficult to read, so I haven't given it a thorough read yet, but I suppose I can if there are some really loyal My World, My Way fans out there just dying to buy the PSP version also. Or something.
Sekai wa Atashi de Mawatteru: Hikari to Yami no Princess will be available for PSP sometime this year in Japan.
So Atlus dropped word via the latest issue of Famitsu that they will be bringing the first iteration of the now-popular Persona series to the PSP in a few months. We already know that the game will now feature cell-shaded 3D FMVs at various points throughout the story, but what else is new?
According to Famitsu, Atlus has brought the overall difficulty level of the game down a notch by increasing the frequency of save points, making conversations with demons a little more accessible, and adding an optional difficulty setting adjustment. Good news since the old MegaTen games (Persona included) were smash-your-controller-with-a-brick difficult.
Atlus has also dropped a brand new trailer for the game for your viewing pleasure. Check it out.
Persona will be available for PSP on April 29, 2009 in Japan.
Atlus (Japan) has announced that they will be porting two of their PSX RPGs, Megami Ibunroku: Persona and Growlanser, to the PSP.
Megami Ibunroku: Persona will be ported as simply Persona this time around, but will be the same game that was released originally on the PlayStation back in 1996.
Persona follows a group of high school students that inadvertently summoned a horde of demons upon their city through the mysterious "Persona Ceremony," which also awakened them to the powers of Persona.
The port will go on sale in Japan on April 29, 2009 on PSP, and will feature new cell-shaded 3D FMVs at key scenes throughout the game.
Growlanser is an SRPG that was released on the PlayStation in 1999, and the first game in the series. It follows a young man who was found as a baby by the court wizardess as he grows up. It was prophesied when the child was a baby that he weilds both the darkness to destroy the world, as well as the light to save it.
The PSP port will be available on May 14, 2009 in Japan, in celebration of the Growlanser's 10th anniversary. It is currently unknown if the port will have any new features.
I'll take translation requests for Persona below in the comments. Translation requests for Growlanser will be available once clearer scans surface.
Nippon Ichi loves to milk their Disgaea franchise, no doubt about it. The newest victim of the never-ending port treatment is none other than 2006's Disgaea 2: Cursed Memories.
Currently titled Makai Senki Disgaea 2 Portable in Japan, the game will be making its way to PSP in March with additional content, including a scenario, additional units, and some additional skills.
The new scenario (apparently the largest addition to the game) features the character Axel as the protagonist, though details on what kind of quest he will undertaken are not yet completely clear.
In addition, several characters that were unplayable in the original PS2 version will be recruitable in the PSP port. Currently revealed additional characters are Zeta, Demon Lord Prier, and Mid Boss (sorry if the Englishizations are wrong, I translated them directly from Japanese as I haven't played enough of the English version).
Interested parties can check out some of the new stuff over at the official Japanese site.
Disgaea 2 Portable will be available for PSP on March 26, 2009 in Japan.
If you're into PC gaming, chances are good that you've at least heard of a PC-only RPG by the name of The Witcher.
Developed by CD Projekt, a Polish studio, and published by Atari, The Witcher is based off of a series of books by the same name. The game has been generally well-received by critics, but has predictably flown under the radar for the majority of gamers.
However, Atari has been revealed that the game will indeed be making the jump to consoles (specifically Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3) sometime in the near future, though has not revealed a specific date yet.
The console port is reported to have an improved combat system, smarter enemy AI, and a general graphical facelift. We'll keep you updated as we learn more.
Eternal Sonata (AKA Trusty Bell: Chopin no Yume in Japan) was originally an Xbox 360 exclusive. Then it was multiplatform. Then it was timed exclusive. Then it was timed exclusive only in Japan. Now it seems it will be timed exclusive over here in North America as well.
According to a NB spokesperson at E3, the PS3 port of the sleeper Xbox 360 RPG Eternal Sonata will indeed be making the jump to North America this fall. The PS3 port will feature additional costumes, two new playable characters, an additional dungeon, and an alternate ending for those who missed out on it the first time. Still no word if any of these extras will be available for download for Xbox 360 owners.
While its not much consolation for the loss of exclusive Final Fantasy XIII, and certainly no Tales of Vesperia, at least PlayStation 3 owners will finally have a semi-decent Japanese RPG to play. Our hearts go out to you.
Namco Bandai and tri-Crescendo's visually-stunning and narratively-boring Xbox 360 RPG Eternal Sonata (Trusty Bell: Chopin no Yume in Japan) was reportedly getting the PS3-port treatment last fall. (Though you'll note that the port has already missed its targeted Spring 2008 release.)
Well, it seems that Namco Bandai's North American arm has no plans to bring it over. A Namco Bandai US Spokesperson said:
"I can’t speak for any other territories, but I believe Eternal Sonata is only announced for the PS3 in Japan right now... We have no plans to release the game on the PS3 in the US at this moment. "
With Namco Bandai's notoriously spotty RPG-localization choices (read "they don't localize much"), Eternal Sonata looks to suffer the same fate as Tales of Symphonia's PS2 port (which also never made the jump).
Personally, since I own a 360 and the game, and felt it was decidedly average in every aspect except its amazingly awesome graphics and art design, I never saw the draw to wait for this port in the first place.
Eternal Sonata is supposedly being ported to the PS3 in Japan "sometime this year."
So PS3-onlys (all both of you), what do you think about this?
I know this announcement is now a week old (equal to about 2 years in internet time), but I thought I'd mention it officially here too.
