Role-Playing Fourplay
An XSEEDingly good line-up coming in 2007! Heh heh… ehh…
Published: March 22, 2007
For as many publishers out there who insist on making their bucks dabbling in just about every genre imaginable, it can be easy to forget that there’s still a proud few out there who continue to focus their efforts on a single forte.
Take XSEED Games, for example, founded in late 2004 by ex-head honcho of Square Enix's North American division, Jun Iwasaki, which probbbably explains why they’ve since then offered a steady stream of role-playing and only (Japanese) role-playing experiences. 2007 will be no different, as the publisher readies a pair of new PSP titles -- Dungeon Maker: Hunting Ground and, from the developers of Genji, Brave Story: New Traveler -- the latest installment in the Wild ARMs series, as well as the previously announced Valhalla Knights, slated for an April 17 release.
“We are extremely proud to have such a quality line-up of games in 2007,” exudes Jun Iwasaki, president, XSEED Games. “We believe that these games are some of the most entertaining games available on the PSP system and PlayStation 2 system, and hope that people will associate XSEED Games with quality role-playing titles.”
We’ll let you read all about Valhalla Knights in our earlier preview, but here’s the dirt on the rest of the line-up:
Dungeon Maker: Hunting Ground (PSP)
Developed by: Global A Entertainment
Release Date: July 2007
Dungeon creation meets a real-time battle system, in the story about an inexperienced architect, out to create the grandest dungeon imaginable so as to lure the monsters that have been terrorizing a nearby town. As the Architect, you’ll have to win over the minds of the skeptical townspeople by expanding and improving your dungeon, until they eventually aid you in your mission, offering advice, key items, weapons and magic spells and even medical treatment when you fall ill.
The game promises an easy-to-use dungeon creator, allowing you to tackle it floor by floor and construct a strategic yet alluring dungeon so as to lure in the most enemies. The real-time battles have you employing a medley of melee and ranged weapons, magic spells, special attacks, summons, and all other tactics needed to wipe out the oncoming masses of undead creatures, orcs, dragons, and many other sought-after monsters. Got a friend with a PSP and a copy of the game? Click on the Wi-Fi and see what one another’s dungeon holds!
Brave Story: New Traveler (PSP)
Developed By: Game Republic
Release Date: Q3 2007
As if the name didn’t give it away, Brave Story tells the… brave story of a… new traveler, an 11-year-old boy who, in hopes of awakening his friend Miki from her fallen illness, ventures into the alternate world of Vision. It is there where he befriends a number of unique individuals and faces difficult challenges, which only stand in his way of meeting the Goddess of Fortune and changing his destiny.
The story’s resounding themes will also tie in to the gameplay mechanics, as elements such as friendship (executing cooperative skills), courage [unleashing special abilities with “brave power” (BP)] and growth (upgrading and evolving your main weapon) will all tie into the game’s turn-based battle system. The adventure is fleshed out by unique animation, stunning 3D graphics, several mini-games and even a bird-collecting side quest, which you can trade for rare items in the game or even with your friends wirelessly.
Wild ARMs 5 (PS2)
Developed By: Media.Vision Entertainment
Release Date: Q3 2007
The latest in the 10-year-old series follows two youths, Dean Stark and Rebecca Streisand, through their adventures in the world of Filgaia, a land once comprised of unprecedented technology that the humans later abandoned. They intend to help a little girl named Avril cure her amnesia and retrieve her lost memories, but their journey will soon find far greater worth, taking on the fate of mankind.
Wild ARMs 5 marks the return of its predecessor’s lauded HEX battle system, now with interchangeable abilities amongst party members, all of whom can be switched during battle. Expect a highly-explorable 3D world with tons to do, sharp event scenes complete with voiceovers, cameo appearances out the woodwork and, uh, dual pistol-wielding!
And you thought the RPG market was stagnant? Pfft!
Take XSEED Games, for example, founded in late 2004 by ex-head honcho of Square Enix's North American division, Jun Iwasaki, which probbbably explains why they’ve since then offered a steady stream of role-playing and only (Japanese) role-playing experiences. 2007 will be no different, as the publisher readies a pair of new PSP titles -- Dungeon Maker: Hunting Ground and, from the developers of Genji, Brave Story: New Traveler -- the latest installment in the Wild ARMs series, as well as the previously announced Valhalla Knights, slated for an April 17 release.
“We are extremely proud to have such a quality line-up of games in 2007,” exudes Jun Iwasaki, president, XSEED Games. “We believe that these games are some of the most entertaining games available on the PSP system and PlayStation 2 system, and hope that people will associate XSEED Games with quality role-playing titles.”
We’ll let you read all about Valhalla Knights in our earlier preview, but here’s the dirt on the rest of the line-up:
Dungeon Maker: Hunting Ground (PSP)
Developed by: Global A Entertainment
Release Date: July 2007
Dungeon creation meets a real-time battle system, in the story about an inexperienced architect, out to create the grandest dungeon imaginable so as to lure the monsters that have been terrorizing a nearby town. As the Architect, you’ll have to win over the minds of the skeptical townspeople by expanding and improving your dungeon, until they eventually aid you in your mission, offering advice, key items, weapons and magic spells and even medical treatment when you fall ill.
The game promises an easy-to-use dungeon creator, allowing you to tackle it floor by floor and construct a strategic yet alluring dungeon so as to lure in the most enemies. The real-time battles have you employing a medley of melee and ranged weapons, magic spells, special attacks, summons, and all other tactics needed to wipe out the oncoming masses of undead creatures, orcs, dragons, and many other sought-after monsters. Got a friend with a PSP and a copy of the game? Click on the Wi-Fi and see what one another’s dungeon holds!
Brave Story: New Traveler (PSP)
Developed By: Game Republic
Release Date: Q3 2007
As if the name didn’t give it away, Brave Story tells the… brave story of a… new traveler, an 11-year-old boy who, in hopes of awakening his friend Miki from her fallen illness, ventures into the alternate world of Vision. It is there where he befriends a number of unique individuals and faces difficult challenges, which only stand in his way of meeting the Goddess of Fortune and changing his destiny.
The story’s resounding themes will also tie in to the gameplay mechanics, as elements such as friendship (executing cooperative skills), courage [unleashing special abilities with “brave power” (BP)] and growth (upgrading and evolving your main weapon) will all tie into the game’s turn-based battle system. The adventure is fleshed out by unique animation, stunning 3D graphics, several mini-games and even a bird-collecting side quest, which you can trade for rare items in the game or even with your friends wirelessly.
Wild ARMs 5 (PS2)
Developed By: Media.Vision Entertainment
Release Date: Q3 2007
The latest in the 10-year-old series follows two youths, Dean Stark and Rebecca Streisand, through their adventures in the world of Filgaia, a land once comprised of unprecedented technology that the humans later abandoned. They intend to help a little girl named Avril cure her amnesia and retrieve her lost memories, but their journey will soon find far greater worth, taking on the fate of mankind.
Wild ARMs 5 marks the return of its predecessor’s lauded HEX battle system, now with interchangeable abilities amongst party members, all of whom can be switched during battle. Expect a highly-explorable 3D world with tons to do, sharp event scenes complete with voiceovers, cameo appearances out the woodwork and, uh, dual pistol-wielding!
And you thought the RPG market was stagnant? Pfft!