Dance the Light Fantastic
Yeah, we know, it's supposed to be trip, but we're lazy.
Published: July 18, 2006
It seems like every time there's a mention of a PSP role-playing game, we have to bitch and moan about how there's no good games for it. We conveniently forget about stuff like Ys, and to a lesser degree the more hack-and-slashy games like X-Men Legends or Monster Hunter Freedom, but as decent as those games are, there still hasn't been anything with a console-level execution. Part of this is likely due to developer inexperience for the not-quite-PS2-powerful PSP hardware, and part of it is just that it's going to take time.
Luckily, Nippon Ichi Software, or more specifically their US counterpart, NIS America, has a little something to tide us over. Blade Dancer: Lineage of Light was apparently good enough that over in Japan, Sony opted to publish the game themselves (they also helped out a little bit with the development too) while letting developer Hit Maker (not to be confused with the SEGA offshoot of the same name) handle most of the development tasks.
Why a game birthed from the newly formed Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios' Japan Studio wouldn't get published here in the States by Sony is beyond us, but at least NIS America is here to pick up the slack -- and offer up a glowing sound bite while they're at it.
"It's amazing how smooth and exciting the game play is. This is an RPG designed for the PSPâ„¢ and it really shows. I personally am enjoying the multiplayer mode, which is quite unique for this genre," happily offers NIS America President Haru Akenaga.
Designed from the ground up to play and feel like a full-blown console RPG, Blade Dancer does seem to hint at good things to come for PSP RPG nuts; a full item crafting system with 650+ items to make, a day/night cycle, 3D world, no random encounters (or at least you can see enemies on the main map), a real-time battle system, and of course the all-important multi-player aspect Mr. Akenaga was talking about where up to four players can get their co-op on.
The game is out in stores as you read this, and we'll be sure to kick up a full review as soon as we've played through things.
Luckily, Nippon Ichi Software, or more specifically their US counterpart, NIS America, has a little something to tide us over. Blade Dancer: Lineage of Light was apparently good enough that over in Japan, Sony opted to publish the game themselves (they also helped out a little bit with the development too) while letting developer Hit Maker (not to be confused with the SEGA offshoot of the same name) handle most of the development tasks.
Why a game birthed from the newly formed Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios' Japan Studio wouldn't get published here in the States by Sony is beyond us, but at least NIS America is here to pick up the slack -- and offer up a glowing sound bite while they're at it.
"It's amazing how smooth and exciting the game play is. This is an RPG designed for the PSPâ„¢ and it really shows. I personally am enjoying the multiplayer mode, which is quite unique for this genre," happily offers NIS America President Haru Akenaga.
Designed from the ground up to play and feel like a full-blown console RPG, Blade Dancer does seem to hint at good things to come for PSP RPG nuts; a full item crafting system with 650+ items to make, a day/night cycle, 3D world, no random encounters (or at least you can see enemies on the main map), a real-time battle system, and of course the all-important multi-player aspect Mr. Akenaga was talking about where up to four players can get their co-op on.
The game is out in stores as you read this, and we'll be sure to kick up a full review as soon as we've played through things.
