Nintendo is apparently trying to mend their ways by bringing hardcore games (especially JRPGs) to their little white waggle box this year. And if they really can manage to bring a Tales of main series title, a Mistwalker RPG, a new proper Legend of Zelda game, and the resurrection of the Xeno series to their console all in the same year, I might just accept their apology for ignoring me the last couple of years.So, along with that, Nintendo has announced that their first of the upcoming heavy-hitters, Xenoblade, will be hitting Japan in June this year. June seems a little more like 'summer' than the originally promised 'spring,' casting some doubt as to whether or not they are truly capable of having an unbeatable RPG year in 2010, but I'm sure they could still prove me wrong if they want to.Also, they have released a new story trailer, which is embedded below for your viewing pleasure.Xenoblade will be available for Nintendo Wii on June 10, 2010 in Japan. No date has been confirmed for North America or Europe yet.[
Xenoblade Official Site]
If further proof was needed that the PlayStation 3 has taken the curious position of 'niche RPG console' of this generation, look no further than small Japanese developer Compile Heart's latest RPG offering, titled Neptune.Though still little is known about the game, it appears to be sort of a 'meta-game' (i.e. a game about games), taking place in a world known as the 'Geimu-Gyoukai' (the Japanese word for the video games industry) which is split between the four worlds of Platetume, Rinbox, Lasdition, and Ruwii, each ruled by its own goddess, Purple Heart, Green Heart, Black Heart, and White Heart, respectively. (Certainly by looking at each, you should be able to figure out what they represent, though I'm still not sure what the purple one is supposed to be).
The game is reportedly Compile Heart's first fully 3D title, will be co-developed with Nippon Ichi, Gust, and Idea Factory, and will be published by Sega for the PlayStation 3, though no release date has been mentioned yet.Well, it definitely sounds... unique. Oh, and the 360-tan they have made for Green Heart is hot.[Official Neptune Teaser Site][All Games Beta]
I'm not sure Nintendo announcing more Pokemon is exactly news-worthy, but here you go anyway.Nintendo of Japan has announced yet another iteration of their animal slavery RPG, Pokemon, with Black and White. Set for release on the Nintendo DS (of course) sometime this fall, relatively nothing is known about the games yet, with Nintendo promising a full reveal in one week on April 15.I haven't cared about Pokemon since I played Pokemon Red on my Gameboy Pocket back in junior high (holy crap I'm getting old!), and I can't imagine this to be the game that gets me back in to the craze, but I suppose that's neither here nor there.Either way, good news for people who just can't stop collecting those rascally pokemon![Pokemon Black/White Teaser Site]
There are traditionally a few slow months for video games every year. One of those months is April, the month in which taxes are due and many companies are beginning a new fiscal year. It is also the month that many retailers attempt to clear out last year's unsold stock, and so often are hesitant to stock up on new titles.Armed with this knowledge, I give you the obviously disappointing haul of the week (April 5 - 10, 2010):North AmericanoneJapanJudie no Atelier: Gramnat no Renkinjutsushi – Toraware no Moribito – Gust – PSPMass Effect (Platinum Collection) – BioWare, Microsoft – Xbox 360EuropeSakura Wars: So Long, My Love – RED, Koei – Nintendo WiiWow. You know its slow when even the DS is bereft of anything.Europe gets the ill-advised Sakura Wars: So Long, My Love Wii port, with no hide nor hair of its PS2 progenitor, while Japan gets a budget reprint of the now ancient Mass Effect, and a PSP port of Atelier Judie."Slim pickings" doesn't even begin to describe it.Anything worth it for you this week?
Despite a successful release of Final Fantasy XIII worldwide on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, Square Enix has announced that it will be remaking its latest HD epic into a more bite-sized title. Tentatively titled Final Fantasy XIII Alternative, the game is being redone using the recent 16-bit engine used in the latest Chrono Trigger DS port to bring FFXIII to handheld systems later this year."Final Fantasy XIII is a hallmark of this generation," said the game's producer, Yoshinori Kitase, "but unfortunately, HD gaming has limited appeal."Kitase explains that though the graphical prowess of the PS3 and 360 a nice for kids and single men, most people - especially in Japan, he says - are too busy to sit in front of a TV for over 60 hours to play a game like Final Fantasy XIII.
Porting the title to more portable devices seems like a smart business move in Japan where the games market is currently dominated by the DS and PSP, and even Square Enix's latest in the Dragon Quest franchise made its debut on DS."The DS is the obvious first step for Final Fantasy XIII," Kitase said, "but I think the 16-bit graphics engine we have chosen will work on PSP as well as various cellphones."The game is still apparently very early in its development, but will likely be available early this fall, probably before Nintendo's new 3DS hits the market.Its important to remember that the screens released here are still from a pre-alpha build, and will probably be cleaned up before launch.Final Fantasy XIII was not everything I hoped for, but it was decent enough. I'm quite frankly not surprised to see this move from Square Enix, but that doesn't mean I'll be buying it again.How about you?
UPDATE: Just kidding. ;)
April is quickly approaching, meaning that if you had a monthly goal of buying an RPG in March, your days are numbered.Check out what's hitting shelves during the March-to-April transition week (March 29 - April 3, 2010):North AmericaMimana Iyar Chronicles – GungHo, Aksys – PSPMonster Rancher DS – Cing, UFO – Nintendo DSSakura Wars: So Long, My Love – RED, NIS America – PlayStation 2, Nintendo WiiJapanSacred 2: Fallen Angel – Ascaron, E-Frontier – PCSekaiju no Meikyuu III: Seikai no Raihousha – Atlus – Nintnedo DSEuropeRune Factory Frontier – Neverland, Rising Star – Nintendo WiiNorth America's featured release this week is the ill-advised half-a-decade-late Sakura Wars: So Long, My Love, complete with a sub-par Wii port alongside the PS2 version. Flying only slightly lower on the radar is the latest Monster Rancher and a quaint old-school-ish RPG for the PSP called Mimana Iyar Chronicles.Japan finally gets around to the PC version of Sacred 2, as well as Atlus' third Etrian Odyssey.Europe, meanwhile, finally gets around to taking care of a farm while also trying to save the world in Rune Factory Frontier.Anything looking worth your cash this week?
I am a terrible person because I have been bad at updating. This is no means an appropriate attempt at absolution, but I present to you the RPGs that will/have already arrived on shelves this week (March 22 - 27, 2010):North AmericaShin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey – Atlus – Nintendo DSJapanNobunaga no Yabou Online: Shinsei no Shou – Koei – PCLineage Eternal Life: Dragon Slayers 1st – NCSoft, E-Frontier – PCBokujou Monogatari: Sugar Mura to Minna no Negai (The Best) – Marvelous – PSPYggdra Union (The Best) – Sting – PSPRomancing SaGa 2 – Square Enix – WVCEuropeFrom the Abyss – Sonic Powered, Nobilis – Nintendo DSInfinite Space – Platinum, Sega – Nintendo DSPokemon: HeartGold/SoulSilver – GameFreak, Nintendo – Nintendo DSLast Rebellion – Hit Maker, Koei – PlayStation 3Ogre Battle 64: Person of Lordly Calibur – Quest, Nintendo – WVCResonance of Fate – tri-Ace, Sega – Xbox 360, PlayStation 3Between nothing but a single DS dungeon crawler (albeit the latest iteration of a cult-followed series of dungeon crawlers) and reprints for Japan, Europe has unquestionably the best haul this week. The DS gets From the Abyss, Infinite Space, and MOAR POKEMANS! tri-Ace's latest hits the 360 and PS3, and Koei is bringing NIS' first 3D HD RPG to European PS3s. Also, Ogre Battle 64 is getting a Virtual Console release for those who like to pay for games they probably already own.I don't know if I will get Strange Journey or not. I'm not extremely pleased with Atlus' HD feet-dragging, and even less pleased to see their main franchise on the sub-par DS, so I'm in no hurry to pick it up at full price.Anything for you this week?
Nintendo is apparently trying to mend their ways by bringing hardcore games (especially JRPGs) to their little white waggle box this year. And if they really can manage to bring a Tales of main series title, a Mistwalker RPG, a new proper Legend of Zelda game, and the resurrection of the Xeno series to their console all in the same year, I might just accept their apology for ignoring me the last couple of years.
