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Kingdom Under Fire 2 marches toward PS3 in 2012
The original Kingdom Under Fire games were two of the most under-appreciated gems of the original Xbox and, after a few missteps, Blueside Studios is back to its roots with Kingdom Under Fire 2, due on the Xbox 360 next year -- and now the PS3, too. The news came during a press conference in South Korea, where CEO Sejung Kim confirmed a 2012 launch for the PS3 version of the game, as well as console exclusives including extra characters and missions. According to Kim, the PS3 is suited to "the aspects of an MMORPG that requires continuous updates" -- in layman's terms, the architecture of the system is more appealing to them because Blueside can freely update the game on a more frequent basis. Eurogamer also points out that said press release omitted mention of the Xbox 360 version of the game, yet it mentions the impending PC installment. "We're still under discussion with Microsoft, and nothing has been confirmed," Kim said. We're currently following up with Blueside for more info and will let you know what we hear.
New Kingdom Under Fire II gameplay footage, screens
New Kingdom Under Fire II media has been released, showing off some of the first footage of actual gameplay. The game looks to play similarly to its predecessors, offering hack-and-slash gameplay mixed with some strategic elements. The first trailer, embedded above, deals mostly with the simple fighting mechanics. You know the drill: Hammer on the light attack button and occasionally tap the heavy attack button. The second video, embedded after the break, shows off the ability to call in strategic strikes from different units. Specifically, the hero of the game -- whom we affectionately refer to as Captain Cornrows -- calls archers to send a volley of arrows into the enemy ranks. Somewhat more interesting is calling for a mage to summon a giant fireball from the sky. Seriously, what would you pick: Tiny arrows or a giant fireball? Check out both trailers and be sure to look at the new screens in the gallery below. [Via Gaming Bits] %Gallery-71142%
Kingdom Under Fire II shows off first in-game footage
Though we're wary of its attempt to squeeze yet another barely pronounceable acronym into our gaming vocabulary -- the Multiplayer Online Action Real-Time Strategy, or MOARTS -- Kingdom Under Fire II looks to be the sword-swinging, troop-commanding sequel that fans of the franchise have been waiting for. That is, assuming the fans want a ludicrous number of warriors, dragons and cornrows viciously duking it out on fantasy battlefields. Never heard of it? Click this KUF-link. After that, check out the new screenshots in the gallery or head past the break for the first offical trailer. Kingdom Under Fire II is scheduled to arrive on multiple (albeit undisclosed) platforms sometime in 2009. %Gallery-14771%
Kingdom Under Fire II trailer has the goods
We know you're asking the same question: weren't there two Kingdom Under Fire games on the original Xbox, and wasn't there another spin-off on the Xbox 360 already? The answer to both of those questions is yes but, as Unreal Tournament and Resident Evil and Silent Hill have shown us, the traditional numbering conventions just don't apply to video games anymore. It's best just to let the confusion go. One thing that's certain though, Kingdom Under Fire II looks fantastic. We have no idea how it actually plays, but a new in-game debut trailer proves that KUFII is packing some serious graphical muscle. Thousands of soldiers on screen, trolls, winged beasts, and even one positively giant creature at the end really deliver the feeling of a truly epic battle.Will it be any fun to play? We don't know, but given the success of the series on Xbox (let's not count Circle of Doom, mkay?), we're cautiously optimistic. Check out the trailer after the break.
Kingdom Under Fire II combines RTS, MMO, cornrows
Korean studios Blueside and Phantagram have revealed Kingdom Under Fire II, a game described as the "true sequel" to 2001's tactical action game, Kingdom Under Fire: The Crusaders. Scheduled to arrive on PC and "console" platforms in 2009, the game promises to take its predecessor's combination of real-time strategy and action to the massively online realm and create a terrifying new genre: The Massively Multiplayer Online Action Real-Time Strategy game, or MMOARTS (LOI) for short. Apart from sounding like a skin disease caused by washing your hands with a dirty eel, the MMOARTS demarcation points to all things epic, with thousands of (possibly cornrowed) players being able to clash on the battlefields, lay siege to enemy fortresses and otherwise "write their own epic poetry of war." Take care not to spend all your time smelling the red roses and blue violets, however, as the press release warns that the game's castle siege mode will deliver "realistic mediaeval [sic] battle onto your nose." Though it certainly sounds ambitious, Kingdom Under Fire II's return to roots may be what wins back those fans and critics who expressed disappointment in the most recent Kingdom Under Fire: Circle of Doom (off-the-KUF remarks, if you will). Well, that and the claim that it "will truly be an unheralded gift in a pleasant way to both gamers and gaming industry." Find the full press release after the break... in a pleasant way. %Gallery-14771%
Action MMO powered by Crysis engine? That'll be The Day
Former employees of NCSoft and Phantagram have created a new studio to design a 'third-person massively multiplayer online action game'? And it's powered by CryENGINE 2, the same game engine used in Crysis? Tell me more. As it says in the press release: Reloaded Studios are a Seoul-based game company that seem to lack neither experience nor funding. Their first project is entitled The Day, and it aims to have a heavy emphasis on PvP combat plus a unique, immersive storyline involving parallel worlds and the destruction of all humanity. I also aim to solo Illidan Stormrage tomorrow.The Day joins a growing list of MMOs to use the Crysis engine, along with Entropia Universe and Blue Mars. They're both more virtual world than action MMO, though, and there's a lot of untapped potential in the latter. Planetside never made much of an impact, but games in a similar vein are a market waiting to happen -- even if it isn't a Halo MMO.
Kingdom Under Fire's new direction
The official web site for Kingdom Under Fire: Circle of Doom is now live, and while the scantily-clad warrior babes remain, the addictive mix of action and strategy that has defined the series is being replaced by a hack-and-slash RPG. If you were turned off by the disappointing Ninety-Nine Nights, you might say Phantagram has done the smart thing by giving Blueside a little creative freedom to experiment with "never-before-imagined innovation and fresh ideas" (from the web site). 2006 has also been a banner year for RPGs, not to mention the fact that 30% of Joystiq readers prefer role-playing adventures. So why not ride the wave?There are some potential pitfalls: random dungeons, branching stories, and characters who get tired aren't all that innovative. There's also Blueside's inexperience with RPGs, and the imminent risk of diluting the franchise. On the flip side of the coin, you have KUF's rich fantasy world to play in and the impressive production quality that highlighted KUF: Heroes. Do you think Circle of Doom will be another Champions of Norrath, or a Seven Sorrows?And despite N3's shortcomings, Phantagram hasn't necessarily become gun-shy. This RPG diversion is supposedly just a side quest in the series, and the Korean developer is currently working on another KUF sequel of the more familiar action-strategy variety -- after they finish the PC version of Circle of Doom.
Metareview - Ninety-Nine Nights
Born of a union between Kingdom Under Fire developer Phantagram and Tetsuya Mizuguchi's Q Entertainment, Ninety-Nine Nights promised to combine the grand scale of Dynasty Warriors with dramatic storytelling and strategic gameplay. Despite its impressive pedigree, however, N3 appears to have delivered only an average button mash experience with a next-gen coat of paint. Perhaps the game's lofty ambitions will be better served in a sequel. TeamXbox (67/100) enjoyed the battle effects and character animations, but it didn't hold the reviewer's attention: "Once the 'wow' factor wears off (the number of enemies per frame is crazy at times), Ninety-Nine Nights starts to get pretty mundane...it was more of the same, over and over again. It feels like more could have been done without losing the button mashing appeal." GameSpot (59/100) feels the mindless action orientation only wears thinner as N3 progresses: "None of the seven playable characters have particularly compelling stories to tell, and the game's annoying English voice acting doesn't do a good job of conveying what little story there is." IGN (56/100) notes a critical flaw in one of the game's only redeeming features: "N3 has a tendency to skip straight to a cutscene once you complete an objective, even if you just killed a rather large enemy that dropped something you might want. Too bad for you. If you didn't scoop it up in the half of a second you had after defeating the enemy, then you're out of luck."
Ninety-Nine Nights arrives in August
Microsoft has announced that the Xbox 360 exclusive Ninety-Nine Nights will hit store shelves in August (EB Games is listing 8/15). A collaboration between Q Entertainment's Tetsuya Mizuguchi (Lumines, Meteos) and Phantagram's Sang Youn Lee (Kingdom Under Fire), Nights puts you in control of seven playable warriors on massive battle fields, reminiscent of both the Dynasty Warriors and KUF series.Read our E3 impressions of Ninety-Nine Nights.
First Circle of Doom artwork unleashed
Developer Blue Side has gracefully decided to share some early and undeniably striking concept art for their forthcoming Xbox 360 sequel, Kingdom Under Fire: Circle of Doom. Though the Kingdom Under Fire series failed to set retail charts on fire during its run on the original Xbox, vocal fans won't allow you to overlook the game's considerable critical success. The Xbox 360 version's main draw is its Xbox Live functionality, allowing up to 4 players to go on a hack 'n slash frenzy through dark fantasy lands, presumably populated by psychotic clown-men.
KUF: Circle of Doom headed to the PC
Korean developer Phantagram hasn't forgotten about Kingdom Under Fire amidst all the hype surrounding Ninety-Nine Nights. They are currently working on another KUF sequel, Circle of Doom, for Xbox 360, and recently announced that the franchise will also return to its PC roots with this new installment. Phantagram will focus on the PC release, while KUF: Heroes co-developer Blueside will handle the 360 efforts.
Ninety-Nine Nights North American release confirmed
Microsoft wants us to know they really do care about American gamers. After all the Redmond rhetoric about capturing the Asian market and then teasing us with a Japanese-exclusive demo, they have confirmed at the GDC that Ninety-Nine Nights will be landing on western shores later this year. How much later is unknown at this point, but TeamXbox had a look at the latest demo of the action-strategy title from Phantagram and Q Entertainment. If Microsoft has any doubts this game will move 360s, they can always invoke the "hot dark elf chick on the box" rule. It worked for Dark Alliance II and Champions of Norrath.
