RandomNPC – Video Game RPG Reviews, Editorials, and Features

We sat down with NIS America with a long list of questions about Cross Edge, and they were nice enough to answer all of them.

RandomNPC: Considering Cross Edge has characters from many different game worlds, how will you tie them together cohesively?

NISA: This game takes place in a sort of nightmare dimension, and the characters from each game series are dragged into it forcefully by a pretty nasty enemy. They’re forced to team up in order to save themselves and their worlds from total destruction. So whether they like it or not, they have no choice but to come together in the same time and place and take care of business.

RandomNPC: Licensing issues have prevented other crossover titles from coming to North America. Was it difficult to get all the licensees on board?

NISA: It was definitely tougher than bringing a single-IP game over, but it wasn’t as bad as we first thought. Everybody was quite positive about the North American release and everything went fairly smoothly. The only obstacle was getting approval from each company regarding voice actor selection, as well as a few minor merchandising issues.

RandomNPC: Costume changing plays a big role in this game. How many costumes will each heroine get and how will they work in combat?

NISA: There are at least 5 unique costumes per heroine, and by changing the outfit the character’s stats will change. For instance, certain costumes might increase attack level, while others could boost special abilities. Each heroine will have access to these costume changes, and while transforming there is a quick animated sequence (kind of like Cutey Honey the anime, if you’re familiar with that).

RandomNPC: How did the concept for Cross Edge start?

NISA: The plan originally began between 2 companies, but eventually grew to 5.

The gaming industry is smaller than most people imagine and we tend to work together from time to time. Therefore, when a project like this comes up we ask around to see if others might be interested and work together if they are.

RandomNPC: Which series (not counting the obvious answer of Disgaea) were you most excited about including in Cross Edge?

NISA: Aside from Disgaea, we’re excited with Darkstalkers. We’re all fans of this classic arcade game, so it’s great to see the game in an RPG setting.

RandomNPC: Was there any series you wanted to include but weren’t able to?

NISA: While we’re sure our fans will all have a certain character or series they wish was in the game, we’re pretty happy with what we were able to include. We feel like there are enough series represented without overloading the game with too much and making the story hard to keep track of. So while it would be nice to see another 50 series represented, the number we settled on is best for the game style.

RandomNPC: What is your favorite moment in Cross Edge?

NISA: Of course we’re biased, but just about any scene with Prinny and Etna is a whole bunch of fun. And of course, there’s plenty of bonus content to uncover when the main storyline is finished. All we’ll say is, “Hot springs, bathing girls, peeping Prinnies”. Trust us, it’s worth it.

RandomNPC: Will Cross Edge be as accessible to players that haven’t played all the games from which the characters come from? For example, if you’ve never played DarkStalkers, will you still understand everything?

NISA: Absolutely. In fact, the story was designed with this in mind. A number of characters have pre-existing relationships with each other, and these are briefly explained through cutscenes when those characters are introduced. It all flows smoothly together, and while you might not get the full effect if you don’t know these characters, you’ll still have no problem enjoying their dialogue and actions.

RandomNPC: Disgaea 3 has had significant DLC. Any chance that Cross Edge will get DLC, and what might it be like?

NISA: No need to worry! Cross Edge has quite a bit of DLC coming down the line, including items, weapons, costumes, and even new dungeons to explore.

RandomNPC: Cross Edge includes both the Japanese and English voice tracks, and many people actually prefer the English voice acting to the original Japanese in Disgaea. Can we expect the English voice work in Cross Edge to be up to Disgaea‘s high standards?

NISA: Well, we put the same energy and attention into every recording session, so we hope we don’t disappoint all the fans here in the west. Of course, Cross Edge’s story is a little more serious at times, so it won’t have that same ridiculous feel as the Disgaea games. It’s a tough task because the expectations are so high, but I think we were able to deliver for Cross Edge.

RandomNPC: For many Disgaea fans, much of the fun comes from building up teams of characters with well over 1000 levels each. Will Cross Edge have this same leveling concept? Will there be optional bosses (like Prinny Baal) that will require this much leveling?

NISA: Levels won’t go as high as Disgaea, but you will be able to reach Lv. 999. The game does contain a number of hidden stages and bosses to challenge the hardcore players. Some of these bosses are insanely powerful, so you might really want to level up a lot before fighting them.

RandomNPC would like to thank Jack Niida, Nao M Zook, and all of the NIS America team for answering all our questions and giving us the inside scoop.