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Train for next week's release with FFTA2 screens
You know a game is epic when the publisher can release dozens of screens -- dozens -- and you still feel as though you're only getting the barest glimpse of the depth that awaits. We've seen so much of Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift, from videos to screens, and previews of jobs to boot, and none of that is even a patch on the hours of gameplay that awaits. For once, we're not even upset about the Square Enix "tax" that elevates the price of their games; here, we'll know where those extra dollars went. Sometime next year, we might have finally finished everything there is to finish.Maybe.If we're lucky.%Gallery-5422%[Via press release]
Avalon Code heading west, Steal Princess, Luminous Arc staying put
Marvelous has some intriguing DS wares on the horizon, yet it looks like that's where most of it will stay -- on a horizon far, far away from the majority of us. Sob.Part of a recent financial report from the publisher contained forecasts for forthcoming releases, as spotted by a keen-eyed Siliconera commenter and posted on NeoGAF. The estimations for Avalon Code's were notable, as they included figures for the U.S. and Europe, which in turn tells us we'll be getting the diary-keepin' ARPG here in the west at some point before March 2009.Alas, we'd only just finished chest-bumping one another and shouting stuff like "HELL YEAH" when our excitement was tempered by the realization that Luminous Arc 2 and Steal Princess didn't have figures for the U.S. or Europe. This (probably) means that those games won't be localized this financial year (despite our hopes for the former). That's not to say they'll never make the trip across, of course, but for now it's one in, and two out.%Gallery-22487%%Gallery-15251%[Via NeoGAF]
Disgaea: Prince of the Demon World and the Green Plush
To go along with the June 26 release of the new DS version of Disgaea, Nippon Ichi is doing what they do best (next to making ridiculously hardcore SRPGs for crazy people): making adorable plush dolls. The latest, available on June 20, is a representation of Prinny Kurtis, a green, angry-looking Prinny whose human form also appears in the game. Kurtis will sell from NIS's Japanese shop for 2,980 yen ($27.88), and probably won't blow up upon arrival. NIS America has a lovely online store with lots of great promo products as well, so we think we can look forward to domestic availability. %Gallery-17933% [Via Inside-Games]
Spectral Force Genesis hits Japan tomorrow, box art unveiled
And this little game that nobody loved -- turned out to be totally awesome. As the Japanese release date draws closer (like, tomorrow) we've stumbled upon some new screens and the final box art for the mucho-grando strategy RPG, Spectral Force Genesis.The crafty importers among you should be looking out for these shady characters when ordering the next shipment from Japan. You'll be a bit lost if you can't read Japanese, and the ultra-eccentric anime art style isn't going to attract anyone who isn't an established fan. Only the powers of the English language and North America can do that, and at this stage it's somewhat unlikely. Two new screens follow after the break, so order this bad boy if you just know it's a winner.
Friday Video: Professions of the Rift
With our economy in its current dwindling state and the unemployment rate rising, it's nice to hear that some people are still able to find jobs, even if they're fictional jobs for fictional members of a fictional race existing in a fictional game world. Square Enix has released several short video clips introducing five of Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rifts' new jobs -- Chocobo Knight, Seer, Berserker, Geomancer, and Arcanist (above). They're not nearly as interesting as the "rejected FFTA2 professions" we featured, but these jobs are at least a little bit more real than the ones we made up.%Gallery-5422%
Get a job: Final Fantasy Tactics A2 preview
Chocobo Knights and Geomancers! If those words make your heart go a-flutter, it's probably a good time to check in with GameSpy's preview of some of the more inaccessible jobs in Final Fantasy Tactics Advance 2: Grimoire of the Rift. Sure, the game comes out later this month, but according to them, you're going to be playing for a long, long time before you see any of these jobs. Check out five of the jobs, complete with super cute outfits and videos, at the source ... and work your way into our newly-expanded gallery for an explosion of English-language screenshots sure to whet your appetite for the game's upcoming release.%Gallery-5422%[Via GoNintendo]
Tactical Guild looks like a mid-priced SRPG
Now everybody has remembered that, hey, Tactical Guild totally still exists, Famitsu has decided to post a blowout of screens from the game.In truth, it's not the prettiest game. In fact, it's visually closer to the original Final Fantasy than Final Fantasy Tactics A2 (which kind of explains why the game is ¥1000 cheaper than most DS titles), but we totally dig those chunky, shamelessly retro sprites. Famitsu also has some nice art of the game's protagonists to gaze and coo at, along with the usual ridiculous haircuts and clothes; buttons, for example, are serious business.Take a turn to run past the break for more screens.%Gallery-24373%
Etrian Odyssey, FFTA2 developers want to speak with you
Even if it is really all about plugging their products, we love it when game developers choose to communicate directly with us, the dirty, huddled masses, and today has brought news of two studios who are inviting questions from gamers.First up is Atlus, or more specifically Nich Maragos, Atlus USA Editor and Project Lead for both of the Etrian Odyssey games. Between now and June 17th, he'll be answering as many of your Etrian-related queries as he can here. Maragos is accepting questions about either of the two DS games, perhaps to accommodate for PAL region players, who only just received the first game last Friday. Ask him why Europe had to wait so long, if you like. Go on, do it.Next in line is the entire development team for Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift, who are clearly pretty confident that they'll be receiving an absolute avalanche of questions, as they're doing this as a group. You'll have to be a signed-up Square Enix member, though, which will mean having to fill in this form.Ask Atlus!Ask Square Enix!%Gallery-15249%%Gallery-5422%[Via Go Nintendo and NeoGAF]
Japanese retailer spills beans on Tactical Guild
Since it was fleetingly mentioned over two months ago, Success Corp.'s mid-priced strategy RPG Tactical Guide has flown so far under our radar as to be almost undetectable. Fortunately, it didn't elude Siliconera's sharp-eyed Spencer Yip, who spotted the game on the site of retailer Rakuten, where it has been listed for an Japanese release on August 28th.Said listing proved to be a decent source of fresh information on the title, revealing that the game would offer a choice of three heroines, each of whom has a "good" and "normal" ending, 71 quests (and several other sub-quests to complete), a job system (of which little is so far known), and the screens you see in the gallery below.Will it come to the west? We wouldn't bank on it, but at least there's plenty more SRPG goodness planned for not-Japan.%Gallery-24373%
Spectral Force Genesis is a force to be reckoned with
Since localization can be a cruel, unsatisfying mistress, most of us haven't gotten a taste of the Spectral Force series. That will all change when Spectral Force 3 comes out for the 360, but people without Microsoft's console are still out of luck. That's why we're hoping that Spectral Force Genesis, which is featured in the trailer above, sees the light of day outside of Japan.After the two minutes of introductory fodder, the video shows us two minutes of (tiny) gameplay. The size of the screens and Japanese writing makes it difficult to tell exactly what's going on, but we like how the stylus seems to be utilized. We also know a bit of what to expect from the gameplay already.If this does get localized, the mostly likely candidate to do so would be Atlus. Aside from the fact that Atlus is bringing Spectral Force 3 to the 360, the company has a good track record on the DS, so we're going to have faith in Genesis. For those of you who can handle Japanese without a problem, though, the game releases in the Far East on June 19th.[Via Ruliweb]
Music to our ears: NIS America announces Rhapsody
In an interview with RPGamer, NIS America's Jack Niida bluntly confirmed a U.S. release of the remake of Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure. RPGamer asked him if the game was coming out, and he said "Rhapsody ~A Musical Adventure~ is coming to the Nintendo DS here in North America." This is the only time in history that just asking about an unannounced game resulted in a definitive answer. There's no date yet, but the Japanese version isn't out until August, so we'd expect the holidays at the earliest. Localization and voice recording take time (unless they're using the existing English script), and getting Disgaea DS out will probably take priority for NIS. We'll find out more about the company's plans on the 6th, when NIS will hold a press event. Niida promises "surprise announcements," which could be anything from Jigsaw World (fairly likely) to The Combini (pretty much no chance) to non-DS stuff.[Via NeoGAF]
DS Daily: Strategic desire
It's only natural we'd follow up yesterday's morning topic with a similar one today, in light of the recent news. So, let's switch focus to strategy titles. Which franchises, no matter what system they reside on, would you like to see make it on DS? It can be a straight port or a valid DS entry, built from the ground up.Want to see Command & Conquer on your DS? The prospect of Starcraft on your DS still lingering around your brain? Let's hear it!
Rhapsody: A Visual Adventure
Nippon Ichi's DS Rhapsody remake, Marl Oukoku no Ningyou Hime: Tenshi ga Kanaderu Uta (The Puppet Princess of Marl Kingdom: Love Song Played by an Angel) promises the same kind of idiosyncratic, low-difficulty tactical RPG combat seen in the PlayStation version, including Cornet's dessert-based Reward attacks (as seen in this screenshot). It also promises musical interludes in lieu of traditional cutscenes, because that's Rhapsody's whole gimmick, really. This time, however, the perspective of the battles has changed, though the genre is apparently the same: while battles were originally presented in an isometric view with visible grids, they seem to be a more Final Fantasy-like side view now. Check out GAME Watch for a ton of screens!
Metareview: Drone Tactics
Drone Tactics launched a few days ago in the U.S., introducing a novel combination of insects and strategy to our DSes. The game already appeared as one of our suggested alternatives to Advance Wars: Days of Ruin, so how does it stack up against Intelligent Systems' gem? Look! Some people answered that question for us:Game Informer -- 70%: Game Informer's Adam Biessener served up a second opinion on Joe Juba's review, remarking how Atlus' game isn't what it first appears to be: "At first glance, this seems to be yet another piece of kid-friendly shovelware, but there's actually a decent game hiding under the sub-Saturday morning cartoon presentation. The RPG elements in this grid-based battler are thin but well thought out, and the combat itself features several reasonably balanced rock-paper-scissors relationships that make for interesting tactical decisions."Nintendo Power -- 70%: Nintendo Power follows a similar tune, snickering at the story, but praising the core gameplay: "The result is a storyline that will elicit nothing but eye-rolls and nasal snorts from anyone over 12, but the game at the core of Drone Tactics is surprisingly well-made." [June 2008, p.87 -- excerpt found at Metacritic]Games Radar -- 80%: Meanwhile, Games Radar gave Drone Tactics its best review to date, singling out the title's lifespan and customization options as the best bits: "Another high point is the high level of customization the game allows. You choose the paint jobs and decorative emblems. You choose the bugs that go into each battle. You decide the weapons and armor that each bug carries into battle. You even get to put together your own deck of preferred battle cards. The further you go in the story mode, the more your insect army starts to feel uniquely "yours." [...] It'll take you 40-plus hours to finish the story mode. Longer if you try to complete all of the optional badlands missions. That's 40-plus hours worth of awesome battles and addictive customizing."%Gallery-14982%
Snippets of FFTA2 gameplay show some tactics
While we're waiting for Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift to release (very soon), we're pretty much powerless to do much but look at screens and websites. Now, though, we can at least immerse ourselves in some videos of the upcoming game. Unfortunately, most of them are only short (and tiny) clips teasing the battle system, but it's still nice to get a sense of what the gameplay will entail.Above, the video delves into a part of the story, although put out of context it's not very telling. After the break, you can watch a few forty-second battle clips, showing three different characters using their attacks, skills, or summons. Gallery: FF Tactics A2
Japan to be ecstatic for Rhapsody this summer
For our very lucky brothers and sisters living in Japan, this one's for you. Dated for this August is the release of Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure, Nippon Ichi's SRPG. This has little weight with those of us living outside of the country, who're forced to wait until SRPGs are localized. We know, it's just horrible.Spencer over at Siliconera is of the mind that the title could wash up on North American shores come the end of the year, however. So for those of you looking to throw down in a very careful and meticulously plotted manner, cross your fingers. You just might get your wish.[Via Siliconera]
ASH pops up on ESRB's site
Tactical title ASH, short for Archaic Sealed Heat, could be headed to the North America. It recently popped up on the ESRB's website, which, as you all know, pretty much means we can expect to hear news confirming our suspicions soon. The question is, though, do any of you still care about it, since it wasn't received with wide, open arms abroad?Any of you interested in ASH? Did you already import it when it was on sale?
FF Tactics Advances on Europe this June
There's simply no in-between when it comes to PAL localizations of Square Enix games: they either take absolutely ages to arrive, or no time at all. Happily, Final Fantasy Tactics Advance 2: Grimoire of the Rift will fall into the latter category, with the game appearing across Europe on June 27th, three days after its U.S. debut. We're attaching another gold star to your record, Square! Nintendo and every other company out there who puts Euro gamers through the mill far too frequently: take note!If you're still too impatient to wait another five weeks, you may want to keep your thumbs and brain busy with a close alternative -- and conveniently enough, we have a whole bunch of recommendations for you to try out.%Gallery-5422%[Via press release]
It's your mission to watch this Front Mission 2089 trailer
Fans of Square Enix's SRPG series, take note. A rather lengthy trailer for Front Mission 2089 is available for your viewing pleasure. Within the trailer, we're provided a look at some of the game's characters, as well as a glimpse at some game footage and what most of you undoubtedly care about the most: mech customization. SRPG-aholics are likely to get another pleasant dose of tactical gameplay in Square Enix's upcoming title.Who's looking forward to the latest entry in the Front Mission line of games?%Gallery-15388%[Via Go Nintendo]
Blue Dragon, Away: Shuffle Dungeon confirmed for U.S.
As if our recent poll regarding Blue Dragon Plus and Away: Shuffle Dungeon hadn't already put you on the spot enough, now you'll have to choose one for really reals. AQ Interactive's latest financial report confirms that both will hit North America in this fiscal year, and also mentioned a localized version of the Korg DS-10 (which we already knew about).Incidentally, there's a further four third-party portable games being brought over by Xseed, and Siliconera reckons that those could include Flower, Sun and Rain, Lux Pain, and Dungeon Maker DS. As European versions of the first two have both been rumored, we'd tend to agree!
