Gust announced that it is developing Ar no Surge, a companion RPG to its life simulation game Surge Concerto: Ciel no Surge. The RPG is reportedly set in the same universe – which itself has ties to the Ar Tonelico series – but in a different time period. Main character Delta, a trained combatant discharged from his host organization, makes ends meet working in a restaurant and somehow winds up protecting a heroine who fights via song magic.
Ar no Surge hits the PS3 in Japan on January 30 for 7,140 yen. No global release was announced. The presence of a hot tub based team-building mechanic has also not been confirmed.
Source: Gematsu
Dengeki Playstation revealed additional tidbits about Natural Doctrine, Kadokawa Game Studios’ upcoming RPG. The game will feature solo and multiplayer modes, both co-op and versus. Battles are also turn-based, with players able to command several units in a single turn.
Source: Gematsu
I’ll take seven sacks of Eli Manning, thank you.
Continue reading ‘Mass Media 09/27/13’ »
Persona 4 Arena will be getting a direct sequel, Atlus announced recently. So titled Persona 4: The Ultimax Ultra Suplex Hold, the game will add Yukari and Junpei from Persona 3 as fighters, and will hit Japanese arcades sometime in Winter. PS3 and 360 versions are also planned, though no dates have been given and no global release has yet been confirmed.
Source: Gematsu
Ubisoft has announced that the Obsidian-developed South Park: The Stick of Truth will launch on December 10. Apart from the standard edition, a Grand Wizard Edition will include a six-inch Grand Wizard Kidrobot Cartman figure, a Kingdom of South Park map, and the Ultimate Fellowship pack add-on for the price of $79.99.
Source: Gematsu
Valhalla Knights 3 will launch on October 15, according to XSEED Games. The PS Vita RPG will be available at retail and via Playstation Store for $39.99.
Source: Gematsu
The steady drip of Pokemon X/Y information continues, with new details on starter and mega evolutions, new Pokemon, and the Pokemon Global Link. Of particular note are the following.
Continue reading ‘More Pokemon X and Y Information’ »
XSEED Games has set a release date for Rune Factory 4‘s North American release. The farming-sim-slash-dungeon-crawler hits US 3DSs on October 1.
Source: Gematsu
Square Enix has announced that Final Fantasy Type-0 will be getting a mobile phone adaptation, amusingly titled Final Fantasy Agito (recall this was part of the original title of Type-0). Although it appears to be an updated port with additional features, such as a new character, the story is reportedly broken into chapters to be released every two weeks. The game will feature optional microtransactions for game items, abilities, and to reduce downtime from mission failure.
Source: Gematsu
With Phantasy Star Nova only recently announced, details about the Vita RPG are just beginning to surface. In particular, tri-Ace will be supervised by the Phantasy Star team, though tri-Ace is fully in charge of development.
Gameplaywise, players can fully customize the name and appearance of their character, and NPCs are built through the same character creator featured in Phantasy Star Online 2. The story is advanced through missions, playable either solo or through ad-hoc multiplayer for up to four people. Said story seems to invite comparisons to Star Ocean, as the player’s planetary exploration group crash-lands on an uncivilized planet and is tasked with getting back into space alive.
Other than the 2014 launch window, no release information is known at this time.
Source: Gematsu
Disgaea 4: Return will land on Japanese PS Vitas starting January 30, to be priced at 6,279 yen. No release outside Japan has been announced.
Source: Gematsu
Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII will reportedly feature a hard mode, accessible after clearing the game. In this elevated difficulty setting, monsters are stronger and drop higher-level abilities, and some items may only be sold in hard mode.
Interestingly, each monster type has a predetermined population which can be whittled down by our protagonist. The last living member of each type will be notably stronger than their mundane counterparts, and they may behave differently as well. Killing a Last One renders the monster type extinct, granting you rare items in the process.
Source: Gematsu
Square Enix has identified more of the tracks to be featured in the recently announced Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call. These include the following: “Battle at the Big Bridge” and “Airship” from FFV; “The Decisive Battle” and “Edgar and Mash’s Theme” from FFVI; “Hunter Chance” and “You’re Not Alone” from FFIX; “Seymour Battle” and “Zanarkand” from FFX; “Ten Yori Furishi Chikara” from FFXIV; “Advent: One-Winged Angel” from FFVII: Advent Children; “Warera Kitareri” from FF Type-0; and “Crimson Blitz” from Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII.
Source: Gematsu
Via press release, Sega Sammy Holdings announced their acquisition of Index Holdings, better known as the parent company of Atlus. In their statement, Sega cited Index’s “excellent track record in the design and development of content for mobile phones” and “on the development of home video game software,” referencing (though not specifying) prominent IPS owned by Index – those including Atlus’ Persona, Shin Megami Tensei, and Etrian Odyssey.
Formal transfer of Index to Sega Sammy will occur on November 1.
Source: Gematsu
New Atelier Rorona will reportedly make use of previously unplayable characters from the original: Astrid Zexis and Esty Dee. Astrid is a master alchemist who teaches the title character, while Esty is the Adventurer’s Guild receptionist and is herself skilled with daggers. Presumably, they fight crime. The game will also feature a new chapter, which brings Ateliers Totori and Meruru through time to visit Rorona.
New Atelier Rorona: The Origin Story of the Alchemist of Arland hits the PS3/PS Vita in Japan on November 21.
Source: Gematsu
Valhalla Knights 3, the little series that just keeps on truckin’, will launch on North American PS Vitas starting in October, according to publisher XSEED Games. The company also released details about the game’s seven races, which run the gamut from standard fantasy to more imaginative (and specialized):
Continue reading ‘Valhalla Knights 3 Set for October Release’ »
XSEED has announced that The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky Second Chapter is coming to both PSP and PC via Steam. Aiding them with the translation is Carpe Fulgur, best known for Recettear and Chantelise.
Second Chapter comes out in 2014. For PC fans, the first Trails in the Sky will also be released on Steam this winter.
Source: Gematsu
During their SCEJA 2013 press conference, Sega announced the latest entry in the Phantasy Star series, titled Phantasy Star Nova. tri-Ace is handling development, and the game will be similar in worldview to Phantasy Star Online 2 without the online elements. Details are still forthcoming, but for now the title is planned for a 2014 launch on PS Vita.
Source: Gematsu
With Final Fantasy XIV well underway on existing platforms, Square Enix confirmed that the North American beta for the PS4 version will start on February 22. Additionally, PS3 players will be able to migrate to the PS4 version at no additional cost.
Source: Gematsu
Atlus will be releasing a demo for Etrian Odyssey Untold: The Millennium Girl on Nintendo’s eShop on September 16, the company announced recently. Friendly reminder: the game itself will launch on October 1.
Source: Gematsu
