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Archaic Rounded-Up Heat
We've experienced a minor explosion of information regarding Mistwalker's Archaic Sealed Heat from different sources around the Internet. We're glad, because, as much as we enjoy staring at scans, we don't know much at all about the game.First, Siliconera has outlined the battle system, meaning that we finally have some information about how to play Archaic Sealed Heat. It uses a grid-based strategy-RPG system, combined with traditional Final Fantasy-style turn-based combat, combined strategic party movements with the JRPG fighting we've all grown to love.Bilingual Gamer has also dropped some more real information on us, in the form of a translation of the Story and Character sections of Nintendo's official ASH site. "The cheering turned to screams, and the beast's unearthly sounds echoed throughout the land. A castle shattered and destroyed by flames, the noblemen of the House preparing for their deaths, and voices overshadowed by the fire." Now that's how you start an RPG. And, in case you don't trust an ASH post without scans, Jeux-France has posted a few scans loaded with screenshots. We feel so much more caught up now! Okay, back to waiting for the game.
ASH screens get a spit and polish
We burn like this flaming fellow for new information on Archaic Sealed Heat, but instead it seems we'll have to settle for updated screens that we've seen before in rough scanned form (and also, character art). It's always nice to get to see the real deal, though by now, we're itching like itchy things for Mistwalker to release some new media. Since the articles started hitting magazines, it seems we've been rehashing the same tidbits over and over. Look, Mistwalker, we're grateful, truly ... but see, here's the thing. You've gotten us addicted now. We need a fix. And that fix needs to be all new.Uh. Please? Thank you. Love, us.
Japan hit by ASH in October
No wonder we've been seeing so much on Archaic Sealed Heat in the magazines lately -- it's scheduled for release in Japan in early October. They must have been working overtime at Mistwalker, because this is no cobbled-together piece of work ... ASH looks like it could end up being one of the most amazing games we've seen on the DS to date. And now, it seems very likely that we'll be seeing a lot more in the coming months. Let's hope for some proper screenshots and a video or three!
Every glimpse of ASH makes us want it more
Over at Jeux-France, they have an amazing new set of scans from Nintendo Dream that show off some of the more incredible aspects of Archaic Sealed Heat. Unlike our last foray into the scanned coverage of ASH, these new pages are not quite as text-heavy, and instead offer a bevy of pictures of the controls, both the top and bottom screens, and comparisons between the artwork for the character models and how they appear on the bottom screen, as well as in the pre-rendered CG. The whole thing is very impressive, and with this limited view of the touchscreen controls, we're even a little more excited than we were before. We've included a few of the images after the post break, but you'll have to head over to Jeux-France to see the rest, including lots of close-ups of the scanned pages.
More Archaic Sealed Heat scans turn up
While we burn for new info on Archaic Sealed Heat, we'll happily take these enormous scans, even if they're mostly filled with images we've seen before. You know what else we want to hear about? Companies jockeying for the chance to localize this bad boy. Between the amazing top-screen FMVs and our love for all types of RPGs, we're going to need to see this one head outside Japan within a year of release. We're willing to wait -- but don't make us wait forever.Hit the jump for the scans, all of which are clickable for hi-res versions. And we're not kidding when we say that the bigger versions are big.
New Archaic Sealed Heat scan proves that we didn't just dream up the game
We knew that it would be a while after Mistwalker's late 2005 announcement before we'd see Archaic Sealed Heat's release, but with little-to-no new media on the SRPG since its unveiling and half of 2007 gone by without word on its status, it was hard to convince ourselves that the game still existed.Shonen Jump's latest issue confirms that, yes, ASH is still being worked on for a holiday 2007 release, and that the graphics look just as impressive as ever. Check past the post break for the scanned magazine page to see a sampling of the ASH's artwork, CG cutscenes, and screenshots!
Pokemon at the Gates of Fire
We don't know when it became in vogue to dub over Pokemon cartoon clips with audio from 300's trailers, but that appears to be what's hot on the streets nowadays. And when we say "the streets," keep in mind that we mean Youtube.Some mashups are better than others, so we've pasted three of these animated adaptations for you to cast your hot-or-not votes on past the jump. If you've ever wanted to see the likenesses of King Leonidas and Mewtwo played out, today is your lucky day.[Thanks, Ali!]
