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NIS President Niikawa considering more anime in games, more games as anime
Nippon Ichi Software President Sohei Niikawa told Joystiq his company may try to introduce more anime cut scenes to games like Disgaea, and spoke about the reverse possibility of a new Disgaea anime. Talking with us at the Tokyo Game Show, Niikawa said he's been able to build closer contacts within the anime industry in his relatively recent dual role as the president of both NIS and NIS America. "I believe that until recently NIS and NISA were completely different entities on their own," Niikawa explained. "NIS would make games, NISA would sell games. Having worked with both companies, being president for both companies, I believe that we could make a more intertwined relationship. "NISA has been doing anime before NIS, and because of that I've personally been able to meet more people working with anime, not just games. I originally met the anime industry people as the president of NIS America, but using that connection I gained by being the NISA president, I want to use that for NIS [Japan] as well."
The Guided Fate Paradox destined to arrive in November
When The Guided Fate Paradox comes to North America on November 5, the world as we know it will surely end unless we can get hold of the Doctor! Or... perhaps the Nippon Ichi PS3 RPG is one of those not-so-universe-ending paradoxes we've heard so much about. Sci-fi tomfoolery is apt for The Guided Fate Paradox, a roguelike RPG with Disgaea-like elements, starring a high-schooler who wins godly powers in a mall lottery, and of course must use those powers to travel between worlds and shape the future - does sound a bit like Doctor Who, really. The game's release date comes courtesy of NISAmerica's site, where pre-orders for its limited edition are now available. The $75 set includes the game, 2-disc soundtrack, hardback art book, print by artist Noizi Ito, and 8 postcard-like character cards.
Two DLC packs announced for Disgaea 4 in Japan
Most North American players haven't even seen one mission of Disgaea 4: A Promise Unforgotten yet, as it's set to come out in the States this September. But the game came out in Japan last February, and now Nippon Ichi has announced two different downloadable scenarios coming this August and October. The first is called "The Tyrant Valdorez," and will follow that character (along with his new playable moves) through a story with follower Fenrich. And the second is "Fuuka & Desco's Chapter Begins," focusing on the side story of those two characters. Fuuka and Desco's story will also be available either in add-on disc form, along with a collectible Desco figurine, in a special edition Disgaea 4 collection with the full game, or simply as a downloadable content pack. Note that both of these DLC packs are only announced for Japan at this point -- it's unknown whether they'll see the light of day here in the US yet.
Nippon Ichi shows off improved Disgaea 4 art
If you're a fan of Nippon Ichi's twisted strategy RPG series, Disgaea, you've likely spent a ludicrous number of hours staring at illustrator Takehido Harada's charming 2D character art. You'll get to do so again with Disgaea 4, with the benefit of higher-resolution artwork. By the looks of things (check out Andriasang for some neat comparison and screenshots), the new sprites have lost none of their personality in the long-awaited upgrade. Disgaeaeaeaea 4 will launch on PlayStation 3 in February 2011 with a limited edition package, including a Nendoroid Petit figure, art book and soundtrack CD. It'll also retain all the original illustrations, allowing you to toggle between the old and new characters. It's nice that the old art is sticking around, but couldn't Nippon Ichi have shipped their used goods to a less fortunate soul, like IGA?
Disgaea 4 coming to PS3 in Japan February 2011
Nippon Ichi Software introduced a project that "holds the fate of our company" -- Disgaea 4. The president of Nippon Ichi took the stage of a TGS press conference to announce the game wearing a Prinny suit to show "how serious we are." Like previous entries in the series, Disgaea 4 is a hardcore SRPG with a comedic twist. NIS is promising "stupidity to the MAX" in this upcoming endeavor. Taking place in hell, the story will have a political theme, with players building their own political cabinets. "I'd love to have questionable politicians play this game," he joked. New features for Disgaea 4 are the addition of network features which will allow you to invade other player's worlds, and vice versa. However, the primary new feature is the revamped focused on graphics. While the game will still retain its trademark 2D look, the resolution of the sprite art has been bumped significantly, and will look more like illustrator Takehito Harada's original drawings. "Wow, that must have cost a lot," the NIS host joked during the presentation. Disgaea 4 will be releasing exclusively on PS3 on February 24, 2011 in Japan. A US release should follow afterwards.
Disgaea Infinite trailer makes as much sense as the other Disgaea games
That Disgaea Infinite trailer that snuck out in Japanese a little while back has now been officially released and translated into almost-English and, while it's a little harsh to call the series "the ultimate grind-fest" (unless fans want to wear that title as a badge of honor), this weird little adaptation that turns the strategy RPG into a "visual novel" adventure game still looks interesting. Last we heard, this one was due out for the PSP in May, but this trailer actually says June of 2010. We checked in with NIS America, and they informed us that the game is due out on June 8th of this year. Look for it as a downloadable title on PSN then.
Trinity Universe coming to US and Europe this June
Did Resonance of Fate and Final Fantasy XIII whet your appetite for JRPGs? NIS America plans to release Trinity Universe this June, just in time for gamers looking for a new adventure. Developed cooperatively by Idea Factory, Nippon Ichi and Gust, Trinity Universe is a crossover RPG similar to Cross Edge, combining the worlds of the Disgaea and Atelier franchises. Unlike NIS America's previous efforts, though, this game will be in full 3D. Trinity Universe is undoubtedly the best looking game to come from NIS America, but it's still likely to struggle in a competitive sales market. Still, hardcore JRPG fans are used to PS2-style sprite graphics from NIS, so the publisher's next offering could be a pleasant surprise. %Gallery-88922%
Nippon Ichi head of sales and marketing resigning at the end of March (update)
In a letter recently distributed (.pdf link) to the company's investors, Nippon Ichi president Tomohiro Sato announced that he would be stepping down from his managerial post on March 31. Sato cites "personal reasons" as the force leading him to resign, though this news comes only two weeks on the heels of Nippon Ichi's announcement of its 98 percent year-over-year revenue decline, and resulting JASDAQ freefall. Though we may not undoubtedly know what led to Sato's departure, we're really hoping this is just part of Nippon Ichi's restructuring process, and that we're one step closer to getting our hands on Absolute Hero Modding Project. Ever the pragmatists, we are. Update: Tomohiro Sato is actually the company's head of Sales and Marketing. The current president, Sohei Shinkawa, is not stepping down. We apologize for the mix-up.
Nippon Ichi to focus on PS3, plans new Disgaea game
Niche Japanese publisher Nippon Ichi hasn't had a very good year. With an expected loss of 299 million yen ($3.33 million) for the fiscal year, it's clear NIS must make drastic changes to turn things around. According to a report by Andriasang, the company blames its poor performance for relying too much on externally-developed games, something that will be rectified in the coming fiscal year. 2010 will feature a more focused title catalog, with only eight game releases. With 1.6 million Disgaea games sold so far, the franchise is unquestionably Nippon Ichi's most valued asset. Going forward, the company plans on releasing yet another Disgaea title for the PS3. The new release is part of a new initiative at the company to focus on potential growth areas: PS3 software, and the North American market. However, the off-the-radar release of their last PS3 game, Last Rebellion, proves Nippon Ichi may not be properly equipped to exploit the current generation. Disgaea may be well known in the hardcore gaming community, but will another game be enough to turn Nippon Ichi's fortunes around?
Nippon Ichi earnings plummet in 2009
[Prinny Blog] Disgaea developer and publisher Nippon Ichi didn't have the best 2009, dood. Last week, the company announced its earnings for the first nine months of its fiscal year (ending December 31, 2009), recording operating profits 97.5% lower than those of 2008. This week, reacting to the news of the precipitous drop, investors freaked out a bit and the price of NIS stock on the Japanese JASDAQ exchange dropped ¥7,000 ($78.42), almost 20%. JASDAQ froze the price, or it might have dropped further. Siliconera posted a list of all recent and upcoming NIS games. Have a look -- we're sure NIS America would really, really appreciate a purchase of Sakura Wars: So Long, My Love or Holy Invasion of Privacy, Badman 2 in the next few months.
The weirdest trailer you'll see today: Absolute Hero Modding Project
Man, if you thought the premise for Nippon Ichi's upcoming game, a dungeon-crawler titled Zettai Hero Kaizou Keikaku (or Absolute Hero Modding Project), was bizarre, wait until you see the trailer we've posted after the jump. Featured in that four-minute video is footage of the following: The player's frequent death at the hands of various enemies The game's beefy character customization system At least three different types of turn-based combat A cameo by Disgaea's Prinny Sadly, there's no reference to a North American port of the game. Don't stop believin'! [Via Siliconera]
Last Rebellion heading to Europe March 12, US 'in February'
You can imagine our surprise when we discovered Nippon Ichi's Last Rebellion had gotten itself a release date -- it's been nearly nine months since we last heard anything on the title (and that was its announcement!). The game's set to hit PlayStation 3 consoles on March 12 in Europe and 'February' for North America, just in time for those of you who love JRPGs yet are stridently against the purchase of Final Fantasy XIII. In fact, between the release of FFXIII on March 9, Resonance of Fate launching the same day, and now this, we're inclined to rename the whole month with a JRPG theme. How about "Manarch?" Maybe "Marchic?" Perhaps "Marchlotsofbeltsandzippers?" Alright, alright -- we've clearly gone too far. %Gallery-63008%
Prinny 2 named 'Dawn of the Great Pantsu War,' coming to Japan on March 25
Prinny 2: Dawn of the Great Pantsu War will reportedly launch for the PSP on March 25, 2010 in Japan, according to Dengeki Online (via Siliconera). Sure, Nippon Ichi Software might not exactly want us to know that it's making a sequel to this year's Prinny: Can I Really Be the Hero?, but that doesn't stop the company from releasing a mess of screenshots and a release date to gamers across the Pacific, along with with the game's full title. As if the first game's premise of securing cakes for Etna wasn't ridiculous enough, the second game tasks you with recovering underpants for her (thus the title). To combat the various adorable enemies along the way (just look at that penguin!), the developer has added new moves as well as a "baby mode" for novices. We've added a handful of screenshots to our gallery below, but you can peep a metric ton more right here. %Gallery-81200%
Nippon Ichi teases new Prinny platformer
Are you ready to lose another set of 1000 lives? If so, then Nippon Ichi has a new Prinny game for you. Unfortunately, Nippon Ichi has decided against releasing any information on the game, even obscuring its lengthy title. After playing the first game, can we suggest Prinny 2: This is Going to be a Really Hard Game?[Via Andriasang]
Nippon Ichi reveals Disgaea Infinite visual novel
Nippon Ichi continues to crank out announcements for its new upcoming games -- though calling this one a "game" might be a bit of a stretch. Though Disgaea Infinite shares a name, setting and characters with the core Disgaea series, it's far from a strategy-RPG title. In fact, this installment is a PSP visual novel, starring a Prinny who's tasked with solving a murder by possessing other characters and reading their minds. As you might be able to tell from the above description (and the trailer posted after the break), it's shaping up to be bizarre -- even by Disgaea's typically weird standards. Regardless, Japanese Prinny enthusiasts can grab the game Nov. 1 on the PSN for 2,500 yen ($27).
Nippon Ichi working on 'Absolute Hero Modding Project'
The identity of the PSP role-playing game which Disgaea developer Nippon Ichi teased in July has been revealed. Appropriately titled Zettai Hero Kaizou Keikaku (which translates to Absolute Hero Modding Project), the game pits players up against randomly generated dungeons, where they can search for equipment with which to fully customize their character, or battle enemies in order to level up their characters forever. The game has a 2010 launch window for Japan, but Ichi hasn't mentioned anything about a North American release. That's a shame -- based on these screenshots over at Dengeki, it looks right up our isometric alley.
NIS localizing Atelier Rorona for English audiences
It's not surprising, but it certainly is welcome news. NIS America is planning on bringing Atelier Rorona to English-speaking audiences. NIS' Allison Walter confirmed to the EU PlayStation.Blog that the company is "working on Atelier Rorona right now" and that "it should be coming out in English and French next year."For those unfamiliar with the game, Atelier Rorona is a very standard JRPG that's exclusive to the PS3. With this and Final Fantasy XIII, Star Ocean and possibly Tales of Vesperia all coming to Sony's black box next year, JRPG fans will finally be able to say the drought is over.[Thanks, Marcus N.!]
Looking at Trinity Universe's 3D RPG battles
We're still having a hard time wrapping our heads around this: a 3D RPG from Nippon Ichi? Trinity Universe doesn't have the graphic quality we've come to expect from PS3 exclusives, but it's certainly a far cry from Cross Edge. Those hungry for an old-school, turn-based JRPG will find themselves salivating at this new battle footage from Trinity Universe. In usual Nippon Ichi fashion, this crossover RPG is heavy on number-crunching and big combos. Just look above to see the game's team attacks in action. Siliconera has a few more videos of this PS3 JRPG in action, showcasing the "skill link" and "soul break" systems. For fans of Nippon Ichi games, these mechanics will seem entirely familiar but the new 3D makeover certainly makes it feel fresh.
Trinity Universe debut trailer is very long, very Japanese
Nippon Ichi is working on yet another crossover RPG for the PS3 -- but this time around, it actually looks like a current-generation game. Yay! Welcome to the third dimension, NIS. Trinity Universe combines the Atelier and Disgaea universes in an action RPG that's supposedly heavily inspired by Xenogears.The debut trailer for the game (after the break) reminds us that Trinity Universe is a very Japanese game. The video, which runs for over six minutes, highlights the game's various character designs and voice actors. More importantly, though, the trailer also shows some gameplay footage (skip to 3:44). The trailer reassures us that the game's visual quality is far beyond Cross Edge.Trinity Universe has a planned September release in Japan. While it hasn't been announced for US release yet, we're certain NIS America (or another niche publisher) will pick it up somewhere down the line.[Via Siliconera]
Nippon Ichi may be working on new 2D platformer for PSP
A brand new "Hero Transformation Project" is coming to PSP. What does that mean? We're not exactly sure either, but a snapshot of this PSP game teaser (via PSP Hyper) shows our spiky-haired friend turning into all sorts of things, ranging from tanks to Prinnies. It looks like Nippon Ichi, creator of the recently released Prinny, may be working hard on yet another PSP game. Good thing, too, as the Prinny platformer -- as devilishly difficult as it is -- is one of the best-looking, sprite-based 2D games we've seen on a handheld.
