Nippon Ichi’s upcoming PSP super-enhanced “remake” of the classic PS2 strategy RPG is looking sweet and hilarious as ever in this trailer. I’ll need to go see if pre-orders have started on this one at the NISA online store, as I want my UMDs coming this way for as long as they still being made, grrrr!
With its March 15, 2011 release approaching, let's take a look at some nice screens and character illustrations from the final installment of Gust's rather intriguing mix of RPG and romance simulation, finally making it's PS3 debut. The first two games were pure 2D bliss packed with lovely hand-drawn art, parallax scrolling and limited 3D elements that gave them a nicely old-school feel. Qoga's shift to 3D battles and an all-new combat system does allow for more dynamic angles as you'll see, but it looks as if the game also uses some interesting hand-painted art in certain non-battle sections. I liked the first two games quite a lot (although the real-time combat system in part 2 was a bit too gimmicky) – fingers crossed that Qoga doesn't disappoint in any department.
More info about the game and screens below the jump.
In a bit of really great news for the budget-conscious gamer (or those who are just always super cheap), the NISA Online Store has decided to offer US gamers FREE shipping on purchases. Say it with me, folks: A-w-e-s-o-m-e!!! Now you can boogie on over to the store, grab that copy of Disgaea 3 you’ve been longing for, jump on that Hyperdimension Neptunia Premium Pack or FINALLY snap up that slick Glicee for that special blank spot on your wall and get it shipped fast and (wait for it…) FREE!
Now go buy something so those hard working Prinnies can keep their jobs!
And here you go: BOOM. Courtesy of NISA, one Hyperdimension Neptunia(aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!) Premium Package to go. Nice cover art AND that Premium inside the Package just so happens to be a rather cool art book packed with lots of art (dang, I’m good!). Anyway, hit your favorite retailer and go pre-order this gem.
In other Nippon Ichi news, Prinny 2: Dawn of Operation Panties, Dood! is out NOW, so I need to go buy a copy sometime this week and let you folks know how it is, right?
I still have ringing in my ears and a mild headache from all that Hyperdimension Neptunia(aaa*cough!*) stuff yesterday, so I missed running this nice cover art and screens from NISA’s upcoming PSP strategy RPG. According to Amazon’s listing, the game will feature “new story chapters, characters, items, better graphics, and a revamped user interface”. In addition, the game is now “more user-friendly and packs more content for over 100 hours of game play”. March 18, 2011 is the release date (unless something changes). With UMD games looking as if they’re on the way out after next year, folks like me will be grabbing what great games we can, that’s for sure.
While the official website for the game is still in the works, the cover art and four screens are here for your approval. There are a bunch more shots from the game over at Amazon (in case you didn’t click that link above already), so go peek at those if this one’s up your alley… Back in a bit – the post office is calling me…
Yup, that means yet another wacky yet cool Nippon Ichi Software America contest is afoot, folks. Click on that pic above and enter to win some cool prizes! Also, go reserve a copy of Prinny 2: Dawn of Operation Panties, Dood! while you’re at it. As I’ve said before, ANY game with a name like that can’t be passed up!
Normally, I’d say that header would be a “No wait, that didn’t come out right…” statement, but yes indeedy-do, it’s true. Nippon Ichi Software America is holding a contest where you design a pair of panties for Etna, everyone’s favorite evil (but cute) demoness from the Disgaea and Prinny series.
The panties in question are part of a genius promotion for Prinny 2: Dawn of Operation Panties, Dood! (a game I absolutely WANT based on the title alone). I’d guess I’m ineligible, being a member of the gaming press and all, but I’d definitely love to be a fly on the wall with a pair of binoculars at NISA’s offices when those entries start rolling in. My spider-sense says that the rejection pile is going to be fairly large (but fun to judge, that’s for sure), given the imagination of certain types of anime/manga/game fans.
Anyway, go poke around on the official contest site, enter if you’ve got the skills and hope you win BIG. The main prizes for the three big winners are a copy of Prinny 2 and a pair of the winning panties. 50 other lucky entrants who can or can’t draw a lick (er, no pun intended!) can enter the contest and end up will their own pair of those panties (but no game). Yeah, this could be one of the more interesting game-related contests in recent memory, that’s for damn sure…
Nippon Ichi continues this week's absolute game-gasm with the announcement that Disgaea 4 is in production and should be ready for stealing hundreds upon hundreds of hours or your lives in 2011. Japanese logo to your left (“Duh!”, says Etna) and three pieces of lovely character are below the jump (that Fuka's a real cutie, isn't she?).
There's also a Japanese teaser site for that's been up for a little while, but don't expect to uncover too much about the game just yet should you hop on over for a peek.
Nippon Ichi's US branch is still merrily publishing some of the most fun niche JRPGs available and their upcoming PS3 release of Gust Co.'s Atelier Rorona: the Alchemist of Arland should absolutely please fans of this style of game. As you can see from the gallery below, the game looks fantastic using an excellent mix of lovingly detailed 2D portraits with 3D characters and environments.
NISA has also announced that two slightly different Premium Box versions of the game will be available. The first version can only be purchased at GameStop where pre-ordering the game will get you a beautiful 32-page hardcover full color art book. The other Premium Box will only be available through the NISA Online shop where that particular pre-order gets you the art book along with the official game soundtrack CD.
One of the things that irks me as a collector of games is this trend of releasing certain console and portable titles as download-only product (grrrr!). While it’s indeed great for those folks who feel no need to have a physical product, the simple fact is some of us out there would like the choice to have one or the other (or even both in some cases). Heck, what if you’re in an area without decent (or any) broadband access or just want the simple pleasure of actually reading a manual you can hold in your hot little hands?
Don’t get me wrong, folks – the ability to pay for and download new games and game content works amazingly well for those gamers who don’t give a hoot about the above issues, but SOME games would actually enjoy a much LARGER user base IF they were made available in as many (legal) forms as possible (grrr!). Yeah, that means you too, Konami (the otherwise superb Vandal Hearts: Flames of Judgment SHOULD also get a darn disc release on the Xbox 360 AND PS3 for those of use who want it! grrrr!!!)
"DESTROY ALL FANBOYS!" 