RandomNPC – Video Game RPG Reviews, Editorials, and Features

Two years ago today, our diabolical plans dreams became reality as RandomNPC went live. Since then, we’ve grown in readership, added new features, and covered many new games.

For the next week, we’ll be celebrating our birthday by posting some special features. One will be a series of reviews for games that feature “2” or “II” in the title or are simply sequels of previous titles. We think it’s a great way to salute our second successful year, which is itself a sequel of our first year. We’ll also be running a special comic series from our local artist Michael “CactuarJoe” Beckett.

Thank you for supporting us for our first two years. Here’s to many more!

Peter Molyneux announced a slew of Fable news today at the Microsoft press conference at Gamescom in Germany.

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Today at Gamescom, EA revealed the newest member of Commander Shepard’s team: a Krogan named Grunt. According to his introduction trailer, he’s irrationally violent, reckless, and unpredictable. He sounds like a great addition to the team, but can he be trusted? And can Shepard count on him to bring donuts to the staff meetings on Mondays?

Source: Kotaku

This week’s podcast features Nerdboy, CactuarJoe, and SlayerGhaleon talking about tri-Ace, the company that created Star Ocean, Valkyrie Profile, and Radiata Stories. This podcast was actually recorded last week, but it took us a long time to upload all the awesomeness to our server. Enjoy!

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Nintendo announced via the official Pokémon website that Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver will be released in North America and Europe this coming spring.

Bioware recently announced via its Twitter feed that all new copies of Dragon Age: Origins will include codes for the Blood Dragon armor, which works in both DA:O and Mass Effect 2, and “The Stone Prisoner” DLC, which has a special quest and an unlockable golem character named Shale. These bonuses were previously announced as content for the limited edition of the game. Don’t worry; the limited edition still has lots of bonuses to keep it special.

To be a game changer, a game doesn’t necessarily have to introduce a revolutionary change in gameplay, graphics, or interaction. Sometimes, all it takes to make an impact on the development of RPGs is to turn to one of the most basic impulses of human life: sexuality. Mass Effect wasn’t the first game to include sexuality, but it certainly went farther than most had before.
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NISA has announced that the release of Phantom Brave: We Meet Again has been slightly delayed. The game will be out on August 14.

Via the official Lunar: Harmony of the Silver Star website, Gungho Works has announced that the PSP remake of the first Lunar title will be released in Japan on November 12. Those who pre-order the game will receive a bonus limited edition soundtrack that includes “Nocturne of Wind 2009” and “Tsu Ba Sa 2009.”

XSEED will be localizing the game for its North American release as Lunar: Silver Star Harmony, but the company has not announced an official release date yet.

So much for October 20. Bioware has revealed that Dragon Age: Origins won’t be out in North America until November 3, and Europe will have to wait until November 6. That’s just for the 360 and PC versions. PS3 owners on both sides of the pond will have to wait until later that month.

Source: IGN

Without fanfare or grandiose announcements, Konami has re-released several PS2 titles, including Suikoden Tactics, in Europe at budget prices.  A company spokesperson stated that the titles were reissued due to “demand.” It is unknown whether Konami will do the same for other games.

Source: Eurogamer

Square Enix has posted yet another countdown teaser website. The page has a timer with Roman and Arabic numerals over some vague artwork.

Via the official PlayStation blog, Atlus revealed some not-so-shocking news. Pre-orders of its upcoming PS3 RPG Demon’s Souls will include the game’s soundtrack and an art book. The soundtrack has 71 minutes of music over 24 tracks, and the art book has 40 pages of sketches, designs, and renders.

Demon’s Souls will be out on October 6, and until then you can check out the official site for the game.

Nintendo has confirmed that Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky will be available in North America on October 12. The game allows you to play as one of 19 different available Pokémon, and it also has special communication features. You may trade in-game items and share a demo dungeon with your friends via local wireless communication, and you can also use wireless internet access to embark on special missions.

This week’s dose of Famitsu reveals that Level 5 is patching its PS3 RPG White Knight Chronicles again. The so-called 1st Wave arrived this past spring, and now the 2nd Wave will hit sometime next month.

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According to the instruction manual for Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a Darklord, players may purchase several special items related to Final Fantasy IV: The After Years with Wii points. Fashionable Darklords may be interested in purchasing Rydia’s dress, which lets the wearer cast Fire, and Porom’s dress, which allows the wearer to case Cyclone. If cosplaying isn’t enough, then you can also purchase actual Final Fantasy IV characters Kain and Palom to help you defend your lair. Each of these will set you back only 200 Wii points.

Source: Siliconera

Wired recently ran a feature on Nobuo Uematsu, who is best known for composing the music of the Final Fantasy series. The article noted that Square Enix had previously announced that Uematsu would be composing the musical score for Final Fantasy XIV. It also revealed that he will be composing the entire soundtrack alone, unlike with previous titles where he shared the workload with other composers. Uematsu also stated during the interview that he will be composing the soundtracks for two other unannounced Square Enix titles.

You can check out the full feature over at Wired.

In an interview with VideoGamer.com, Obsidian programming producer Nathan Davis revealed that the developer’s upcoming spy RPG Alpha Protocol will have “tasteful” and “satisfying” sex scenes. The player will be able to choose between a number of possible romantic partners with each having an effect on the game’s ending. Davis emphasized that there will be no interactivity or frontal nudity.

North American players will see for themselves when they get their hands on Alpha Protocol this fall.

Source: VideoGamer.com

Bioware and Dark Horse Comics recently announced that the Mass Effect series will be jumping to a new medium: a series of comic books entitled Mass Effect: Redemption.  Like the novels Mass Effect: Revelation and Mass Effect: Ascension, the four-issue series will add more detail to the universe of Mass Effect.

The story, penned by Bioware’s Lead Writer Mac Walters, is set near the beginning of Mass Effect 2. It follows Commander Shepard and Dr. Liara T’Soni as they fight together for survival in the Terminus Systems, a dangerous area of space beyond the jurisdiction and political influence of the Citadel Council and Human Systems Alliance. Walters mentioned in an interview with IGN that the current plan is to tie the story to downloadable content for ME2.

The first comic book in the series will be out in January of next year.

Sources: GamingAngels, IGN

XSEED announced yesterday that it is localizing Riz-Zoawd for North America as The Wizard of Oz: Beyond the Yellow Brick Road. Developed by Media.Vision, this Nintendo DS title features turn-based first-person battles, stylus controls, and a reinterpretation of L. Frank Baum’s classic story.

The Wizard of Oz: Beyond the Yellow Brick Road will be available in North American stores sometime this fall.