Schlagwort: nis america

  • Disgaea 7: Vows of the Virtueless und Rhapsody: Marl Kingdom Chronicles erscheinen für PS5

    Disgaea 7: Vows of the Virtueless und Rhapsody: Marl Kingdom Chronicles erscheinen für PS5

    Reading Time: 5 minutes

    Weil wir alle mit großen Hoffnungen ins Jahr 2023 starten, möchte euch Nippon Ichi Software mit aufregenden Neuigkeiten dazu einladen, ihren 30. Geburtstag zu feiern! Dieser Meilenstein bedeutet uns sehr viel und wir freuen uns ungemein, Disgaea 7: Vows of the Virtueless und Rhapsody: Marl Kingdom Chronicles ankündigen zu können, die beide dieses Jahr für PlayStation®-Konsolen erscheinen werden!

    Obwohl Nippon Ichi Software in den vergangenen 30 Jahren eine beeindruckende und gefeierte Auswahl an Rollenspielen veröffentlicht hat, ist wahrscheinlich keines davon so bekannt wie Disgaea. Da Disgaea: Hour of Darkness 2003 für PS2™ erschien, feiert die Serie ihren 20. Geburtstag gemeinsam mit NIS America und Disgaeas Dood höchstpersönlich: Prinny! Da erscheint es nur angebracht, dass Disgaea 7: Vows of the Virtueless im Herbst diesen Jahres veröffentlicht wird. Dank jeder Menge herrlich teuflischer Charaktere und zahlreichen neuen Features ist es die bisher größte Veröffentlichung der Reihe.

    2023 feiern wir außerdem den 25. Geburtstag von Rhapsody! Seit der Veröffentlichung von Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure 1998auf PlayStation® ist die Reihe bekannt für ihre charmanten Charaktere und skurrile Musik. Wir könntennicht glücklicher sein, die Geschichte mit Rhapsody: Marl Kingdom Chronicles fortzuführen und Rhapsody II: Ballad of the Little Princess sowie Rhapsody III: Memories of Marl Kingdom zum ersten Mal in westlichen Ländern zu veröffentlichen!

    Das ist nur dank eurer Unterstützung in den vergangenen 30 Jahren möglich! Wir hoffen, dass ihr diesen neuen Titeln genauso entgegenfiebert wie wir, und wir freuen uns sehr, euch einige Details zu ihnen verraten zu können.

    Disgaea 7: Vows of the Virtueless und Rhapsody: Marl Kingdom Chronicles erscheinen für PS5

    Disgaea 7: Vows of the Virtueless

    Das dämonische Reich Hinomoto befindet sich im Wandel und die Tage edler Krieger sind gezählt. Bushido, der Moralkodex, nach dem die Einwohner ihre Werte, Ethik und Lebensphilosophie ausrichteten, wurde ersetzt – und zwar durch den Hinomoto-Kodex der Zerstörung. Disgaea 7: Vows of the Virtueless erzählt die Geschichte des faulen Kriegers Fuji und des Bushido-Fangirls Pirilika. Während ihres Kampfes gegen ein tyrannisches Regime werden sie zweifelhafte Verbündete und enthüllen die wahre Bedeutung von Ehre und Wiedergutmachung.

    Beide Titel erscheinen sowohl für PS4™ als auch PS5™ und bieten zahlreiche bekannte und neue Features.

    Charakterklassen: In Disgaea 7 gibt es über 40 Charakterklassen, darunter diese vier Neuzugänge: Maiko, Bandit, Zombie Maiden und Big Eye.

    Auto-Kämpfe: Auch in Disgaea 7 kannst du ein Level erneut spielen, wenn du es einmal abgeschlossen hast, und dich Gegnern in Auto-Kämpfen stellen. Dadurch kannst du zusätzliche Erfahrung sammeln Zeit bei deinem Spieldurchlauf sparen.

    Online-Ranglistenspiele: Zum ersten Mal in der Geschichte der Reihe kannst du in KI-unterstützen Ranglistenspielen online gegen andere Spieler:innen antreten. Das System erstellt optimale Strategien, die auf dem Bewegungsmuster deines Gegners und den Eigenschaften der Karte beruhen. Mehrere aufeinanderfolgende Siege verschaffen dir einen besseren Platz auf der Liste und Niederlagen verschlechtern ihn.

    Item-Wiedergeburt: Ähnlich der bekannten „Charakter-Wiedergeburt“-Mechanik aus früheren Teilen, die ebenfalls wieder vorhanden ist, können nun auch Gegenstände wiedergeboren werden, wodurch sie sich in etwas ganz Neues umwandeln lassen. Je öfter du das tust, desto mächtiger wird der Gegenstand!

    Höllen-Modus: Manche Charaktere haben eine „Hell Gauge“, die sich während des Kampfes auffüllt. Sobald sie vollständig aufgefüllt ist, wechseln die Charaktere in den „Höllen-Modus“, der ihre Werte verbessert und einzigartige Fähigkeiten freischaltet.

    Sightseeing: Sobald du in einer Region von Hinomoto für Frieden gesorgt hast, kannst du dort jederzeit zu Besuch vorbeischauen. Lerne die Bewohner Hinomotos besser kennen, wenn sie zu ihrem normalen Alltag zurückkehren, und entdecke zusätzliche Dialoge sowie die Möglichkeit, neue Begleiter freizuschalten (natürlich erst nachdem du sie im Kampf besiegt hast).

    Jumbification: Jeder Charakter in Disgaea 7 kann riesig groß werden und wird dadurch auch noch stärker, wodurch seine Werte und sein Schaden verbessert werden. Aber Vorsicht – Gegner haben dieselbe Fähigkeit!

    Disgaea 7: Vows of the Virtueless erscheint für PS4™ und PS5™ im Herbst 2023. Bildschirmtext ist sowohl auf Englisch als auch auf Französisch verfügbar. Sprachausgabe ist auf Englisch und Japanisch verfügbar.

    Disgaea 7: Vows of the Virtueless und Rhapsody: Marl Kingdom Chronicles erscheinen für PS5

    Rhapsody: Marl Kingdom Chronicles

    Erlebe, wie die Geschichte von Cornet, Ferdinand und ihrer Familie fortgesetzt wird in Rhapsody: Marl Kingdom Chronicles auf PS5™. Diese zweiteilige Sammlung ist gleichzeitig das Debüt im Westen von Rhapsody II: Ballad of the Little Princess und Rhapsody III: Memories of Marl Kingdom. Diese Titel bauen auf den bekannten Bilderbuch-Charme und die skurrile Musik des Originals, wurden aber mit verbesserter Grafik und erneuerten Mechaniken versehen.

    Um dem Vorbild ihrer Mutter Cornet nachzueifern, begibt sich die junge Kururu auf eine Reise und will ihren eigenen Prinzen finden in Rhapsody II: Ballad of the Little Princess.

    Dieser Titel nutzt erstmals ein rundenbasiertesKampfsystem, das sich vom ersten Spiel unterscheidet, und bietet außerdem mehr Lieder und Charaktere als jemals zuvor.

    In Rhapsody III: Memories of Marl Kingdom findet die Geschichte von Rhapsody und seinen Charakteren in einer Reihe bezaubernder Kapitel ein Ende. Erlebe Ereignisse, die vor, während und nach den vorherigen Titeln stattfinden, darunter das rührende Ende von Cherie, Cornets Mutter.

    Dieses Spiel bietet ebenfalls ein neues Kampfsystem, das sich von seinen Vorgängern unterscheidet und das durch kombinierte Charakterangriffe und eine zusätzliche 3D-Kamera vervollständigt wird.

    Rhapsody: Marl Kingdom Chronicles erscheint für PS5™ im Sommer 2023. Es ist eine englische und eine japanische Sprachausgabe verfügbar, allerdings gibt es die Lieder nur auf Japanisch.

    Danke, Dood!

    An dieser Stelle möchten wir uns noch mal bei allen bedanken, die uns bisher begleitet haben! Eure anhaltende Unterstützung motiviert uns, neue und aufregende Spiele zu erschaffen, und wir hoffen, dass wir in Zukunft noch viele weitere Meilensteine mit euch feiern können!

    Website: LINK

  • Mystery meets shoot ‘em up action in Yurukill: The Calumniation Games, demo out today

    Mystery meets shoot ‘em up action in Yurukill: The Calumniation Games, demo out today

    Reading Time: 4 minutes

    With Yurukill: The Calumniation Games less than a month away from release, we’re happy to announce that the demo is available for free download starting today at PlayStation Store. Given the unique blend of genres, we wanted to shed some light on how everything flows together to create a cohesive and exciting experience.

    Also, if you pick up Yurukill: The Calumniation Games on PS4, you can upgrade your copy to the PS5 version digitally for free.

    Mystery meets shoot ‘em up action in Yurukill: The Calumniation Games, demo out today

    What are the Calumniation Games?

    Calumniate (verb): to utter maliciously false statements, charges, or imputations about.

    ca·​lum·​ni·​ate | kə-ˈləm-nē-ˌāt

    Yurukill: The Calumniation Games centers around Sengoku Shunju, a man who wakes up in a prison cell with no recollection of how he got there. A masked woman named Binko suddenly appears before him and explains the situation at hand: “Prisoner, Sengoku Shunju: convicted of murder! He’s serving a 999 year sentence! That’s far and away the longest sentence out of all our Prisoners!” 

    You must survive the various “attractions” in a certain “amusement park.” If you succeed, your crimes will be pardoned.

    “No, you’ve got it all wrong, I’ve been falsely accused! I’m innocent!”

    Sengoku asserts that he is innocent of the crimes he’s accused of, but what complicates matters is the appearance of the victim of one of his alleged crimes: a woman named Rina Azami.

    “Sengoku Shunju. A name I will never forget. You killed my entire family. For that, I will never forgive you.”

    Sengoku is charged with arson and murder—for the death of 21 people by immolation, including Rina’s family. And now he finds himself in Yurukill Land, the aforementioned ‘amusement park’ where accused criminals (Prisoners) and the victims of their crimes (Executioners) must pair up to face its twisted attractions and trials.

    Besides Sengoku, there are four other groups of Prisoners and their respective Executioners who find themselves in Yurukill Land: the Death Dealing Duo, the Crafty Killers, the Sly Stalkers, and the Peeping Toms. There are six Prisoners and five Executioners taking part in the games, comprising five teams total.

    The Prisoners hope to overcome the challenges so that they may be pardoned. But should the Executioners win, their wishes will be granted, and at long last they will be able to avenge their loved ones. Along the way, all manner of secrets will be unearthed as the teams face each attraction.

    Life or death awaits everyone who plays the game. Who will survive the cruel, twisted place that is Yurukill Land?

    Mystery meets action

    Yurukill presents a unique blend of mystery solving and intense shooter action. Players will move back and forth between cinematic moments of intense dialogue and high-octane shooting sections that will put both their minds and their reflexes to the test. Though each stage presents its own twists and turns, the following trials are typically present in each of them:

    • Escape Adventure: Explore the attractions and find clues and evidence to prove your innocence.
    • High Speed Quiz: Dive into the details of your alleged crimes as you fly through a futuristic sub-space.
    • Shoot ‘Em Up: Put your piloting skills to the test as you destroy enemy ships, dodge attacks, and gather power-ups, all while continuing to unravel the details of the case as you fly along.
    • Prejudice Synapse: Use the evidence you acquire during the adventure sections to destroy the prejudices lurking in their heads, and free them from the notion that you, the Prisoner, are guilty.
    • Mind Maze: Complete the sentences relating to each incident and clear a way through the labyrinth of thoughts.
    • Boss Battle: Survive your Executioner’s interrogation and prove your innocence. Blast your way through defenses and weapons generated by the Executioner’s doubts, assumptions, and force of will in order to prevail and unveil the truth!

    The creators of Calumniation

    Of course, the unique offerings of Yurukill would not be possible without a team of talented minds and creators. The multi-layered story writing comes courtesy of Homura Kawamoto, known for his work on the manga Kakegurui – Compulsive Gambler, and Hikaru Muno. Together, these two expertly weave a web of mystery and intrigue punctuated by intense exchanges of dialogue between complex characters that players learn to both root for and condemn.

    The shoot ’em up (“shmup”) gameplay is just as engaging, with renowned developer G.rev taking the helm for these sections. Formerly of Taito (G-Darius, RayStorm), the team at G.rev have quickly carved out a name for themselves with a formidable catalog of high-quality shmup titles, and bring that same level of commitment and excellence here. Anyone who enjoys arcade-style top-down shooters that test your reflexes will feel right at home in Yurukill.

    Ready to play?

    Yurukill: The Calumniation Games flies onto PS4 and PS5 on July 5, 2022.

    Website: LINK

  • Mystery trifft Baller-Action in Yurukill: The Calumniation Games

    Mystery trifft Baller-Action in Yurukill: The Calumniation Games

    Reading Time: 4 minutes

    Da wir nur noch einen Monat vom Release von Yurukill: The Calumniation Games entfernt sind, freuen wir uns ankündigen zu können, dass die Demo zum kostenlosen Download ab heute im PlayStation Store verfügbar ist. Angesichts des einzigartigen Mix’ von Genres wollen wir heute mit euch einen Blick darauf werfen, wie alle zusammenkommt, um eine zusammenhängende und aufregende Erfahrung zu bieten.

    Und wenn ihr Yurukill: The Calumniation Games für PS4 kauft, könnt ihr eure Version später kostenlos digital für PS5 upgraden.

    Mystery trifft Baller-Action in Yurukill: The Calumniation Games

    Was sind die Calumniation Games?

    Calumniate ist ein englisches Verb, das so viel bedeuten wie „völlig falsche Behauptungen, Beschuldigungen oder Unterstellungen machen“. Auf Deutsch würden wir sagen Verleumdung.

    In Yurukill: The Calumniation Games dreht sich alles um Sengoku Shunju, einen Mann, der in einer Gefängniszelle wach wird und sich nicht erinnern kann, wie er dahin kam. Eine maskierte Frau namens Binko taucht plötzlich vor ihm auf und erklärt ihm die Situation: „Gefangener Sengoku Shunju: inhaftiert wegen Mordes. Er büßt eine 999-Jahre-Strafe ab, mehr als alle anderen Gefangenen!“

    Ihr müsst die verschiedenen „Attraktionen“ in einem gewissen „Vergnügungspark“ überleben, damit eure Strafe erlassen wird.

    “Nein, das ist alles falsch, ich wurde fälschlich beschuldigt! Ich bin unschuldig!“

    Sengoku beteuert seine Unschuld an allen Verbrechen, die ihm zur Last gelegt werden, aber problematischerweise taucht eins der Opfer der Verbrechen auf: eine Frau namens Rina Azami.

    “Sengoku Shunju. Ein Name, den ich nie vergessen werde. Sie töteten meine gesamte Famile! Ich werde Ihnen nie verzeihen.“

    Sengoku ist des Mordes und der Brandstiftung angeklagt – 21 Menschen sind in dem Feuer ums Leben gekommen, auch Rinas Familie. Und jetzt ist er deswegen in Yurukill Land, dem bereits erwähnten „Vergnügungspark“, in dem beschuldigte Verbrecher (Gefangene) und die Opfer ihrer Verbrechen (Henker) gemeinsam die makabren Attraktionen und Herausforderungen bestehen müssen.

    Neben Sengoku gibt es vier weitere Gruppen aus Gefangenen und Henkern, die sich auf Yurukill Land wiederfinden: das Death Dealing Duo, die Crafty Killers, die Sly Stalkers und die Peeping Toms. Es gibt sechs Gefangene und fünf Henker im Spiel, insgesamt in fünf Teams.

    Die Gefangenen hoffen, dass sie die Aufgaben bestehen und damit ihre Vergebung verdienen. Aber wenn die Henker gewinnen, werden ihre Wünsche gewährt und sie können den Tod ihrer Angehörigen rächen. Auf dem Weg werden alle möglichen Geheimnisse gelüftet, wenn die Teams den Attraktionen begegnen.

    Leben oder Tod wartet auf jeden, der das Spiel spielt. Wer wird das grausame, verdrehte Yurukill Land überleben?

    Mystery trifft auf Action

    In Yurukill findet ihr eine einzigartige Mischung aus Geheimnis-Lösen und intensiver Shooter-Action. Ihr bewegt euch hin und her zwischen cineastischen Momenten von intensiven Dialogen und rasender Action, die euren Verstand und eure Reflexe fordern. Obwohl jede Stufe eigene Herausforderungen bietet, gibt es typischerweise immer die folgenden Aspekte in jeder davon:

    Escape-Abenteuer: Erkundet die Attraktionen und findet Hinweise und Beweise für eure Unschuld.

    High-Speed-Quiz: Taucht in die Details eurer angeblichen Verbrechen ein, während ihr durch einen futuristischen Subraum fliegt.

    Ballern: Testet eure Pilotenskills während ihr gegnerische Schiffe zerstört, Angriffen ausweicht und Power-Ups sammelt, und gleichzeitig die Details eures Falls enthüllt.

    Vorurteils-Synapse: Nutzt die Beweise, die ihr auf euren Abenteuern gefunden habt, um die Vorurteile zu zerstören, die sich in ihren Köpfen befinden und befreit sie von der Vorstellung dass ihr, der Gefangene, schuldig seid.

    Gedankenlabyrinth: Vervollständigt die Sätze zu den Vorfällen und findet einen Weg durch das Labyrinth der Gedanken.

    Bosskampf: Überlegt die Befragung durch euren Henker und beweist eure Unschuld. Kämpft euren Weg durch die Verteidigungen und Waffen, die aus den Zweifeln, Annahmen und Willenskraft der Henker entstehen, um zu gewinnen und die Wahrheit zu enthüllen!

    Die Schöpfer von Calumniation

    Natürlich wäre das einzigartige Angebot von Yurukill nicht möglich ohne ein Team talentierter Geister und Schöpfer. Die vielschichtige Geschichte entstammt der Feder von Homura Kawamoto, der schon für seine Arbeit am Manga Kakegurui – Compulsive Gambler bekannt ist, und Hikaru Muno. Diese beiden konstruieren gemeinsam ein Netz der Geheimnisse und Mysterien, das wir durch intensive Dialoge zwischen komplexen Charakteren kennenlernen, die uns dazu bringen, diese Charaktere anzufeuern oder zu verdammen.

    Der Baller-Anteil am Spiel ist ebenso interessant und der bekannte Entwickler G.rev steht hier am Steuer für diese Abschnitte. Früher waren sie bei Taito (G-Darius, RayStorm), aber das Team hat sich jetzt schnell selbst einen Namen gemacht mit einem herausragenden Katalog an hochwertigen Baller-Titeln, für die sie die gleiche Begeisterung und Exzellenz mitbringen, wie hier. Wer Arkade-Top-Down-Shooter liebt, die eure Reflexe testen, wird sich hier wohlfühlen.

    Bereit fürs Spiel?

    Yurukill: The Calumniation Games startet am 5. Juli 2022 auf PS4 und PS5.

    Website: LINK

  • Ys IX: Monstrum Nox brings monstrous action to PS4 in 2021

    Ys IX: Monstrum Nox brings monstrous action to PS4 in 2021

    Reading Time: 5 minutes

    The action-RPG, Ys IX: Monstrum Nox, brings Adol’s latest adventure to PS4 next year, in which Adol finds himself imbued with a mysterious power and entwined in an ancient secret deeply rooted within the city he’s trapped in. 

    The Pact Edition includes the “Monstrum Memoirs” mini-art book and “Melodies of the Macabre” soundtrack. Pre-order your copy today by visiting the game website! 

    In this exclusive interview with director and producer Toshiro Kondo, we learn how Ys IX sets itself apart from its predecessors while still retaining the legacy and essence of the Ys series. 

    For those new to Ys and its protagonist Adol Christin, could you give a brief overview of who he is and his role in the series?

    Adol is an adventurer who has been the main character of the Ys series for more than 30 years. I think a series with this kind of longevity with the same main character is rare. Each tale in the series comes from one of the over 100 adventure journals he left in his home upon his death.

    Seeing as this is the ninth entry, do players need to be familiar with previous installments to play?

    Each Ys game sees the ever-traveling Adol reaching a land he has not previously visited and shows us his adventures there. Therefore, the people that both Adol and the player meet are new to them both. 

    Long-time fans and newcomers alike can easily jump into the adventure as Adol. Furthermore, from a gameplay perspective, the tradition of the Ys series is to offer a range of difficulty settings suitable for both beginners and long-time vets.

    What prompted the move from a deserted island from the previous installment, Ys VIII, to a dark cityscape in Ys IX?

    The tale mainly unfolds in Balduq, which has the epithet of “The Prison City.” Due to having a gigantic prison at its core, this city holds strong political influence. Compared to the idyllic deserted island setting of the previous game, it definitely feels more grim. 

    Since Ys VIII featured a natural setting, we aimed in Ys IX to provide a dramatic location filled with people intertwined with a deep history in their city. Due to this, we believe it lends an air of mystery to the title that, until now, was unseen in the series.

    Adol is turned into a “Monstrum,” a being with supernatural powers, and works together with other Monstrums to defeat shadowy entities. How did the idea of Monstrum come about?

    In this game, we started with the idea of wanting important party members to be able to fly or run up walls. Until now, Adol’s actions were mainly centered around orthodox elements like swinging his sword, jumping, and casting magic. Looking back at the series, the superhuman powers seen in this game are a unique and unexpected new element. Therefore, in order to ensure Ys fans would accept these elements as fitting to the series, we had to create an appropriate scenario. This is how we came up with the Monstrums.

    The Monstrums each have their own unique ability to interact with their environment, such as running up walls or uncovering hidden spots. How is this reflected in the gameplay?

    Each Monstrum has his or her own ability. One can teleport, another can fly, another can see hidden objects, and so on. With these abilities, previously unreachable areas become accessible, more options are available in combat, and various methods of navigating the dungeons can be found. When getting a new party member, it feels like a Marvel Comics hero has joined you. 

    How did the reception of VIII influence the design of IX? 

    Until Ys SEVEN, we were particularly conscious of trying to preserve the legacy of the series due to it having an over 30-year history, along with holding a lot of respect for those who have worked on the series before. 

    We also wanted to deliver titles that retained the “Ys-ness” that numerous fans were hoping for. In Ys VIII, we maintained that Ys action core while attempting to add new elements and narrative features.

    From this, we learned that new and old users alike supported this approach. Since each game depicts Adol on a new adventure, we now strongly feel again that this requires a new experience in each installment. The reason Ys IX certainly contains an atmosphere unlike any Ys that came before it is because it puts into practice the ideas we considered when making VIII.

    Now as the series continues on, we believe that – while it is important to retain the core of what makes Ys what it is – it is just as important to introduce new elements as well.

    Website: LINK

  • Takumi Naramura Unveils Hidden Treasures Behind La-Mulana 1 & 2

    Takumi Naramura Unveils Hidden Treasures Behind La-Mulana 1 & 2

    Reading Time: 7 minutes

    Challenge your wits and reflexes in the incredible platformer La-Mulana 1 & 2, available now!

    La-Mulana 1 features the archaeologist Lemeza Kosugi and his adventure in exploring ancient ruins that supposedly harbors great treasure and the secret behind the origin of life. In La-Mulana 2, Lumisa Kosugi, his daughter, investigates the sudden appearance of monsters in the ruins while also searching for the whereabouts of her now-missing father.

    This non-linear metroidvania throws the player into the unknown, with plenty of deadly foes, wicked puzzles, and diabolical traps that stand between them and the ultimate truth behind the world.

    Join us for this exclusive interview with creator Takumi Naramura about game design, story development, and lessons learned!

    What inspired the aesthetic?

    The art concept began with imagining what modern beautiful pixel art would look like if it evolved from the limited color palette frequently used in retro games.

    However, just making it more colorful wouldn’t necessarily make it better. I think the limited color combinations and contrasts were the key to beauty of that time, so I tried to make it so that the colors of the walls and backgrounds in La-Mulana as a whole resonated beautifully with one another.

    How did you balance the characters’ light-hearted humor with the game’s underlying dark and somber setting?

    Personally, I don’t really read books. When I was a child, grown-ups told me to read books, but I rebelled and read only manga. In other words, I don’t have the foundation or know-how for constructing novels, which I make up for by utilizing a more playful writing style, rather than a serious one.

    But there are many retro games that take place in a “serious” world or setting but have comical dialogue. I really like that kind of mood or atmosphere; if it’s usually lighthearted, the impact of any serious story development becomes greater.

    Was there anything you learned from designing and developing La-Mulana that you applied to La-Mulana 2? If so, what was the most valuable lesson?

    The first version ever developed was designed without much thought. When that was remade, it was completely redesigned so we could be proud of it as a consumer-facing product [as it was no longer just a passion project]. Although it’s a game whose story is more structured around lighthearted dialogue, I thought it essential for it to also convey a deep and immersive setting.

    During the development of La-Mulana 1, I studied ancient civilizations and collected a lot of materials like photographs and books. Though I kept it at a Wikipedia level in my research to avoid being overly serious, and limited my book exposure to more suspicious ones, like those closer to occult genres rather than fine research.

    The research that did not go into the first’s remake was used up in the sequel, La-Mulana 2. Speaking of which, the greatest focus for La-Mulana 2 was its in-game mythos (that was based off of Nordic mythology) as it was important to link this mythos to that of the first game and create a consistent game universe overall.

    The left is a sketch of an immortal war zone based off of Midgard in Nordic mythology. I followed the tradition of a map portraying an area surrounded by seas, then plugged in map symbols accordingly.

    It’s a bit hard to understand this map because its size is reduced in game, but the important part was to have it impart onto the player an air of mystery and ambiguity when they look at it—such an atmosphere is crucial for La-Mulana 1 & 2.

    How did you find the balance between difficulty and the player having fun when designing puzzles?

    To be honest, I’m not very good at thinking up puzzles, which led to difficulty in thinking of ways to entertain players through them. Nevertheless, instead of providing explanations and excessive tutorials, I intended the puzzles to be that once you continuously attempt it, you will gradually be able to understand it [like trial-and-error].

    In the beginning, puzzles were prepared so they could be solved using clues located in the same scene. As the game progresses, it becomes increasingly difficult to find the clues, scattered throughout multiple areas, and generate the solution. Eventually, the player will end up using the entire map to solve puzzles. This method of puzzle-solving was not the aim in the first, original version.

    In addition, those who played the first version were a huge help. From the numerous uploaded playthroughs, I saw many players evacuate the area immediately after solving a puzzle because they were wary of any traps I may have set. I believe this taught me what the essence of La-Mulana was in reverse: when it came to entertaining players, the answer was to play to their sense of distrust.

    Is mythology something you were always interested in?

    Most of Japan’s elementary school boys are interested in ancient civilizations, aliens, and ghosts. For my generation, if you were to mention “archaeologist,” the first thing that would come to mind is Indiana Jones along with his iconic wide brim hat and whip. 80s Hollywood movies were also influential.

    At the time of La-Mulana’s remake, I watched all four Indiana Jones films, along with The Mummy and Tomb Raider, but only Indiana Jones was used as reference.

    The 12 crystal skulls from the fourth Indiana Jones film was a concept I wanted to use since La-Mulana. But now, there are studies that reveal these crystal skulls are actually out-of-place artifacts. That’s how I found that the deeper you delve into and research ancient civilizations, the higher the chance that the romance behind all the mystery fades. Because of this, I centered my studies around sources like Wikipedia and occult-like materials.

    My imagination has run wild ever since I can remember. Of all the different mythologies in the world, I’d have to say Egyptian is my favorite, which is why I made sure to play games like Assassins Creed and Assassins Creed: Origins. But since there are similar myths all around the world, I liked to play with this idea that maybe each culture’s mythology was based on a same historical and global event. La-Mulana is the outcome of these imaginations that culminated in my adulthood.

    In La-Mulana 2, the shopkeepers are cameo characters from other video games. Where did that idea come from?

    Most of our fans from the early days of Nigoro were into retro computer games. I thought that component should not be forgotten while doing the remake, so I parodied the titles of retro PC games for the shopkeepers’ names.

    For La-Mulana 2, we had the opportunity to add bust-up illustrations for them. I strongly believed in still preserving the parody, which led me to reference the games in these illustrations as much as I could without getting in trouble. However, some of the storekeepers were changed during the porting process as there was a request to have these characters rewritten so that their resemblance to already existing figures does not anger their respective creators.

    This bothered me quite frankly, as they did not understand the concept of parodies whatsoever. I thought, “If I have to redraw them so they’re not parodies anymore, then I might as well call up my indie game friends and ask them to make a cameo!” And that’s how that collaboration and cameo came about.

    Could you ever see your game become adapted for the big screen?

    If I did this though, I would totally get in trouble because then I’d be doing nothing more than shamelessly appropriating Indiana Jones. You’re trying to set me up, aren’t you?

    But, we at Nigoro do deeply wish to widen our scope outside of games someday.

    Website: LINK

  • The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III Demo Available Today

    The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III Demo Available Today

    Reading Time: 3 minutes

    We’ve brought all around the world, starting from the first English build at MCM London Comic Con to being playable at Gamescom in Germany, E3 and Anime Expo in California, Japan Expo in France, and PAX West in Washington. Finally, we’re excited to finally bring the highly-anticipated demo right to your home!

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lb2Fvb2vLlA&w=560&h=315]

    Available today at PlayStation Store, this demo contains the entire prologue and carries over save data to the full game. In Trails of Cold Steel III, you play as Rean Schwarzer, a graduate from Thors Military Academy who’s starting his new life as an instructor at the academy’s branch campus. Heralded as a war hero, he and his peers of the renowned Class VII played a pivotal role in the empire’s civil war a few years prior. Now, the peace is disturbed once again and Rean must lead his students — the new generation of Class VII — through this darkness to find a brighter future.

    From left to right: The new Class VII consists of Juna Crawford, Altina Orion, and Kurt Vander.

    The demo also contains an in-game library with information on the previous two installments, along with character bios and other terminology — perfect for both a veteran’s refresher or a beginner’s first look. So anyone can jump into Trails of Cold Steel III with confidence and without missing a beat!

    Aside from familiar mechanics like fishing, new features are brought to the table such as the Vantage Masters mini-game. The combat system has also been improved, thanks to the addition of Brave Orders and the Break System. Brave Orders provide party-wide buffs to give an upper hand for a certain number of turns, and are specific to each character. The Break System is shown as a blue bar underneath the enemy’s health. Damaging the enemies will decrease their Break meter until it’s depleted to zero, to which they become “Broken.” A “Broken” enemy drops its items, is more susceptible to damage, has their buffs cancelled, and is unbalanced by all attacks and crafts!

    Also, don’t forget to take advantage of this exclusive deal for PS Plus members: preorder the Digital Deluxe Edition for 25% off an awesome set of the full game and the Premium Cosmetic Bundle, along with Juna’s Lloyd Bannings costume and Rean’s Unspeakable costume. This offer is available until Trails of Cold Steel III releases for PS4 on October 22.

    Now that you’ve got the rundown, download the demo today and let the legend of Class VII begin anew!

    Website: LINK

  • The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III Demo Available Today

    The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III Demo Available Today

    Reading Time: 3 minutes

    We’ve brought all around the world, starting from the first English build at MCM London Comic Con to being playable at Gamescom in Germany, E3 and Anime Expo in California, Japan Expo in France, and PAX West in Washington. Finally, we’re excited to finally bring the highly-anticipated demo right to your home!

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lb2Fvb2vLlA&w=560&h=315]

    Available today at PlayStation Store, this demo contains the entire prologue and carries over save data to the full game. In Trails of Cold Steel III, you play as Rean Schwarzer, a graduate from Thors Military Academy who’s starting his new life as an instructor at the academy’s branch campus. Heralded as a war hero, he and his peers of the renowned Class VII played a pivotal role in the empire’s civil war a few years prior. Now, the peace is disturbed once again and Rean must lead his students — the new generation of Class VII — through this darkness to find a brighter future.

    From left to right: The new Class VII consists of Juna Crawford, Altina Orion, and Kurt Vander.

    The demo also contains an in-game library with information on the previous two installments, along with character bios and other terminology — perfect for both a veteran’s refresher or a beginner’s first look. So anyone can jump into Trails of Cold Steel III with confidence and without missing a beat!

    Aside from familiar mechanics like fishing, new features are brought to the table such as the Vantage Masters mini-game. The combat system has also been improved, thanks to the addition of Brave Orders and the Break System. Brave Orders provide party-wide buffs to give an upper hand for a certain number of turns, and are specific to each character. The Break System is shown as a blue bar underneath the enemy’s health. Damaging the enemies will decrease their Break meter until it’s depleted to zero, to which they become “Broken.” A “Broken” enemy drops its items, is more susceptible to damage, has their buffs cancelled, and is unbalanced by all attacks and crafts!

    Also, don’t forget to take advantage of this exclusive deal for PS Plus members: preorder the Digital Deluxe Edition for 25% off an awesome set of the full game and the Premium Cosmetic Bundle, along with Juna’s Lloyd Bannings costume and Rean’s Unspeakable costume. This offer is available until Trails of Cold Steel III releases for PS4 on October 22.

    Now that you’ve got the rundown, download the demo today and let the legend of Class VII begin anew!

    Website: LINK

  • The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III Demo Available Today

    The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III Demo Available Today

    Reading Time: 3 minutes

    We’ve brought all around the world, starting from the first English build at MCM London Comic Con to being playable at Gamescom in Germany, E3 and Anime Expo in California, Japan Expo in France, and PAX West in Washington. Finally, we’re excited to finally bring the highly-anticipated demo right to your home!

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lb2Fvb2vLlA&w=560&h=315]

    Available today at PlayStation Store, this demo contains the entire prologue and carries over save data to the full game. In Trails of Cold Steel III, you play as Rean Schwarzer, a graduate from Thors Military Academy who’s starting his new life as an instructor at the academy’s branch campus. Heralded as a war hero, he and his peers of the renowned Class VII played a pivotal role in the empire’s civil war a few years prior. Now, the peace is disturbed once again and Rean must lead his students — the new generation of Class VII — through this darkness to find a brighter future.

    From left to right: The new Class VII consists of Juna Crawford, Altina Orion, and Kurt Vander.

    The demo also contains an in-game library with information on the previous two installments, along with character bios and other terminology — perfect for both a veteran’s refresher or a beginner’s first look. So anyone can jump into Trails of Cold Steel III with confidence and without missing a beat!

    Aside from familiar mechanics like fishing, new features are brought to the table such as the Vantage Masters mini-game. The combat system has also been improved, thanks to the addition of Brave Orders and the Break System. Brave Orders provide party-wide buffs to give an upper hand for a certain number of turns, and are specific to each character. The Break System is shown as a blue bar underneath the enemy’s health. Damaging the enemies will decrease their Break meter until it’s depleted to zero, to which they become “Broken.” A “Broken” enemy drops its items, is more susceptible to damage, has their buffs cancelled, and is unbalanced by all attacks and crafts!

    Also, don’t forget to take advantage of this exclusive deal for PS Plus members: preorder the Digital Deluxe Edition for 25% off an awesome set of the full game and the Premium Cosmetic Bundle, along with Juna’s Lloyd Bannings costume and Rean’s Unspeakable costume. This offer is available until Trails of Cold Steel III releases for PS4 on October 22.

    Now that you’ve got the rundown, download the demo today and let the legend of Class VII begin anew!

    Website: LINK

  • La-Mulana 1 & 2 – A Beginner’s Guide

    La-Mulana 1 & 2 – A Beginner’s Guide

    Reading Time: 3 minutes

    La-Mulana 1 & 2 taps into the excitement of exploring the unknown and challenging your reflexes and puzzle-solving skills! Slay monsters and solve diabolical traps in this non-linear puzzle-platformer from indie superteam Nigoro, now available for the first time as a physical collection on PS4! We prepared a beginner’s guide for series newcomers who dare explore the ancient ruins rumored to be the origin of civilization itself. Without further ado, let’s get to the Top 5 Tips for Surviving La-Mulana 1 & 2!

    1. Pay attention to your surroundings and take it slow! Rushing into an area will almost always cause instant death; besides, there’s no need to be in such a hurry! Find the Holy Chalice as soon as possible for fast travel between points.

    Also, don’t forget to save frequently through multiple save files. Trust us, you’ll be glad you did.

    2. Read all the tablets and take notes! The tablets provide hints for solving puzzles, some of which will definitely have your mind twisting and turning. And when we say scan everything, we mean it: things like mysterious glyphs, bones of past explorers, and tablets will give you hints and warn you about deadly traps.

    3. Use your resources wisely! Save your gold for buying different software and relics, and use ammo for your sub-weapons when fighting tough bosses or for solving puzzles.

    4. Read your emails! No, we’re not trying to call you out on your office work ethic. Xelpud, the Elder, and friends will give you advice through emails on where to go or what to do next!

    5. Last but definitely not least, learn enemy and boss patterns! It’ll take some practice but bosses all have strategies that can be utilized to fight them more efficiently.

    Got all that? Now apply these tips in real-life with our special La-Mulana 1 & 2 challenge at our booth (Level 6, Booth #7505) at PAX West this weekend! You can also test your mettle by joining our Stamp Rally, where you will receive a prize upon completion!

    We also have a panel with the game designer himself, Takumi Naramura, on August 30 at 4 p.m. PT in Hydra Theatre. Witness some spicy shenanigans occur while learning about what went into designing this extraordinary platform collection. This panel will be streamed live via PAX’s secondary Twitch channel at https://www.twitch.tv/pax2.

    We hope you enjoyed our advice on how best to brave the numerous trials and tribulations you’ll encounter deep within the ruins. Look forward to the release of La-Mulana 1 & 2 next year, and stay tuned for more updates!

    Website: LINK