RandomNPC – Video Game RPG Reviews, Editorials, and Features

With over a year since its launch fiasco, Final Fantasy XIV has seen extensive overhaul efforts and is nearing a re-release of sorts. Over on the Lodestone, Square Enix’s Yoichi Wada and Naoki Yoshida have announced a slew of upcoming changes for the game, not the least of which is a plan to roll out the previously suspended subscription model. Further updates have been broken down into a bulleted list, which includes the following:

Continue reading ‘Final Fantasy XIV Going to 2.0, Beginning Subscription Phase’ »

In perhaps the least expected announcement today, Namco Bandai has revealed Tales of Kizna, a social gaming variant of their Tales series for the Mobage platform. Featuring over a hundred characters from fifteen past games, the title sees players building parties via character cards to take on monsters and rival guilds.

Kizna is being developed in conjunction with KLab, and is set to release around the middle of November.

Source: Andriasang

Level-5 has confirmed that Namco Bandai will publish the upcoming Ni no Kuni for its North American and European releases. Subtitled as Wrath of the White Witch, the game is set for a 2012 release

Source: Joystiq

Hello hellooooo! Here’s hoping this brisk fall evening is treating you well, and you’re not smarting from not-insubstantial gambling losses like I am, and that’s why now a days I only play in an online casino so I can get more winnings. As mentioned I’m still struggling with Comcast-related internet woes, which were enough to delay but not permanently forestall the news. So let’s get on it, shall we? Today’s lineup covers the following:

• Square Enix dropped a Final Fantasy-sized bomb by revealing the latest updates for Final Fantasy XIV, including a phase-in for the subscription service. Cue panic and ridicule.
• That said, the changes do sound pretty swank, and the full list is worth reading if you’re so inclined. The larger question is, who’s in a gambling mood after reading this review? If you are estranged with the concept of Back and lay betting, here at freebets uk are a brief outlay of the sports betting process to benefit you with no risk bets offer.
• Speaking of wailing and gnashing of teeth, Mass Effect 3‘s multiplayer mode has caused quite a stir. Best guess: the co-op missions are likely just supplements to the main plot and risk feeling somewhat unnecessary. Further evaluation requires building consensus.
• Netflix tries to call backsies on that whole Qwikster thing, in the process raising the question of whether we’re even ready for nationwide video streaming. Short answer, no. Long answer, are you out of your mind?!
• Zynga comes up with Project Z, also known as “our back-up plan in case relations with Facebook turn south.”
• Rovio overvalues itself even more, Obsidian hires Tim Cain, Sega confirms Valkyria Chronicles 3 isn’t getting localized, and more!

Continue reading ‘What Happened This Week – Square Enix Goes Double Or Nothing’ »

The Missing Link, upcoming downloadable content for Deus Ex: Human Revolution, will be available starting October 18. Priced at 1200 MS points/$14.99, the DLC stuffs Adam on a boat with deactivated augs and no fridge. As previously mentioned, players will have the ability to respec their Praxis points along the way.

Source: 1UP

Game director Hajime Tabata has stated, via official blog, that Final Fantasy Type-0 will not feature paid downloadable content. However, Square Enix Members will have access to free downloadable items.

Source: Andriasang

The saga of my internet troubles continues, and while anonymous proxy sites have allowed me limited access to RNPC, I’m still having difficulty uploading podcasts. That, coupled with me being out of town for a few days over the weekend, kept me from getting a lot of work done. Long story short I regret to say What Happened This Week will be delayed yet again until tomorrow night. Still working on getting it fixed – and by that I mean ‘harassing/begging Comcast until they fix it’ – but in the meantime I apologize for the delay.

Anyway, new episode tomorrow night! And, hopefully, some progress.

Level-5 and Namco Bandai have revealed an RPG based on the new Gundam Age franchise. Set for the PSP, the game will launch in 2012 and reportedly “lets [players] experience 100 years of history.” Whether this is some kind of generational gameplay mechanism or a simply a plot point was not clarified.

Source: Andriasang

Following speculation about a possible multiplayer mode for Mass Effect 3, BioWare’s Casey Hudson has taken to Twitter for an explanation: “Yes, co-op MP missions for #ME3: they’re real, and they’re spectacular. Rest assured it’s nothing of what you’ve feared. More soon…”

Obviously little is known at this point, however Hudson has answered select questions. Specifically, multiplayer missions will not be required for single-player progression, and the recent delay in release date was unrelated to co-op development.

Howdy-ho, all! Managed a bit of a breakthrough, if only via workarounds I only half understand. Looking for a longer-term solution until the Comcast router decides to un-kink itself, since there doesn’t seem to be much else I can do on my end. Alas!

Anyway, got plenty to talk about, including the following:

• Steve Jobs passed away after battling cancer for the last several years. Say what you will about the man, but he knew how to develop and market shiny new gizmos people didn’t know they wanted.
• Apple revealed the iPhone 4, hyping up the processor as on par with handhelds and consoles. And yet everybody gets quiet when you ask how you’re supposed to move.
• GSC Game World gives us a brief S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2-related scare, showing just how potent the fear of DRM can really be.
• The Game of Thrones RPG was announced, prompting questions of how well a game can reproduce a complex, morally gray universe based on popular literature. My advice: ask CD Projekt for help studying.
• EA tries to reassure everybody that no, really, they’re not competing with Valve and Steam. They’re only setting up a separate distribution site and restricting certain games to it. NOT COMPETITION
• The Financial Times reveals scary new plans for European Debt, I ramble a bit about the Occupy Wall Street protests, and more!

Continue reading ‘What Happened This Week – Strategic Signal Loss’ »

Ah, the joys of unexplained internet problems. Hiya folks, sorry things have been so quiet lately. We are experiencing technical difficulties to various degrees, and I myself can’t even get to the main page; posting this via smartphone, which is not easy I tell you. Working on a solution now, but for the time being please bear with us. Thank you.

Sony has announced a new promotion for the PlayStation Network to run throughout October with the PlayStation Store featuring a number of PSN-exclusive games and releasing new ones each Tuesday. Additionally, the Store will carry a small selection of rare PS2 games: God Hand, Odin Sphere, Ring of Red, GrimGrimoire, and Maximo: Ghosts to Glory.

Source: 1UP

With the recent release of Game of Thrones: Genesis, French developer Cyanide has announced that an RPG in the same universe is in development. Based on the HBO series – which in turn is based on George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire novels – the Game of Thrones RPG takes apparent cues from Mass Effect and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic with an increased emphasis on storyline and decisions over action.

Set sometime during the first book, the story follows two original characters, though some established figures and locations from the TV series are being used in the game; some actors will also reprise their respective characters. No publisher has been revealed, though Cyanide aims to release the title early next year.

Source: 1UP

Square Enix has announced the price of its Vita launch title Lord of Apocalypse. Standard retail price is set at ¥5980 with the downloadable copy at ¥4980. The title will also see a simultaneous release on PSP with the same retail and digital prices.

Source: Andriasang

Sega announced that Phantasy Star Online 2 will not make its 2011 target date for online service. Producer Satoshi Sakai said that the decision is in response to initial test feedback, and a second alpha test has been scheduled for early 2012. A beta test and full online service are to follow at an unspecified date.

Source: Andriasang

Square Enix has given details on the job system for Dragon Quest X and specifically the jobs players will have access to. Apart from setting race, players will pick from the following classes to start: Warrior, Mage, Monk, Martial Artist, Thief, and Minstrel. You can change your job by visiting the nearest Dharma’s Shrine branch office. As in Dragon Quest IX, points are distributed across weapons to unlock new skills as you level up.

Source: Andriasang

Good evening and greetings!  Hope the fall is treating you well so far, and your punt returner didn’t showboat in the end zone, giving the other team good field position to score an answering touchdown.  I mean, don’t get me wrong, I love Devin Hester as should any red-blooded American male (cryingeagle.jpg) but that touchdown could have been avoided and thus the Bears didn’t beat the spread.  Celebrate after the game, Devin!

That was a sweet return though, wasn’t it?

Ahem.  Anyway, here’s what’s going down this week:

• Square Enix’s CEO catches up to everybody else by admitting the damage FFXIV did to the brand.  I suspect the real issue is who did the damage to FFXIV, and I think Wada knows it.
• Meanwhile, City of Heroes goes free-to-play while The Old Republic reveals its pricing packages, providing an interesting compare/contrast as to who can withstand going F2P and why.
• Activision’s Jamie Berger says paid services like Call of Duty Elite – providing stat tracking, clan management, etc. – will be mandatory in 3-5 years.  Hey, some of us remember when games provided that sort of thing for free.  Don’t get greedy, man.  Well, greedier, anyway.
• CliffyB gives a neat postmortem on Gears of War now that Gears 3 is out, speculating on how giant musclemen with saw-guns fighting evil intelligent bugs could be taken more seriously.
• Shigeru Miyamoto speaks out a bit on Skyward Sword, suggesting it’s one of the most expensive projects the company has worked on.  Well, I guess if you’re gonna send the Wii off…
• I catch up on the Netflix news and correspondingly terrible stock performance, while Joystiq regales us with a story of the fastest-thinking men in the industry.

Continue reading ‘What Happened This Week – Improvised Payment Devices’ »

Good evening! Never too late for media time, so without further ado here’s what we have for today: Divinity II: The Dragon Knight Saga, Maho Shojo Madoka Magica Portable, Persona 4: The Ultimate in Mayonaka Arena, Ragnarok: Hikari to Yami no Koujo, and RPG Maker DS+.

Continue reading ‘Mass Media 10/02/11’ »

Further information regarding Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance has emerged.  Apart from featuring new Disney-themed areas, old worlds will also include new ground to cover.  “Dream Eaters” play a central role, likely referenced by the game’s title.  Spirit type Dream Eaters fight alongside Sora and Riku as allies, of which you can bring two into battle with you.  Nightmare types, by contrast, serve as powerful enemies.

The game’s combat will feature new mechanics that allow certain context-sensitive actions: Free Flow Actions, which use walls and other objects to launch attacks, and Reality Shifts, which temporarily freeze the enemy in place while Sora or Riku drop to the lower screen to perform other special moves.  Lastly, Neku from The World Ends With You will make an appearance in the game.

Source: Andriasang

In recent press conference, Square Enix CEO Yoichi Wada publicly acknowledged the damage that Final Fantasy XIV has caused the brand name.  Released to negative, indeed scathing reviews on PC last year, the title has undergone significant restructuring, with a large portion of the development team replaced and the PS3 version delayed indefinitely.  Wada indicated that the fixes are ongoing and the company intends to “revive the FFXIV that should have been released.”  No timeframe was given for the redevelopment efforts.

Source: Andriasang