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Cladun: This is a release date!
If you're in the mood for a game that's about classic-style dungeons and is an RPG, you'll be delighted to hear that NIS America dated the PSP game Cladun: This is an RPG! The game will be available on PSN on September 21. Cladun allows players to build their own tiny character sprites and take on randomly generated dungeons. It features ad-hoc play, so up to four players can wander around dungeons together (while wandering around together in real life). To see more of Cladun, you can browse around the game's website, which is designed to look and sound like the game. You can also play Cladun-themed picross. After all, if you like dungeon RPGs, you enjoy difficult games.
Holy localization, Badman! It's No Heroes Allowed for PSP
Though a European trailer for No Heroes Allowed, the third game in the What Did I Do to Deserve This, My Lord!? series, was released during Gamescom, news of a North American release remained up in the air (instead of buried in a hastily-dug dungeon, where it belonged). SCEA has revealed plans to release the game, but did not offer up a date for the God of Destruction's resurrection. No Heroes Allowed offers 100 daily dungeon design challenges, along with a new cooperative play mode that stars Badman and his daughter, Badmella. In the new addition, two players collaborate to dig a deadly, devious and dangerous dungeon.%Gallery-101222%
Z.H.P.: Unlosing Ranger VS Darkdeath Evilman VS some new screens
We doubt you could forget about a game called Z.H.P.: Unlosing Ranger VS Darkdeath Evilman, but in case it's slipped your mind even for the briefest of moments, publisher NIS America has released a heroic number of screenshots of the PSP strategy RPG. In Z.H.P., players not only control the superhero Unlosing Ranger, but build a sort of "superhero town" to support, train, and build items to help fight against his rival "Dangerama" and other villains. Unlike most strategy RPGs, the hero is totally alone during battles, which means it's probably a good idea to boost his abilities in town -- or risk becoming the Losing Ranger. Z.H.P. will fight evil on PSP this October.%Gallery-100480%
Atelier Rorona screenshots from NIS's alchemy shop
The many new Atelier Rorona screenshots in our gallery seem to encapsulate the whole of the experience: battling in the field, creating new items and materials in your alchemy shop, and being somewhat embarrassed repeatedly in conversations.%Gallery-98323%
This is an announcement of three new NIS America games
NIS America held a press event last night during which it announced three new wacky, niche, NIS-style games for North America. Ar Tonelico Qoga: Knell of Ar Ciel, the latest in Gust's RPG incomprehensibly-named series, will be released on PS3 in spring 2011. It features a completely new storyline and setting, so if you're up for a JRPG, you won't have to do your Ar Tonelico homework first. Warning: "edgy and kinky special moves." The other two games are both for PSP. Cladun: This Is an RPG, officially the game with the most wonderful subtitle ever, is a PSN-exclusive localization of Classic Dungeon, a dungeon crawler with a similar intentionally retro-style presentation (and an extraordinarily similar logo) to 3D Dot Game Heroes. ZHP: Unlosing Ranger VS Darkdeath Evilman, which just immediately snatched away the "wonderful subtitle" prize we awarded to Cladun, is a localized release of Absolute Hero Modding Project, a superhero-themed, over-the-top strategy RPG. It'll be out this fall on both PSN and UMD. See trailers for Cladun and ZHP after the break.
Atelier Rorona gets alchemical on PS3 this September
After next week's crossover RPG Trinity Universe, you'll have to wait until September for your next serving of anime-style, cute role-playing from NIS America.
NIS America has a 3DS dev kit
Sometime in the near future, we could be treated to three-dimensional Prinnies exploding in our faces. Haru Akenaga, president of Disgaea publisher NIS America, told Siliconera that the company has received a 3DS development kit. Akenaga did not confirm any specific titles in development, or even that NISA had begun development on anything at all. But this can only lead to good things for people who want quirky, patently Japanese games with the appearance of depth. We've followed up with NISA to ascertain more details.
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 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?
NIS America to enter US anime market with Persona: Trinity Soul
NIS America isn't all about making niche video games. No, they're going to be making niche anime DVDs as well. Beginning mid-2010, NIS America will roll out their new anime line, beginning with these four titles: Toradora!, Persona: Trinity Soul, PandoraHearts, and Our Home's Fox Deity. Jack Niida confirmed that these titles will be available exclusively on DVD at first, although didn't rule out the possibility of Blu-ray, PlayStation Network and Zune Marketplace releases in the future. These series will receive a limited print, and will be available through online specialty retailers -- brick and mortar stores, like Best Buy and Walmart, will not carry these titles. Series will be sold as box sets, with approximately half a season included in each package. The press release also states that "like its video game offerings, anime titles will be available with collector's items." When questioned why NIS America would enter yet another niche market, Niida told us that "a lot of anime companies have shut down," leaving only Funimation, Bandai and VIZ Media to represent the entirety of the US anime market. NIS America wanted to pursue some of the smaller titles that would otherwise never find an English language distributor. Certainly, this is good news for Persona fans, but we wish NIS America the best of luck tackling an industry plagued with an even larger piracy problem than games.
Holy trademark, NIS! 'Badman' games to be renamed [update]
What did I do to deserve this, my lord!? That is both the question on NIS America's mind and the new title of its series, once known as Holy Invasion of Privacy, Badman! The publisher announced that it's changing the name of the Acquire-developed action-strategy game in response to "a conflict of interest with an existing IP." We're guessing the trademark issue in question is with a certain comic book franchise owned by Warner Bros. -- Plastic Man, obviously. This week has not been kind to NIS. Just yesterday, the Japanese parent company reported a 95 percent drop in profits, and now the American branch has to change the name of one of its franchises midstream. May 4 is the new release date for what is now called What Did I Do to Deserve This, My Lord!? 2. [Update: May is indeed a new release date for the game: it was originally slated for March.]
Disgaea Infinite visual novel for PSP releases this May
We certainly didn't see this coming. While it may seem strange to doubt the release of another Disgaea game, Disgaea Infinite is not what you might expect. No, it's not a SRPG. It's not even a platformer. Instead, it's a visual novel game -- an interactive story-based adventure, akin to the Phoenix Wright series. According to a press release, this will be NIS America's first visual novel published in America. Disgaea Infinite promises to keep the same over-the-top humor the franchise is known for. Players will assume the role of a Prinny on the hunt for an assassin trying to take down the demon Laharl. With the power to take over other characters minds and bodies, Prinny will be able to solve this almost-murder mystery. Expect it on PSP this May. %Gallery-84266%
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%
Holy Invasion of Privacy, Badman 2! to include prequel! For free!
Did you miss the first release of Holy Invasion of Privay, Badman!? Don't worry if you did, because it appears NIS America is readying a spectacular bonus for the upcoming sequel. According to an Amazon.com listing, the "complete original game [is] included for free." Yep, it's two games for the price of one, and who doesn't like a promo like that? It's unclear if this bonus will apply only to the UMD version of the game, or if the PSN version will also benefit. Considering how often PSP Go owners have been screwed, we wouldn't be surprised if the digital release arrived late with no discount and no prequel bonus. [Via Siliconera]
NIS America wants to bring Holy Invasion of Privacy, Badman! to UMD
The historical preservationists at NIS America are attempting to save the increasingly endangered beast known as the "Universal Media Disc." You probably haven't heard of the format -- your parents most assuredly have. Though we currently live in an age of incorporeal digital software, the developer is attempting to re-release its eccentric dungeon dive, Holy Invasion of Privacy, Badman! What Did I Do to Deserve This? in a limited edition UMD format -- provided enough PSP owners show interest in owning a tangible copy of the game. If over 1,000 supervillains-in-training pre-order the UMD version of Badman by November 13, NIS will go through with actually producing them, shipping out to their respective buyers in mid-December. Seems like it'll be a tough putt -- but we're sure there's 1,000 fans of both obscure strategy games and tiny, plastic-armored discs tucked away in some pocket in the internet.
Gust brings Ar Tonelico III to PlayStation 3
JRPG developer Gust is working on yet another addition to its Ar Tonelico series, exclusively for the PS3. Like its predecessors, Ar Tonelico III will explore a new music-based battle system, with players able to create custom songs and change background music, according to Siliconera. The initial teaser trailer doesn't reveal much -- beyond showing off some of the characters, it reveals a surprisingly early 2010 Japanese release for the game.Gust's previous PS3 game, Atelier Rorona, was in full 3D, and we're hoping Ar Tonelico III will follow suit. NIS America has localized both PS2 Ar Tonelico games in the past, so it's likely the third game will also find its way to the publisher next year.%Gallery-75678%
Holy Invasion of Privacy, Badman 2! Time to Tighten Up Security! -- the trailer
At Tokyo Game Show 2009, NIS America took the time to announce a few new games for Western release. Amongst them was the sequel to Holy Invasion of Privacy, Badman!. The retro-themed anti-hero game comes equipped with 4 times more stages, 3.3 times more monsters and 2.3 times more heroes than the first game. The hilarious sort-of-localized trailer makes note that creatures at your disposal can also mutate through deformity, obesity and gigantism.Most likely, the Badman sequel will skip UMD and head straight to PSN release. Makes sense, considering the bite-sized nature of the game. But if for some reason you insist on having plastic packaging, go to the PlayStation.Blog to tell NIS that you really want a UMD version of the first game.
TGS 2009: The Recap Post
Last week, the Tokyo Game Show brought in over 100 posts worth of news, previews, interviews, galleries, and videos. Clearly, a lot happened. If you're looking for a comprehensive list of all the goings-on during TGS 2009, Joystiq has you covered -- and organized! Click on a platform below to scan the highlights: (On the far right: that's "News" and "Culture" on the top and bottom, respectively)
