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Date Namco characters and the Galaga ship in Namco High
Namco High, a dating sim game where you woo Namco Bandai characters as one of the Katamari Damacy Prince's cousins, is now available to play. As the new kid in class, you need to carefully navigate the dangerous social jungle of high school if you want to go steady with characters like Mr. Driller (Mr. Driller), Lolo (Klonoa) and a spaceship (Galaga). The game's creative director is Andrew Hussie, creator of Homestuck. You'll need a hall pass HTML5-capable web browser and a Namco Bandai ID account to get in, but once you've gained admittance to Namco High, you don't necessarily have to purchase a thing; while some characters will cost real-world money to unlock, six of the game's students are very cheap dates (because they're free). If you want to expand your romantic options, premium characters can be unlocked for $1.95 individually, $4.95 when purchased in sets of three, or $14.95 for the whole lot. Fans of Homestuck should be especially pleased, as three of the 18 total dateable characters are from Hussie's webcomic.
Pyrrha, Astaroth, Nightmare unveiled for Soulcalibur: Lost Swords
Three wise fighters came to Soulcalibur: Lost Swords. And lo, the swordswoman Pyrrha offered the game the gift of Woe, the meat slab Astaroth presented the gift of Destruction, and the dark knight Nightmare... more Destruction. It was not the happiest of holidays, especially since Soulcalibur: Lost Swords really wanted a Buzz Lightyear doll. And lo, Namco's free-to-play, single-player fighter ventures onto PS3 sometime next year.
Ace Combat: Infinity pushed back to 2014
It's no surprise Ace Combat: Infinity won't land this year, making it the second of Namco's free-to-play PS3 games to barrel roll into 2014. Both it and Soulcalibur: Lost Swords were due in 2013, but with the year rapidly drawing to a close, Namco Bandai made their delays official. As Gematsu reports, the official vagary from Namco is the delay was made to provide a "better" end product. Both games underwent beta testing in recent months, with a closed Ace Combat: Infinity beta ending yesterday in Japan. Namco hasn't provided official word on what to expect from either game's microtransactions. In October, Ace Combat Brand Manager Kazutoki Kono told Joystiq going down the F2P route was "maybe a difficult call" given some apprehension from fans, but that he believed it would prove worthwhile and wouldn't affect Infinity's quality.
Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Z demos high-flying, Goku-powered gameplay in new trailers
Namco Bandai has released a pair of gameplay trailers for its upcoming anime-based brawler Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Z, giving a lengthy demonstration of the game's single-player mode and cooperative multiplayer component. Contrasting the many one-on-one fighters (and occasional Kinect oddities) based on Dragon Ball Z in recent years, Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Z revolves around a single-player story mode in which players square off against series villains and wreak the kind of landscape-ruining havoc only Goku is capable of wreaking. Gameplay is inspired by the beat-'em-up genre, and stages take place in wide-open areas suited for flight and ranged attacks. Fly, Goku. Fly. Dragon Ball Z is set to launch in North America on January 28 for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PS Vita, with pre-order bonuses available at participating retailers. A multiplayer trailer can be seen after the break below.
Soulcalibur won't draw free-to-play Lost Swords until next year
Free-to-play fighter Soulcalibur: Lost Swords is now due in 2014, after originally being pinned to hit PS3 via PSN in winter 2013. The new release window was announced on the series' official Facebook page, and via two trailers from Namco Bandai Europe. The two trailers showcase returning combatants Sophitia and Siegfried, but are essentially the same videos released by Namco Japan last month. As for the game, we do know that shirtless samurai Mitsurugi is another confirmed fighter, the game itself is limited to single-player, and that it runs on the next iteration of the Soulcalibur 5 engine. Beyond that, confirmed details are as difficult to find as the swords.
Tales of Zestiria unveiled for PS3
Cue mass Zestiria: Namco's countdown ended today with the announcement of Tales of Zestiria, a new PS3 entry in the RPG series. The reveal trailer was shown during a Namco Bandai livestream (captured by Kagayaki Channel), then smiley series creator Hideo Baba divulged a little of what to expect from the newest Tales game. As both Siliconera and Gematsu report, dragons will play a big part in the story, hence the logo and the fiery end to the trailer. According to Gematsu, the game is set in Glynnwood, a continent being fought over by the Highland Kingdom and Laurence Empire. Both factions, however, live in fear and worship of the mysterious Family of Heaven, whose supernatural power shapes the world. As for the characters, so far it's a case of brains and brawn. The brown-haired fellow in the cape is Slay, a moral, intelligent type, while the blonde knight is Alicia. "Over the past few years the 'Tales of' team has taken great strides to strengthen our relationship with players across North America and Europe. To respond to their love and support I am honored to open a new chapter of the 'Tales of' series together with Japanese and overseas fans," said Baba in a Namco Europe press release, confirming the game will head west as well to Japan. Details are a bit on the sparse side for now, but more are set to surface in the next issue of Famitsu. We may also learn more from next weekend's Jump Festa 2014 expo in Tokyo.
New Dark Souls 2 screens are looking kind of blue
From Software hints at the many new and exciting ways in which players can expect to die in its latest batch of screenshots for Dark Souls 2, due for release next year for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC. These new shots also give a glimpse at the game's Blue Phantom mechanic, which allows you to enlist the help of online players during combat. A YouTube user helpfully demonstrates how useful/terrifying Blue Phantoms can be during gameplay with this murderous little vignette, inexplicably accompanied by vocals from Randy Newman.
Ridge Racer Slipstream overtakes rivals on iOS, Android this month
Namco Bandai announced that the next entry in its long-running Ridge Racer series will premiere for iOS and Android platforms later this month with 20 playable tracks and a wide variety of customization options in tow. Ridge Racer Slipstream features 12 vehicles that can be outfitted with over 300 customization items unlocked during gameplay. Slipstream follows up on the recent free-to-play Ridge Racer Driftopia on PC, and is the second game in the series to hit iOS since 2009's release of Ridge Racer Accelerated. Ridge Racer Slipstream will launch on December 19.
Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm Revolution plans a trip west
Namco Bandai has confirmed that Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm Revolution will arrive in Europe and North America on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The latest in CyberConnect2's long-running fighting game series is due to leave Japan for the west sometime in 2014. The announcement on Facebook promises "new moves, new modes, new characters," while the European press release past the break says there will be "tons of new techniques, a never-before-seen number of playable characters and a new character designed by Naruto's author: Masashi Kishimoto." There will be 100 total playable characters in Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm Revolution and a new, unknown mechanic called Combination Ultimate Jutsu is said to be introduced. CyberConnect2's series is based on the Naruto manga, created by Masashi Kishimoto, focusing on the titular Naruto Uzumaki – a plucky teenage ninja with a terrible demon sealed inside him. Despite being a vessel for an evil spirit, Naruto is often a cheerful and energetic lad who has no difficulty befriending other ninjas such as himself.
Namco Bandai shows off invaders, cooperators in Dark Souls 2 screens
Remember, remember, the 16th of November, when Joystiq gave you new screens showing off invaders and cooperators in Dark Souls 2, courtesy Namco Bandai. We know, it doesn't rhyme. So what? You'll have bigger things to worry about when the infamously-brutal RPG kills you repeatedly on March 11, 2014.
SoulCalibur: Lost Swords fights alongside friends in new screens
Namco's newly released screens of free-to-play, single-player entry SoulCalibur: Lost Swords are more revealing than they first seem. According to Siliconera, what we're looking at is a support system that lets you temporarily swap in a friend's character for your own. Namco Bandai hasn't released any concrete details on what modes feature in Lost Swords, but we do know the game's running on the "next iteration" of the SoulCalibur 5 engine. As Producer Masaaki Hashino told us in September, "The game system itself is quite different, it's been more streamlined and simplified so that people can more easily perform flashy, over-the-top maneuvers," Soulcalibur: Lost Swords is due to hit the PlayStation Network this winter.
Hoping to honor composer, fan crafts new Ni no Kuni score
Sam Joseph Delves adores the score composed for Ni no Kuni by Joe Hisaishi. So much so that he's enlisted professional musicians to help him recreate the entire thing. Initially, Delves' thought to capture the attention of Hisaishi by simply re-creating his Ni no Kuni score as a hobby. Delves set up a Tumblr (aptly title "SamScoresNiNoKuni") to document his efforts, but once word spread, he received an unexpected outpouring of support for his work. The video you see above is Delves performing alongside an orchestra enlisted by BBC documentary composer Howard Davidson. The SamScoresNiNoKuni Tumblr features an additional 15 songs drawn from the game, and those of you who particularly enjoy Delves' take on Hisaishi's music can download a free, three-song EP directly from the site. Despite Delves' impressive work, he has yet to have any contact with Joe Hisaishi.
Soulcalibur 2 HD Online sharpens its weapons next month
On Wednesday November 20, Soulcalibur 2 HD Online will transcend history and the world. Or to be specific, Namco Europe announced the remastered fighter will be available to download on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. It's unclear if that date applies to the US version - tradition is for XBLA and PSN games to arrive on Tuesdays - but we do have a Euro-price of €19. which ought to translate to a US tag in the $20 region. The absence of GameCube guest Link is upsetting but understandable, but PS2 and Xbox returnees Heihachi and Spawn do at least feature. As the name suggests, this tale of souls and sword will be eternally retold in high-definition, with support for online versus play.
Close the blinds and lock the doors, for Dark Souls 2 screens draw near
Forget those other would-be horror games on Hallow's Eve, because there's naught more chilling than losing all your souls. Let these screens serve as warning, PS3s and Xbox 360s, that Dark Souls 2 roams the streets on March 11, 2014, then stalks PCs shortly thereafter.
Dark Souls 2 beta rescheduled for November
Like any Dark Souls player worth his or her salt, the Dark Souls 2 beta is putting past failures behind it and having another go at things on November 10. Namco Bandai announced the rescheduled beta is set to take place between 2AM and 5AM ET (that's 11AM to 2AM PT) starting November 9. The second Dark Souls 2 beta failed to get going over the weekend, leaving would-be adventurers unable to log in and their souls disappointingly safe. In its announcement, Namco assured fans that all the people who took part previously will be allowed into the rescheduled beta, and there's still space for more participants. Hopefully there'll be no false starts for the game proper, which is due on PS3 and Xbox 360 on March 11 in North America, then on PC shortly thereafter. In the meantime, do check out our impressions of the beta from last month's Tokyo Game Show. And just keep loving death.
Namco distributing Witcher 3 in Europe
Namco Bandai captured the rights to distribute The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt in Europe, after forming a deal with CD Projekt to bring the PS4, Xbox One and PC sequel to 24 countries across the continent. To recap, Warner Bros. is set to distribute the RPG in North America when it launches next year. Namco's agreement with CD Projekt sounds far more harmonious than the debacle surrounding the rights to The Witcher 2. If you'll remember, CD Projekt had agreed to let the now defunct THQ distribute the game in Europe, Central and South America, and the Asia-Pacific region. That all changed when the French courts ruled that CD Projekt had to uphold prior commitments, and offer Namco a new distribution contract. Awkward... Two years on and all is apparently forgotten and forgiven... or perhaps legally bound again. Either way, it'll be Namco bringing the game to Euro next-gen consoles in 2014.
Dark Souls 2 North, South American PS3 beta delayed
Dark Souls 2's beta test for North and South American PS3 users will be rescheduled after players experienced trouble logging onto the game's servers, Namco Bandai America's Twitter feed has announced. Namco Bandai clarified that everyone that downloaded the client released for use with this network test will be able to download a patch for access to the next test. When questioned for specifics, the account stated that more information concerning the next test should be available early this week.
Enslaved: Premium Edition takes a Trip to Steam, out now
Enslaved: Odyssey to the West completed its journey to PC, meaning the game is out now on Steam in a new Premium Edition. Priced $20, it includes the Pigsy's Perfect 10 DLC and three character skins including one simply titled "Sexy Trip" [insert debauched holiday destination joke here]. The Premium Edition also came to PSN this week. Ninja Theory's vivacious re-imagining of Monkey charmed us back in 2010, with our review praising the fantastical adventure for being a "a fine reminder that if you have talented people and a little respect for your audience, great storytelling in games can be not only possible but profound."
Dark Souls 2 and Destiny of Spirits betas coming to EU PS Plus
Dark Souls fans in Europe can prepare to die a little sooner than anticipated, as a free beta version of Dark Souls 2 will be available for PlayStation Plus subscribers this Sunday. Publisher Namco Bandai plans to host a server stress test for Dark Souls 2 on October 27, between 7:00 AM and 10:00 AM GMT. Sony recommends players download the beta client beforehand, as the beta will not be playable outside of the three-hour period on Sunday. PlayStation Vita owners are eligible for another beta test taking place this week, as a pre-release version of Q Entertainment's monster-collecting RPG Destiny of Spirits will be available from October 24 through November 1 for PlayStation Plus members. The beta version of Destiny of Spirits will be open to players worldwide. A North American beta test for Dark Souls 2 has not been announced.
Soul Calibur 2 HD Online looks sharp in new combat trailer
It's difficult to decide which is more appealing in this new gameplay trailer for Soul Calibur 2 HD Online: The overwhelming wave of nostalgia it generates for 3D fighting games circa the turn of the last century, or the enhanced visual fidelity which ushers these decade-old character models into the modern age.
