RandomNPC – Video Game RPG Reviews, Editorials, and Features

In Japan, crossover games have been around for a long time, and in the case of Super Robot Wars, some have spawned an entire successful series. But on this side of the Pacific, these games almost never make an appearance, primarily due to licensing issues and western gamers not being exposed to the source material. Cross Edge is one of the first games in the crossover genre to make it to North America so fans on this side of the planet can see what they’ve been missing.

Continue reading ‘Cross Edge – Staff Review’ »

There are only a few things in life that you can really count on. Mario will always trump Luigi; there is never anything “final” about Final Fantasy; and Dragon Quest will alway be a bastion of tradition in the RPG world. But in December 2006, Square Enix shook the very foundations of our RPG beliefs: they announced that Dragon Quest IX would slough off the shackles of menu-based fighting and embrace modernity by becoming… an action RPG.

Continue reading ‘Game Changers: Volume 22 – Dragon Quest IX’ »

One year, four months, and thirteen days ago I gave my opinion on Mana Khemia ~Alchemists of Al-Revis~, a title I described as “the union of several good ideas other games had but never put together before.” It was a strangely-worded explanation of a strangely attractive game; none of what I played then was all that new or unique, but so many elements came together into a deceptively entertaining gestalt that, frankly, I didn’t care. Mana Khemia was not unique, and I was fine with that.

Mana Khemia 2 isn’t unique, either. And I’m fine with that, too.

Continue reading ‘Mana Khemia 2 ~ Fall of Alchemy ~ – Staff Review’ »

Today’s Pokemon reminds me of one of my favorite things about Pokemon games – the sheer weirdness of it all. In what other game could you find a psychic coconut tree? Or for that matter, a steel penguin? And not just one, but two animate blobs of poisonous slime? I never get tired of the knowledge that, should the desire strike, I could pit a small blue lungfish against a pink bulldog in a dress in a battle for domination. And so in the spirit of the bizarre, we look at the ambulatory egg-sprouting coconut tree that is Exeggutor.

Continue reading ‘Strategy Session – Competitive Pokemon XIII: Exeggutor’ »

I woke up this morning to find my car parked half a foot away from the curb, which is what I get for coming home at three in the morning.

Continue reading ‘Mass Media 08/30/09’ »

Veterans of Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne and the latter two Persona games will be all to familiar with this scenario: trying to fuse two demons together only to spend forever flipping back and forth and back and forth in a vain attempt to have your new demon inherit at least one of the skills you, y’know, actually want. Well, Atlus has finally heard our prayers and has created an item that actively gives fused demons specific skills.

Continue reading ‘Atlus Hears Players’ Prayers, Brings New Item on Strange Journey’ »

In this episode: Roy Brown is the man. I wish I could rewind time back to E3 so I could shake someone at Bethesda’s hand for introducing me to this golden-voiced king amongst men. That and ask them to de-nerf Colonel Autumn’s laser pistol. Oh well… there’s always mods, I guess.

To the task at hand. Today’s media includes and is limited to: Dragon Quest IX, Elemental Hunters, Hexys Force, Phantasy Star Portable 2, Resonance of Fate, Rune Factory 3, Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey, and Valkyria Chronicles 2: The Gallia Royal Military Academy. Get it while it’s hot, people!

Continue reading ‘Mass Media 08/28/09’ »

In yet another episode of “Europe Gets Things Later,” Microsoft is bringing a Game of the Year version of Fable II to Europe. The bundle includes the add-ons Knothole Island and See the Future, and is due for a September 18 release.

At-launch price is set at €64.99/£39.99. In a related episode of “Europe Pays More,” a quick foray into Yahoo’s currency converter suggests the US before-tax equivalent would either be $92.92 or $65.04, respectively.

Source: Eurogamer

Bioware has finally released more DLC for Mass Effect. Entitled Pinnacle Station, this download adds a remote top-secret Alliance space station to your own Mass Effect universe. This station is home to a battle simulator that rewards the strongest with special armor and weapons, and since the area can be accessed at a fairly early point in the game, players can enjoy the benefits throughout the game. Bioware has promised that Pinnacle Station will add an extra 2-3 hours of playtime to Mass Effect, and it can be yours for 400 Microsoft points or $5.

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers has seen plenty of delays and ambiguous release dates, but it looks like it’s safe to put it on your wish list this year. According to Siliconera, this elusive Wii title will be released in Japan on November 26 with a North American release to follow sometime this holiday season.

Yesterday, Bioware announced some of the voice actors for Dragon Age: Origins. Leading the list is Tim Curry, who is lending his well-practiced sinister voice to the game’s calculating villain, Arl Rendon Howe. Kate Mulgrew and Tim Russ, both of “Star Trek: Voyager” fame, are also cast members. Mulgrew will be providing the voice of Flemeth, an immortal witch who plays an important role in the player’s survival. The cast also includes Claudia Black from “Stargate SG-1” and Steve Valentine from “Crossing Jordan.”

Bioware has posted a video on YouTube that shows Tim Curry and Kate Mulgrew at work in the studio. Curry also makes a few comments about his character.

For many gamers, their first experience of multiplayer gaming came in the form of Super Mario Bros. where one lucky player got to be Mario and whoever lost the coin toss got to be his green and white clone, Luigi. When Mario bit the dust at the hands of a hammer-tossing Hammer Brother or got knocked out by a rogue Koopa shell, player two got his chance to do the same thing while payer one got to watch. Thrilling stuff.

Continue reading ‘Game Changers: Volume 21 – Seiken Densetsu 2 (Secret of Mana)’ »

Square Enix’s upcoming Final Fantasy Gaiden: Four Warriors of Light does away with traditional magic points to fuel spellcasting in combat, opting instead for an action point-based system. Spells are tiered so that more powerful or area-of-effect spells cost more AP than basic, single-target ones. Points also carry over from battle to battle, meaning a player can stock up in one fight and spend them all in the next.

Additionally, battle commands are set by the player beforehand. Counting the standard fight, item, and store (defend/charge AP) commands, a player can equip up to six skills accessible via the touch screen.

Final Fantasy Gaiden is due out in Japan on October 29.

Developers of the upcoming Diablo III revealed more details for the game at BlizzCon last weekend. In addition to new features and monsters – one in particular that stabs itself then explodes to damage the player – the team showed the playable Monk class, a melee fighter focusing on quick, martial-arts based attacks. Lead designer Jay Wilson, in an interview with Wired.com, suggested that there will be options to tone down the gore or even remove blood from the game altogether. Diablo III may not be available in certain regions due to its violent content, and Wilson specified China as a possible example.

Source: Wired

Developer Level 5 announced a new DS RPG, dubbed Fantasy Life, at a press conference today. Sharing a more-than-passing visual resemblance to Mother 3, Fantasy Life is being made by studio Brownie Brown, and will feature Nobuo Uematsu on the soundtrack. Reportedly, Uematsu is performing 21 songs for the game, each of which will be paired with a specific character. Gameplay details are few at the moment, but the game appears to revolve around creating an avatar and milling around town doing odd jobs and talking to people.

No release date has been announced.

Sources: Kotaku, GoNintendo

And here we have it, the last four comics of Final Fantasy XII. I hope you’ve enjoyed them as much as I enjoyed running for my life from Flans and Malboros in order to bring them to you. We’re looking to make this a semi-regular feature here on RNPC, although due to some technical difficulties there may have to be some slight changes in the overall style.

Continue reading ‘Time to Complete – Final Fantasy XII, Part III’ »

Hang in there Slayer, I gotcha! Right after I eat this cake that’s mysteriously lying out on the table for some reason, on which that dead guy was apparently trying to write ‘poison’ before he keeled over. There we go! Now, on to save the good man from the – gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack! *death*

In this update: Cross Treasures, Dragon Quest IX, Dragon Age: Origins, Persona 3 Portable, Phantasy Star Portable 2, Wizardry: Dungeon of the Imprisoned Souls, Vandal hearts: Flames of Judgment, and Guild Wars 2.

Continue reading ‘Mass Media 08/23/09’ »

I’d like to start this review with a caveat. Normally, I don’t review sequels unless I have played the previous game. This time, however, I’m reviewing Fable II as someone who never played Fable. Though I won’t be able to tell what’s an improvement or a step down from the first game, I’ll be able to present the perspective of someone who is new to the series.

Continue reading ‘Fable II – Staff Review’ »

Square Enix has just announced the upcoming release of Cross Treasures, a Nintendo DS RPG scheduled to launch in Japan next year. The game is being developed with assistance from V-Jump magazine, namely from character designer Shinya Suzuki, the illustrator for V-Jump series Mr. Fullswing. Additionally, reader feedback is being incorporated into the game’s development, although details are still forthcoming.

In addition to a single-player campaign, players will be able to create custom game worlds and invite other players into it. Up to four players can join in a single session.

There have been no announcements regarding a possible North American release.

Source: Siliconera

Disgaea 2: Dark Hero Days, the upcoming rerelease of Disgaea 2 for the PSP, will feature both Japanese and English voice tracks. In addition, downloadable content will be available, and appears to consist largely of additional characters. Some are known in the Japanese version – Plenair, Almaz, Sapphire, Gig, Dark Eclair, Marona, and Ash – though it’s not yet known if the American DLC will be identical to the Japanese.

Dark Hero Days is scheduled for release in North American markets on September 8.

Source: Siliconera