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Mythos European open beta starts today
It's been a long road home for Mythos, the free-to-play hack-and-slash MMO from HanbitSoft and Frogster. The game, which enters its European open beta phase today, originally began its life at ill-fated Flagship Studios and was resurrected after the company's dissolution. After a lengthy development cycle, Mythos has officially thrown open its doors to all registered players (over 100,000 of them to date) in preparation for the game's April 28th launch day. A Frogster press release indicates that additional optimization and localization will continue throughout the open beta, and considerable new content will be introduced as well. The level cap will be raised from 27 to 50, and adventurers will be able to explore the snow-capped Umbral Peaks. Players can download Mythos for free at the official website or pick up a retail box version at stores or online retailers. The box copy includes several bonus items as well as a two-day head start on the game's official release.
First Impressions: Divine Souls
Divine Souls, published by Outspark, reminds me of Vindictus in far too many ways. I only question which came first and whether more fighting games like the two are coming in the future. While I have had a lot of love for Vindictus since its release, I also have had enough issues with it that I had to stop playing it much at all. While I will save that for another article, I can use the popular Nexon release to illustrate what is wrong and right about Divine Souls. More of Massively's readers are probably familiar with Vindictus, so that will be a good point of comparison. Think of Divine Souls as Vindictus' uglier little cousin. Granted, Vindictus is a supermodel, so that makes Divine Souls just an average beautiful person, but it should still be noted. Also, both games pit players against hordes of enemies -- massive swarms of baddies that die in spectacular ways. Well, spectacular when you see them for the first few times. After that it becomes pretty repetitive. Join me past the cut and let's talk about what I liked and didn't like about Divine Souls. Don't worry, there are no baddies to jump you.
First Impressions: Spiral Knights
If you were one of the lucky few who grabbed a Spiral Knights beta key recently, then you will appreciate the joy I feel when talking about this game. It's simply a toy -- a ray-gun or a tin robot. It does what it is supposed to do and does it on a variety of machines without many issues. It is mechanized fun, simple and to the point, yet somehow also endearing and even sweet. Perhaps the tiny robots and adorably destructive weaponry implemented by the folks at Three Rings help to bind the game to our hearts, because I found myself worrying that the little robot I was aiding would never find the materials he needed to escape from the dreadful gearworks and steam engines I was forced to investigate. Confused? Well, go log in and try it out or click past the cut to hear my explanation!
Dungeon Defenders headed to PSN, XBLA, PC this fall
Fans of dungeon crawlers and tower defense, take note: a new game combining the two is on its way to XBLA, PSN and PC this fall. Created by Trendy Entertainment, Dungeon Defenders mixes the hack-and-slash, loot-driven gameplay of dungeon crawlers with the strategic decisions of tower defense. Players are faced with an oncoming horde of monsters and must protect their Eternia Crystals by both building defensive measures and taking the fight directly to the enemy. Dungeon Defense will feature four-player cooperative action both online and off, 15 different arenas and multiple modes of play. It's also darned cute. Go to Big Download for a demo of the original game, and check out some screens below and a trailer after the break. %Gallery-100371%
Torchlight 2 announced for Spring 2011 [update]
Sleeper hit Torchlight is set to receive its first sequel next spring. At this rate, the dungeon-crawling digital distribution darling may release its third entry before Diablo 3 even begins to stir from its long development slumber. The big change this time out for the dungeon crawler will be online co-op. Runic Games notes that the game will feature a free peer-to-peer matchmaking service to "meet new players of a similar level and interest." And this time around, the world will include "expansive" randomized outdoor environments -- don't worry, the dungeons are still there -- along with "random instanced and persistent dungeons." Expect new monsters, weather effects, a new story and LOOT! Torchlight 2 will be playable at GamesCom later this month in Germany and at PAX Prime (Seattle) in September. The game will "initially" launch as a downloadable title in Spring 2011. Update: Torchlight 2's initial launch will be on PC, with the Mac version rolling in at a "TBD" date. As for consoles, a Runic representative tells Joystiq, "We would love to bring both games to console, but we have no plans for it at this time."
Frogster releases Mythos cinematic
Looking to get your Mythos fix prior to the game's 2011 release? Look no further than the just-released trailer courtesy of Frogster. The video, which runs a little over a minute and a half, serves as both a teaser and the upcoming free-to-play MMO's opening cinematic. Mythos, a throw-back dungeon crawler, has somewhat of a checkered history, given that it was originally developed by now-defunct Flagship Studios before being shuttered and subsequently kick-started by HanbitSoft. The game is now being published by Redbana in North America and Frogster in Europe, and it features solo and group PvP, three distinct classes, and a unique visual style inspired by comic books. Check out our interview with the Mythos dev team and don't forget to sample the trailer after the cut.
Redbana releases Mythos screens, relaunches website
Redbana has let loose a little bit of new information regarding their upcoming Mythos MMORPG. Along with revamping the game's official website, the North American publisher has released five new screenshots of the title in action. The shots show everything from the user interface, to the in-game map, to dungeon and outdoor combat. Mythos, a Diablo-esque dungeon crawler, was originally produced at Flagship Studios before being acquired by HanbitSoft, and features a classic isometric perspective along with a deep itemization system. Check out the new screens that we've collected for you in the gallery below, and don't forget to stop by the game's new website. %Gallery-10781%
Ninety-Nine Nights 2 assaults Xbox 360 on June 29
Konami has announced that Ninety-Nine Nights 2, sequel to Q Entertainment's lackluster 2006 title, is set to launch on June 29. And because the first game was met with such lukewarm reception, Konami has prepared a media onslaught documenting the story, improvements and multiplayer of the sequel. Above, you can find a brisk video highlighting the events of the second game. For the remainder of the videos, you'll have to head past the break. One provides a quick rundown of the sequel's improvements, while the other gives us an overview of the multiplayer functionality. And if all of that hacking and slashing gives you a touch of the Lucille Twos, then maybe you should just check out the motionless stills in our gallery below. %Gallery-94289%
The Light and How to Swing It: Bad habits in dungeons
With the Light as his strength, Gregg Reece of The Light and How to Swing It faces down the demons of the Burning Legion, the undead of the Scourge, and soon, an entire flight of black dragons. If you've never seen the "How to Paladin" series by stoker2 ... don't. If you have seen it, my apologies and I will continue to attempt to stop Michael Gray from linking them in Moviewatch. However, I thought it would be a perfect example of things paladins shouldn't do for a lead into my article. We're going to talk a bit about bad habits. Some of these bad habits come from learning your class while soloing and the differences you have to make in your playstyle when questing versus when dungeon running. Some of these bad habits are born out of running mostly PvP content and then moving from there into PvE, where the same tricks are more harmful than helpful. Still other bad habits come from having extremely powerful gear. When you overgear content, you start to lose sight of what it's like to have to work at things. You forget that you used to do 1,800 DPS on a good day in your quest greens and what tricks you used to work through each pull. You also start to do stunts that would have wiped your party without question three tiers of content ago. After the break, we'll take a look at a variety of these bad habits and talk about why you might want to break those habits before the Cataclysm.
GDC10: Erebus hands-on impressions
This year's Game Developer's Conference featured a ton of free-to-play titles, and one of the most intriguing was Erebus: Travia Reborn, a classically inspired dungeon crawler with retro graphics and a distinctive Diablo-esque feel. We sat down for a hands-on demo with the developers from Outspark and came away enthused about trying the full version of the game when it releases later this year. This free-to-play MMORPG, as its subtitle suggests, is inspired by the Korean game known as Travia, but has been heavily modified for western audiences. "We've updated the graphics, changed game play, added in faction warfare, new classes and skills, and rebalanced the game, making a ton of changes. Erebus is a really unique dungeon crawler for North American and European audiences," said the Outspark team. Hit the jump for our impressions as well as the teaser trailer.
Joystiq's Top 10 of 2009: Borderlands
It's not often we see a game that effectively mixes genres to create something entirely new. Borderlands did just that this year, taking the obsessive, loot-driven mechanics of a dungeon crawler and stuffing them within the friendly and familiar confines of a first-person shooter. Borderlands also oozes style and never takes itself too seriously. It's a fun adventure, full of charismatic NPCs and an experience akin to the kind of childhood adventures you'd embark on with friends, battling imaginary monsters and building forts in the back yard.
Torchlight editor 'TorchED' released, full of modding riches
Now may be the perfect time to come up from the deepest bowels of Torchlight's dungeons to take a breather from all of your greedy hoarding, as Shacknews reports the game's mod tools are now available. Runic Games originally announced the tool set would be a separate download following the late-October release of the game and the dev has made good on that promise, gifting us all with TorchED. TorchED allows one to manage all aspects of the game, from creating custom levels to modifying skills right down to quest construction. For you budding quest composers out there, Runic offers a list of tips to get your mod on that you may wish to check out. [Via Shacknews]
Torchlight to explore retail shelves in January
Torchlight, the action-RPG from Runic Games, is available right now via the game's official site or Steam. However, early next year, the game will also be available at brick-and-mortar shops, Joystiq sister site Big Download confirms. The news comes from Runic Games' head of PR, who says that a boxed version will hack and slash its way to retail shelves sometime in early January. Currently, Torchlight is only compatible with Windows, but the team is hard at work getting it ready for Macs and is also preparing the game's first patch and mod tools. If you fancy yourself a fan of the Diablo series and have Steam, then give the demo a chance -- Torchlight was created in part by Diablo and Diablo II co-designers Max and Erich Schaefer, after all. %Gallery-72098%
Compare the two styles of the Dark Spire
Atlus's first-person dungeon RPG The Dark Spire is playable in two "flavors": a modern mode with colorful, hand-drawn 2D graphics, and a classic mode that provides an authentic early-80s wireframe dungeon experience, complete with simplistic enemy sprites. The company sent out a set of screens today that allows us to compare the two modes directly:our gallery contains six scenes from the game in Modern Mode, paired with the identical scene as presented in Retrovision. Looking at these Classic Mode shots, we are struck by the unique terror that comes with realizing that we are lost in an RPG dungeon -- even without having played the game. %Gallery-46720%
Fanswag: Pokemon Mystery Dungeon 2
Hey folks, it's time for another giveaway. This round we'll be hooking up two lucky readers with copies of Pokemon Mystery Dungeon. Also, one of those lucky two readers will get a free Pokemon T-shirt that Nintendo sent over with the game. If it isn't your size, we'd suggest you give it to one of your cousins or something.What's up for grabs: One Grand Prize winner will receive Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time (valued at $35) and one Enter the Dungeon T-shirt One runner-up will receive Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Darkness (valued at $35) In order to enter, you must leave a comment telling us what your absolute favorite Pokemon is. You can leave a comment once per day, and before entering, make sure you are a legal and current United States or Canadian resident (excluding Quebec) and at least 18 years of age. The giveaway starts now and ends on Sunday, August 10th at 11:59pm ET. Don't forget to give the official rules a read, as well!Best of luck to all of you and, as always, thanks for reading DS Fanboy!
Izuna 2 QA causes a lot of pink hair pulling
Izuna 2: The Unemployed Ninja Returns is about more than mini-posters and sexy ninjas -- a lot of work goes into getting a game like this localized. Not only does a good localization team have to focus on the translation, but they also need to fix any bugs or problems that gamers found in the Japanese release. Apparently, fixing bugs for a roguelike is especially hard and frustrating, as you might have guessed.Here's the Quality Assurance stat breakdown, according to Atlus: Number of testers on Izuna 2: 6 Number of DS systems almost thrown against the wall: 6 Number of system-type bugs our testers reported: 104 Number of text bugs our testers reported: 259 Number of times the testers nearly gave the project lead a heart attack with a fake system bug: 3 Number of bugs our testers reported to which we responded: "That's not a bug, that's the way this game works:" 17 Number of monkeys we could have hired to do their job: 0 The production diary is actually a really interesting read that not only Izuna fans, but also people interested in the localization process should give a look. Besides, we always appreciate more insight on how the other side of the gaming industry works. Gallery: Izuna 2
$10 Orcs and Elves on Gamestop shelves
This tempting deal applies to brick and mortar stores only, but some eagle-eyed Cheap Ass Gamers noticed that Orcs and Elves is available at Gamestop for $9.99. The game may be a cell phone port, but $10 for John Carmack's fantastical dungeon-crawler is a more-than-fair price. Ten bucks appears to be the going rate at all Gamestops, but we'll throw in a "your mileage may vary" warning just in case. Unfortunately, you won't be able to snag the sweet-looking wand stylus with this purchase, but cheap gamers like us just have to cut corners sometimes.You may not be able to buy the game online, but by clicking on the picture or the "Source" link below, you can see if it's available at a Gamestop near you. Gallery: Orcs & Elves [Via CAG]
DS Fanboy Review: Summon Night: Twin Age
RPGs, by definition, are immersive – hence the name "role-playing game." Yet, the existence of the fourth wall in video games is an obstacle when it comes to such follies, so the software must rely on a number of charms to keep the player engrossed. The story is often the driving force behind such immersion, but gameplay is equally important so that the title is actually enjoyable, too. Factor in the visuals, controls, music, and so forth, and you realize that a lot of things must fall into place to make a truly memorable RPG. While Summon Night: Twin Age doesn't hit all these aspects square on the head, each element is addressed to satisfaction, making Flight-Plan's title both charming and addictive. To see what works, what doesn't work, and what kind of works, check past the break and read our review. %Gallery-3357%
Etrian Odyssey, FFTA2 developers want to speak with you
Even if it is really all about plugging their products, we love it when game developers choose to communicate directly with us, the dirty, huddled masses, and today has brought news of two studios who are inviting questions from gamers.First up is Atlus, or more specifically Nich Maragos, Atlus USA Editor and Project Lead for both of the Etrian Odyssey games. Between now and June 17th, he'll be answering as many of your Etrian-related queries as he can here. Maragos is accepting questions about either of the two DS games, perhaps to accommodate for PAL region players, who only just received the first game last Friday. Ask him why Europe had to wait so long, if you like. Go on, do it.Next in line is the entire development team for Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift, who are clearly pretty confident that they'll be receiving an absolute avalanche of questions, as they're doing this as a group. You'll have to be a signed-up Square Enix member, though, which will mean having to fill in this form.Ask Atlus!Ask Square Enix!%Gallery-15249%%Gallery-5422%[Via Go Nintendo and NeoGAF]
Flowers, Dungeons, and Pain confirmed for Europe
A new batch of European release dates has suddenly materialized from Nintendo, and is packed with all sorts of exciting confirmations. The most thrilling, for us at least, is the news that Flower, Sun, and Rain will be getting that rumored European release this October, followed by Lux Pain in November. If you want to know where to send your effusive "thank you" letters, Rising Star are the ones in charge of localizing both titles. Other items of interest include a specific launch date for Bakushow, and Euro versions of Pokémon Platinum (big surprise, right?) and Dungeon Maker.But here's a question: what's with DS Novel? It's been hanging around on these lists for the best part of eight months now, and we're still no nearer to learning a release date or what it even is. Check out the full list for yourselves past the break!%Gallery-12911%%Gallery-18526%
