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Green game Ecolis now requires less green
With Eco-Creatures: Save the Forest already out in the U.S. and due for Europe on June 13th (interestingly, with the original Japanese title, Ecolis), there's no reason why anyone should import the Japanese game, right?Play Asia thinks differently and has marked down the environment-conscious RTS to an unbelievable $5! That's banoodles! Basically, starting today until next Tuesday, the game is now cheaper than most of the meals on Arby's menu! You could buy Ecolis/Eco-Creatures for less than the price of a chicken sandwich, a drink, and curly fries.Speaking of Arby's curly fries, how frickin' delicious are Arby's curly fries? Maybe you should go out and buy some anyway, that way you can eat them while playing Ecolis. It might cheer you up after hours of navigating the game's Japanese menus and frustrating controls.%Gallery-4106%
Premotional Consideration: Eco-Creatures
We usually wait until Sunday to post our Promotional Consideration pieces, but we already have something very special planned for tomorrow's column and we didn't didn't want to hold onto this Eco-Creatures: Save the Forest ad for too long lest you completely forget about the colorful game. The environment-conscious RTS's release went mostly ignored around these parts -- blame it on the rain Shiren the Wanderer. To make up for it, we've torn out and scanned a page advertising Eco-Creatures from this month's issue of Nintendo Power. Hit the "read" link or the image above for the full piece. The recycling arrows integrated into the screenshots are a nice touch!%Gallery-4106%
Japanese commercial get: Ecoris
It's no secret that we're very interested in Ecoris. With Wi-Fi compatibility included, plus the RTS theme, this game is quickly becoming the recipe for excellence. Even the game's big, spiky protagonist, Dorian, looks like the kind of main character we want in our games: completely ridiculous.The latest Japanese commercial, which is embedded past the break, shows most of what we said. Keep in mind though that, like all Japanese commercials, the video is a bit shorter than what you're used to.
New details on Ecoris
The more we learn about Ecoris, the eco-centric RTS, the more we're planning to riot if the game doesn't get an English-language release. Get Atlus on the project right now!The latest updates on Ecoris focus on the beginning of the game, and there are some new details on online play as well. As the story opens, our fruity hero, Durian (sometimes Dorian in non-Japanese articles) begins to notice that not all is well in the forest. Development and pollution are destroying the ecosystem. He's not alone in his observations; the squirrels have noticed the same thing. On their own, the forest creatures are too weak to fight back ... but if they team up, anything is possible. Some other interesting facts about the game: apparently, there's a level-creation mode (we can only guess this comes in as you start to rebuild the forest), and once created, you can utilize those new stages in online battles. Our translation here may be a little rough, but it also seems as though Durian can either summon some sort of ancestral spirit, or take on its form, and you will need that power to pass certain sections. Ecoris is sounding more fascinating every day. For those gamers for whom the language barrier isn't a barrier at all, this one is looking like it may just be a must-import title.
Ecoris or Ecolis -- either way, the online is multiplayer
To those of you who were less-than-pleased at the idea of a RTS title with a bacteria flavor, it looks like Ecolis is now known as Ecoris. The good news is that the game is still adorable, and it looks like the Wi-Fi capability will in fact be online multiplayer. Now if only someone would explain exactly what the hero, Dorian, is. Jeux-France likens him to a Totoro, but we remain unconvinced. You can ponder his origins while perusing the new images in our updated gallery below.Ecoris is scheduled for an August release in Japan, and we're crossing our fingers for a localization some time after that.%Gallery-4106%
Ecolis boxart reveals WiFi and panda support
Online support seems like a prerequisite for any decent RTS release, but it's never safe to assume with DS and Wii games. Thankfully, the boxart for Ecolis indicates that the InterChannel title will make use of Nintendo's WiFi connection in addition to its "download play" features. We're not sure if that means online duels, item shops, or a near-useless messaging system, but it's something -- a quantity that's arguably better than nothing. If you haven't been properly introduced, Ecolis is a strategy title in which you command an army of woodland creatures against the pollution and deforestation taking over their homes. You'll also be tackling issues like global warming and recycling while you plant new trees to restore damaged forests. The eco-friendly message doesn't end there; as evidenced by the panda stamped on the game's packaging, a portion of Ecolis' proceeds will be donated to Japan's World Wide Fund for Nature.%Gallery-4106%[Via Ruliweb]
Command an army of squirrels with Ecolis
We're not sure how we missed Ecolis when the game was first announced last February, but Insert Credit thankfully brought the colorful RTS to our eager attention. Developed by Lightweight (Bushido Blade series), Ecolis charges you with the task of defending wilderness habitats from pollution and deforestation. You'll have a variety of woodland creatures to manage and command during the FernGully-esque adventure. The concept art alone was enough to leave us charmed, but the accompanying screenshots are filled with just as much character. Head past the post break for Famitsu's magazine scans of the title from a few months ago. If you have any idea what that orange, message-bag-carrying creature is supposed to be, make sure to drop us a line.
