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Adventures to Go brings ... adventures to go on PSP

by Andrew Yoon { May 19th 2009 at 12:00PM }

We love straightforward titles. That's why we approve of Natsume's newly announced Adventures to Go for PSP. It's yet another addition to PSP's expansive SRPG library, but Natsume plans on taking a more humorous approach than traditional strategy games. Players will take control of Finn Courtland and his "band of misfits" on a quest to fight demons and save the world (real original, right?). Players will be able to set up the game's randomized dungeons by choosing the terrain, the size of the dungeon and the types of monsters players will face. The riskier dungeons will provide even larger rewards.

Adventures to Go has a planned summer release, and will make its first public appearance at E3. You can check out the first screenshots in our gallery below:

Gallery: Adventures to Go

Disgaea 2: Dark Hero Days coming to PSP this year

by Andrew Yoon { May 8th 2009 at 12:16AM }

The PSP enhanced port of Disgaea 2 will be getting a US release this year. Dark Hero Days will feature all the content of the original SRPG, but will add new story chapters, a new main character and additional skills, items and side characters. New battle features introduced in Disgaea 3 will also be transplanted into this portable game.

While the game's trailer specifically states a Summer release, the press release says the game will release in the Fall. Either way, you'll be able to play the game this year. Keen observers will see a PlayStation Network icon at the end of the trailer -- could this title be digitally distributed?

Gallery: Disgaea 2: Dark Hero Days

Sakura Wars: So Long, My Love coming to Wii, PS2

by Andrew Yoon { May 8th 2009 at 12:03AM }

Nippon Ichi is finally bringing the Sakura Wars series to the US. The cult anime series will be hitting US audiences as a SRPG destined for Wii and PS2. So Long, My Love promises a unique battle system divided into two parts: ground combat and air combat. In the Sakura Wars universe, it appears mechs don't just fight on the ground. No, they transform into jets that fight in the sky as well! Players will have to keep sharp as they battle enemies on these two vastly different fronts.

Developed by Idea Factory, Sakura Wars is scheduled for a US release this Fall.

Disgaea 2: Dark Hero Days PSP trailer

by Xav de Matos { Feb 27th 2009 at 10:01PM }

We thought we saw everything there was to see regarding the upcoming PSP version of Disgaea 2, recently subtitled: Dark Hero Days. Little did we know a trailer for the portable upgrade was hiding up someone's sleeve at developer Nippon Ichi's home office. After giving the trailer a good once over, we've come to the conclusion that ... well, it's Disgaea -- plus more stuff. An additional storyline starring the dark hero Axel, new game play features and easier pickup-and-play ability on the go are just a few of the enhancements made to Disgaea 2: Dark Hero Days. Check out the trailer after the break.

Continued →

A Luminous Gold Box from Amazon

by JC Fletcher { Jan 12th 2009 at 5:00PM }

One of Amazon's all-video-game Gold Box Deals today, scheduled for 6PM PST, features the teaser text "Get bonus goodies with this radiant crescent." We puzzled out the completely transparent clue all by ourselves, guessing that it was Luminous Arc 2 with its included soundtrack CD. Then, just as we were congratulating ourselves for our moderate riddle-solving skills, Atlus totally spoiled the ending with an email to their "Atlus Faithful" mailing list, confirming the identity of the offer. It must have felt nice for them to reveal something early after all the ESRB spoilers.

Now all we don't know is the price drop the game will temporarily receive -- but at least it's getting one. The $36.99 that Amazon currently charges for the SRPG is painful.

Gallery: Luminous Arc 2

Another Circuit City rumor: Fire Emblem dated

by Chris Greenhough { Dec 9th 2008 at 5:30PM }

We've no idea why Circuit City has suddenly started posting up previously secret release dates en masse, but hey, here's another Circuit City-related rumor to brighten up your Tuesday: the stricken store says that Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon will launch in North America on February 23.

Previously, Nintendo has suggested a wishy-washy "first half of 2009" for the SRPG, so that makes sense (though 180-odd other dates would be just as believable). If you flatly refuse to wait another two months, you can always import from Europe; it came out here last week.

Gallery: Fire Emblem DS

[Via Siliconera]

Koei strategy pair rated by ESRB

by Chris Greenhough { Nov 27th 2008 at 6:00PM }

The ESRB has rated a pair of Koei games that aren't Dynasty Warriors for release on the Virtual Console. Both are historical strategic RPGs, though with very different settings. The first, Nobunaga's Ambition (top screens above), tasks players with conquering feudal Japan, while Uncharted Waters: New Horizons is based more on life at sea, and lets you indulge in sailing, trading, and even piracy.

We assume these are the NES versions, though could be wrong -- there were versions of each on the Genesis and SNES. Considering a boxed of copy of either goes for about $20 or $25 on eBay, we could be in for a bargain when these appear.

DS Fanboy Review: Luminous Arc 2

by Alisha Karabinus { Nov 25th 2008 at 1:00PM }

There's a lot of strategy available on the DS. Whatever your strategy-flavor preference, you can get it (almost), so it takes a lot for these newer faces to stand out. If all you saw of the Luminous Arc series was the ads and the occasional screenshot, you might think the burgeoning franchise was all about boobs and butts, and while they play an important part, of course, there's a lot more to Luminous Arc than itty-bitty witch costumes.

The other thing working against (or maybe for some, for) the glut of strategy-style games on the DS is the inherent sameness of titles in the genre. You've got some dudes, a grid, and a lot of battles, once the good guys run into the bad on said grid. Because of that, everything else about the game is scrutinized heavily; after we've established that combat isn't broken and the game works in a strategic sort of sense, we're left studying controls, scripting, presentation, and just plain fun factor. Luckily, Luminous Arc 2 does manage to shine in those categories.

Gallery: Luminous Arc 2

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Valkyrie Profile: Localization of the Game [update]

by Chris Greenhough { Nov 11th 2008 at 2:30PM }

Valkyrie Profile: The Accused One shipped in Japan just a few days ago, racking up 80,000 sales in its first week and finishing in second place in the charts (to, um, Grand Theft Auto IV).

With a triumphant Japanese launch under its belt, Square Enix is now turning its attention to us, and has opened an understated teaser site to announce the localization and release date of the game in the U.S. As previous evidence has hinted, it'll be known as Valkyrie Profile: Covenant of the Plume in North America, and will release on March 17th. Is the DS the greatest system for RPGs since the SNES or what? That's rhetorical, because it clearly is.

Also, the beautiful Japanese boxart would be welcome here, if anybody from Square Enix is reading!

[Update: A Square Enix press release informs us Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride will reach the States on February 17th! Too. Much. RPG. Goodness.]

Gallery: Valkyrie Profile: The Accused One

[Via Siliconera]

Atlus's Devil Survivor revealed

by JC Fletcher { Nov 6th 2008 at 4:00PM }

The mysterious game Megami Ibunroku Devil Survivor that Atlus teased in last week's Famitsu has been revealed (in this week's Famitsu, obviously). It turns out that the "wait seven days to see it" thing was thematically appropriate: Devil Survivor, like The World Ends With You, gives players seven days to save Tokyo from destruction. Unlike Square Enix's well-received action RPG thing, this is a strategy RPG.

The game, due out in January, will feature monsters designed by well-known Atlus character designer Kazuma Kaneko, who also did character designs for the last Trauma Center.

DS Fanboy Preview: Luminous Arc 2

by Alisha Karabinus { Nov 6th 2008 at 11:00AM }

We like to poke fun at Luminous Arc and its successor due to all the boobs-and-butts shots, but we do it out of love. Despite the first title's somewhat lackluster overall review scores, it's looked on a little more fondly in the DS Fanboy offices. The first game had a lot working for it, and a major thing working against it: the controls. So when we sat down for a little quality time with the sequel, Luminous Arc 2, we paid particular attention to that aspect. And guess what?

It's better, and not only that, but the ability to do things your way is great. D-pad or stylus control? It's up to you. Tap through the cutscenes, play them automatically, or skip them altogether? Make it your game. For those reasons alone, Luminous Arc 2 is worth a go.

Gallery: Luminous Arc 2

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See the singing shocktrooper of Valkyria Chronicles, Rosie

by Andrew Yoon { Oct 30th 2008 at 7:17PM }

We're pretty excited for Valkyria Chronicles. The PS3-exclusive SRPG from Sega has been getting great early reviews. And why wouldn't it? Not only does it look good, but it has a cabaret girl singing while kicking ass. Who could possibly dislike a game like that?

TGS08: Rising Star reveals four for Europe

by Chris Greenhough { Oct 13th 2008 at 7:30PM }

Rising Star Games just unfurled an official list of Marvelous games that it plans to localize for Europe, including Luminous Arc 2, Avalon Code, Rune Factory 2, and a fourth game that is yet to be announced for North America: Steal Princess. We expected most (if not all) of these to reach us at some point, mainly because Rising Star Games is totally awesome and we love them.

Previous evidence has suggested that Steal Princess and Luminous Arc 2 won't be appearing before the end of March 2009, but we can't be mad at Marvelous. The company has had an action-packed Tokyo Game Show, and this is the cherry on top of a whole pile of other excellent announcements for Nintendo fans. Make the jump for screens, screens, and more screens!

Gallery: Steal Princess

Continued →

Europe getting Fire Emblem this December

by Chris Greenhough { Oct 9th 2008 at 1:00PM }

Yes, indeed. Not sure what's going on here, but Nintendo's European site has updated with the surreal news that Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon will be released in Europe this December 5th -- also known as before North America. This is one of those incredibly rare examples of Europe getting thrown a bone first. Our gobs? Smacked!

We're still no closer to a specific release date in North America, with "first half of 2009" about as accurate as it gets. Maybe the rapidly weakening pound will soon make importing from Europe an attractive investment again! Stranger things have happened. This news, for instance.

[Update: Corrected typo. Thanks, Mr Kahn!]

Gallery: Fire Emblem DS

VC Friday: Thursday edition [Update 1]

by Chris Greenhough { Oct 2nd 2008 at 6:38PM }

And the Nintendo of Europe site leaks another morsel of info! Not long ago, news of Nintendo selling music appeared in our RSS feed weeks early, only to lead to a dead link after it was hastily pulled by Nintendo. And now another slippage has occurred, with Nintendo accidentally revealing (what we suspect are the contents of) tomorrow's PAL Virtual Console update: Earthworm Jim and Shining Force II.

Once again, the news appears in our RSS feed (as seen here) while the story itself has been yanked from Ninty's site. All being well then, tomorrow's VC update for Europe and Australia should read something like this:

Earthworm Jim -- Mega Drive -- 800 Wii Points
Shining Force II: The Ancient Seal -- Mega Drive -- 800 Wii Points

These aren't set in stone yet, so we'll label this as a rumor, but it looks likely. Also: "Hurray!" for both of these.

Update: And it's confirmed: those are your titles for this week, PAL people! [Thanks, Lanceh!]