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Time and Eternity trailer features two souls in one-on-one battles
Here's a better feel for how battles work in the upcoming Time and Eternity, thankfully without that voiceover. In the Imageepoch PS3 RPG you control two souls trapped in one magical princess body, trying to escape the cycle of a recurring wedding day. Like most weddings, then.
New Time and Eternity screens are getting married
NIS America's PS3 role-playing game Time and Eternity got some flashy new screens, which show main characters Toki and an unnamed knight from the kingdom of Kamza getting married. What the screens don't show is the interruption of the wedding by a band of assassins, setting the stage for the rest of the adventure. Don't you just hate when that happens? The game features turn-based battles that offer players the chance to control their characters to dodge attacks. Also, players can switch Toki's personality to her more aggressive counterpart, Towa, throughout the game. This knight probably should have known about that before tying the knot. Time and Eternity is coming to PS3 this summer. %Gallery-187562%
Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers cracks Europe this fall
NIS America is bringing Shin Megami Tensei Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers to Europe this fall, hot on the heels of the 3DS game finally being localized in North America. The Atlus dungeon crawler, originally released for the Sega Saturn in 1997, will in turn reach Europe for the first time in around a few months time.NIS America also confirmed to us a concrete European release date for Imageepoch PS3 RPG Time and Eternity: June 28. That matches up with what Amazon's been listing for the region, not for the first time for a NIS America game. With that in mind, don't be surprised if Time and Eternity's "summer" window for North America gets upgraded to July 16.
Black Rock Shooter is actually an RPG, and NIS America is publishing it on PSP
Black Rock Shooter: The Game is a PSP RPG, one of Imageepoch's "JRPG" line of games. It's based on a growing media empire (anime, music manga) featuring a young woman who carries a cannon that fires rocks. So it's not just a clever name! As you might expect of a game with a cannon-wielding protagonist, Black Rock Shooter has elements of third-person shooting (like ... shooting), but it's alongside RPG-style leveling. NIS America plans to release Black Rock Shooter in America and Europe as part of its deal with Imageepoch. The company has yet to date these releases, "but we are working hard to get it out as soon as possible," said NIS's Jack Niida in the announcement. "Please look forward to this amazing game."
Imageepoch working on a ton of games
Last year, upon the foundation of its "JRPG" label, developer Imageepoch announced eight projects, including the PSP RPG Final Promise Story, a Black Rock Shooter game, two Chevalier Saga Tactics games and four other works mentioned only in teaser form. Speaking at a pre-launch event for Final Promise Story (which comes out on April 28), CEO Ryoei Mikage upped the number of total projects in development at Imageepoch to eleven-ish: Final Promise Story and roughly 10 more. New details about Final Promise Story were revealed at the event as well. Mikage wants the game to be as hard as '80s-era RPGs, such that it will be difficult to complete the game on Normal with all the characters surviving. FPS features two types of death: the normal variety, in which a character can no longer fight and must be revived, and the state of being "Lost," which takes the character out of the game permanently.
NIS America publishing Imageepoch games in North America and Europe
Fans of niche JRPGs nobody else has heard of will have something to look forward to when NIS America brings Imageepoch's games to North America and Europe. NIS America made a name for itself with the Disgaea franchise, and Imageepoch CEO Ryoei Mikage explained during a press conference (via Dengeki) announcing three new games that it's the reason he chose to go with them -- specifically, the company's ability to move 150,000 to 200,000 units per installment in the beloved tactical series. Mikage's plan is to first appeal to diehard JPRG fans overseas (that's you!) then go from there. Sadly, Mikage didn't reveal which would be the first game localized for The West, but considering the event revealed three new games, it's a good chance any of these could be considered: Black Rock Shooter: The Game, Tales of the Last Promise and Chevalier Saga Tactics. Yatta!
Imageepoch launches 'JRPG' publishing label
Imageepoch, developer of RPGs like Luminous Arc and Sands of Destruction, announced a move into publishing at a press event in Tokyo today. The company detailed the first three games to be published under this new "JRPG" label, the first of which will be a strategy RPG for PSP, called Saigo no Yakusoku no Monogatari, or "Final Promise Story" -- yes, an "FPS" by JRPG. Imageepoch CEO Ryoei Mikage said that game is being designed around the concept of permanent character death (so the story changes if and when you lose a character). Final Promise Story has been dated for release in Japan on April 28, 2011. Later in 2011, Imageepoch will release another PSP RPG, this one based on the Black Rock Shooter anime, and then will come Chevalier Saga Tactics -- first as a free-to-play PC game, then later as a mobile and PS3 release (Imageepoch's first HD effort). In addition to these three games, Imageepoch teased four more projects, including a Type-Moon collaboration and a remake of a classic PC game; announced plans to work on smartphone apps; and confirmed that it will continue to develop for other publishers even as it self-publishes some titles. Currently, Imageepoch is working on a game for Sega, which will be assisting with distribution of the "JRPG" releases. Trailers for the first three JRPG ... RPGs are posted after the break.
Look out! New Arc Rise Fantasia screens appear
New screens from the upcoming Ignition Entertainment published RPG Arc Rise Fantasia have emerged, featuring the game's strategic turn-based battle action. Originally announced as an XSEED published title, Arc Rise Fantasia was snatched out of XSEED's announced lineup by Ignition in late 2009. The upcoming RPG is developed by Sands of Destruction's imageepoch and is set for a summer 2010 release. %Gallery-86696%
Ignition now publishing Arc Rise Fantasia
Ignition Entertainment has somehow done it again: snagged a Marvelous game out of XSEED's announced lineup. Arc Rise Fantasia, which XSEED announced plans to localize in late 2008, and which was still in XSEED's slate as of E3, has been picked up by Ignition Entertainment for release in summer 2010. The turn-based RPG is developed by Sands of Destruction's imageepoch. New screens (in our gallery) accompany the announcement.When Ignition picked up another previously-announced XSEED Wii title, Muramasa: The Demon Blade, XSEED told Joystiq that Marvelous was taking proposals from publishers and made the final decision to go with Ignition well after XSEED began promoting the title. At the time, we thought that was an anomaly. %Gallery-76288%
DS Fanboy Review: Luminous Arc 2
There's a lot of strategy available on the DS. Whatever your strategy-flavor preference, you can get it (almost), so it takes a lot for these newer faces to stand out. If all you saw of the Luminous Arc series was the ads and the occasional screenshot, you might think the burgeoning franchise was all about boobs and butts, and while they play an important part, of course, there's a lot more to Luminous Arc than itty-bitty witch costumes. The other thing working against (or maybe for some, for) the glut of strategy-style games on the DS is the inherent sameness of titles in the genre. You've got some dudes, a grid, and a lot of battles, once the good guys run into the bad on said grid. Because of that, everything else about the game is scrutinized heavily; after we've established that combat isn't broken and the game works in a strategic sort of sense, we're left studying controls, scripting, presentation, and just plain fun factor. Luckily, Luminous Arc 2 does manage to shine in those categories. Gallery: Luminous Arc 2
DS Fanboy Preview: Luminous Arc 2
We like to poke fun at Luminous Arc and its successor due to all the boobs-and-butts shots, but we do it out of love. Despite the first title's somewhat lackluster overall review scores, it's looked on a little more fondly in the DS Fanboy offices. The first game had a lot working for it, and a major thing working against it: the controls. So when we sat down for a little quality time with the sequel, Luminous Arc 2, we paid particular attention to that aspect. And guess what?It's better, and not only that, but the ability to do things your way is great. D-pad or stylus control? It's up to you. Tap through the cutscenes, play them automatically, or skip them altogether? Make it your game. For those reasons alone, Luminous Arc 2 is worth a go.%Gallery-15251%
Imageepoch maybe working on a PSP title
Imageepoch, best know in the US for the DS RPG title Luminous Arc and the upcoming Wii title Arc Rise Fantasia, is contemplating development of a game for the PSP. Ryoei Mikage, President of Imageepoch, told Siliconera that "Next year or next, next year there might be a really cool action PSP game." For those of you who have played Imageepoch's other titles, are you excited by this news?
Sega destroys the world with new RPG
Not to be outdone by The World Ends With You, Sega has announced its own apocalypse-impending RPG in the latest issue of Famitsu, World Destruction. With Masato Kato, Yasunori Mitsuda, and Kunihiko Tanaka managing the game's script, music, and character design, Image Epoch (Luminous Arc) is also working on the production, clearing up at least one of the developer's three mystery projects listed on its company site.World Destruction will be a traditional RPG with turn-based combat and giant bosses filling up both of the system's screens. Following Blue Dragon and Inazuma Eleven's example, Sega will accompany the game's summer release with an anime starting July. Turn your Bible to the Book of Revelation and head past the post break for a glimpse at two of World Destruction's characters.
Luminous Arc 2 screens: not as eye-catching as the character art
Today's update is for those of us who are more interested in the actual gameplay of Luminous Arc 2, rather than being hooked and unable to stop starin'. That's not to say that these screens don't look nice; in terms of SRPG presentation, they look great. They just lack round things in your face. The graphical style of the new game seems to be exactly like that of the last game-- isometric perspective, 2D art, dialogue accompanied by waist-up anime portraits of characters-- but that's just fine with us. Even reviewers had to shout about the graphics in the first entry. If Image Epoch revamps the control scheme, this may be quite worth looking into.
Luminous Arc 2 loves big butts and it cannot lie
Perhaps to counter Luminous Arc's mediocre review scores and lacking sales, character designer Kaito Shibano has shifted the sequel's art direction away from the ample bustlines of the original game, instead drawing our eyes to the only thing boys dream about more than online-enabled SRPGs: callipygian women. The above image, minus the Sir Mixalotism we've added (of which we have many we're waiting to share with you), greeted us upon our arrival at the official Japanese site that publisher Marvelous Interactive set up yesterday. There's not much available in the way of new media, but the character section is sure to eventually include a better look at the witch antagonists's cheekier outfits. Of course, while we're on the subject, we have to ask: Are you a Luminous Arc kind of guy, or do you consider Luminous Arc 2 Will more of a priority?[Via GBA Temp]
Sequel day continues with Luminous Arc
Image Epoch isn't wasting any time unloading the sequel to their first effort, Luminous Arc. Marvelous Interactive has announced that they will publish the sequel in Japan by year's end, despite the fact that the first only hit there this past February! But is that really the best time for this sequel? At year's end, Luminous Arc 2 will have a lot of similar competition fighting it out on Japanese shelves. There's Dragon Quest IV, Final Fantasy IV, Final Fantasy Tactics A2, the thus-far irresistible Archaic Sealed Heat ... and we're just scratching the surface. Let's hope Luminous Arc 2 Will doesn't get lost in the shuffle. The sequel does promise more in the way of content, equipment and battles, as well as more of the eye-catching art style that brought the first into the spotlight. We'll keep our eyes peeled to see if this latest entry can hold its own.
Promotional Consideration: The Buxom Witch Trial [update 1]
Promotional Consideration is a weekly feature about the Nintendo DS advertisements you usually flip past, change the channel on, or just tune out.Grabbing someone's attention while simultaneously providing useful information about a game can be a difficult task, especially when you only have a fraction of screen space to do so. This week, we'll be chewing over several banner advertisements for Luminous Arc, tallying their strengths and, more often than not, shortcomings. Join us past the break for more site ads from both ourselves and Atlus.
Lush new Luminous Arc screens
We hate to torture everyone, but these new Luminous Arc screens are so pretty that it seemed best that we all sigh together and rise up as one, railing for a release outside Japan for this upcoming strategy RPG. But we may be speaking too soon; Image Epoch, the team behind Luminous Arc, is untested -- to date, they've only contracted for other companies, so we can only guess at the quality of the game. The screenshots, at least, look good enough to eat. Check 'em out after the jump, but beware some slight watermarking.
