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Time and Eternity launch trailer has magical girls, tactical twirls
Image Epoch's anime-drenched PlayStation 3 RPG, Time and Eternity, launches today in North America, courtesy of publisher NIS America. The newly released trailer above showcases the game's combat system, which resembles a turn-based anime fight scene. Expect grunting, shouting, and combo-fueled theatrics.
Meet Arc Rise Fantasia's summons, voice actors
The latest media released for image epoch's WIi RPG Arc Rise Fantasia introduces "Rogress," the game's summoned creatures. They act as powerful attacks, of course, but also apparently as the source of the "Ray" energy that powers the game's cities and vehicles. The trailer above shows the game's first Rogress, Simmah, merging its power and wisdom with the protagonist. We'd like to tell you more about what happens in the game, but we're distracted by the voice acting. Much like Infinite Space, all we can say about it in this game is that it is present and audible. %Gallery-93821%
TGS 2009: Interview: imageepoch and Sega on Sands of Destruction
Though Sands of Destruction has been out in Japan since late 2008, developer imageepoch was present at Tokyo Game Show conducting interviews for the DS RPG in order to promote the January 2010 Western release. We spoke with representatives from both imageepoch and Sega about the unconventional 2D game, learning a bit about what's been changed for the US version, talking about how cute the character Taupy (right) is and finding out what the deal is with the title change in the most unexpectedly awkward way possible.%Gallery-24031%
TGS 2009: Hands-on: Sands of Destruction
Sands of Destruction has been a long time coming. After being released in Japan in September, it was announced for North America in December 2008, and then given a distant release date of January 2010. I was honestly a little surprised that the English version of Image Epoch's RPG was actually in attendance in Sega's meeting room at TGS, as that suggests it's a real game that Sega actually intends to publish. %Gallery-24031%
Capcom moving 'Zig' to PSP in Last Ranker
Japanese magazine scans show a new RPG in development for PSP by Luminous Arc/Sands of Destruction developer Image Epoch -- it's called Last Ranker. Capcom-Unity's summary of the article mentions some impressive people on staff for the Capcom-published RPG: direction by Image Epoch founder and Trauma Center creator Kazuya Niinou; music by Yoko Shimomura; scenario by Final Fantasy VII's Kazushige Nojima; and production on Capcom's end by Ace Attorney producer Minae Matsukawa.According to PSP Hyper, the game focuses on real-time fighting as it follows the career of competitive fighter, named Zig, trying to succeed in a giant tournament. Siliconera notes that the storyline in the game is intended to "emphasize the relationships and rivalries that go on between fights." Which is why it's an RPG and not a fighting game. We'll find out if Capcom knows what it's doing when Zig takes off in Japan next year.
Sands of Destruction game and anime due early 2010
Funimation has obtained the rights to the anime series based on Sega's upcoming DS RPG, Sands of Destruction. Funimation plans to begin airing the first thirteen-episode season of the Production I.G-produced anime in spring of 2010. Like the DS game, the show stars a kid named Kyrie who gets drawn into a secret organization determined to destroy the world -- in order to free humans from subjugation.In the same press release announcing the anime deal, Sega offered a January 2010 release date for the DS game itself. The game was first announced for North American release in December of last year. There's something kind of nostalgic about waiting over a year for the translation of an RPG.%Gallery-24031%
Up close and personal with Arc Rise Fantasia
Ever since we've learned that Arc Rise Fantasia was going to break out of Japan, we've wanted to see more of the RPG, but there was a long gap and not a lot to see. Now, however, we can check out ... well, honestly, it's a bunch of poses. Sometimes the same pose against a different background. There's serious fighty business going down, though, so they're worth a look. We've gone too long without some quality time traveling the world in search of turn-based battle. Now if only we had a firm date ....%Gallery-26466%
Sega officially announces Sands of Destruction
We knew it was coming, but Sega finally saw fit to send out the press release announcing the North American version of World Destruction, called Sands of Destruction. The press release is even dated December 4! We'd love to know what happened to make Sega decide at the last minute to sit on the announcement for a week.According to the press release, Sands of Destruction follows a group called the World Annihilation Front who, in an attempt to free the world from the tyrannical Ferals, decide to destroy it, using the powers of a kid named Kyrie Illunis.The "voice system" seems to have been dubbed the "Quip System" in the US release: characters can enhance and change their status in battle by saying "inspiring battle commands," which are found throughout the world and equipped by characters. It's a game about trying not to save the world, in which you battle by talking! All they need in order to totally break JRPG tradition is to put a very friendly, outgoing person in the lead who remembers his childhood just fine.%Gallery-24031%[Thanks, Volcynika!]
Sega leak confirms planned US release for World Destruction
For their planned December 4 announcement of the US release of Image Epoch's RPG World Destruction, Sega PR uploaded a set of English screenshots to their FTP server. They then proceeded not to make an announcement. NeoGAFfer Volcynika spotted the suspicious "Sands of Destruction" folder on the FTP server and checked the contents to find four screens, which you can see in our gallery. We can confirm that yes, they were found on Sega's PR server.It's not too much of a surprise: Image Epoch president Ryoei Mikage told Siliconera at TGS that the company was currently working on the North American version of the game, with new music from Chrono Trigger composer Yasunori Mitsuda. We're happy to see an "official" "announcement," though, of course! We expect a for-real announcement soon, to catch up with this leak.%Gallery-24031%
Arc Rise Fantasia: refreshingly familiar
Maybe it's just me. Maybe I have simply played too much Final Fantasy over the years, but it really seems as though Arc Rise Fantasia's is cribbed from Final Fantasy moments. There isn't an instant in this trailer that doesn't evoke some moment from Square Enix's powerhouse franchise.This doesn't mean Arc Rise Fantasia doesn't have potential on its own. We've certainly enjoyed Image Epoch's work so far, and more RPGs on the Wii means more happiness. It just looks very ... familiar, and more so every time new media is released. Anyone else hoping for a Japanese track in the English-language versions of the game? Everything just sounds so right in the footage that it's hard to imagine with less-energetic American voice actors. Gallery: Arc Rise Fantasia
TGS08: Rising Star reveals four for Europe
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-34394%
Arc Rise Fantasia and its hammerhead turtle in screens
At first, as we looked through the screenshots of Arc Rise Fantasia, we were struck by the preponderance of colorful visual effects. Almost every screen contains some kind of prismatic wake or soft, ethereal glow or magical fire or what have you. We were going to talk about how it looks like Image Epoch is enjoying working on a platform with a bit more graphical capabilities than the DS, which allows them to do this kind of stuff. But then we got to this guy here. Forget all the other stuff. This guy is the real story. Is he a hybrid battering ram/turtle?Marvelous has yet to announce any release outside Japan for this game, but TGS is around the corner, and they'll have to talk about something! This seems like exactly the kind of high-quality RPG they'll want to push worldwide.%Gallery-26466%
Grab your hair gel and weapons: new Arc Rise Fantasia shots
Square Enix's Marvelous and Image Epoch's Final Fantasy XI Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King Arc Rise Fantasia is looking pretty good, despite the thin layers of cotton everything seems wrapped in. Good and more than a little bland and recycled, but so long as it plays well and has a decent story, we'll probably accept it. Considering the source, there will probably be more than a few quirks to keep us going.But seriously, we can handle the generic characters, weapons, and enemies -- we're used to that in RPGs -- but can we dispense with that very soft, very muted look for Wii games? We can do better than this.%Gallery-26466%
Sega shows more Destruction
Along with the news that World Destruction will be releasing in Japan on September 25th (shock, gasp, it was pushed back a week!), Sega has released a new video for the title. Although it shows some more gameplay footage, most of it is your classic RPG fodder and not battle scenes. Still, we're pretty impressed by how it seems to be turning out. Not only does it look great and have an interesting story, but the 300 event scenes and plethora of maps and voices that Sega promised should be enough to excite any RPG gamer.Also, folks interested in the game (or anime, or comic) can go and check out World Destruction's official website. There's not much in the "Game" section, aside from a nice-looking background and a gorgeous song (the one from previous trailers), but the song alone is enough to get us to keep on coming back until they add some content.
E308: Luminous Arc 2 screens add a dose of hilarity
Just last week, we found out Luminous Arc 2 was slated for localization (at last!), and since then we've been on the receiving end of a few fresh new English-language screens. We've already slipped in a little humor of our own in our coverage of the title, but conveniently, this time they've done all the work for us. Check out the latest screens while we kick back and relax. Atlus has also put up the game's official English-language site (move your mouse around the front page for some motiion-sickness-causing lulz), as well as a trailer. Hit it up after the break to learn all about the horrors of anti-witch prejudice, battles, and rings.%Gallery-15251%
Luminous Arc 2 radiates to the U.S.
Clearing up doubts on whether Image Epoch's bootytastic SRPG sequel, Luminous Arc 2: Will, would ever come stateside, Atlus has announced that it is localizing the game for this fall.Why would you want to buy a lower budget Final Fantasy Tactics Advance knock-off, especially when you could just get Song Summoner for the iPod instead, you ask? We have an easy answer for that: online multiplayer battles. Also, big butts.Luminous Arc 2 will retail for $39.99, significantly higher than most other DS titles, but each copy will come in an oversized box containing a CD with selected songs from the soundtrack. Presumably, it's the same CD that was released with the SRPG's preorders in Japan.Enjoy three video clips from the English-translated game after the break! Interestingly, the voices are still in Japanese; we wonder if Atlus will leave the Japanese audio track intact?%Gallery-15251%
Sega provides soundtrack, commercials for World Destruction
Making the most of its multiple media production, Sega debuted two new commercials for its forthcoming World Destruction DS game during the Japanese premiere of its accompanying World Destruction anime series. The videos are blurry, and there's less than fifteen seconds of actual in-game footage between the two clips, but you can still see a preview of the JRPG's combat! Plus, one of the girls totally kicks a prison door off its hinges. Sega has also announced that it will throw in a "premium soundtrack" for anyone who puts in a preorder for World Destruction's September 18th release in Japan. The CD will contain five tracks picked out by composer Yasunori Mitsuda, whose name you should recognize from his work on Chrono Trigger and the Xenosaga series. Jump past the break for the album cover and second commercial!%Gallery-24031%
The first clear look at Arc Rise Fantasia
We've created a gallery featuring the first direct screens of Image Epoch's new RPG Arc Rise Fantasia. The images come from cutscenes, battle scenes, and dialogue, presenting a decently representative look at the new RPG from the creators of Luminous Arc.The creepy cutscene stills illustrate the invasion of "Contaminant Dragons" on the city of Diamant -- basically creepy monsters who fly around en masse in the dark. The player's party includes Bright, a soldier (and generic spiky-haired RPG avatar), Alse, a prince who also decides to go fight for some reason, a mysterious girl named Ryphia, and the pictured Adele, a mage-type character, seen here casting Curtsy Energy Blast. At least the bit about a poison-spreading dragon army is original!%Gallery-26466%
Up come the first shots of Arc Rise Fantasia
Now that the initial announcement for Arc Rise Fantasia has been made, a bunch of scans have surfaced showing some of the game in all its graphical glory. Suffice to say, it looks rather spectacular. Man, RPG developers for the Wii just aren't holding anything back these days -- which is a welcome change after a lengthy lack of titles. Let the creativity flow!It just wouldn't be an RPG without a bunch of spiky-haired teenage boys and some girl holding a staff -- thanks to character designer Kenichi Yoshida. The director responsible for the gorgeous locations and epic battles is Hiroyuki Kanemaru, and you can check out a couple more scans after the break. Look out for more Arc Rise Fantasia news real soon, because no RPG should be left behind.
Arc Rise Fantasia plays a role on the Wii
RPG fans, take note.If you've played Luminous Arc on the DS (pictured), you probably have an idea of what an under-hyped little gem it was. While we might not have enjoyed it as much as a few other SRPGs, the point is, we did enjoy it. Now, some of the team behind that series are bringing their talents to the Wii.Called Arc Rise Fantasia (no relation), both Image Epoch and Marvelous will be involved with the title. It's an RPG that involves a three-character party, all of whom share the same action gauge. Balancing your AP among your party, therefore, is part of the challenge. Other than that, the latest issue of Famitsu didn't reveal too many juicy details. We're always thirsting for more RPG blood, though, so we feel this game will be a welcome addition to the Wii's lineup.
