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Rising Star crowdsources Spanish localization of Fragile Dreams
Rising Star Games has taken an unusual, cost-effective step to get Fragile Dreams into Spanish-speaking homes. In collaboration with fansite DSWii.es, Rising Star is helping a group of 50 fans produce their own translation of the game's 35,000-word script. The translated text will be made available from DSWii and Rising Star's site following the European release of the game on March 19. This is a clever approach to localization for a couple of reasons. First, fifty motivated kids will be able to get the job done in a fraction of the time a professional localization team would take. Additionally, it'll be much easier for Rising Star to laugh off the inevitable errors than it would with a 'real' localization.
Fragile Dreams gets a sturdy March 19 release in Europe
By way of Eurogamer, we know exactly when in Q1 Fragile Dreams: Farewell Ruins of the Moon will release: March 19. The game will be published across the old world via Rising Star Games. Our own time spent with the title was pretty favorable, as we enjoyed its unique approach to the genre and ability to make us feel isolated, much like protagonist Seto. For the unaware, Fragile Dreams takes place in a post-apocalyptic Tokyo, where survivors are few. Seto, now alone after his mentor's passing, must go out into the world and brave the ghosts and remnants of humanity's past that litter the landscape. In an effort to pencil in a US release date, we pinged XSEED -- who could only say that it would arrive sometime in March. We'll let you know the date as soon as it's announced!
Hands-on: Fragile Dreams: Farewell Ruins of the Moon
I've never played a game quite like tri-Crescendo's Fragile Dreams for Wii. While, mechanically, it's a fairly standard action-adventure game – something like one of the PS2 Silent Hills with experience points – everything about the game contributes to a distinctive mood. Fragile Dreams is an exploration of quiet -- something few games ever have any room for. %Gallery-77517%
Fragile Dreams: Hello to a new title and screens
click for moon-sizeToday, XSEED announced a slight title change for the North American release of Fragile: Farewell Ruins of the Moon. The company has chosen to go the same route as Rising Star Games and add the word Dreams to the title. Along with the announcement, the company sent out the new logo. It's based on the Japanese logo, but -- to be extremely nitpicky -- loses something with the extra line and the subtitle font. However, the game, as seen in new screenshots below, still looks lovely. And that's the part that matters, regardless of our petty complaints. The new title does have the bonus of making us think of Johnny Hates Jazz's "Shattered Dreams." Totally great song. %Gallery-77517%
Fragile arrives on European shores early 2010
The tri-Crescendo-developed Namco Bandai RPG, Fragile, will eventually make its way to Europe, GameSpot reports. Sometime in early 2010, Europeans will be able to get their own taste of this post-apocalyptic title following Seto, who is believed to be the last living human being. It's kind of like I Am Legend, but, like, bearable. Made by the same team behind Eternal Sonata, Fragile is currently set to release in North America during the holidays courtesy of XSEED, and will arrive in Europe via Rising Star Games.%Gallery-26285%
Impressions: Fragile: Farewell Ruins of the Moon (Wii)
After over a year of waiting, XSEED has graciously picked up tri-Crescendo's meditative Wii action adventure Fragile: Farewell Ruins of the Moon for North American publication. In a brief walkthrough of an early segment of the game, XSEED introduced us to the protagonist, Seto, who is believed to be the only human left in the world after some unspecified calamity has reduced everything to rubble and left the sky permanently darkened.%Gallery-26285%
XSEED localizing Namco Bandai's Wii adventure 'Fragile'
When XSEED and Namco Bandai meet, wonderful things happen. The last Banamco title to be localized by the publisher was Retro Game Challenge. Today, XSEED announced to IGN that it will publish Fragile: Farewell Ruins of the Moon in North America, with a projected Holiday 2009 release date. Wii fans have been clamoring for this game for a long time.The tri-Crescendo-developed adventure game takes place in a ruined version of the modern world, as one young boy named Seto looks for any other surviving humans, armed only with a flashlight. XSEED plans to include a full English voice track, and has received "very promising" feedback from the development team about a dual language option.%Gallery-26285%
Fragile screens: great setting, uneven quality
We've been big fans of Fragile since its debut, and it's certainly a highly-anticipated title around here, even though we don't know whether or not it'll ever see a release outside of Japan (though it's likely). That doesn't mean, however, that we won't criticize it occasionally, and so we're going to point out that the latest screenshots, though intriguing, are a little uneven.We've seen this room before, and it looks tremendous; bright and colorful while still keeping the abandoned atmosphere of the game. But a few of these shots look a little messy; there are ragged, ugly edges on the protagonist. It's probably just the old curse of Wii stills, but next to the rest of the shots from the game, which are mostly fantastic, they stick out.%Gallery-26285%
Fragile battle montage is very Hitchcockian
Well, maybe not really, because there's only a brief segment at the tail end of this video for Fragile that shows several attacking birds on a sunny beach. The parts of the video leading up to that segment mainly focus on battling other creatures, such as glowing, floating jellyfish. Check it all out in the video above.%Gallery-26285%
Fragile: 30 hours long, no expense spared on development
Three senior members of the Fragile development team have chaired a panel in Japan to answer questions about the RPG. Between them, producer Kentarou Kawashima, art director Keiko Harada, and head programmer Munehito Yasui revealed that Fragile would take a meaty 30 hours to beat, that developing the game has taken two years, and that the entire process (including advertising) will cost "quite a bit of money" (NeoGAF's translation). Apparently, they also toyed with the idea of basing the game on exploration, with no combat at all -- a daring design choice that didn't come to fruition. The news that Namco Bandai is throwing everything but the kitchen sink at this gives us real, tangible hope for a western localization. We struggle to believe any sane publisher would throw oodles of cash at a project and limit its reach by making it Japan-only. You are sane, right, Namco Bandai? %Gallery-26285%[Via NeoGAF]
Fragile videos are awesomely heartbreaking
Wow. The Fragile theme song is amazing. It's definitely the Japanese video game theme song most likely to get tears out of us. The game looks beautifully melancholy as well, and that mood is in full effect in this haunting trailer. As the January 22 release approaches, and we still have yet to hear a word about localization, we're beginning to feel a bit down for a reason unrelated to the mood of the game. Between this and Fatal Frame IV, we're beginning to wonder what American publishers have against games about walking quietly through creepy old buildings.If that gorgeous video isn't enough Fragile for you, hit the break for five quick gameplay clips found on Gamekyo. We're glad this stuff came around after Christmas, because we're spared a pile of A Christmas Story references.%Gallery-26285%
Shine a light on Fragile's secrets
The flashlight is part of what gives tri-Crescendo's Fragile its look. The ruined environments look more otherworldly viewed through a spooky light. It makes sense, then, for tri-Crescendo to add some gameplay integration to the whole flashlight thing, to emphasize it some more. In addition to the normal flashlight, Seto finds (at least) two more portable lights as he explores: a higher-power flashlight that can illuminate farther into the distance, and reveal hidden enemies more quickly, and an eerie green light identified only as the "strange light," which can reveal hidden messages written on walls.We'd be a lot more excited about this game if we didn't have to trust Bandai Namco's RPG-hatin' US division to provide us with it. But, then, maybe we don't, with XSEED and Atari publishing recent and upcoming Namco games stateside -- the latter due to an anime licensing issue, but whatever.%Gallery-26285%
Latest Fragile trailer shows off contrasts
In this haunting new trailer for tri-Crescendo's Fragile, it's hard to decide if the haunting opening sequence or the actual in-game visuals are more compelling. As a marketing tool, this one definitely works. Of course, we were already sold on the devastated world depicted in Fragile, with its life-restoring fire and amazing music. We're somewhat forlorn at the sight of the game, however, due to that pesky lack of localization (yet). For all that we stare lovingly upon the latest footage, we are jealous of the bounty Japan is set to receive. We are left picking at the bones of media, and hoping, and dreaming. Gallery: Fragile
Another character, enchanting boxart added to the Fragile mix
Namco Bandai's Fragile isn't short on interesting characters. The latest is Shin, a brilliant (but socially weak) scientist and the latest addition to the game's ragtag cast. He'll be voiced by Toshio Furukawa (all of the game's dialog will be spoken), former voice star of Dragon Ball Z, Gundam, Metal Gear Solid Portable Ops, and Jann Lee of Dead or Alive fame.Though Fragile still can't match the oddball quotient of No More Heroes, it's encouraging to see Namco Bandai isn't falling back on stock RPG characters. We were going to mention how Shin might be the oddest-looking Fragile cast member yet, but then we remembered this guy. Join us past the break for a look at the game's eye-catching Japanese boxart, and catch 14 new screens in the gallery.%Gallery-26285%
The healing power of Fragile's bonfires
tri-Crescendo's Fragile is a game about searching a ruined world for survivors. The decayed, destroyed suburbia gives Fragile a melancholy look, and the newly-revealed bonfire system only strengthens that impression.Bonfires appear in various locations around the game. They are the only way to identify the type and use of wrapped "mystery" items, but more importantly bonfires unlock the memories each object holds of its owner, helping provide clues to the reason for the world's destruction.Evidently, bonfires also act as storage for items (represented by cards) in your bag. Only during bonfires can you swap items in and out of your bag. In addition to this, they restore your character's HP.%Gallery-26285%
Fragile gets Japanese release date, but still no localization
As a game that we would struggle to understand (even with copious amounts of this), and also as something that looks fantastic, Fragile is near the top of our list of DO WANT imports. Just to rub it in some more, Namco Bandai has announced a launch date of January 22nd, 2009 ... for Japan. Wouldn't it be nice if the game arrived on western shores in time for the traditionally drier months of the gaming calendar, leaving us with ample time to poke around its beautiful ruins?While we contemplate the horrors of a life without Fragile, check out our gallery for fifteen new stills from the Kamikaze Douga-directed Tokyo Game Show trailer.%Gallery-26285%
TGS08: New Fragile trailer reduces stress
Because seriously, how mellow is that tune? Lovely. Yours truly almost drifted off at his keyboard watching this. It's also nice to be reminded that we don't reside in a post-apocalyptic wasteland! This is the Tokyo Game Show trailer for Namco Bandai's Fragile, featuring plenty more of hero Seto and his female colleague Ren (who could both do with a comb through their hair), the floating spirit of a young girl, and a lot of cut-scenery. All in all, it's as enchanting and as beautiful as ever, if a little light on gameplay.%Gallery-26285%
Eternal Sonata confirmed for Europe in February 2009
Looks like Eternal Sonata is finally headed Europe's way this upcoming February, one year and four months after the release of the Xbox 360 version of the title. No exact date was announced, but we'll let you know as soon as that information becomes available. Namco Bandai promises more than just a straight port of the game: players who are willing give this title a chance will be treated to exclusive quests, multiple endings, new playable characters Crescendo and Serenade, new costumes and additional tunes from famed Polish composer Frederic Chopin. Still on the fence about this JRPG? Check out our hands-on impressions with the demo here. Are these new extras enticing enough for you to purchase a port of a game that's more than a year old?[Via press release]%Gallery-27695%
Fragile looking stronger all the time
Fragile's an interesting creature. An RPG, no doubt, but with the sort of theme that makes most other RPGs sound like cheap fantasy novels: ruin exploration. Neat! But it gets better, because we're obviously not talking about ancient Roman ruins or anything from these screenshots. Instead, it's the detritus of us, the ruins of our lives, as explored in a post-apocalyptic future. And, we must say, our future trash is awfully pretty. See for yourself in the updated screenshots in our gallery.%Gallery-26285%
PS3 Fanboy hands-on: Eternal Sonata
Eternal Sonata will be out in North America in a little over three weeks from now. Those of you who've held out getting the original title on the 360 are probably looking forward to that Oct. 21 date, but how does playing the game right now on your PS3 sound? Sounds good, doesn't it? Well you can download a newly released demo off the Japanese PS Store if you wish and see how things look on the PS3. While you wait for your 600MB download to finish, why not have a short read of our demo impressions to help get you through it?Anyway, if you've been interested in this title, you might have played it on a friend's 360 or perhaps tried out the XBL demo previously. If you've played it before, you'll notice right away that the game on PS3 looks exactly the same as the original. In other words, it still looks incredibly beautiful with its rich colors and crisp, sharp graphics. Also, if you've already tried out the 360 demo, you'll notice that this new Japanese one is practically a carbon copy -- it follows Allegretto, Polka and Beat on a trip through Tenuto Village and the Heaven's Mirror Forest. So if you've tried it out before, then there's nothing new here for you -- unless you want to make comparisons between versions. For those who've never played Eternal Sonata, you should definitely make some time to try this demo out and continue reading after the break.%Gallery-27695%
