RandomNPC – Video Game RPG Reviews, Editorials, and Features

Citing “slow sales and industry criticism” of titles released this year, Square-Enix announced a substantial cut in their full-year net profit forecast, down from 12 billion yen to 1 billion for the fiscal year ending March 31.  Related to this is the aforementioned delay of the PS3 launch for Final Fantasy XIV,  previously set for a March release.  Additionally, the company stated that Deus Ex: Human Revolution would also be pushed back for all platforms, aiming for April instead of its intended first quarter target.

Source: Reuters

Spellbound Entertainment just announced downloadable content for Arcania: Gothic 4. Dubbed Fall of Setariff, the DLC adds story centering around the titular city, which is apparently plagued by the same demon that once possessed King Robar III.  Players can import their heroes from Gothic 4 or develop new ones, and they will also be able to “experience the story from a different perspective and play as different characters.”  Setariff is expected to add ten hours of content, packing in new quests, enemies, environments, and so on.

Further details are forthcoming, though no official release date was given.

Source: The Gaming Liberty

If you’re a die-hard Final Fantasy IV fan like our own Jordan “J_Sensei” Jackson and you feel like can never have too many copies of the game, Square Enix has you covered. Via V-Jump, the company has just announced that Final Fantasy IV and Final Fantasy IV: The After Years will be packed into one game for the PSP with additional content linking the two stories together. This shiny bundle will be called Final Fantasy IV Complete Collection.

However, this isn’t the classic version of Final Fantasy IV or the DS remake; this version has new graphics with updated effects and character portraits in text boxes. The After Years has updated graphics as well.

Source: Siliconera

Techmo Koei has announced that the PS3 title Trinity: Souls of Zill O’ll will be released in North America on February 8, 2011. The game will be available in Europe a few days later on February 11.

Source: Joystiq

Last night at the Spike TV Video Game Awards, Bioware unveiled the first trailer for Mass Effect 3. The trailer, which can be seen here, reveals that the game will be released during the 2011 holiday season.

Bethesda announced The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim last night via a shiny but light-on-the-details trailer at the Spike TV Video Game Awards. The trailer, which can be seen at the official site, references the ending of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, which makes it a sequel, and reveals that the game will be released on the easy-to-recall date of 11-11-11, or November 11, 2011. It concludes with an invitation to “join the elder council” — meaning, of course, to “like” the game on Facebook. Bethesda also stated via its Twitter feed that the game will use a new engine.

There has been no word regarding whether Patrick Stewart’s voice will be featured in the game.

Final Fantasy XIV has been plagued by a number of problems since its launch two months ago: lag, gameplay that was found lacking by many players, and a slew of negative reviews. Square Enix laid out an extensive plan for improving the troubled game and extended the free trial period twice in hopes of retaining the increasingly disillusioned playerbase.

Now the big boss has stepped in. CEO Yoichi Wada announced on Lodestone, the official Final Fantasy XIV site, that the development team has been restructured. Naoki Yoshida, a relatively unknown but experienced RPG developer, will be the new producer and director. Wada also mentioned that “several new leaders handpicked from other projects” will be joining the existing team. He also stated that the free trial period has been extended until a “concrete plan” for improvement has been formed. Furthermore, the PS3 release has been delayed beyond its anticipated March 2011 release.

Hope you’ve got a media appetite, folks! In today’s update: Dragon Quest Victory, Emil Chronicle Online, Front Mission Evolved, Phantasy Star Portable 2 Infinity, Sangoku Chaos, Shining Hearts, and Venus & Braves PSP.

Continue reading ‘Mass Media 12/09/10: Big McLargeHuge Update’ »

More information about the PSP-bound Valkyria Chronicles 3 has been released, among which are juicy gameplay details and a trailer. 

Continue reading ‘Further Valkyria Chronicles 3 Details Explained, Trailer Revealed’ »

Sony Computer Entertainment formally announced the release date for the PSP-bound White Knight Chronicles Episode Portable: Dogma Wars.  Set for a February 3 release in Japan, the game will feature an online play license that, when activated within two weeks of  release, grants access to limited edition weapons.

The official site for Dogma Wars can be found here. No information was given about a US release.

Source and translation: andriasang

As is basically customary for big releases, Deus Ex: Human Revolution will sold in both regular and collector’s editions.  The Augmented Edition will include an artbook, a “motion graphic novel,” and a bonus DVD containing making-of videos, trailers, and part of the soundtrack.  Those augs run an extra $10 over the base package, with the AE hitting $69.99 on consoles and $59.99 on PC.

Start wearing your sunglasses at night in early 2011.

This past week, Harvest Moon got a dose of online multiplayer in Japan.  Marvelous Entertainment, creators of the farming sim series, launched a free-to-play MMO dubbed Harvest Moon With Everyone.  Players will be responsible for building their own farms, and gain experience for completing tasks to that end, but can also visit other farms to help out with chores and such.

As is common for the model, the base game carries no charge, but players can spend money to buy premium items.  Presently the game is only in Japanese, and no plans have been announced to translate the game for English players.

Source: 1UP

Sesame Street fired half its staff.

Today’s layoffs are brought to you by the letters ‘F’ and ‘U.’

Continue reading ‘Disgaea 4 Media’ »

Not to be outdone, Double Fine has thrown their own hat into the DLC ring with Costume Quest: Grubbins on Ice.  Taking place after the end of Costume Quest, the content drops you into a land of oppressed Grubbins, your candy-stealing nemeses from the original game.

Apart from new costumes and equipment, the content also comes with a patch to address performance issues; new features, such as cutscene pausing, are also added.  With an estimated playtime of about five hours, Grubbins on Ice is set for a PSN/XBLA release this December.

Source: Gamespot

For games that start with F, the DLC keeps on coming.  Details have been released for both Fable III, with content released today, and Fallout New Vegas‘s upcoming Dead Money:

Continue reading ‘DLC News Roundup: Fable III and New Vegas’ »

Via press release, Atlus announced today that Radiant Historia, their upcoming time travel-centric DS RPG, will see a North American release.  Historia will be available at select retailers starting February 22, 2011, and all launch copies will include a bonus CD featuring unique piano arrangements from the game’s score.

This game has too many screens.

Continue reading ‘Disgaea 4 Media’ »

Remember what I said last week about Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together not having a set US release date?  Yeah, forget about that.  Square Enix announced over the weekend that the PSP remake will be released in the States on February 15 of 2011.

Source: 1UP

“More of the same” is only a bad thing if same was bad the first time around. Consider Eschalon: Book II, the next entry in Basilisk’s classic-styled roleplaying series. Functionally identical to Book I, it boasts a few new hooks but overall just expands and refines the content: same engine, same gameplay, same ground rules. That basically means every other paragraph of this review will start with words like “As in Book I” and such. Fortunately, more of Eschalon – a challenging, intelligent, and versatile RPG by any measure – is most definitely a good thing.

Continue reading ‘Eschalon: Book II – Staff Review’ »

As March creeps ever closer, Square Enix and Eidos have just released a new gameplay trailer for Deus Ex: Human Revolution.  Some of the newly debuted stuff is subtle, like interaction highlights around objects and inventory layouts – fans will note that the inventory grid seems to have returned from the first game – but it also shows various weapons, gadgets, and what appears to be a computer hacking interface.  Check it out over at YouTube.

Human Revolution is set for an early 2011 release.