RandomNPC – Video Game RPG Reviews, Editorials, and Features

In preparation for the Tokyo Game Show, Square Enix has let the world know that recently announced Xbox 360 title NeiR Gestalt has a sibling: NeiR RepliCant for the PS3.  Like NeiR Gestalt, NeiR RepliCant is being developed by Cavia, and is due out sometime next year.  Unlike NeiR Gestalt, we actually have some story details for NeiR RepliCant.  The game will take place in the distant future, in a world on the verge of collapse.  Main character Neir leaves on a journey to find a cure for the deadly plague that has infected his sister.  During his travels he will have to deal with sealed scrolls, demonic powers and cursed monsters.  At the end, he may just find out some of the truth behind his world.

Source: Famitsu

Well, the Tokyo Game Show is next week so game companies are starting unveil sneak-peeks at their new and hopefully shiny offerings.  First up is Capcom, which has announced the RPG Last Ranker for the PSP.

Continue reading ‘Capcom Announces New RPG for the PSP – “Last Ranker”’ »

Square Enix has launched new downloadable content for Final Fantasy IV: The After Years. Available through WiiWare for 800 Nintendo funbucks, The Crystals follows Rydia and Edge as they try to put the band back together, presumably on a mission from God. Meanwhile, Cecil “confronts Kain, Rosa, and Ceodore inside his castle” as the world is thrown into dire peril.

There is no word as to whether said peril will be easily dispatched by using a glitch to duplicate Excaliburs and having Edge throw them every turn.

Nintendo has confirmed that The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks will be released on December 7, 2009, just in time for the holiday season.

I’m sure I’m not the only relic of the NES era, so let’s go down memory lane together for a few moments. Since it was bundled with the NES system (because back then a bundle inlcuding a game and two controllers was the norm — ah how times have changed!), just about everyone got to play Super Mario Bros. And for many of us, it was the game that first lead us down the path of gaming addiction, which in those days meant we all had very sore left thumbs until we grew a nice callus. This was not, however, Mario’s first appearance. In fact he’d been around for a few years prior, first appearing as “Jumpman” in Donkey Kong back in 1981 and then in the 1983 arcade game Mario Bros. as Mario, the American-Italian plumber with his brother Luigi. Super Mario Bros. for the NES is what made him a star, though, and he was soon to ascend to the rank of Nintendo’s mascot.

Continue reading ‘Game Changers: Volume 24: Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars’ »

Square Enix has announced via Weekly Famitsu that Star Ocean: The Last Hope is coming to the PS3 in Japan. Now called Star Ocean: The Last Hope International, it includes both English and Japanese voice tracks, multiple subtitles for event scenes, updated menus, and the ability to switch targets in battle by pressing start.

The game is set to be released on February 4 of next year. A North American release, if any, has yet to be announced.

Source: IGN

XSeed announced today that the Nintendo DS title The Wizard of Oz: Beyond the Yellow Brick Road will be released in North America on September 29. Known as Riz-Zoawd in Japan, the game will retail for $29.99, and it has been rated E by the ESRB. In the meantime, you can check out the game’s official website.

WiZman’s World! WiZman’s World! Party time! Excellent!

Continue reading ‘Mass Media 09/13/09’ »

With the land of the rising sun having seen Pokemon Heart Gold and Soul Silver release just this last week, the world of Pokemon is alight with the changes that have been made to the movepools of various critters. So for this week and next, we’ll be taking an in-depth look at exactly what HG/SS is changing, and who benefits the most. We begin with Pokemon who learn new moves by level up and breeding!

Continue reading ‘Strategy Session – Pokemon Heart Gold and Soul Silver’ »

With a sequel already in development, Valkyria Chronicles still has more content up its proverbial sleeves. Sega recently announced that it intends to launch downloadable content for the strategy RPG in the form of new missions. Entitled Challenges from Team Edy, this content will be available in winter of 2009.

No price has been set for the DLC.

Source: Kotaku

Never one to walk away from a gamble, Square Enix have announced the upcoming 360 RPG NieR Gestalt will be released in 2010. Details are scarce, although screenshots suggest a stylistic mix of God of War and Devil May Cry, with machines and modern-day settings amidst various demons.

Source: Famitsu
Translation: Adrienne Beck

When I married Mrs. Right I didn’t know her first name was Always.

Continue reading ‘Mass Media 09/12/09’ »

The Pittsburgh Penguins meet President Obama.

That has nothing to do with this update, I just couldn’t think of anything clever to put here.

Continue reading ‘Mass Media 09/11/09’ »

With virtual Alaska, Pittsburgh, Point Lookout, and a better endgame behind it, Fallout 3 has set its sights a bit higher – literally – with its latest DLC. Putting a big twist on a previously unmarked encounter, Mothership Zeta is essentially a lengthy, linear shoot-em-up quest in the vein of Operation: Anchorage. While the setting is novel and it contains some memorable setpieces, it’s crippled by balance issues, overlong segments, and, of all things, plot holes. For all its atmosphere, Zeta can’t shake the feeling of wasted potential.

Continue reading ‘Fallout 3: Mothership Zeta – Staff Review’ »

Let the outtakes commence! Fresh from our last Radio Free Jeuno and Better Know a Dev Team podcasts, we’ve got a pile of audio goofs and silly antics that didn’t quite make the cut. Nerdboy once again instructs us on the proper way to spell tri-Ace, we find out why people ever bother singing in the first place, and good times are had by all. Enjoy!

Continue reading ‘August Podcast Omake: Gone With the Belchwave’ »

Fresh media for y’all, ’cause you’re all dying for it, I know. In today’s update: 3D Dot Game Heroes, Summon Night X: Tears Crown, Dragon Quest IX, La Pucelle Ragnarok, and Final Fantasy Legend II DS. I’m told Final Fantasy Legend II DS is actually part of the SaGa series, but m’eh. When Squenix, proud owners of Eidos, decide to finance 30 Deus Ex sequels and spinoffs, then I’ll make the effort to be more precise with their nomenclature.

‘Nomenclature’ is a funny word. It’s pretentious, but it’s fun to say. Go ahead, try it. While you’re at it, here’s the media:

Continue reading ‘Mass Media 09/09/09’ »

The RPG world as we know it is composed of several sub-genres, mostly focused on the difference in battle systems: menu-driven or traditional, action, tactical, hack and slash, roguelikes. The first three are, by far the broadest and most common categories with action RPGs being the ones most en vogue at present, and menu-driven RPGs being the oldest. But what about tactical RPGs? Perhaps not everyone knows this, but they do indeed have a long lineage and an impressive pedigree, one dating back to the NES era.

Continue reading ‘Game Changers: Volume 23 – Final Fantasy Tactics’ »

Square Enix’s PR rep Klee Kuo tweeted this morning that the Japanese release date for Final Fantasy XIII is December 17, 2009. The announcement was just made at the Final Fantasy XIII Premiere Party in Tokyo.

Square Enix also announced that there will be a special FFXIII/Slim PS3 bundle in Japan. No further details were announced, but more should be revealed at the upcoming Tokyo Game Show. Yoichi Wada also stated that Square Enix is aiming to release Final Fantasy XIII in North America sometime in the spring of 2010.

Source: Kotaku

We Meet Again, Phantom Brave. It’s been a few years, hasn’t it? You sucked up a healthy portion of my time back on the PS2, you slick little TRPG. I had a blast with your free-and-open gridless maps, your extensive and esoteric concepts of what constituted a “weapon,” and your down-again-up-again story. Yes, we had good times. So how’s that intervening half-decade treated you?

Continue reading ‘Phantom Brave – We Meet Again – Staff Review’ »

One of the very few gripes people seemed to have with the Playstation 2 version of Persona 3 was with its battle system.  Having to talk to each party member just to change their equipment or having to rely on the sometimes-not-very-good ally AI in battle was, to be frank, just plain irritating.  Well, Atlus has listened to the feedback. 

Continue reading ‘Persona 3 Portable – Out with the Old, in With the New Battle System’ »