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'Planescape: Torment' remaster arrives on April 11th
For many veteran gamers, Planescape: Torment was a definitive role-playing title -- it combined an unusual setting with a deep story, memorable dialogue and gameplay mechanics that still hold up. If you're one of those fans, you won't have long to wait to relieve that experience on modern hardware. Beamdog, Hasbro and Wizards of the Coast have revealed that they're launching Planescape: Torment Enhanced Edition on April 11th. As with most better remastering efforts, this involves more than a little spit and polish to make the game run on newer hardware.
BioWare's 'Jade Empire' gets another shot at life on iOS
BioWare is virtually synonymous with Mass Effect and Dragon Age these days, but it has had its share of experiments. Remember Jade Empire, its China-inspired (and critically well-received) action role-playing title? Aspyr does -- it just released versions of Jade Empire: Special Edition for the Mac and, crucially, iOS. You can now relive the story of a martial artist restoring balance to the world using your phone or tablet, not just your computer at home. There are simple controls in the iOS version if you're not comfortable with a touchscreen, but you can also switch to an expert mode when you're comfortable with using taps and swipes to defeat other warriors.
Daily iPhone App: Poker Knight combines poker hands with an RPG
Poker Knight is a game that I was really excited to see coming to the App Store. I'm a big fan of poker, and I'm a big fan of role-playing games, so when that trailer arrived, I was right away looking forward to seeing what this one was like. Unfortunately, it didn't quite live up to my expectations. It's not a bad game, but the original premise of combining poker with an RPG isn't exactly what this is. Instead, it's a game that combines poker hands with an RPG. You wander around a fantasy world fighting monsters and earning XP as usual, but instead of actually playing Texas Hold'em, you're just choosing cards and putting them together into the best hands possible. You can see it in action below -- it's not the best card game ever made, but the graphics do look nice, and as you play it more and more, you do start thinking in that poker mindset of seeing how the cards fit together. There's also a magical amulet mechanic later on that mixes up the gameplay a bit more, but basically this is a matching game with that RPG foundation. It's not bad, and if the game still intrigues you, it's worth the US$1.99 to see how it plays, especially on a newer iPhone or iPad. But unfortunately this isn't exactly the most hardcore poker game around. For that you'll still have to stick to one of the many variants already available on the App Store.
Sony takes SOEmote live for EverQuest II, lets gamers show their true CG selves (video)
We had a fun time trying Sony's SOEmote expression capture tech at E3; now everyone can try it. As of today, most EverQuest II players with a webcam can map their facial behavior to their virtual personas while they play, whether it's to catch the nuances of conversation or drive home an exaggerated game face. Voice masking also lets RPG fans stay as much in (or out of) character as they'd like. About the only question left for those willing to brave the uncanny valley is when other games will get the SOEmote treatment. Catch our video look after the break if you need a refresher.
Logitech G600 mouse targets button-craving MMO gamers, social life costs extra (video)
If you thought that Logitech was just going to let Razer's Naga MMO mouse go unanswered, you've got another thing coming. The G600 MMO Gaming Mouse matches the Naga's 12 side-mounted buttons and one-ups the rival across the aisle with a toggle that gives each key a second function -- if you can't bind it to a mouse button, odds are that it doesn't belong there. Just in case the prospect of spending an evening programming a mouse isn't all that enticing, the G600 has three profiles right from the start, two for online role-playing and one for when you'd rather play a Call of Duty shooter instead. Of course, the laser tracking and USB response times are fast enough to keep up when you pull aggro from monsters. Gamers willing to wait until July can drop $80 for a G600 in black or white, although we'd also set aside the costs of stepping outside every now and then.
New Tri-Ace RPG for Xbox 360 undiscovered
New information leaping from the obscenely colorful pages of Famitsu reveals a brand new Tri-Ace RPG for the Xbox 360 -- the uncomfortably named Infinite Undiscovery. Widely known for in-your-face epics, Star Ocean and Valkyrie Profile, the Japanese developer has released little information regarding the fantasy title thus far, with GAF mentioning real-time battles and support for online play. While the game is unlikely to have any relation to last year's smash hit, Everlingering Nonemergence*, it is very much an important coup in Microsoft's continuing battle against apathy in Japan. * This game has not been proven to exist in any shape or form. [Scan courtesy of duckroll from GAF.]
Pile on: Contact takes a jab at Sony meme
1UP's Jeremy Parish was kind enough to post the above picture on his blog, reminding us all that the lifetime of a particularly stinging internet meme is likely to extend beyond that of a mere mortal. The depicted DS game is Contact, an Earthbound-ish RPG from Atlus, one of the few developers that can don the "quirky" tag with pride even as they bounce around a drunken cosplay party. Our first instinct was to question Tomm Hulett, the man in charge of the game's localization, regarding the whereabouts of his elbow in relation to Sony's battered ribs."I'll be honest, I can't really speak for the Professor. He has a mind of his own, and he's sure to say all manner of crazy things as you play through Contact. It certainly seems like he's up on his gaming news, though, doesn't it? I have heard that battles in Contact ARE based on actual battles which took place in space, though, so who knows."Tomm confirmed the presence of crabs in the game, though didn't specify if they were of the "giant enemy" variety as commonly found in feudal Japan.
3 Final Fantasy XIII games; 2 just for PS3
Final Fantasy XII won't be out for the PS2 in the States until October, but we now have a glimpse of Final Fantasy XIII thanks to Square Enix's pre-E3 press event -- and this installment in the series won't be coming alone.Like the different titles in the Compilation of FFVII collection of games and movies, the initially announced installments in the FFXIII universe will span multiple platforms which, in this case, include both the PS3 and sufficiently advanced mobile handsets. Not much is known about the mobile-bound Final Fantasy Agito XIII, but the subtitle-less version of FFXIII will concern a gun-and-sword-toting heroine in a futuristic world, while Final Fantasy Versus XIII will focus on "a spiky-haired character," "extreme action elements," and a primary theme of "bonding" (whatever that means). Anybody ready to "resist the world"?The multiple titles might explain the earlier rumor reported in March that FFXIII was "practically close to being finished" (maybe only one of these games was nearing completion). Whatever the case may be, we're just happy that more than one not-so-Final-Fantasy will be hitting the next PlayStation in relatively rapid succession. RPG feasting: on the way.[Via Joystiq]
Squeenix announces E3 lineup
If Final Fantasy isn't your thing, you'd best steer clear of the Square Enix E3 booth this year, an inescapable and mammoth bastion of all that is saucer-eyed, pointy-haired and saving the world from an ancient evil-y. We love it. Though the focus will undoubtedly be placed upon Final Fantasy XII, the full lineup of games indicates that our favorite portable platform is getting some love in the form of a remake and a spin-off! Erm, yay?To be fair, Final Fantasy III does look extremely classy and holds the distinction of being the only Final Fantasy game thus far to not have been localized. If that's not enough to convince you, the 3D graphics and rumored Wi-Fi play are sure to have you intrigued. This looks to be the most promising DS title under Square Enix's umbrella this year.Next, there's Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime. Starring one of those adorable slime things, the game has the player bouncing and stretching all over the place in a quest to stop an evil, kidnapping cartel. The press release also highlights "fierce tank battles", which sounds like it's a good thing.Finally, there's Children of Mana, the latest offspring of Square's recently revived franchise. An RPG set in whimsical lands, the most notable feature here is the four-player cooperative questing. That's a phrase I honestly hope to write more and more often as time goes by. Oh, and the GBA isn't completely ignored either--it's getting Final Fantasy V and Final Fantasy VI.
