RandomNPC – Video Game RPG Reviews, Editorials, and Features

The PS Vita will be getting a follow up to Dragon’s Dogma, according to Famitsu. Dragon’s Dogma Quest, as it’s titled, is a free-to-play 2D action RPG, where players control an “Arisen” who in turn commands and develops Pawns. Parties of up to eight can be formed, including four of your own Pawns and four of another player’s.

Being a F2P, microtransactions will be an option for all players. No release date was announced at this time.

Source: Gematsu

After a week or so of teasing, Eidos Montreal revealed Deus Ex: The Fall: a mobile entry in the Deus Ex series covering some of Human Revolution‘s backstory. Specifically, it focuses on the escapades of Ben Saxon, an augmented mercenary and the central carrier from the book Deus Ex: The Icarus Effect. Betrayed by his employers, the Tyrants (the bosses from HR), he now seeks to uncover the conspiracy surrounding the supply of Neuropozyne, the drug needed for humans to adapt to mechanical augmentation.

The Fall launches this summer for $6.99 on iOS and Android platforms.

Source: Gematsu

Konami has just announced that Castlevania: Lords of Shadow will see a PC release in late August. This “Ultimate Edition” will include various new PC-centric features (1080p HD graphics, trophy integration through Steam, cloud saving, etc), a new storyline, new weapons and skills, and so on alongside the game’s original content.

Europe’s release date is confirmed as August 27 on Steam, August 30 at retail. The US release is planned for “this summer,” but an exact date was not given.

Source: Gematsu

Title’s got it: Sony Online Entertainment announced it is bringing DC Universe Online and Planetside 2 to PS4; the former being a PS3/PC MMORPG, and the latter a PC MMOFPS. Release dates are not yet available, though SOE stated that both would launch sometime this year.

Source: Gematsu

Square Enix will hold a Q&A session prior to E3, hosted by senior vice president Shinji Hashimoto. The topic: the future of Final Fantasy. The session starts Tuesday, June 11 from 9 to 10 am PDT, just prior to E3 itself opening up.

Source: Gematsu

As the title may have hinted, Nippon Ichi has revealed Battle Princess of Arcadias: a side-scrolling action RPG where your sword-wielding heroine simultaneously commands and fights alongside her army. The title will launch for the PS3 in Japan on September 26, priced at 7,140 yen.

Source: Gematsu

Fairy Fencer F, the debut title for Compile Heart’s Galapagos RPG brand, will be released for the PS3 in Japan on September 19. Price is set at 7,329 yen; no US release has been announced.

Source: Gematsu

Developer FuRyu, known for Unchained Blades, is now working on a curious fantasy RPG titled Exstreta, where modern Toyko has somehow been fused together with another world called Amazia. Protagonist Ryouma Narusawa is believed by this new world’s inhabitants to be a Prisma, which is predictably the only one who can save both worlds from destruction. Less predictably, this involves the absorbtion of energy called “Ex” from enemies, which can either be used for miraculous acts or dispersed to Knights of Prisma (his allies) by kissing them.

Yeah, I got nothing, folks. Anyhow, Exstreta is set for an October 17 release in Japan, priced at 6,279 yen at retail.

Source: Gematsu

Square Enix has at last set a date for Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn. The MMO redux will launch on August 27, with the PS3 version priced at $39.99 and the PC for $29.99. A collector’s edition was also announced, to be available only through Square Enix’s online store.

For an extra $40 ($79.99 PS3, $69.99 PC) you get the following with the CE: an 80-page artbook, a “Sounds of Eorzea” musical album, collectable character art cards, a branded security token, bonus in-game items (most notably a Coeurl mount), and a special “Waning of the Sixth Sun” video disc that depicts the events leading up to the world’s destruction.

Source: Gematsu

As Dragon’s Crown inches toward its August 6 release date, Atlus and VanillaWare have revealed still more details:

• As previously mentioned, you’ll have an AI-controlled partner in the form of a rogue, Rannie, who handles treasure chests and locked doors. A fairy named Tiki will also serve as navigational support, hopefully with as little “HEY! LISTEN!” as possible.
• Characters will be customizable to some degree, with players picking their color, voice, and messages for various events (greeting, selection, dying, etc.)
• You’ll earn skill points upon leveling up, which can be spent on either class skills (those unique to your character) or common skills (which anyone can learn). For instance, Gold Healing is a common skill that restores HP when you collect money.
• Exploring dungeons may trigger certain events, such as meeting new characters.

Source: Gematsu

Did you remember that E3 is just a few weeks away? XSEED Games remembers, and here’s what they’ll be putting on display: Ragnarok Odyssey Ace, Rune Factory 4, Valhalla Knights 3, and Ys: Memories of Celceta.

Speaking of Ragnarok Odyssey Ace, XSEED confirmed the PS3/PSVita title will launch in North America and Europe this winter. Apart from new game content over the original Ragnarok Odyssey, this enhanced version will feature cross-platform play between the two titles.

Source: Gematsu

Square Enix has released yet more details about the rebuilt world of Final Fantasy XIV, specifically its non-playable inhabitants. Of particular note are the following: (more…)

Further details have emerged about Pokemon X and Y. In particular, four new Pokemon have been confirmed: (more…)

Never a company to leave a re-release unreleased, Square Enix has announced that Final Fantasy XIII-2 will get a pair of new editions later this year. The “Ultimate Hits” version of Final Fantasy XIII-2 is a standard greatest hits version; the more interesting is the “Digital Contents Selection”, which includes most of the game’s downloadable content: colosseum opponents, costumes, weapons, and the Sazh, Lightning, and Snow episodes.

Both versions will be sold at retail on July 18, priced at 5040 yen for the DLC bundle and 2940 for the Ultimate Hits one.

Source: Gematsu

GungHo’s Puzzles & Dragons Z, a 3DS port of its mobile/social RPG, will be released in North America, according to the company’s US publisher. No date was announced at this time.

Source: Gematsu

CI Games has just revealed Lords of the Fallen, a “hardcore” third-person action RPG whose development is led by former Witcher 2 senior producer Tomasz Gop. Few details have been given beyond a few story tidbits: players are dropped in a fantasy world where humanity has been abandoned by its gods, and thus assume the role of Harkyn, a human attempting to stop some destructive supernatural force.

Little else is known at this time, though players will apparently make decisions throughout the game that affect the story. Lords of the Fallen is planned for a 2014 release, and a playable version will be presented at E3.

Source: Gematsu

Via Dengeki PlayStation, we have confirmation that The Legend of Heroes: Sen no Kiseki will see the light of day in Japan starting September 26.

Source: Gematsu

XSEED JKS, known to most of us through their consumer games brand XSEED Games, will be undergoing a slight title makeover. According to parent company Marvelous AQL, XSEED will now be known as Marvelous USA, though the company will still be using the XSEED Games branding on game boxes. This apparently does not involve a staffing change; XSEED president and CEO Shinichi Suzuki will retain those titles under Marvelous USA.

Source: Gematsu

Former NIS America staffers – Jack Niida, Hiroko Kanazashi, and Nao Miyazawa – have founded a new publishing studio following their departure. Their studio, Acttil, pledges to bring “fun, creative games and digital contents such as eBooks” across the globe to PC, consoles, and mobile platforms. The company will also provide marketing expertise, analytics, game feedback, localization services, and other assistance to independent developers. The name Acttil is actually an acryonym, reflecting the studio’s core values: “acceptance, creativity, teamwork, trust, innovation, and love.”

Check out the company’s official site here.

Via IGN is a rather extensive preview of Dragon’s Crown, bringing us a healthy chunk of gameplay details:

• The game’s opening drops players in a town, in which players can mill around interacting with townsfolk (or bothering them by knocking things out of their hands). Players can visit various shops and guilds in this area before moving on to the world map.
• Enemies scale to match your level, and increase in number as well. It is not clear if this is scaling is one-to-one with your levels.
• Mounts can be found in each stage and used as temporary weapons; the preview specifies a giant bird in one stage, which must first be beaten before it can be ‘boarded’.
• As shown earlier, a hooded companion follows each character to hold their acquired loot for them.
• Known statistics: HP/MP, strength, constitution, dexterity, intelligence, magical resistance, and luck.

The full preview is available here.