Square Enix recently announced Final Fantasy Explorers, an action RPG for the 3DS, with details emerging over the last few days. The game features four-player multiplayer, with characters selecting from 20 playable jobs, including Knight, Dragon Knight, Thief, Monk, Ninja, White Mage, Red Mage, Black Mage, Time Mage, and Bard.
Explorers will support both local and online co-op, and will feature a monster training system to fill out empty player slots. Players will also be able to change jobs, and even equip the current job with select skills mastered from other jobs.
The story centers around the titular explorers, who have arrived at the recently-unearthed island of Amostra in search of its vast crystal deposits. Said crystals, apparently, boast a mysterious connection to life on the planet, while also being a power source for human civilizations.
No release period has been announced at this time.
Source: Gematsu
First-run preorders of Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth will include uniquely designed packaging and a special Tarot card set, Atlus announced today. The cards, evokers used in Persona 4, will be a collector’s set spread across Shadow of the Labyrinth and Persona 4 Arena Ultimax; the former includes Arcanas XI through XXI.
Additionally, Atlus will be releasing a premium edition for Shadow of the Labyrinth. For $79.99, the ‘Wild Cards’ edition will include the same Tarot card set as first-run copies, along with an art booklet, soundtrack CD, and deluxe hard case for the 3DS XL.
Shadow of the Labyrinth is set for a fall release this year.
Source: Gematsu
The enigmatic X that Monolith recently teased at has been revealed in full: Xenoblade Chronicles X, a Wii U RPG and followup to Xenoblade Chronicles. Chronicles X is planned for 2015.
Source: Polygon
At E3 today, Nintendo announced that Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire are set for a November 21 release in North America. Observe for yourself with a new trailer for the games, available on YouTube.
Level-5’s Fantasy Life has been set for an October release in North America and Europe, Nintendo announced during its digital event at E3. The title hits the 3DS in North America starting October 24; the European release is also planned for October, though an exact date was not given.
Source: Gematsu
Square Enix confirmed today that Final Fantasy Type-0 will at last be coming to the west. Specifically, the title – which originally launched for the PSP – will be getting the HD treatment for its release on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, according to director Hajime Tabata. A release timeframe was not announced.
Source: Joystiq
Atlus has announced that Shin Megami Tensei IV will launch for Europe in Q3 this year. The company will self-publish the title, which will be available only as a digital release through the Nintendo eShop.
Source: Gematsu
With E3 2014 nearly upon us, CD Projekt Red have released a new trailer for The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt. Said trailer, over on YouTube, lists the game’s release date as February 24, 2015. CD Projekt’s own GOG.com is also offering a 20% discount on preorders for those who own both previous Witcher titles on the site, and those purchased at retail, through Steam, or other outlets can be registered with GOG to receive free backup copies.
In a recent announcement, Square Enix confirmed that Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call is planned for a September release; 9/16 in North America, 9/19 in Europe. A collector’s edition will include a special pouch, a “best of” Curtain Call music CD, a five-track remix selections CD, and five premium CollectaCards featured in the game. This bundle will be priced at $69.99/£44.99, and will be limited to a 5000-print run.
Source: Gematsu
Speaking with Famitsu, Square Enix producer Shinji Hashimoto said that Final Fantasy XV and Kingdom Hearts III will not be at this year’s E3. Hashimoto spoke positively of Final Fantasy XV‘s development, and that “we are working diligently on Kingdom Hearts III,” but stated that new information for either game would not be present at the show.
Source: Gematsu
Persona 4‘s Tohru Adachi has joined the Persona 4 Arena Ultimax roster, available as DLC to those who buy first-run copies. The title itself is planned for a fall release on both PS3 and 360.
Source: Gematsu
Square Enix announced that the Kingdom Hearts 2.5 HD Remix will hit North America on December 2, with the European release planned for December 5. The HD redux includes the Final Mix versions of Kingdom Hearts II and Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep, along with cinematics from Kingdom Hearts: Re:coded, and the price has been set at $39.99.
Source: Gematsu
Atlus has announced the titles they’ll be showcasing during E3 this year; and by this year, of course, we mean ‘starting Tuesday’. The list includes the expected Persona titles – Persona 4 Arena Ultimax, Persona 4: Dancing All Night, and Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth – alongside Abyss Odyssey, Citizens of Earth, and the newly-revealed pinball RPG Rollers of the Realm.
Regarding that last one, Rollers of the Realm comes courtesy of developer Phantom Compass, and indeed works RPG mechanics and dungeon crawling around a pinball interface. Enemy creatures server as the ‘bumpers’, which can attack the pinball flippers, while the pinballs themselves are your playable characters. The game will be playable at E3, and will launch on PS4, PS Vita, and PC. A release date has not been announced.
Source: Gematsu
More information has emerged regarding Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire. As previously mentioned, the titles make use of dual protagonists, one male and one female, and the character not chosen by the player shows up as a supporting character. Some story elements will also differ between versions. For instance, Team Magma is the primary enemy in Omega Ruby, whereas Team Aqua opposes the player in Alpha Sapphire.
Mega Diancie, Mega Sceptile, and Mega Swampert join the list of Mega Evolutions, while a brand new evolution method, called Primeval Devolution, will be available. Details about this new feature are still coming, though Groudon and Kyogre have been confirmed for Primeval evolutions.
Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire hit the 3DS worldwide later this year.
Source: Gematsu
Tales of the World: Reve Unitia has been set for an October 23 release in Japan, Bandai Namco recently announced. The 3DS title will be priced at 5,210 yen.
Source: Gematsu
Atlus announced plans to release a special edition of Persona 4 Arena Ultimax in Japan. Priced at 8,315 yen, the “Premium Newcomer Package” focuses on downloadable content, and includes codes for the following items: the original Persona 4 Arena‘s story mode, the full character glasses set, 12 background music tracks (three from Persona 3, five from Persona 4, and four from Persona 4 Golden), and additional navigators (Teddie and Mitsuru). The package also includes a not-downloadable illustration from series artist Shigenori Soejima.
No word has been given as to whether the package will be available in other regions.
Source: Gematsu
The former chief executive of Atlus parent Index Corporation, Masami Ochiai, has been arrested on charges of fraudulent activity relating to the company’s shutdown. Mr. Ochiai and his wife, former president Yoshimi Ochiai, are alleged to have falsified financial reports through the use of round-tripping: the trading of unused assets between companies, and the agreement to buy back said assets for roughly the same price, which is disguised as a boost in investment activity.
The source article in Nikkei cites “a source knowledgable in the matter,” which states Index used this practice to artificially inflate stock volume for the business quarter ending in August 2012. This gave the appearance of a 4 billion yen profit at the time, hiding the company’s insolvency until it entered bankruptcy in June last year. Mr. Ochiai denies the allegations, and the investigation by the Tokyo District Public Prosecutor’s Office is still ongoing.
Source: Gematsu
XSEED Games announced they will be localizing the latest Harvest Moon title – Tsunagaru Shin Tenchi, or Story of Seasons – for a North American release. As Natsume, who previously managed localization for the series, still holds the rights to the Harvest Moon name, XSEED will be shortening the name to Story of Seasons.
Story of Seasons will release in North America later this year.
Source: Gematsu
Sword Art Online: Hollow Fragment has been confirmed for a European release. Bandai Namco recently announced that the title will launch digitally in Europe this July.
Source: Gematsu
Final Fantasy Agito has officially made the jump to smartphones in Japan. The title is available now for iOS and Android through their respective stores.
