RandomNPC – Video Game RPG Reviews, Editorials, and Features

While giving an interview to Famitsu for a Final Fantasy VII anniversary feature, Tetsuya Nomura apparently couldn’t avoid commenting about the hopes/rumors/fever dreams of a remake. While he is aware that demand for such a thing is high, he reiterated that the company’s priority is new titles. He also added that he believes Yoshinori Kitase is “the true successor of the [Final Fantasy] series.”

You may resume not holding your breath now.

Source: Andriasang

Nintendo has just announced a partnership with Square Enix and NTT East and West Japan regarding Dragon Quest X. Naturally, the aim is to push sales for all three companies: Wiis for Nintendo, DQX for Square Enix, and NTT’s Flets Hikari internet service. Specifically, Flets Hikari will be the recommended service for DQX, and all three companies will hold promotions targeted at their respective customers; Nintendo/Squenix touting the internet service, NTT offering DQX copies through random drawings, and so on.

Source: Andriasang

Atlus has just opened the official site for the 3DS remake of Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers. Information is still being added, however the site is located here for the curious and Nihongo-literate.

As the main page helpfully reminds us, Soul Hackers launches for the 3DS in Japan on August 30.

Nanako is the little sister everyone wants.

Continue reading ‘Mass Media 05/19/12’ »

CD Projekt Red, developers of The Witcher series, have posted a series of job openings for a yet-unannounced “RPG in a brand new setting.” While little is known about this new IP, the posting indicates the game will be separate from The Witcher universe, and fantasy standbys in general; elves, dwarves, sorceresses, etc. Specific job details are available on the official site, located here for your convenience.

While Namco Bandai has said very little about the next Tales game, they have confirmed, by way of Famitsu, that it will be a “mothership” title; that is, a main series entry alongside Xillia, Vesperia, Graces, etc. Further information is being held until the Tales of Festival, scheduled for June 2.

Source: Andriasang

Following both fake and actual leaks of release dates, Square Enix has officially launched Final Fantasy XIII-2‘s May DLC. The Lightning episode is priced at ¥600/400MSP, with Snow behind it at ¥400/320MSP, and the rest – Serah White Mage, Noel Black Mage, and the Moogle costume set – costing ¥300/240MSP.

Incidentally, Square Enix also posted a sharp turnaround in earnings, with net income jumping from a ¥12 million loss to a ¥6 million gain. According to Square Enix, the boost is largely owed to higher-than-expected console game sales – Deus Ex: Human Revolution and Final Fantasy XIII-2 were cited in particular – along with growth on the web and smartphone side.

Source: Andriasang

Look, Blizzard, I told you: I’ll come back when you start making RTSs.  Complete RTSs, not the shenanigans you’re pulling with Starcraft 2.  Your Diablo III screenshots, while delicious, have no power over me!  I’ll not be tempted, damn you!

…I’m gonna wind up buying Diablo III, aren’t I.  Nyaugh.  Anyhoo, let’s get to some news:

• Japan makes noises about regulating a peculiar form of gambling social media sales.  Japanese game companies shriek in horror, including a few you may recognize.
• EA confirms it’s restructuring, which includes some of the previously-mentioned layoffs.  CEO John Riccitiello also owns up to the company’s distant second place in social gaming.
• All aboard the doom train: Sony posts its forecasted loss, announcing (in a roundabout fashion) a meager 1.8 million Vita sales.  Experts (and professional amateurs such as myself) opine on what may save the device.
• Microsoft, by way of Michael Pachter: “Don’t expect a lot of game stuff [at E3]; expect a lot of dashboard, interface, multimedia.”  Excellent, now I know which conference I can ignore.
• Tetsuya Nomura indicates that he’d like to see Kingdom Hearts return to consoles.  Square Enix confirmed for working on the Blizzard-Valve Timescale.
• Diablo III preorders make it bigger than Jesus, Redbox goofs on Max Payne 3, social gaming is slowing down in the US, and more!

Continue reading ‘What Happened This Week – Random Revenue Generators’ »

The part of Edge will now be played by Porom, because Edge sucks.

Continue reading ‘Mass Media 05/12/12’ »

As is common amongst Square Enix RPGs, Bravely Default will feature a job system. Somewhat less commonly, you’ll have to fight certain boss critters to clear them. This week’s Jump specifies a boss battle against a group of soldiers who are pursuing the game’s heroine; titled by their jobs, these include a white mage, a black mage, and a monk. Naturally, changing your job adjusts your character’s battle style, special abilities, and outfit.

Source: Andriasang

Crunge Products’ upcoming iOS RPG, Borderwalkers, boasts a surprising list of talent for the platform. The following are confirmed for the development staff:

• Minoru Akao: Programming
• Yuzuki Ikeda: Opening Illustration
• Nobuo Uematsu: Music
• Hisanobu Kometani: Monster Design
• Tsutomu Narita: Music Arrange
• Kazushige Nojima: Scenario
• Nakaba Higurashi: Monster Design
• Hideo Minaba: Character Design
• Arata Hanyuda: Direction/Planning
• Hiroshi Yamaji: Producer

Source: Andriasang

Via Famitsu, the release date for Sol Trigger has been announced. Imageepoch’s last PSP RPG hits Japanese stores on August 30, priced at ¥6,279, with preorders throwing in bonus soundtrack and drama CDs.

Source: Andriasang

Guess who’s back!  How’s everybody doing?  I spent the weekend watching mutants and mercenaries duke it out in the Capitol building.  And then I came home to play Fallout 3 heyoooooooooo!  Okay, yeah, obvious joke is obvious, but DC is a cool town even if you’re not a political junkie such as myself.  But anyway, it’s good to be back at home base, got my computer a shiny new video card, the Mass Effect 3 review finally done, and ready to get down to business.  So let’s get on it!  In today’s headlines we have:

• Bethesda announces The Elder Scrolls Online.  I explain why this is not going anywhere profitable, and point to a much more interesting property they’re funding for one Shinji Mikami.
• A Forbes article breaks down that Zynga, Groupon, and Facebook work with an accounting firm that makes rules up as they go.  I wish I were kidding.
• Eurogamer runs a lengthy piece on the demise of Free Radical.  Long story short, it took a little more treachery than doped-up marines going “Boosh!”
• NVidia rolls out a top-of-the-line graphics card for $1000.00.  How else can a month’s salary last until next week when they push the envelope even further?
• FilePlanet is no longer being updated, thus preparing itself for the annals of Internet history.  Behold, children, the days when patches didn’t download themselves.
• Electronic Arts rolls out an Indie Bundle, upending basically every sensible definition of the term ‘indie.’  And on Steam, no less, making it all the more confusing.
• A Chinese company develops a console specifically for pirates China, EA asks for feedback on Origin, I speculate based on Sega-centric Steam deals, and more!

Continue reading ‘What Happened This Week – Capitalism Means Never Saying Sorry’ »

Five years prior, Mass Effect was BioWare’s new, unproven IP, and exclusive to the 360. Now it’s a critically acclaimed, multiplatform epic that’s broken records all the way to its third and presumably final chapter. Expectations couldn’t be higher, and no doubt BioWare could empathize in feeling the weight of a galaxy on their shoulders. Although noticeably flawed, for the most part Mass Effect 3 is every bit the emotional, action-packed, and deeply personal adventure it was advertised to be, and it’s not fair to claim that a highly criticized ending undermines the whole experience. Yet here I am, about to say exactly that: Mass Effect 3 fumbles the end so spectacularly that, rather than feeling satisfied or eager to revisit the saga, I’m just ready to put the whole sad mess behind me.

Continue reading ‘Mass Effect 3 – Staff Review’ »

Bethesda has just announced that Skyrim will soon receive its first DLC pack. Titled Dawnguard, the content is scheduled to launch this summer, and will be hitting 360 first. Further info will follow when E3 rolls around.

As long as we’re talking Elder Scrolls, an MMO with TES as the setting is apparently in development. Developed by Zenimax Online Studios, The Elder Scrolls Online is set about a thousand years before the events of Skyrim. The plot reportedly concerns the daedric prince Molag Bal as he attempts to dominate all of Tamriel; his specialty being the enslavement of mortals, that’s probably a bad thing.

TES Online is loosely scheduled for a 2013 PC/Mac release.

Source: Joystiq, Game Informer

In a recent announcement, Blizzard explained more Diablo III‘s online features. In particular, the game will allow for Global Play, meaning players from all regions – the Americas, Europe, and Asia – will be able to play with each other. However, servers are divided by region, and all characters, items, and friends lists will be exclusive to each one, meaning players will have different sets of each depending on the region they join.

This also applies to in-game auction houses, which are restricted to their ‘home’ region. And speaking of which, Blizzard has updated the game’s official site with a guide to the auction house. The guide details how one goes about buying or selling things, and clarifies transaction fees; check out the full thing here.

Source: Joystiq

Atlus has announced that Persona 4: Golden, the Vita redux of Persona 4, will see a North American release this fall.

Source: Joystiq

More Atelier Ayesha details have been revealed, starting with two characters: Juris Grunden and Wilbell Voll ErsLied. Juris is a dedicated monster hunter, who took up the job largely to pay the bills, though he also seeks to bring down an ancient dragon. Wilbell is a young witch – pointy hat and all – on her pilgrimage and looking to unlock the secrets of flight.

As for combat, Ayesha keeps some elements of prior games, most notably the turn-based battle system; as before, turn order is affected by the actions each character takes. New features include position and distance, which affect the battlefield in various ways. For instance, a close party formation makes ranged attacks easier, but also makes you more vulnerable to the same. Striking enemies from behind also results in a guaranteed critical.

Source: Andriasang

In a recent press release, XSEED Games announced that it will not publish Grand Knight’s History in North America. According to the official statement, “it was determined that development resources required to localize the game were not available, necessitating its cancellation.” The title is still planned for a European release, with Rising Star Games as publisher.

Source: Joystiq

Through official site updates, Falcom has revealed a few more tidbits about Nayuta no Kiseki: a new chunk of world known as the Star Garden, located in the center of Lost Heaven; and the character Seram, knight-accomplice to the mage Zekust, both of whom pursue Noi for the Master Gear she holds.

Source: Andriasang