CLASSIC DUNGEON SENGOKU
PS®Vita [Action RPG] Release: May 26, 2016
Back at it again with the ClaDun, Classic Dungeon Sengoku is Nippon Ichi Software's third installment in their modern 8-bit hack and slash dungeon crawl. Perfect for portable systems, as the originals were on the PSP, this newest title will be powered by the Vita, making the retro charm of the series' signature sprites come to life even more so than before!
Taking place in the fictional world of Arcanus Cella, a limbo for spirits yet to pass on until they've resolved their regrets, and seen in all titles so far, Classic Dungeon Sengoku however departs from the previous setting of medieval fantasy into an ancient Japan. Players will guide famous Sengoku-era commanders into dungeons filled with era specific traps and monsters based on folklore.
The extremely fast real time combat returns with new additions to a familiar system. Again, we'll see the Magic Circle defensive system from previous titles, on which Vassals found in the game can be used to bolster up stats, move sets, and special spells; this is done in a separate menu where players assign their preferred vassals into slots. Additionally, in ClaDun Sengoku, players can also assign Vassals to the main character to act as shields. There's also a eight type of weapons, all with their own unique qualities: swords, blunt weapons, staffs, spears, bow and arrows, short swords, shurikens, and sickle and chains. This combined with seven starting classes - the warrior, swordsman, necromancer, aristocrat, merchant, sorcerer, and priest, creates an interesting dynamic as classes have their own skills and developement directions.
There's also a robust hub world element to ClaDun Sengoku - facilites in Arcanus Cella has all the shops needed to aid players in their quest; the newest additions to the series are the Suggestion Box, where NPCs will request help in exchange for money, fame, and items, and the Blacksmith, used to enhance items through reforging. There's even a castle construction mechanic, where building a bigger castle equates to min/maxing a character's stats.
And with all ClaDun titles, customization is a major part; players can create highly detailed sprite based art; to find the perfect avatar to match all the different armor and weapon sets is a really nice diversion when taking a break from all the various dungeons, and a big part of this series' charm.
Releasing on May 26th, the Japanese version is confirmed to come with a special first print bonus music album, filled with great retro styled synthwave beats laced with a special Japanese flavor. For the Asia one, once we have confirmation, we'll make an update - regardless, this is a great title recommended for those who enjoy the feel of nostalgia with a deep RPG system on the go!
SWORD ART ONLINE: HOLLOW REALIZATION
PlayStation®4 PS®Vita [Action RPG] Release: Q4, 2016
SAO has been an amazing phenomenon, enjoying increased global popularity since it's conception, with no signs of it's momentum slowing down. And while it was expected that Namco Bandai would continue in publishing games for this series, the newest title looks to be the best one yet.
Going back to it's origins, Hollow Realization is a brand new story created by Reiki Kawahara, the original author of the Sword Art Online light novels; players will enter a new VRMMORPG world called "Sword Art Origin" - an alternate universe set in the games original server. As it's set in the first server, fans of this series will get a chance to see the events and stages from the very beginning of the Sword Art Online world!
With the aid of the PlayStation 4, in this highly detailed and dense world filled with dynamic environments, a rich adventure awaits. Featuring the return of SAO mainstays, Kirito, Leafa, and Asuna, as well as many other familiar faces, the beloved characters will venture forth; joining them is the debut of a mysterious new character - who is this girl, and what significance does she hold in the world of Sword Art Origin?
For gameplay, improvements have been made to ensure that battle and exploration are intense and strategic. With an already comprehensive RPG system matched with defined action elements, the scale and scope of Sword Art Online's battles are now even more explosive, with rewarding and satisfying attacks.
Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization will be released in Japan for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita in fall 2016, with US and EU dates set for the same platforms sometime in 2016. LINK START!
I AM SETSUNA
PlayStation®4 [JRPG] Release - Summer, 2016 (Video Footage and Graphics are the JPN Ver)
Great news for those of us who have been following Square Enix's recent foray into the classic RPG! Ikeni to Yuki No Setsuna has just been announced for the West, and will be coming just in time to cool of the summer heat for the PS4!
Distinctively an old school RPG with 1990's stylization, I am Setsuna is Square Enix's homage to the past, described at TGS 2015 as a "pure fantasy, true role-playing video game." Based on the roots of both Square and Enix, then this is something that all gamers can look forward to, especially those who love epic stories, indelible piano music, and the polish games of that era shared.
Taking place on a snow-bound island, immediately one can perceive that the theme of I Am Sestuna is intended to be sadness - the japanese title literally means Setsuna of Sacrifice and Snow. According to ancient customs, a maiden must be sacrificed as appeasement to demons; the game sets off with a cast of characters who accompany Setsuna, the chosen one, to the edges of the known world for her own sacrifice. How this concludes though - we have all yet to discover.
It's interesting to point out that the battle system is a modern combination of both Square Enix's famous ATB (Active Time Battle System) and the upgraded ATB 2.0 of one of the most famous JRPGs of all time: Chrono Trigger. As such, battles take place not in the overworld, but through dungeons (similar to CT) and depending on the position of the player party, different movesets can activate, so long as a character's ATB guage is filled up.
There's also a separate limit break type mechanic called the Setsuna gauge; with each action taken or when the ATB gauges is allowed to fill, a special power boost is given to the characters resulting in battle changing events like new attacks, health recovery, or massive critical attacks to the enemies.
So far, I Am Sestuna is looking to be a fantastic addition to the pantheon of Square Enix RPGs, and it's something we can all look forward to: revisiting a pure old school JRPG, especially since Japanese audiences have given it so much acclaim.
For the Japanese Versions, with the exclusive Vita release:
XENOBLADE CHRONICLES X 1/48 SCALE MODEL KIT: FORMULA
Release: July 31, 2016
With all the great mecha kits out in the market, it's always great to see the ones modeled after video game characters; in a physical retail shop - usually amongst all the outstanding gunpla kits - coming across something unexpectedly recognizable makes it all the more special. In this case, the feature is on this Kotobukiya's extremely intricate Xenoblade Chronicles X 1/48 Scale version of Formula - and it even transforms!
Based on the Light Type Skell unit from the Nintendo exclusive RPG Xenoblade Chronicles X, Formula oozes with character despite it being the standard deployed model. It makes sense even that this frame is the basis for all the other Skell models seen in the game, and in it's transformed form, Formula beams across the terrain as a futuristic armed motorcycle.
With this model, Formula is highly articulate after completion, and in vien with similar Kotobukiya craftsmanship, even without extra painting and detailing, once finished, the model is ready for display! Pre-order while there is still availability!
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