3/24/07 - Daily Links

I missed the links from last night, so I've got some extra for today.

Strategy Informer Previews Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar - A preview of Turbine's upcoming MMO.

Oblivion Reviewed by Gamespot - They award the PS3 version of the game a 9.5. No suprise. If you have a PS3 and haven't played Oblivion, then nows your chance!

Symphony of the Night Reviewed on IGN - An impressive 9.0 score for the Xbox Live version of one of the best games from the original Playstation.

Mythos Preview on 1UP - Flagship is hard at work than more than just Hellgate: London. 1UP previews their other upcoming PC RPG.

Worth Playing takes an early look at Fable 2 - More coverage from the highly anticipated sequel.

Worth Playing rates Titan Quest: Immortan Throne - A second article from Worth Playing rates the Titan Quest expansion a 9.0.

RPGLand Reviews Shining Force EXA - Their verdict on this PS2 hack-and-slash? It's awful.

Hoshigami: Remix for DS

Aksys Games, a relatively new publisher of interactive entertainment software, has announced Hoshigami: Remix, a remake of the popular strategy/RPG from the original Playstation.

Hoshigami: Remix will appear on the Nintendo DS, complete with new characters, music and art, along with a revised interface and menus. The game will ship this summer with a price of $29.99.

Visit the Aksys site for more information here!

New Ultimate Alliance Characters

Expanding on the already impressive cast of Marvel Ultimate Alliance, Activision has announced plans to release Marvel: Ultimate Alliance Heroes and Villains, an expansion pack for its popular action/RPG.

The expansion will feature eight new playable characters: The Incredible Hulk, Magneto, Hawkeye, Sabretooth, Doctor Doom, Cyclops, Nightcrawler and Venom. Each new character will be unique, with their own signature powers, skins and dialog and achievement points.

These new characters can be purchased on Xbox live in April in two different ways: You can purchase the Hero Pack or Villain Pack seperately for 500 Microsoft points ($6.25), or buy the combined pack for 800 Microsoft points ($10). There will also be a gamer pic pack available for 80 points ($1).

Marvel: Ultimate Alliance already has the largest cast of superheroes ever assembeled, and is the best selling superhero game on the Xbox 360.

3/22/07 - Daily Links

Here's some of my findings from across the web from today!

Jolt Reviews Titan Quest: Immortal Throne - And an 8.0 is the result.

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night Review on Gamespot - A 8.5 is their grade, stating "Symphony of the Night was an amazing adventure back in 1997, and even after 10 years, it's still most definitely worth playing." I've been playing this one lately too, and would definately have to agree!

Team Xbox Reviews Castlevania: SotN - 9.5 final score. I think they like it too!

3/22/07 Issue at Just-RPG!

We got a fairly full issue this week on Just-RPG, with a couple of hot reviews, including 300: March to Glory and Ar Tonelico, along with plenty of new screenshots and press releases. This week is also your last chance to sign up for our Lunar Knights giveaway!

• Ar Tonelico Review
• 300: March to Glory Review
• Lunar Knights Giveaway
• .hack Giveaway Winner
• The Witcher Screenshots
• Castlevania: Symphony of the Night Screenshots
• Etrian Odyssey Screenshots
• And More!!!

Check it all out here!

Silverfall Now Available!

Atari has just announced that Silverfall, a dynamic PC role-playing game, has arrived at retailers across North America!

Silverfall casts players into a world torn between science and nature, forcing gamers to choose between the two in order to save the principal city from total destruction. Players will progress by taking on quests and venturing through the fantasy land of Nelwe, accompanied by two NPC companions along the way. During this time you'll encounter hordes of enemies to battle in intense hack-and-slash combat, and face many key choices that will impact the storyline, environment and their skills.

Developed by Monte Cristo Games, Silverfall carries a suggested retail price of $39.95 and a rating of T.

Sony Announces Jeanne d'Arc

Sony has just announced Jeanne d'Arc, a tactical RPG for the PSP created by acclaimed developer Level-5.

Jeanne d'Arc will blend history and fantasy into a tale inspired by the life and times of the legendary Joan of Arc. It will feature a grid-based tactical combat system, 14 characters to recruit, and numerous special attacks and combinations.

Be sure to check out the new Jeanne d'Arc site here for more information: http://www.us.playstation.com/Jeannedarc/

3/21/07 - Daily Links

A variety of RPG coverage out there today. Four different sites and four different games.

RPG Vault's Silverfall peek 3 - A third sneek peek from RPG Vault discusses some technical issues.

New Alien Syndrome Screens on IGN - Eight new screens for the Wii action-RPG.

Gamepro Reviews Lost in Blue 2 - ... and they don't like it. Final score is 1.5/5.

1Up Reviews Oblivion on PS3 - No one is going to be suprised by the high score of 9.5. PS3 owners can finally take a crack at one of the best RPGs of the last few years.

Playing Castlevania

So, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is now available on Xbox Live for 800 Microsoft points. Being the Symphony of the Night fan that I am, I downloaded it right away.

So far it's a lot of fun, and true to the classic Playstation experience. Ever since the series went to the handhelds, I've lost a little bit of interest. While the games are solid, I don't really like playing for long hours on a tiny little GBA screen. I for one am glad to have a chance to play a 2D Castlevania on a console again.

Anyway, if you haven't downloaded it yet, Symphony of the Night on Xbox Live Arcade definitely has my recommendation! It's a very cheap purchase and an exceptional gaming experience.

XSEED Announces THREE New RPGs!

XSEED, publisher of Shadow Hearts: From the New World and Wild Arms 4, have just announced three exciting new RPGs in their 2007 lineup. These three games include Dungeon Maker: Hunting Ground, Brave Story: New Traveler, and Wild Arms 5!

In Dungeon Maker: Hunting Ground (PSP), a novice dungeon maker purchases a plot of land outside a city plauged by monster attacks. He builds a dungeon and hopes to lure in monsters in order to earn fame and fortune, and perhaps even defeat the legendary Wandering Demon. You'll have a vast amount of resources at your disposal in order to customize your dungeon, and as you complete quests, you'll unlock new items and weapons that will allow you to upgrade your warrior. Strategically layout and improve your dungeon in order to lure in the most sought after monsters, and battle it out in real-time combat when Dungeon Maker is released in July 2007.

Brave Story: New Traveler (PSP) is an original title created specifically for the PSP and developed by Game Republic, makers of the Genji series. The game promises an epic tale and will feature a traditional turn-based battle system enhanced by innovative features based on the story’s themes of friendship, courage, and growth. Brave Story is headed for release in Q3 2007.

Wild Arms 5 (PS2) is the latest chapter in the popular Wild Arms series. Wild Arms 5 will feature a brand new storyline and characters, and will see the return of the critically acclaimed HEX system from Wild Arms 4. Celebrate the 10th anniversary of the series with Wild Arms 5 in Q3 2007! Personally, I'm excited to see another RPG headed to the PS2 this late in the console's life.

These games are in addition to Valhalla Knights, the previously announced RPG for the PSP that will be shipping next month. For full details on these three games, including storyline descriptions, release info, and key features, head on over to the full press release on XSEED's site.

3/20/07 - Daily Links

I've searched the Web and come up with quite a few noteworthy articles from today. Enjoy!

Silverfall peek at RPG Vault - RPG Vault's second recent glimpse into the game. This once focuses on NPCs.

Gamespy Previews Eternal Sonota - A positive look at the upcoming Xbox 360 RPG from tri-Crescendo. The Xbox 360 RPG lineup is looking pretty good right about now.

Titan Quest: Immortal Throne on UGO - A 'B+' is the final score in their review.

Shivering Isles Interview @ Planet Elder Scrolls - An interview with Todd Howard, executive producer of Oblivion.

Gamespot's Huxley Impressions - Impressions of the upcoming MMO FPS with RPG elements.

Gamespy Reviews Spectrobes - They give the DS RPG two and a half stars, stating that the game lacks variety.

Puzzle Quest Reviewed by Gamespot - An impressive 8.5 for this genre bending game. This is the first review I've seen, and they rate the PSP version slightly higher than the DS version.

Gamebanshee Giving Away Jade Empire: SE

Gamebanshee is giving away four free copies of Bioware's Jade Empire: Special Edition for PC. If you haven't picked up a copy of the game yet, here's the perfect chance to get it free!

All you have to do is send them an email with your full name and address, along with an entertaining reason why you should get a copy of the game. They'll choose random winners on March 30, 2007 and four lucky people will get a copy of the game. Unfortunately only U.S. gamers can win. For full contest details, visit Gamebanshee.

Anyway, enough chatting from me... head on over to the contest here and sign up. Good luck!

Puzzle Quest Now Available!

D3 Publisher of American have announced that their genre-bending title, Puzzle Quest, is shipping to stores across North America!

Puzzle Quest incorporates strategy and role-playing elements into an addictive match-three puzzle board game. The game is suprisingly deep, yet easy to pick up and play for even a short session, making it perfect for both casual and hardcore gamers.

Puzzle Quest is available on the Nintendo DS and Sony PSP for $29.99. You can download a demo of the game here.

EA Ships BFME Anthology

Electronic Arts has announced that their complete collection of the Middle-earth RTS series, The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth Anthology, has shipped to North American retailers today.

The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth Anthology includes The Battle for Middle-earth, The Battle for Middle-earth II, and BFMEII: Rise of the Witch-King. This compilation will be available for $39.99.

3/19/07 - Daily Links

Hellgate Guru Interviews Hellgate Developers - TWO interviews with the folks from Flagship.

GameDaily Posts Puzzle Quest Demo - I posted this earlier, but just in case you missed it, you need to download this demo. It's pretty cool.

IGN gets their hands on Huxley - A preview of the upcoming MMO FPS with RPG elements.

Nexon Borrows Source Engine for New Game

Nexon, famous for their MMO Maple Story, have licensed Valve's Source Engine for one of their upcoming PC titles. While it doesn't say for sure that the game will be an RPG, with Nexon's history I would be suprised if it wasn't. Either way, the full press release from Valve is below for your reading pleasure.

Nexon Taps Source For New Project

NEXON, a world leader in online game development, today announces a licensing agreement to use Source, Valve's leading game engine, to power a new title in production for the PC. The upcoming Source-based game, which will to be formally announced at a later date, will be a fantasy based, third-person action title.

"We evaluated all the engine technologies available for licensing and Source was our best choice," said Dong-gun Kim, the producer of NEXON. "With support for integrated network-physics, high-end visuals, and constant adoption of new features, Source is both the most flexible as well as the most robust technology set available today."

"It's an honor to have one of the leading publishing and development studios in the world working with Source," said Gabe Newell, president and co-founder of Valve. "We look forward to working closely with NEXON to supply them with the tools and technology needed to create a working base for creating top-notch games that will be recognized as world-class online offerings."

Silverfall Developer Chat

We've received some details about a chat with the Monte Cristo development team regarding the upcoming RPG Silverfall. Should you feel the urge to attend the chat, the details are below from Tom Ohle!

"Just wanted to announce that Atari and EnterTheGame have scheduled a developer chat for tomorrow, Tuesday, March 20, at 7pm Central European Time / 2pm EDT / 11am PDT. Fans will get a chance to ask any last-minute questions about Silverfall, the soon-to-be-released hack-and-slash from Monte Cristo that will start shipping to North American stores tomorrow.

It’s a great opportunity to get up-close and personal with the Monte Cristo development team, and we’re even offering lucky fans the chance to win a copy of the game!

All you need to do is connect to irc.enterthegame.com and join channel #Silverfall at the aforementioned time. Fans can connect via their favorite IRC client or through the web interface at http://www.enterthegame.com/chat.asp. "

Puzzle Quest Demo

There's a new demo for the upcoming Puzzle/RPG Puzzle Quest available over at GameDaily. The demo downlaod is 34 MB in size and has a level 7 limit.

Puzzle Quest is from Infinite Interactive, the creators of the popular Warlords series. It takes place in the Warlords Universe and features multiplayer play, customizeable heros, and over 150 quests. Puzzle Quest is heading to the DS and PSP very shortly from D3 Publishers of America.

I've downloaded and played through the demo and I've got to admit that I'm very impressed. The game is a lot of fun, and suprisingly deep.

Download the demo here.

Oblivion for PS3 Shipping!

Bethesda Softworks has announced that Oblivion for the PS3 is now shipping!

The critically acclaimed RPG will be available in North American stores as early as Tuesday, March 20th.

PS3 fans who are eager for an RPG to play should definately pick up Oblivion. The game has already been released on PC and Xbox 360 to great reviews.

3/18/07 - Daily Links

These few links aren't actually new, but I somehow missed them over the last few days. They're still worth checking out, though.

Alien-Syndrome Preview on IGN - An early look at the action-RPG on the Wii.

Eternal Sonata Previewed on IGN - IGN gets hands on time with the upcoming Xbox 360 RPG.

Gamers Info's Silverfall Interview - A chat with Jehanne Rousseau, Producer at Monte Cristo.

IGN Wraps Up The 25 Best

IGN has finished up their list of The 25 Best Games of All Time. The list now includes all of the games ranked 1-25 on each platform.

A few RPGs jumped into the top five, along with a few non-RPGs that might still be of interest to RPG fans, like God of War and Shadow of the Colossus. I also want to note how sad I am the Halo and Halo 2 are in the top two spots for the Xbox.


PS2
3. Final Fantasy X

Xbox
5. Jade Empire
4. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic

Gamecube
4. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker

PC
5. Fallout

GBA
3. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past with Four Swords
2. Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow


The complete list is now available to view. The link below leads to the PS2 list. From there you can also visit the lists for the Top 25 from the other platforms.

http://ps2.ign.com/articles/772/772296p1.html