Many RPG fans may have fond memories of the classic game Dungeon Explorer from Hudson Entertainment. If you are one of those fans, you'll be glad to hear that an all-new Dungeon Explorer title is heading to the PSP and DS in February 2008. We recently had the opportunity to speak with Hudson Entertainment about this upcoming title. Enjoy!

Just-RPG: Hello, and thanks so much for taking some time out of your schedule to join us here on Just-RPG. Before we get started, would you please introduce yourself and your company?

John: Sure. John Lee here, VP of Marketing and Sales for Hudson Entertainment. Hudson Entertainment has been bringing you such great franchises such as Bomberman, Bonk, and Super Adventure Island since it started in 1973. Hudson Entertainment focuses on console games, digital download content, mobile games, and music.

Just-RPG: For those who aren’t familiar with your upcoming RPG, titled Dungeon Explorer: Warriors of Ancient Arts, can you tell us a little bit about it?

John: Dungeon Explorer is an original Hudson Action RPG that originally launched on the classic console system the Turbo Grafx-16. A system we created. The franchise has been tucked away for over 15 years, but we decided to bring it back and add a number of enhancements to the original gameplay, as well as expand on the lore of the game. We’re actually coming out with two games, one for the DS and one for the PSP, and each have their own unique elements, and storyline. But both are full of classic Action RPG goodness- players can fully customize their characters with hundreds of weapons, skills, and fighting styles to battle demonic forces and monstrous creatures in the dungeon’s depths. The action is fast paced, and when you add in multiplayer gaming, it’s quite addictive!

Just-RPG: Dungeon Explorer appears on both the PSP and DS. What are the key differences in the two versions?

John: The DS and PSP versions share the same heart but each have their own unique features. To start with, they have different storylines. The PSP version takes gamers on a quest to uncover the fate of a legendary kingdom, where they must battle demonic forces and monstrous creatures to restore peace to the realm. The DS version picks up a few centuries later, in the Kingdom of Westria, where an evil Demon God has risen to power with his legions of undead henchmen, and once again players are called upon to fight off the evil menace. Overall, the way the game unfolds, the quests you go on, the arts you learn, and the way you level up are all different. A fan could buy both versions and enjoy them without feeling like it’s playing the same game.

Just-RPG: Handheld games should always be easy to pick up and play, but also easy to put down when you need to. What makes Dungeon Explorer ideal for the handheld systems? Why the choice to go with the handhelds over the consoles?

John: We actually took a look at a number of different systems, before we opted for the handheld ones. Because it’s been a number of years since the series has been available, we wanted to test the waters with handheld systems, since the development cost is lower. If fans love the new direction then we have plans to expand beyond these handheld systems.

Just-RPG: What are the key differences between Dungeon Explorer: Warriors of Ancient Arts and the classic Dungeon Explorer?

John: It’s amazing to see how far technology has come. Both the DS and PSP are multiple times more powerful than the original Turbo Grafx system, a full blown 16-bit console system! Of course the graphics are much more advanced, as well as the complexity of the gameplay. I often compare the original game to "Gauntlet on Steroids:, as the game was truly the first original multiplayer action RPG game. Since then, the genre has really evolved, so we wanted to make sure we layered in the complexity that RPG fans expect today. We’ve also included some different characters and tons more weapon choices than you had with the original. And in Warriors of Ancient Arts you’re learning to wield the powers of the Arts (there are 60 different Arts in the DS and 150 in the PSP version) in place of the original’s White and Black Magic. We’ve also brought the game into the 21st century with the inclusion of Wi-Fi on the Nintendo DS.

Just-RPG: One of the best parts of any good RPG is creating your own distinct character. What sort of character creation options are there in Dungeon Explorer, and how can players make their character unique through leveling and upgrading?

John: As far as creating the character goes, in the DS version, you can choose between 9 different customizable character types: three races (Oros, Taratta and Emporos) and three jobs for each race (warriors, hunters and mages). You can further customize your character by giving him/her attribute points for Vitality, Arts, Strength and Dexterity to create characters with specialized skills. Meanwhile, in the PSP version you choose between 3 races (Izark, 1st and Olff), 6 job types (Fighter, Hunter, Monk, Thief, Shaman and Bishop) and also select the gender and customize the character’s clothing. Here you also have the opportunity to dole out points for Strength, Intelligence, Speed, Dexterity, Magic, Luck and Stamina. And of course you can change your weapons throughout the game, although you’ll find that characters are most skillful with the weapons related to their jobs. When it’s all said and done, you’ll likely end up creating a character that is thoroughly unique, which is part of the reason why multiplayer is so much fun. Forming a party with members with different stats, and attributes is what makes team play more dynamic than playing solo.

Just-RPG: Of the different classes in the game, what is your personal favorite? Why?

John: I personally am a lazy gamer, and love to snipe people from afar! Anytime you have a hunter or mage in the mix, that’s what I’m picking! Not to mention, if the battle does get too heated, I let my warrior friend take on the battle, and I run away to fight another day. Oh yeah, I’m a untrustworthy ally too!

Just-RPG: In battle, players will take advantage of ancient lost fighting arts. Can you tell us a little bit about these arts?

John: In both the DS and PSP versions, gamers quest to rediscover the Ancient Fighting Arts of a long-lost civilization and utilize them in their battle to restore peace to a once prosperous kingdom. The DS version boasts over 60 different fighting styles across 8 lost Ancient Fighting Art schools. You can become a balanced warrior and study techniques from all 8 schools or become a specialist and dedicate your focus on reaching the top level of one of the lost Fighting Arts. Use the skills you gain for magic attack, magic defense or magic healing, depending on the branch you choose.

In the PSP version, players will become skilled warriors with over 150 different kinds of Fighting Arts to master. Pay close attention to your weapons, as some arts are determined by the weapon you have equipped. You can increase your weapon’s power by using the same weapon often, or experiment with different weapons to uncover new Weapon Arts. Other Arts are specific to the job you’ve chosen. You can learn new Job Arts by leveling up your Job Class. You will also be able to unleash more power¬ful Job Arts by increasing your skills. For the most explosive results, check out “Big Bang Arts” on the PSP which allow you and 2 of your friends to team-up and triple your destructive power in Multiplayer Mode.

Just-RPG: There are a lot of dungeon crawling RPGs out there. What about Dungeon Explorer makes it stand out among the crowd?

John: It’s a title that many gamers knew and loved growing up, so there’s the nostalgia factor. I would say that there are very few action RPGs on the DS, so this series does stand out on that platform. As for the PSP, the one thing I love about our version of the game is that in multiplayer, the world dynamically adjusts to how many people jump in and play. Enemies react different, and use different tactics. Paths change, and new ways of playing open up. It makes multiplayer more fun, as the gameplay stays challenging. Overall, the series is layered with so much depth that it would take me forever just to go into all aspects of gameplay, so I’ll leave it up to gamers to discover it all.

Just-RPG: Is there any chance we’ll see more from Dungeon Explorer in the near future?

John: Yes, there is definitely a chance. Like I said, we are evaluating other consoles as well.

Just-RPG: Thanks again for joining us. Before you go, do you have any closing comments you’d like to make to the RPG fans out there?

John: Don’t go blind playing our games. I seriously had some blurry vision after playing the PSP version for 8 hours straight. I’m going to need glasses now…

Haha... thanks a lot to John Lee and Hudson Entertainment for this great interview opportunity. From the sounds of it, anyone looking for some multi-player RPG fun or a little bit of nostalgia would be wise to check out Dungeon Explorer. We'll have more coverage of the game in the near future!

Exclusive Dungeon Explorer Screens