NIS
Latest
Joystiq interview: NIS America talks PS2 love, Mana Khemia details
With most of civilization abandoning the workplace in order to converge on local shopping malls for those last-minute gift ideas, the gaming world seems to have all but shut down. However, in between trips to Kohl's and Barnes & Noble we did manage to grapple with NIS America's marketing dynamic duo, namely Jack Niida and Nao Zook. While they kept eying the exit behind us, we asked them a number of questions, including the publisher's opinion on the aging PlayStation 2, as well as some specifics on NIS America's latest PS2 RPG, Mana Khemia ~Alchemists of Al-Revis~, which they both go into after the jump.
NIS confirms Atelier Iris 'spiritual sequel' for PS2
NIS America threw us a curve ball last month when it announced its intentions to make a name for itself as a gentler, more casual publisher, a stark contrast to the studio's decidedly niche role-playing roots. Thankfully, like a distant relative returning home for the holidays, the company has not forgotten where it comes from, as NIS has announced plans to bring yet another Japanese-style RPG to the PS2 early next year with Mana Khemia ~Alchemists of Al-Revis~. Set for release on March 18, NIS describes the game as a "spiritual sequel" to the Gust-developed Atelier Iris series of strategy RPGs -- something of an unknown quantity here in the US despite it having garnered a considerable following in Japan since the late-90s. NIS also calls Mana Khemia a "campus sim style RPG" in which players play as both teachers and students in order to complete "academic quests." Reading this, we can't help but be reminded of last June's GrimGrimoire, also published by NIS and one of the best titles this year that nobody played, though honestly we're just thrilled knowing that we'll still having something new to look forward to playing on the never-say-die console well into the first quarter of 2008.
YES beats HOT in Israel's HDTV race
In the battle of interestingly-acronymed Israeli networks, satellite provider YES has announced plans to launch its HDTV service December 23rd. It beat its competition, Hot Cable Systems which is expected to begin providing HD signals in the next few months. Already being trialed with with "dozens" of employees, YES expects around 10,000 subscribers to the 39.90 NIS/month service by the end of next year when it completes its first launch wave. We're not sure what channels they plan on providing, but a look at the website shows at least one familiar program.
NIS targets casual audience with obscure puzzle game
We remarked on Puchi Puchi Virus's vivid 2D art when we saw the first screens in March, but we never thought we'd saw the game again. It was just another low-profile Japanese puzzle game. But Nippon Ichi has surprised us by announcing that they're localizing Puchi Puchi Virus for a U.S. release in February. The press release mentions a website, but that site has yet to go up.Since NIS's usual fare has very little casual appeal (and by 'casual' we mean 'people who have less than 15 hours a day to spend playing games), they have decided to bring out a nice, light puzzle game as their first DS release. Of course, they're still being true to themselves-- it's just about the most random Japanese game they could find.
NIS goes casual for the Nintendo DS
Our first thought when told of a new game from console strategy stalwart NIS America, the North American arm of Japan's Nippon Ichi, was of another fun yet grueling turn-based grind fest along the lines of Disgaea or Phantom Brave. Knowing that it's for the Nintendo DS only got us more excited, as we've been pining for one of these games to make the leap to Nintendo's touchable handheld for some time. Unfortunately, our hopes – and hearts – were broken when we ultimately learned that NIS's latest localization effort is a casual puzzler from Jaleco called Puchi Puchi Virus. As the company's initial venture into the world of puzzle games, NIS notes that it is careful to distinguish its game from traditional block droppers and other "ordinary puzzle games," and describes Puchi Puchi Virus as having "a more intuitive system of object linkage." In this game, the object is to link together icons in triangular patterns in order to erase them and ultimately clear the screen, while simultaneously working to satisfy each stage's different victory conditions. In addition, this game looks to be the first of several casual games undertaken by the publisher, as NIS has also unveiled a cute, wing-laden version of its logo to symbolize this new push to court the ever-popular casual crowd. This is fine. We can share you, NIS. But make no mistake if you begin to hang out too much with your new casual friends, and leave strategy enthusiasts sitting alone at the table staring at a cold dinner night after night, we're calling for an intervention.
Dragoneer's Aria character designer speaks out
HitMaker's character designer, Juno Jeong, sat down for the latest interview with GameSpot who have had an ongoing set of reactions from the staff of the upcoming game Dragoneer's Aria. Being from Korea, Jeong talks about the difficulty in becoming a console game developer and how this is game has become such an honor for him to work on (which we can also assume means he's put a lot of work into these characters). It has been three years since he's gotten to work as an illustrator, after all.Jeong is very interested in classic RPG's like Dragoneer's Aria. He said that "the scenario and game system are loyal to the basics, but they bring out the depth of the game itself. I think that's the biggest anticipation I have for the game." He didn't get to work directly alongside the rest of the development team, so he does wish he had that experience to fall back on, but he seems excited enough about the game to merit our interest as well! GameSpot will have an updated interview, featuring HitMaker's director, in the coming days.
Dragoneer's Aria invites you to learn some Dragon Skills
Nippon Ichi Software apparently found it prudent to release a bunch of little clips about their upcoming title Dragoneer's Aria, just to tutorial potential players before its release. While not overly complicated, it's nice to see some of the features the game will possess (we just hope we can turn off the voice acting, since we don't really care to hear someone say "Burning Blade!" every battle). The above video details "Dragon Skills" which are essentially attack skills gained by equipping certain orbs onto whatever character you want. Think of the orbs from the Suikoden games and you'll get the idea -- fairly open-ended with your choices, but each character has an obvious affinity for one over another. Who's excited to pick this one up? It's definitely a departure from NIS's classic-looking 2D titles.
Dragoneer's Aria an "epic" departure for Nippon Ichi
Nippon Ichi isn't known for epic 3D games -- but that's exactly what they're trying to with the upcoming PSP RPG, Dragoneer's Aria. Sohei Niikawa, producer at NIS, is afraid that people will say: "But you're Nippon Ichi Software!" Regardless, in a new blog on Gamespot, he admits "Even so, I feel that this title will help support us as we take a shot at something that's a little step away from the usual NIS titles."To help create the "epic" feeling that NIS is trying to achieve, they hired some high-profile talent for the game. Juno Jeong, artist of Lineage II, is contributing his art to this PSP exclusive RPG. In addition, "the number one blog idol in Japan," Mimika, will be singing the game's theme song.
What other RPG studios are plotting PS3 releases? Where's White Knight Story?
This is a great bit of news for anyone out there who has been itching for some next-gen role-playing action, but like to stay away from the "MTV of RPG: Final Fantasy" stuff. A bunch of Japanese developers sat down and discussed their plans for now regarding the PS3 and you may be happy to know that a lot of studios have started moving on to the new console. We'd talk about the bits mentioned on The Last Remnant or the Final Fantasy XIII games, but it's all stuff we've heard. With that in mind, we'll go on to more obscure titles and studios.Level 5 has remained hush on their upcoming RPG White Knight Story ever since the showing at the Tokyo Game Show last year, but they've finally issued a statement on the game and what we can expect at E3. Level 5's president Hino Akihiro says their development is progressing well and "should be able to show everyone something really soon." In addition to that, he said the graphical quality shown at TGS is just a taste of what's to come. We're fairly sure he's referring to the scope of the enemies and places in the game. We recall hearing about a giant turtle with a city on its back?Other studios voiced their thoughts and plans also. Gust, makers of the Atelier games as well as Ar Tonelico, have new games currently in development. It should be noted that Gust and Banpresto are finishing up Ar Tonelico 2 for the PS2, but there's no word on whether or not it will come to America. If Nippon Ichi Studios is nice, they'll bring it over even though it'll probably stay on the PS2. Please! It was an amazing first game. We gush, but we were moved by it somehow. Other studios working on titles include: Takuyo, Namco Bandai, Hudson, Sunrise Interactive and of course, Nippon Ichi. We'll keep our eyes peeled for any info on their games because we loves us our RPGs.
PSP Fanboy tries Rosenqueen's PSP pouch
You may know NIS America for their beloved RPG series, like Disgaea. But did you know that they also offer gaming peripherals? NIS America's Rosenqueen store offers PSP accessories, such as the PSP pouch (pictured above). Personally, I find pouches to be a lot more comfortable to carry than larger (but sturdier) cases. I found the Soft Pouch offered at the Rosenqueen store to be quite nice. In many ways, it's superior to the pouch bundled with the original PSP Value Pack. Firstly, it comes in two different colors (orange being a personal favorite). Unlike Sony's pouch, the system is unlikely to fall out thanks to the Velcro strap.If there is one thing to criticize about the pouch, it's the feel. The materials for the pouch are much softer than the ones used in Sony's official pouch. While nice to the touch, it seems less likely to survive a serious accident unscathed. It does come at quite an affordable price: only $7, which certainly beats the $20 asking price of Sony's official pouches.Overall, we recommend the Soft Pouch from Rosenqueen. It looks unlike anything out on the market, and it's incredibly affordable. It certainly isn't for everyone--those looking for a hard case can find some on sale at amazon. However, for those looking for a lightweight alternative for PSP protection, this may be it.
First screenshots of Dragoneer's Aria
Last month, we unveiled NIS and Hitmaker's newest RPG, Dragoneer's Aria. The concept art looked a bit edgier and darker than usual PSP RPG fare. While we were excited to see a RPG on our handheld take a slightly more mature approach to the genre, we're admittedly disappointed by these new screenshots of the game, provided by Degenki Online. The graphics look primitive, with blocky character models and barren environments. The game is due out soon, so it doesn't look like this game will have the chance to improve much before its release.[Thanks, Saigon!]
Spectral Vs Generations: when strategy characters brawl
NIS America has released several Idea Factory games so far, including Generations of Chaos and Spectral Souls. But one game they haven't released on PSP is the fighting game Spectral versus Generation, which features characters from both series duking it out. I certainly can't say I ever predicted seeing strategy RPG characters throw down in a 2D fighter, but here it is. Ironically, Midas Interactive is bringing this unique crossover title to European stores. Wait, what's so ironic? Previous titles in the Generations of Chaos and Spectral Souls series have never come to Europe. This makes it quite likely that the average European gamer won't even be aware of any of the characters involved. Don't worry Idea Factory fans! Since your PSP can play games from any region, you just need to find an importer, and you're good to go. [Via Siliconera]
NIS America open to releasing titles on non-Sony systems
Jeffrey Fleming from Game Set Watch had a chance to interview RPG fan favorite publisher NIS America (Disgaea). In the interview, he asks if NIS plans on just keeping Sony platforms as their target for game releases. Here's their response:"For a long time, NIS America has been releasing titles for the PS2 and PSP, so some people might think we are solely dedicated to Sony, but that is not true. Our goal is to provide quality games and services to all game fans, and looking ahead, there are several platforms that can help us reach out to a broader audience and gamers can expect surprises from us. Of course, we will also continue to work closely with Sony, providing great games for PS2/PS3/PSP users as well."So while they have no intentions to be a Sony exclusive publisher, they do plan to still support them. Here's hoping our favorite portable continues to get the NIS love.
NIS America to sell DS Lite kimono cover
NIS America just opened their own online shop, and it's already decently stocked with neat stuff. This kimono-style DS Lite cover isn't exactly one of them right now-- it's available for preorder only-- but as soon as it's available we're considering getting one. The cover comes in eight colors, all of which add an air of serene beauty to your DS as well as a barrier against unwanted contact. Touching is good, unless it's your keys "touching" your DS in your pocket.[Via Game|Life]
NIS & Hitmaker team up to make Dragoneer's Aria
More Nippon Ichi news this morning. NIS and Hitmaker are working together on a new RPG called Dragoneer's Aria. In the game you take the role of Valen who is a novice dragoneer. He is tasked with protecting the elemental dragons from a dreaded evil monster. The game focuses on friendship and has a good chance of having a dragon or two in it. NIS and Hitmaker first got their relationship started when NIS released Blade Dancer for PSP. The mutual respect has resulted in this project. Dragoneer's Aria will satisfy PSP RPG fans in July.
Aedis Eclipse: Generations of Chaos screens
The first Generations of Chaos game for PSP seemed good when I bought it, but the lacking tutorial made it difficult for me to really progress. Hopefully Aedis Eclipse: Generations of Chaos will do a better job of informing the gamer how to play the game. The key idea of this game seems to be that you play a main character and story in three different worlds and get those different perspectives on the war and universe. I love tactics games, so I want nothing more than for it to be worthwhile. In the meantime there are some screens to view. More screens after the jump ...
Generation of Chaos gets a sequel
There sure are a lot of RPGs coming to Sony's handheld. Rezel Cross isn't the only new RPG to be announced recently. NIS America recently announced plans to bring over a sequel to Generation of Chaos. Although the original Generation of Chaos failed to impress critics, NIS is hoping that this second attempt will fare better. Most importantly, they'll address the crippling load times that have cursed so many PSP RPGs.Aedis Eclipse: Generation of Chaos is yet another strategy RPG for Sony's handheld. You'll be able to play as three different characters from three different worlds: the lower, upper, and the coolest of them all: the divine world.[Via Siliconera]
New Spectral Souls trailer
Spectral Souls is slowly creeping towards release in the States (it's coming September 26th). The game comes from the publisher NIS and as you know, the success of this game may make it easier for Disgaea PSP to hit US shelves. While the first trailer of this game had much more dramatic music, it failed to showcase real gameplay, as noted by our reader Pa. This new trailer goes over the skills you'll need for this sprite-based isometric RPG. For those of you keeping an eye out for some old-school RPG-ing, you may want to check this out.
Spectral Souls contest
Can't get enough contests? As if giving away a free copy of WTF in our 1000th post weren't enough, I discovered a new contest running on AMN to win a copy of the upcoming RPG Spectral Souls. It comes from the same publishing team as Disgaea, so maybe showing your love for this game will make the Disgaea PSP port a reality in the US. Maybe. The contest ends September 20th. The game releases on September 26th.
