TGS 08: Level-5 video roundup
by Andrew Yoon 
{ Oct 9th 2008 at 10:00AM }
Level-5's Tokyo Game Show booth featured a Closed Theater presentation (much like their competitor, Square Enix). However, unlike the other JRPG overlord, Level-5 encouraged us to actually let you watch these trailers as well by endowing us with a DVD (courtesy of booth girl). Our favorite trailer of the three new games unveiled at TGS this year is for PSP: Ushiro, a horror-themed RPG that has you playing a ghost haunting his darling (in a not-so-Patrick Swazey way).
That's not all, of course. The busy RPG team is also hard at work on a new DS game in collaboration with Studio Ghibli, and a new PSP game that lets you customize some robots. Check out those videos, and more, after the break.
Ni no Kuni (aka The Another World is an RPG that's in collaboration with famed anime house Studio Ghibli. DS footage is shown, but "Another Platform" is teased at the end. With such impressive production values, we wouldn't be surprised to see this game end up on a much more powerful console to take advantage of the potential for oodles of lovely Ghibli-animated cutscenes.
Danbol Senki (aka Cardboard War Machine) is a PSP RPG that allows kids to build custom robots and battle them in a virtual arena. The art looks strangely reminiscent of another PSP game ... Jeanne d'Arc. The kids will probably want to look out for this one.
Ten years of Level-5 games in one historic retrospective. From PS2's Dark Cloud to DS' Professor Layton, Level-5 has had its hand in quite a number of big profile games. It's amazing to see how ten years have carried Level-5 from a development team ... to a genre juggernaut.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
McWeen @ Oct 9th 2008 10:12AM
Wow. Really neat art style in the first one. Should have some good atmosphere.
Comet @ Oct 9th 2008 10:15AM
No Dark Could 3? Damn.
tmacairjordan87 @ Oct 9th 2008 12:32PM
There's still hope. Sony has like 9-11 un-announced ps3 games for their confernece and it would not be farfetched to reveal Dark Cloud 3 there, as it's an exclusive RPG developed by a huge japanese company.
That being said from what I know they do not have a ton of people at Level-5 and they're working on a lot of stuff already. I know they're putting most of their manpower on that White Knight game for ps3 so they probably can't spare a lot of people for Dark Cloud 3 right now.
tmacairjordan87 @ Oct 9th 2008 12:43PM
Well..you may get your wish after all. I just found out sony is also going to do a joint conference with Level-5 so that would be a perfect time for an announcement.
Suichimo @ Oct 9th 2008 10:15AM
Ni no Kuni looks absolutely amazing. I'm definitely picking it up when it comes out.
Fernando Rocker @ Oct 9th 2008 10:19AM
The other teased platform is the Wii... they are making Wii games now.
Level 5 is also developing Inazuma for the Wii too.
Noshino @ Oct 9th 2008 10:55AM
Inazuma Eleven Break's platform hasn't been announced.
And if we are to go by this "The other teased platform is the Wii... they are making Wii games now." reasoning then it could also be for PS3 or PSP since they also develop games for them, right?
JoeTheBlow @ Oct 9th 2008 10:21AM
2, or even 3, PSP games?!
Shit, thats a surprise right there. Maybe the currently unhackable PSP Brite is pulling the devs back.
Evan @ Oct 9th 2008 10:23AM
I love the look of the 2D animated parts, especially in the second video (Ni no Kuni), the faces are so much more expressive than Square Enix style uncanny-valley dolls.
AwesomeTown @ Oct 9th 2008 10:26AM
I have no idea whats going on in that DS game, but it looks good and I'll probably get it anyway.
Superstar90 @ Oct 9th 2008 10:53AM
I hope the other platform is PSP, then they can keep upgrade the graphics and add more cutscenes and still keep it a portable RPG.
Aex @ Oct 9th 2008 12:20PM
L2De-interlace?
Hehe, Seriously though, thanks for the videos. I know I'm kinda interested now :)
TomA @ Oct 9th 2008 12:57PM
Oh mighty gods of win... please make the following happen:
1. The Another World to actually be released outside of Japan
2. Let the other platform be PS3/360 (not PSP)
3. Keep the awesome Engrish name
ThornedVenom (Harley Quinn Defense Force) @ Oct 9th 2008 1:58PM
I've heard about their games, but this is actually the first time I've known the studio's name (I know, SHAAAME).
Freaking badass portable console portfolio. I love it when studios push it to the next level.
Noshino @ Oct 9th 2008 2:18PM
Level 6!
Ethan @ Oct 9th 2008 6:36PM
Seemed more annoying than freaky.
BatAttack @ Oct 10th 2008 4:02AM
I got a vibe from Danbol Senki, that seemed like a for-boys version of Angelic Layer. Even the battle drums and horns in the music.. anyone else get that impression?
Pedobear @ Oct 10th 2008 4:58PM
Ushiro looked pretty good. The story seems interesting too.
Covarr @ Oct 11th 2008 12:07AM
A kid getting sucked into a book. I'm sure I've seen that plot in a JRPG before...
cow cow @ Oct 11th 2008 3:33PM
The Another World?
I don't understand how these Engrish titles keep getting approved. How is it these big time developers don't have any clue on the English language?