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Among Japanese developers, Sting quietly thrives

Kat Bailey — Wed, 23 May 2012 16:30:00 EST

This is a column by Kat Bailey dedicated to the analysis of the once beloved Japanese RPG sub-genre. Tune in every Wednesday for thoughts on white-haired villains, giant robots, Infinity+1 swords, and everything else the wonderful world of JRPGs has to offer.

In late 2008, Sony released the PSP-3000, giving me the perfect excuse to finally pick one up. When I got home later that day, I did what anyone with a new system does - I started downloading demos.

Yggdra Union was among that early handful of downloads. I picked it because I liked the art style, not knowing what I was getting into. I soon discovered Yggdra Union is quite the complicated strategy RPG. There are different character types, and there are cards that dictate movement and status effects, and positioning matters too. And it didn't help that I was trying to play it in its native Japanese (though I eventually relented and found an English copy).

As I later discovered, Yggdra Union is the rule rather than the exception to Sting Entertainment's ... unique design sensibilities. Almost every modern Sting RPG has some sort of interesting twist on the traditional RPG formula. Riviera: The Promised Land is part dating sim and part menu-driven point-and-click adventure, for example. Knights in the Nightmare is a strategy RPG, but it also has sequences in which you must guide a tiny wisp while avoiding a hail of bullets. Rather than simply going with what works, or the cheapest alternative, Sting has traditionally been extremely experimental, and its reward has been a small but fervent fanbase.

Gallery: Gungnir (4/11/12)

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Among Japanese developers, Sting quietly thrives originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 23 May 2012 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Great Moment: Climbing Final Fantasy IV's Mt. Ordeals

Kat Bailey — Tue, 15 May 2012 20:30:00 EST

I find Cecil interesting, which is not something I can say for many other video game protagonists. For instance, he's in a solid, mature relationship with a strong woman right off the bat. And from the very beginning, he's grappling with a clear moral dilemma--break his oath and step down or continue slaughtering innocents in the name of the Empire? It's evident that Cecil has a lot in his mind right from the beginning, which is all the more impressive for the fact that he's only a tiny 16-bit sprite.

In fact, there was a lot going on with Final Fantasy IV's story in general. The cast is huge, and the heroic sacrifices and heroic twists almost constant. But the best moment happens early on, when Cecil climbs Mt. Ordeals with the twin mages Palom and Porum in a quest to shed his darker half and become a Paladin.

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Great Moment: Climbing Final Fantasy IV's Mt. Ordeals originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 15 May 2012 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The delightful smoothness of classic Japanese role-playing games

Rowan Kaiser — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Nintendo DS, Features, Sony PlayStation 2, Sony PlayStation 3, Sony PSP, Retro, Microsoft Xbox 360, RPGs

This week, Rowan Kaiser and Kat Bailey have switched roles -- with Rowan taking lead in this week's column focusing on the wonderful world of Japanese role-playing games.

I was only defeated once in Suikoden. Even that was an accident - I thought it was a fight I was supposed to lose. Calling the game "easy" is something of an understatement. With a little bit of planning, you can win virtually every fight in the game, including the final boss battle on auto-pilot using the "Free Will" option in the combat menu. Yet, despite this easiness, Suikoden is one of my favorite Japanese role-playing games. "Easy" isn't the right term for it exactly. Instead, Suikoden is smooth.

"Smoothness" isn't a common criteria used to judge games. If anything, it's the opposite. Getting the difficulty level just right, so that the game seems like a challenge but is completable with practice, seems like it's an ideal. Or, you can use Sid Meier's model of games as "interesting choices" - but if the game isn't challenging, those choices don't seem to matter, right? I think acceptance theories like those are part of the reason that Japanese role-playing games are considered less important than they used to be.

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What can Japanese RPG developers learn from Rayman: Origins?

Kat Bailey — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 09:00:00 EST

I wish more Japanese RPGs were like Rayman: Origins.

Alright, I'll give you a moment to wrap your brain around that statement, then I'll explain. As most of you know, Rayman: Origins is a completely beautiful platformer that captures everything that is great about the genre -- precise controls, expansive levels, and high challenge. It's at the forefront of the genre's mini-renaissance, which has been ongoing for a few years now.

I want all that for Japanese RPGs. More to the point, I think that it can happen, if only an enterprising publisher or developer were to pick up the baton.

At the moment, I think there's something of a taboo against the classic form, at least among the larger developers. Even Dragon Quest -- long the bastion of reliability -- has been shaking things up with its multiplayer innovations. The unspoken mandate is that the genre must evolve or die.

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What can Japanese RPG developers learn from Rayman: Origins? originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 09 Mar 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Etrian Odyssey IV coming to the 3DS in Japan, classes detailed

Mike Schramm — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 02:30:00 EST

Atlus has officially confirmed that Etrian Odyssey IV is on its way to the Nintendo 3DS in Japan later this year. The fourth in the series of popular RPGs (Etrian Odyssey 3 arrived in North America last year) will have an easier casual difficulty setting, and will boast seven different classes, including Rune Masters, Medics, Snipers, Swordsmen, Fortress units, and Dancers.

Art for the game is being provided by Nizo Yamamoto (one of the artists on Princess Mononoke). Etrian Odyssey veterans Yuji Himukai, Shin Nagasawa, and Yuzu Koshiro are also on board. Daisuke Kaneda, taking reins as game director, served as battle advisor on the original game and directed Trauma Team.

Atlus says the game will be out in Japan on July 5. Since older Etrian Odysseys have eventually found their way over to North America, there's a chance we'll see this one here too.

Etrian Odyssey IV coming to the 3DS in Japan, classes detailed originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 28 Feb 2012 02:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Do Japanese RPGs need good stories?

Kat Bailey — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 15:29:00 EST

I'm going to sum up all of the cliches about Final Fantasy XIII in one sentence: "The battle system is pretty good, but the story is laughable." Gamasutra's Christian Nutt even went so far as to compare the direction of the series to the Star Wars prequels. I wish I could disagree.

For all that though, I'm willing to stick out Final Fantasy XIII-2's jaunt through time and space, banal anime archetypes and all. Whenever one of the cutscenes pop up, I just go and check my email. Either that, or I pick up a book. It's mostly the battles that keep me going. I'm also a big fan of putting hats on monsters, and Final Fantasy XIII-2 has that in spades.

The dirty secret is that I've always been more fascinated by RPG battle systems than the story within the game. In many ways, a character's mechanical growth is a story in and of itself. When the game begins, your character is a scrub with a wooden sword and a few potions. By the end, they can call down comets from the heavens and instigate supernovas. That's what I call a character arc.

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Do Japanese RPGs need good stories? originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 15 Feb 2012 15:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Remembering the best JRPG ever

Jason Schreier — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 18:20:00 EST

This is a column by Jason Schreier dedicated to the analysis (and occasional mocking) of his favorite genre, the Japanese role-playing game. Whether it's because they're too antiquated or just too niche, he believes JRPGs don't get enough attention in the gaming industry today. It's time to change that.

Good news and bad news.

The bad news is that today's column will be my last. I've accepted a full-time job elsewhere and I won't be able to write for Joystiq anymore. It's been a blast talking about JRPGs with you all, and I hope you enjoyed reading my articles almost as much as I enjoyed writing them.

The good news is that I'm taking this opportunity to write about one of the best JRPGs of all time, a game I always fervidly rank at the top of every "Best Games Ever!!!" list. Few games know how to tell a story this poignant, this engaging, this memorable. Few games blend narrative and mechanics together this smoothly. Few games are so powerful that they convince you to ignore some significant flaws, like bizarre bugs and a terrible translation effort. But this one is.

It's called Suikoden II.

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Why silly JRPG dialogue may not be a problem

Jason Schreier — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 19:00:00 EST

I've been playing a lot of Final Fantasy XIII-2 lately. I can't post my full thoughts until the embargo's up (January 30), but there's one question I've been pondering ever since I popped in the disc: What's up with this dialogue?

Thanks to a lot of silly jargon and awkward phrasing, a large chunk of Final Fantasy XIII-2's conversations elevate it into the "wouldn't want anyone to watch me playing this" category, alongside titles like Star Ocean: The Last Hope and any Tales game.

"Become an arrow through time and speed your way to Serah," one of the game's characters says in the game's intro sequence. Other bits of dialogue are similarly awkward, mixing metaphors, dropping strange proper nouns and completely confusing whoever's playing (read: me).

(Another choice line: "If the paradox is eliminated, spacetime will return to normal.")

Of course, it'd be unfair to only pick on the latest Final Fantasy for this issue. Japanese role playing games -- even moreso than other game genres -- are not known for their fluid, witty dialogue. JRPG scripts are more infamous for mistranslations ("This guy are sick.") than smart or clever bits of writing.

But does it matter? Can a JRPG still be awesome even if its dialogue sucks?

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Why Final Fantasy XIII just didn't work

Jason Schreier — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 17:30:00 EST

On January 31, Square Enix will release Final Fantasy XIII-2, a direct sequel to Final Fantasy XIII, which the developer shipped several years ago to mixed reactions. Some fans adored the game's gorgeous aesthetics and flashy combat; others cursed Square Enix for daring to defile their beloved series.

Perhaps because of that fan ambivalence, a large part of Square Enix's marketing plan for Final Fantasy XIII-2 has revolved around the message "This is not Final Fantasy XIII!" During preview events and demos, the developer has been careful to show off all of the new elements that the first game did not have: towns, NPCs, sidequests, and so forth.

Will Final Fantasy XIII-2 be worth playing? I'll tell you in a few weeks. But while we wait to see whether or not the newest Final Fantasy is worth our time, let's figure out why Square Enix is so eager to make it feel different than its predecessor.

Just where did Final Fantasy XIII go wrong?

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In defense of Xenogears

Jason Schreier — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 19:00:00 EST

When it comes to grandiose adventures, there are few games like Xenogears. Few games' stories are as stirring, as twisty, as poignant. Few games' characters are as bizarre and entrancing.

But fans have skewered the sci-fi masterpiece for its second disc, a potpourri of cutscenes and monologues that may have been the consequence of rushed development. While the game's first 50 hours gave you access to a world map filled with towns, dungeons, and secrets, Xenogears' final act was more book than game, unfolding like a visual novel with very little player interaction outside of the final dungeon and a few boss fights.

Gamers took umbrage at this sudden shift in pace. As one GameFAQs reader points out, "Xenogears would have been great... if it had been finished."

Which is too bad, because I loved every minute of it.

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In defense of Xenogears originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 06 Jan 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Remembering an underappreciated JRPG trilogy

Jason Schreier — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 19:40:00 EST

As gamers, we spend a lot of time playing God. Whether it's building worlds in Minecraft or destroying them in Skyrim, we're always looking for ways to manipulate forces that are normally beyond our control.

Some games even allow us to play God in less subtle ways. Simulation games like Ubisoft's From Dust and 2K's Civilization series allow us to steer the course of history and directly guide the fates of entire populations.

These deity simulators are all well and good, but what if you want a more personal holy adventure? What if instead of playing as a god, you want to work for one? Or destroy one?

Well then, you need to check out the Soul Blazer trilogy.

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Remembering an underappreciated JRPG trilogy originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 30 Dec 2011 19:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The beginner's guide to JRPGs

Jason Schreier — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 14:00:00 EST

The JRPG is an intimidating genre. For gamers accustomed to short sessions of turtle-hopping or soldier-blasting, it can be tough to commit to a sprawling, complex role-playing game.

It's also a gigantic genre. There are hundreds of games out there with bizarre titles like Suikoden and Ar tonelico that are as hard to tell apart as they are to pronounce.

So if you want to get into JRPGs but you've never so much as touched a Final Fantasy or Dragon Quest before, how do you know where to start? How do you know where to spend your time? How can you differentiate between silly tedium and fantastic adventures?

A few weeks ago on Twitter, user @gurpreet_kambo suggested that I write a guide for inexperienced role-players, helping you all sort through the dreck and ease into the genre one over-sized sword at a time. So I've put together a list of charming, accessible adventures that all make perfect entry points for JRPG newbies. They also make great holiday gifts (and excuses to get away from your family).

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The beginner's guide to JRPGs originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 23 Dec 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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What makes JRPGs worth playing

Jason Schreier — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 18:20:00 EST

It's easy to think of a role-playing game as an amalgamation of two main components, narrative and gameplay, jammed together like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. Sometimes they fit together nicely; other times they're as awkward and frustrating as that one weirdly-shaped Tetris block that always falls into the gap where you need an L.

I'm sure you've seen the message board posts. Declarations like "well, the mechanics are OK but the story is great" or "the characters suck but I love the combat" are frequently dropped everywhere from NeoGAF to GameFAQs. Gamers have this tendency to turn games into mathematical equations, breaking them into lists of components like "presentation" and "mechanics" and judging each one on its own merits.

The problem with this attitude is that it ignores everything that makes Japanese role-playing games great. When you cut a JRPG into sections, it is resoundingly subpar. Books have better stories. Platformers have more engaging mechanics. Movies have much more elegant presentation.

So why do we play JRPGs? Because the good ones are better than the sum of their parts.

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Why JRPGs should look at the NFL's playbook

Jason Schreier — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 16:16:00 EST

Joystiq's Ben Gilbert once bemusedly pointed out that my taste in games oscillates between "kawaii!" and "yeah bro!" This is true. Two of the games I enjoyed most this year were Radiant Historia and Madden NFL 12, which is about as huge a disparity as you can get without diving into the terrifying click fields of games like FarmVille.

But wait a minute. Are they really all that different? Sure, the National Football League athletes who lend their images to Madden might not have much in common with the anime-like sprites of a Japanese RPG, but in terms of game design, there are some striking similarities.

As Kill Screen Editor-in-Chief Chris Dahlen pointed out in a GameSpy article last year, football is, at its core, a strategy role-playing game. Each team gets several turns to move the ball down the field, during which they can select from a variety of different attacks. Competing teams match wits over field position and strategy in an attempt to wrest an advantage. At the end of the game, whichever team does the most damage -- or scores the most points -- wins.

Though it has been tweaked quite a bit over the past century, the core rules of football have remained the same since the forward pass was introduced over 100 years ago. It is America's most popular sport for a reason: it is an extraordinarily well-designed game.

Perhaps it could teach JRPG developers a thing or two about combat.

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Why JRPGs should look at the NFL's playbook originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 25 Nov 2011 16:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Virtual Console's classic JRPGs: What holds up?

Jason Schreier — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 15:15:00 EST

Last week, we dug into the PlayStation Network's library of old-school JRPGs, suffering through blocky graphics and annoying voice acting in a valiant effort to figure out what games are still worth playing in 2011.

This week, we attack the Wii's Virtual Console. Granted, Nintendo hates American JRPG fans, as evidenced by the publisher's refusal to localize critically acclaimed games like Xenoblade, but its Wii Shop Channel has a surprisingly robust selection of classics, mostly thanks to the Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis. We had it good during the 16-bit era. Real good.

Like last time, I'll be spending 30-60 minutes with each JRPG -- certainly not enough time to properly review a game, but enough to get a feel for whether it holds up today, and how it compares to my memories of it. (I've played each game to completion at various points over the past two decades. Some of them multiple times.)

Let's roll.

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Virtual Console's classic JRPGs: What holds up? originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 18 Nov 2011 15:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PSN's classic JRPGs: What holds up?

Jason Schreier — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 15:45:00 EST

"Hey Jason," you say, an innocent twinkle in your eye. "I've never played any old-school JRPGs. Where should I start? Which are the best ones? Do any of them hold up in 2011?"

Excellent questions, my hypothetical friend. There are plenty of ways to get your paws on the classics, but it can be tough for newbies to tell exactly which ones are worth playing. You could try asking a more experienced JRPG fan, but he might be too blinded by nostalgia to discern whether or not his favorite game has aged well.

So to help you sort through the chaos, I'll be delving back into a whole bunch of old JRPGs over the next couple of weeks. I'll spend about 30-60 minutes with each one -- certainly not enough time to properly review a game, but enough to get a feel for whether it holds up today, and how it compares to my memories of it.

Today we'll start with the PlayStation Store, a veritable treasure trove of classic JRPGs.

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PSN's classic JRPGs: What holds up? originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 11 Nov 2011 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hey Japan, stop making me save the world

Jason Schreier — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 16:00:00 EST

You've seen this play before. Some ragtag heroes are standing at the edge of some interdimensional space portal or subterranean crystal labyrinth or evil god's castle. They're holding powerful weapons -- acquired after hours of tedious mini-games -- and staring down some nasty monster or deity or demon squirrel.

Their goal? Save the universe from imminent doom.

If you're anything like me, you're probably already yawning. The go-forth-and-save-the-world trope is so worn out in video games by now that it's hard to muster up even an iota of compassion for all of the artificial people that need rescuing. Japanese role-playing games are the worst offenders of all, spitting out bombastic villains and supernatural events with reckless abandon and little regard for reality. Games like Tales of Vesperia and Lost Odyssey might start you off with small tasks and adventures, but at the end of the day, you know you're going to have to prevent the apocalypse.

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Hey Japan, stop making me save the world originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 04 Nov 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The best JRPG you haven't played yet

Jason Schreier — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 16:55:00 EST

Every good game has moments of euphoria, those revelatory points in an interactive adventure when we realize just how much fun we're having. They're different for everyone - some of us might be enamored by a combat system or nutty plot twist while others might find themselves romantically attracted to a main character's hair spikes - but everybody feels them.

These moments are usually short and ephemeral, showing up every once in a while just to remind us that we're enjoying ourselves. As a general rule, the more time we spend thinking "Wow, this is great," the better the game. When something really blows us away, we're aware of it the whole time.

Few JRPGs blow me away nowadays. For a while, I figured this was because I am cranky and cynical. Maybe this genre just isn't for me anymore, I thought to myself. Maybe I'll never enjoy Japanese role-playing games as much as I did when I was growing up. Maybe I'll never reignite that bliss I felt when I first delved into games like Suikoden and Xenogears. Maybe I'm too old.

Then I played The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky.

Gallery: The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky (PSP)

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The best JRPG you haven't played yet originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 28 Oct 2011 16:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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How nostalgic JRPGs trick us into loving them

Jason Schreier — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 16:00:00 EST

This week, we debut a new column by Jason Schreier dedicated to the analysis (and occasional mocking) of his favorite genre, the Japanese role-playing game. Whether it's because they're too antiquated or just too niche, he believes JRPGs don't get enough attention in the gaming industry today. It's time to change that.

It's hard to find an RPG fan who doesn't have fond memories of the "16-Bit Golden Age," that revered era when developers seemed to release nothing but instant classics. Twenty- and thirty-somethings all over the world love to wax poetic about the early 90s, a time when videogame production was driven more by creativity than graphical power, more by innovation than formula, more by TLC than DLC.

Take a moment to flip through the App Store or Xbox Indie Marketplace and you'll find striking evidence of this obsession with the old-school; today's indie RPGs are packed to the brim with sprites and textures that wouldn't be out of place on a Super Nintendo or Sega Genesis. The obvious explanation might be money - powerful graphics are expensive, and indie developers not named Notch are always broke. But is that the only reason iPhone RPGs like Guardian Saga and Ash aim to emulate that 16-bit style? Or is there something inherently appealing about classic turn-based gameplay?

And then there's that million-dollar question: Were all those old-school RPGs really all that great, or is our perception just tainted by nostalgia?

Psychologist Jamie Madigan, writing on his blog "The Psychology of Video Games," argues the latter, saying that we tend to have selective memory when it comes to our favorite old games. We only remember the good parts.

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How nostalgic JRPGs trick us into loving them originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 21 Oct 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lord of Apocalypse commands you to check out his screens, trailer

David Hinkle — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 02:50:00 EST

One of the two new games Square Enix announced for the Vita (in this case, also for the vanilla PSP), Lord of Apocalypse looks to be another JRPG affair, full of love, loss and betrayal -- at least, that's what we assume. All of this stuff is in Japanese!

Gallery: Lord of Apocalypse (TGS 2011)

Lord of Apocalypse commands you to check out his screens, trailer originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 17 Sep 2011 02:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Black Rock Shooter is actually an RPG, and NIS America is publishing it on PSP

JC Fletcher — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 18:40:00 EST

Black Rock Shooter: The Game is a PSP RPG, one of Imageepoch's "JRPG" line of games. It's based on a growing media empire (anime, music manga) featuring a young woman who carries a cannon that fires rocks. So it's not just a clever name!

As you might expect of a game with a cannon-wielding protagonist, Black Rock Shooter has elements of third-person shooting (like ... shooting), but it's alongside RPG-style leveling.

NIS America plans to release Black Rock Shooter in America and Europe as part of its deal with Imageepoch. The company has yet to date these releases, "but we are working hard to get it out as soon as possible," said NIS's Jack Niida in the announcement. "Please look forward to this amazing game."

Black Rock Shooter is actually an RPG, and NIS America is publishing it on PSP originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 25 Aug 2011 18:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aksys bringing 'otome' genre stateside with Hakuoki: Demon Of The Fleeting Blossom

Jordan Mallory — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 10:30:00 EST

Since this is the internet, most of you are probably aware that Japan produces a lot of games for genres that don't necessarily exist in other parts of the world. These games can get a little ridiculous at times, sure, but Aksys believes that the "otome" sub-genre of JRPGs is worth bringing to the western hemisphere.

Idea Factory's historical RPG Hakuoki: Demon Of The Fleeting Blossom will be North America's first widely available "otome." The game follows the story of Chizuru Yukimura, who encounters the Shinsengumi samurai clan while traveling through Edo-period Japan on a quest to find her missing father. As luck would have it, the Shinsengumi are also searching for her father, and together they to travel to the city of Hakuoki, which contains "supernatural secrets." (Read: ghosts or something.)

So, sounds like a JRPG, right? Why does this game land in the otome sub-genre, while others don't? Put simply, the "otome" (or "maiden") game is a romance novel for you PSP. In order to be considered an otome, a game must A) have a female protagonist, and B) also make obtaining the affections of a love interest as important as other main story goals. Unlike male-targeted dating sims, otome games contain little to no sexuality, as they are generally intended for female gamers in the pre-teen/tween/teenage demographic.

Aksys plans on bringing big-haired samurai lovin' to any PSP owner interested in that sort of thing sometime during the first quarter of 2012. Who knows, maybe this will finally pave the way for that When Harry Met Sally game we've always wanted from Telltale.

Aksys bringing 'otome' genre stateside with Hakuoki: Demon Of The Fleeting Blossom originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 03 Jul 2011 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Imageepoch working on a ton of games

JC Fletcher — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 23:00:00 EST

Last year, upon the foundation of its "JRPG" label, developer Imageepoch announced eight projects, including the PSP RPG Final Promise Story, a Black Rock Shooter game, two Chevalier Saga Tactics games and four other works mentioned only in teaser form.

Speaking at a pre-launch event for Final Promise Story (which comes out on April 28), CEO Ryoei Mikage upped the number of total projects in development at Imageepoch to eleven-ish: Final Promise Story and roughly 10 more.

New details about Final Promise Story were revealed at the event as well. Mikage wants the game to be as hard as '80s-era RPGs, such that it will be difficult to complete the game on Normal with all the characters surviving. FPS features two types of death: the normal variety, in which a character can no longer fight and must be revived, and the state of being "Lost," which takes the character out of the game permanently.

Imageepoch working on a ton of games originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 18 Apr 2011 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dragon Quest VI: Realms of Revelation arrives in North America on Feb. 14

Ben Gilbert — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 11:00:00 EST

15 years ago, Dragon Quest VI: Realms of Reverie launched in Japan, with a Nintendo DS remake of that game arriving last January. This coming February 14th, Dragon Quest VI: Realms of Revelation will launch in North America, effectively ending the 15-year exclusivity the game has endured and completing the trilogy of DQ remakes on Nintendo DS. The game arrives for Nintendo DS on Valentine's Day, bringing with it "new character options and enhancements."

Nintendo gets more specific in the announcement, citing updated graphics as the main difference between the original release and the forthcoming update. But then, if the North American release is the same as the Japanese re-release on Nintendo DS, we expect to see an improved map system, a slime curling minigame, and several other revisions.

Oh, and of course, there will be plenty of slimes. Relax.

Gallery: Dragon Quest VI: Realms of Revelation

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Dragon Quest VI: Realms of Revelation arrives in North America on Feb. 14 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 20 Dec 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Imageepoch launches 'JRPG' publishing label

JC Fletcher — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 16:30:00 EST

Imageepoch, developer of RPGs like Luminous Arc and Sands of Destruction, announced a move into publishing at a press event in Tokyo today. The company detailed the first three games to be published under this new "JRPG" label, the first of which will be a strategy RPG for PSP, called Saigo no Yakusoku no Monogatari, or "Final Promise Story" -- yes, an "FPS" by JRPG. Imageepoch CEO Ryoei Mikage said that game is being designed around the concept of permanent character death (so the story changes if and when you lose a character). Final Promise Story has been dated for release in Japan on April 28, 2011.

Later in 2011, Imageepoch will release another PSP RPG, this one based on the Black Rock Shooter anime, and then will come Chevalier Saga Tactics -- first as a free-to-play PC game, then later as a mobile and PS3 release (Imageepoch's first HD effort). In addition to these three games, Imageepoch teased four more projects, including a Type-Moon collaboration and a remake of a classic PC game; announced plans to work on smartphone apps; and confirmed that it will continue to develop for other publishers even as it self-publishes some titles. Currently, Imageepoch is working on a game for Sega, which will be assisting with distribution of the "JRPG" releases.

Trailers for the first three JRPG ... RPGs are posted after the break.

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Imageepoch launches 'JRPG' publishing label originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 24 Nov 2010 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Japanese Fallout: New Vegas ad pokes fun at JRPGs

Griffin McElroy — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 23:00:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

In a fairly cheeky Japanese advertisement for its upcoming open-world action-RPG, Fallout: New Vegas, Bethesda Softworks assembled a group of mock protesters who have some mock concerns with a few JRPG tropes. Andriasang provided translations to some of their crudely-fashioned signs, which display such complaints as "when did games become something that you watch," "what's the point of playing again if there's no change to the story," and "I think it would be nice if the main character had a mission aside from just wiping out evil."

It's a pretty clever advertisement, but we wonder if Bethesda has considered the possible repercussions. Like, for instance, Square Enix could run a similar advertisement where like, five million Dragon Quest IX players hold up signs which simply say, "yeah, so what?"

Japanese Fallout: New Vegas ad pokes fun at JRPGs originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 03 Aug 2010 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PSP RPG adopts 'freemium' model in Japan

Andrew Yoon — Fri, 28 May 2010 12:15:00 EST

Acquire and Zero Div are working on a new PSP RPG -- and it'll be completely free. Bakumatsu Revolution will be free to download via PlayStation Network and will feature a full ten-hour quest, which can be played solo or cooperatively with up to three others (Monster Hunter style). According to IGN, players will even be able to freely distribute the game through PSP-to-PSP wireless connectivity.

Of course, there's always a catch. While the core game will be free, for-pay add-ons, such as downloadable items and quests, will be available after release. Essentially, this is the "freemium" model that's been successfully utilized by many PC MMOs and casual titles, especially in Asian markets.

Bakumatsu Revolution will be available on June 25 in Japan; but no plans for a North American release are currently in the works.

PSP RPG adopts 'freemium' model in Japan originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 28 May 2010 12:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wild Arms dev working on PS3/PSP game with worldwide appeal

Andrew Yoon — Wed, 26 May 2010 19:30:00 EST

Media Vision, best known for the Wild Arms RPG series, is working on a new project for PlayStation 3 and PSP. New job listings suggest that the project is quite early in production, and is expected to be "a massive project that will span a long term." While the listing describes the Wild Arms series as being "representative of Japan," this new title for Sony platforms will be one that "appeals to users not just in Japan, but around the world as well."

This new project is only the latest in a growing trend of Japanese RPG developers attempting to create a title with worldwide appeal. Most recently, Square Enix made two versions of Nier in an effort to better appeal to Western sensibilities. It'll be interesting to see what approach Media Vision takes for its new globally-focused project.

[Via Andriasang]

Wild Arms dev working on PS3/PSP game with worldwide appeal originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 26 May 2010 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dragon Quest IX launches in North America on July 11 [update]

Randy Nelson — Wed, 19 May 2010 09:30:00 EST

Nintendo and Square Enix have announced that the North American release of Dragon Quest IX: Sentinel of the Starry Skies for DS has been set for ~~June~~ July 11, exactly a year after it launched in Japan. As was revealed in February, Nintendo will be publishing the game here -- although the English localization is being handled by Square Enix and not NOA's Treehouse team.

Dragon Quest IX has sold more than four million copies to date in Japan, where the game's WiFi "Pass-By Guest" feature has proven very popular. North American gamers will get a chance to experience it as the renamed "Tag Mode," silently trading character stats, battle records and play data with other DQIX players simply by walking near each other with their handhelds in sleep mode. If you encounter a player who's logged more than 400 hours in the game, it's probably this guy.

You'll find pre-order information (and a rather delightful trailer) on the game's official website.

Update: Dragon Quest IX will be released in Europe on July 23.

Gallery: Dragon Quest IX (05-19-2010)

Dragon Quest IX launches in North America on July 11 [update] originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 19 May 2010 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Final Fantasy XIII, Dragon Quest IX, Batman sales lead Square Enix fiscal year

Alexander Sliwinski — Tue, 18 May 2010 10:30:00 EST

Square Enix had a good fiscal year (ended March 31, 2010), but its games division had a very good year. Final Fantasy XIII sold over five million units globally during the period, with the Japan-only release of Dragon Quest IX coming in second with 4.26 million units. Thanks to the company's acquisition of Eidos last year, the company could count on some Batman: Arkham Asylum cash, with the pointy-eared detective's critically acclaimed title selling 3.24 million units -- it's a shame Square won't get a piece of the sequel.

Squenix's games division had sales of ¥109.9 billion ($1.18 billion) in the last fiscal year, up an impressive 128 percent over last year. With the Dark Knight out of the picture, Square Enix will have to depend on its other western franchises, including Kane & Lynch, Deus Ex and the games of Ms. Croft.

Source [PDF link] -- Results Briefing Session for the Fiscal Year ended March 31, 2010

Continue reading Final Fantasy XIII, Dragon Quest IX, Batman sales lead Square Enix fiscal year

Final Fantasy XIII, Dragon Quest IX, Batman sales lead Square Enix fiscal year originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 18 May 2010 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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XSEED and Nihon Falcom bringing six Ys and The Legend of Heroes games to PSP

Andrew Yoon — Fri, 14 May 2010 21:00:00 EST

PSP owners have a lot of RPGs to look forward to. XSEED has announced a new partnership with Nihon Falcom that promises to bring six new games for the North American audience. Ys Seven, Ys: The Oath in Felghana, and Ys I & II Chronicles will all arrive on PSP, with Ys Seven the first title to be released under this new agreement. According to the press release, Ys Seven is the first iteration of the long-running JRPG franchise to be built "specifically for the PSP system," promising "virtually no load times" -- a problem that has plagued many of Falcom's previous PSP efforts.

In addition to Ys, XSEED will also be publishing the next three chapters of The Legend of Heroes saga (known as Sora no Kiseki in Japan). "I couldn't be more pleased to announce a partnership with a development studio as renown by gamers for consistently putting out quality titles as Falcom," Jun Iwasaki, President of XSEED Games, said in the press release. "Their titles have always been some of the most requested titles so it is going to be our pleasure to oblige the North American fans by delivering an amazing line up of in-depth and gripping RPGs."

Gallery: Ys Seven

Continue reading XSEED and Nihon Falcom bringing six Ys and The Legend of Heroes games to PSP

XSEED and Nihon Falcom bringing six Ys and The Legend of Heroes games to PSP originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 14 May 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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White Knight Chronicles 2 characters introduced in new Japanese story trailer

Andrew Yoon — Fri, 14 May 2010 13:45:00 EST

While the first White Knight Chronicles only made its English debut a few months ago, Japan is already preparing for its sequel. It's been a long time since Sony's released media of the upcoming PS3 RPG, but with its July release encroaching, it appears the marketing machine is being oiled up. This new trailer focuses largely on the story and the cinematics for Level-5's sequel, and it highlights characters -- new and old -- for this second adventure.

Even if you can't understand a word they're saying, don't fret -- there's still a lot to appreciate. Free-fall mecha transformations can be understood in any language, right?

[Via Andriasang]

Continue reading White Knight Chronicles 2 characters introduced in new Japanese story trailer

White Knight Chronicles 2 characters introduced in new Japanese story trailer originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 14 May 2010 13:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Level-5 and Studio Ghibli's Ni no Kuni delayed again

JC Fletcher — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 13:20:00 EST

Those of us looking to recreate the Studio Ghibli movie experience of a young child being drawn into a magical hidden world will just have to be patient. Ni no Kuni, the DS RPG co-created by Level-5 and the legendary animation studio, has been delayed until this fall. (It had previously been delayed from last year to this spring.)

Not much of an announcement of the delay was made -- just quiet indication from various Japanese gaming news sources that Ni no Kuni's scheduled release window had been changed to the fall. Perhaps as some consolation some new screenshots were released, depicting Oliver and a friend working on a car (seen above). If you'd like to know if this is a game worth waiting for (even if a localized version has not been announced), please direct your attention to our impressions of the TGS demo.

[Via Andriasang]

Level-5 and Studio Ghibli's Ni no Kuni delayed again originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 29 Apr 2010 13:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jikan de Fantasia lets you play as a more-than-Half-Minute Hero

Andrew Yoon — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 16:10:00 EST

It appears Jikan de Fantasia, a new RPG hitting PSP this summer in Japan, is taking some heavy inspiration from Half-Minute Hero. Makes sense, considering this new adventure is from Opus Studio, the same team responsible for Marvelous's quirky action RPG. Like its predecessor, Jikan de Fantasia blends hack 'n slash RPG gameplay with a time-bending twist. However, instead of condensing an RPG to thirty seconds, you can set the amount of time you want to spend. Have only five minutes on the subway? Have a thirty minute bus commute? You'll be able to set your own time limit, and the game will create an adventure that fits your schedule.

According to Famitsu, Jikan de Fantasia deconstructs the core mechanics of an RPG, from leaving your hometown, meeting NPCs, and exploring dungeons to fighting a final boss, and reassembles them to create an experience that fits the time you want. For those that found the thirty second gameplay of Opus's last adventure a bit too manic, this experience should be far more compelling.

Jikan de Fantasia lets you play as a more-than-Half-Minute Hero originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 28 Apr 2010 16:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Swag Sunday: Resonance of Fate (360) [update]

Ben Gilbert — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 20:00:00 EST

Update: We've closed the comments and will contact a winner shortly. Keep an eye on your inbox, folks!

There you were, lazing away a Sunday afternoon, when out of nowhere we throw you into an arena and start resonatin' stuff. Nope, it's not a dream -- it's a weird allusion to tri-Ace developed JRPG Resonance of Fate. And rather than sit here reading our weird allusions, why not spend your time actually playing the game in real life? Well you're one step closer to that possibility if you enter our contest below, wherein we'll be giving one lucky winner one copy of the game for their Xbox 360.

All you have to do is tell us about something so memorable from your life that it resonated throughout your own fate. Okay, okay, that's a bit serious. It can just be something memorable from your life, as long as it's clean and, preferably, funny. Drop it into the comments below and we'll pick one of you at random this week as a winner. You've got 24 hours starting ... now!

Leave a comment telling us something memorable from your life, as long as it's clean and, preferably, funny.
You must be 18 years or older and a resident of the US or Canada (excluding Quebec, because of restrictive sweepstakes laws in the province, unfortunately -- we assure you that we love the Quebecois!).
Limit 1 entry per person per day.
This entry period ends at 8:01PM ET on Monday, April 19.
At that time, we'll randomly select one winner to receive one copy of Resonance of Fate for Xbox 360 (ARV: $59.99).
For a list of complete rules, click here.

What is Joyswag? Since we don't keep the games and merchandise we receive for review or promotional purposes, it becomes "Joyswag," which is passed along to our readers. Please note that Joyswag may be in "used" condition.

For more info on our policy, click here.

Swag Sunday: Resonance of Fate (360) [update] originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 18 Apr 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New Hexyz Force trailer is old school

Andrew Yoon — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 12:13:00 EST

Do you love banging guitar riffs and PS1-quality MIDI music? We do too! This new Hexyz Force trailer takes a page from the '90s with its energetic, JRPG battle music playing in the background. The video highlights the two stories of Atlus' upcoming adventure game, while showcasing some of the animated cutscenes you can expect in the game. It's an incredible tribute to gaming of yesteryear.

New Hexyz Force trailer is old school originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 16 Apr 2010 12:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Persona 3 Portable video recaps classic gameplay

Andrew Yoon — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 17:04:00 EST

While Persona 3 Portable isn't quite an exact port of the original PS2 RPG, it retains most of the gameplay of the earlier release. This overview video provided by Atlus is a perfect way of understanding the mechanics of the original game, from attending school, to making friends, and eventually fighting with your Personas. Anyone that's played the original will find themselves in very familiar turf here; however, Atlus plans on releasing a follow-up video, chronicling everything new in P3P some time soon.

Persona 3 Portable video recaps classic gameplay originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 15 Apr 2010 17:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Class of Heroes 2G attending PS3 this year

Andrew Yoon — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 13:16:00 EST

Acquire's Class of Heroes is graduating from PSP to PS3 later this year, despite the old-school dungeon-crawler not ranking very high in the PSP popularity contest last year. Still, the RPG series is supported by a devout clique of players, and while Atlus has passed on publishing the PSP sequel in North America, an apparent PS3 version is in development for Japanese release.

Class of Heroes 2G is presumably an HD port of the PSP game, and Siliconera reports the game may have full voice acting, an expanded character edit mode and is planned for release in mid July.

Considering the old-school gameplay and relatively simplistic presentation, Class of Heroes 2G would make an ideal candidate for a PSN release in North America. That is, if anyone decides to localize it.

Class of Heroes 2G attending PS3 this year originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 14 Apr 2010 13:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Have ten minutes? Play an RPG from beginning to end with Synopsis Quest

Andrew Yoon — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 19:00:00 EST

Joystiq publishes a story about every thirty minutes. While you wait for the next post to appear on the site, you can constantly hit F5 and click on every single ad you see ... or, you can play Synopsis Quest. Broken up into 25 micro-games, Synopsis Quest reduces the quintessential elements of every JRPG, from character creation, to finding a princess, to escaping a prison, and more.

The solution to many of the puzzles won't be immediately apparent, unless you've been trained to recognize JRPG conventions. In many situations, doing what you're "supposed" to do will lead to disastrous results. Think outside of the box, and you'll be able to beat an RPG -- from beginning to end -- in about ten minutes. Good luck!

[Via Rock, Paper, Shotgun]

Have ten minutes? Play an RPG from beginning to end with Synopsis Quest originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 07 Apr 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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What Itagaki's been playing: 400 hours of Dragon Quest IX

Ben Gilbert — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 15:00:00 EST

After taking the past two years off from game development following a messy breakup with his old employer, Tecmo, Tomonobu Itagaki is back in the game (biz) as chief creative officer of Valhalla Game Studios. But what was Itagaki up to in those two years? Speaking with Famitsu (translated by 1UP), the Dead or Alive creator explained, "I spent the days doing anything I felt like, researching whatever kind of technology struck me, playing whatever games piqued my interest ... for example, I wound up playing Dragon Quest IX for about 400 hours." That's alotta slime!

In fairness, the developer wasn't exclusively sinking hundreds of hours of his free time into a single DS game -- he also spent quite a bit of time traveling to game studios around the world and doing R&D work for Valhalla's next (read: first) project, claimed to be "way outside the scope of our company" by Itagaki. According to him, that next game "will earn Valhalla Game Studios its place in history," and he intends it to sell at least four million copies. But for now, he's got a model train set to build with some of his friends.

"I'm planning to rent out some space and build a seriously big train layout, 7 or so meters (23 feet) in length. There are some professionals in that field among my friends, so I'm thinking about building something really decent together with them and having people come over and play with the results. It'd be a business, though I'd make it free for children -- kids are pretty rough with model trains, but I'll just have to deal with that." Kids these days.

What Itagaki's been playing: 400 hours of Dragon Quest IX originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 07 Apr 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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