3/30/07 - Daily Links

Ah, the weekend is just about to begin. Time to relax and play some Shivering Isles. My links are a bit earlier today than usual, but here's what I've found:

1Up Reviews Shivering Isles - They give it an 8.0.

Disgaea PSP First Look - Gamespot takes a look at the PS2 SRPG that's being ported to the PSP with all new content.

Atelier Iris 3: Grand Phantasm Hands on - Gamespot gets their hands on NIS America's upcoming RPG from Gust. Fans of the first two many want to read this one.

3/28/07 Issue at Just-RPG

We've got a an exciting new issue this week at Just-RPG. Here's what we've got:

• Castlevania: Symphony of the Night Review
• Hoshigami Remix Interview
• Elebits Review
• Jeanne d'Arc Screenshots
• Two Worlds Screenshots
• New Nethergate: Resurrection Screenshots
• And More!!!

Check it all out here.

3/29/07 - Daily Links

I only managed to dig up a few links today. Didn't seem to be a lot out there...

Silverfall Crushed by 1UP - They give the game an un-impressed 3/10.

Mass Effect Interview - Gamespy has a Q&A session about Bioware's upcoming RPG.

3/28/07 - Daily Links

A few noteworthy links out there, mostly focusing on the recently released Shivering Isles.

Gamespy Reviews Shivering Isles - 4 out of 5 stars. Same grade they just gave the PS3 version of Oblivion.

Gamespot's Shivering Isles Review - An 8.6 grade, and a conclusion stating " Oblivion was huge before, but now it's bigger and better than ever. "

RPG Vault Shivering Isles Interview - The second part of the interview is up.

IGN Chats with Two Worlds Producer - IGN interviews Alexandra Constandache, producer on Two Worlds.

Spiderweb Announces Nethergate: Resurrection

Spiderweb Software, makers of the popular Geneforge and Avernum series, have just announced Nethergate: Resurrection.

Nethergate: Resurrection is a fantasy role-playing game for Windows and Macintosh. Taking place in the lands of ancient Britain, you will explore deadly dungeons, embark on epic quests, and seek to master the lost art of magic. Players can play as the powerful Romans or the cunning Celts and experience two entirely different adventures!

Nethergate: Resurrection is a complete, ground-up rewrite of the fantasy role-playing classic, Nethergate. The planned release date is Summer of 2007.

For more information on Nethergate: Resurrection, visit the official site.

Gurumin Selling Out!

Mastiff is reporting that their recently released RPG on the PSP, Gurumin: A Monstrous Adventure, is selling out at retailers across the country.

The limited supply and high demand for Gurmin has made it a rare commodity for gamers. Mastiff is pleased by the popularity of the game, and is hard at work preparing additional copies.

They have even created a special e-mail box for gamers who want Gurumin, but haven't been able to find it at local retailers. If that sounds like you, then send an e-mail to FINDGURUMIN@MASTIFF-GAMES.COM and they'll assist you in finding a copy.

Check out Just-RPG's review of Gurumin here.

EA & New Line Extend Agreement

EA has announced today that they have extended their agreement with New Line, allowing them to create games inspired by the Lord of the Rings movies and novels, through 2008.

They have also announced that a new Lord of the Rings themed game is in the works, and will ship in 2008. Although, no definite details of the game have been released. Perhaps it will be their RPG, Lord of the Rings: The White Council? Lets hope.

3/27/07 - Daily Links

My links for today include two Oblivion related articles.

Gamespy Reviews PS3 Oblivion - They give it 4 stars.

IGN Reviews Shivering Isles - IGN takes a look at the expansion, which has just been released. I've downloaded it, but haven't had the chance to play it myself. I'm hyped!

Shivering Isles is Here!!!

Elder Scrolls fans rejoice, the first full expansion to Oblivion has just been released!

The PC version of Elder Scrolls IV: Shivering Isles is due in stores today with a retail price of $29.99. The Xbox 360 version of the game reportedly launched a day early and can be downloaded on Xbox Live for 2400 Microsoft points ($30).

Shivering Isles promises 30 hours of additional gameplay and the opportunity to explore the all new realm of Sheogorath, meaning Oblivion addicts like myself will be out of touch for the next few days.

Microsoft has scheduled some Xbox Live downtime today, so Xbox 360 owning Oblivion fans may find themselves unable to download the expansion right away.

3/26/07 - Daily links

A bit later than intended, but here are my links for the day.

RPG Vault's Shivering Isles Interview - Part one of an interview with Bethsoft Design Director Bruce Nesmith.

IGN Reviews Oblivion on PS3 - They rate it a 9.2.

Gamespot's Super Paper Mario Preview - Part two at Gamespot's look at the upcoming Wii RPG.

RPGLand Reviews Vanguard: Saga of Heroes - The folks at RPGLand take a look at the MMORPG, and award it a 7.0/10.

3/25/07 - Daily Links

Shining Force EXA Review on IGN - A 7.0 is their final score for the PS2 RPG from Sega. Not a spectacular grade, but a LOT higher than the last review I read.

Super Paper Mario Previwed by Gamespot - A glimpse at the upcoming platformer/RPG starring our favorite plumber.

Gamespot Previews .hack//G.U. vol. 2//Reminisce - The release date for the next chapter in the .hack// series is nearing, and Gamespot is taking a look at the game.

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

3/17/07 - Daily Links

Icewind Dale Revisited on Game Banshee - New images, a rewritten walkthrough, and interviews!

Action Trip Previews Fable 2 - A look at the game, including info on the dog.

CVG Reviews Titan Quest: Immortal Throne - The expansions receives 7.0/10. The article is dated a few days ago, but I seem to have missed it.

3/16/07 - Daily Links

Today I came across a couple of reviews of Immortal Throne as well as two interesting interviews.

Titan Quest: Immortal Throne on Gamespot - They rate the expansion a 7.9

Titan Quest: Immortal Throne Reviewed by Gamespy - Gamespy also takes a look at Immortal Throne, and 4 stars is the result.

RPG Vault takes a Peek at Silverfall - Project Leader Jehanne Rousseau discusses the upcoming RPG with RPG Vault.

Gamespot Interviews Hironobu Sakaguchi - The man behind the upcoming Blue Dragon spends some time with Gamespot.

Lost in Blue Pre-order Freebies!

Konami has announced that those who pre-order Lost in Blue from participating retailers will receive a special Lost in Blue themed stylus and screen wipe for their Nintendo DS.



The game ships March 20, 2007, so there's not much time left to pre-order if you want to take advantage of this pre-order offer. Participating retailers include the Konami Online Store, EB Games, and Gamestop.

More of IGN's Top 25

IGN has updated their feature on The 25 Best Games of All Time to include picks 6-10. The top 5 from each platform are yet to be posted and will be available soon.

Only a few additional RPGs have made the list in the 6-10 spots, but I assume we'll see some more in the top 5. On a side note, I just want to mention that both Starcraft and Sim City 2000, my two favorite non-RPGs, made it to the PC top list in the 6-10 range. :)

PC
7. Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn


Xbox
8. Fable

GBA
8. Final Fantasy VI
10. Pokemon Ruby/Sapphire


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

Two Worlds "Sneak Mode"

South Peak Interactive has released some information regarding the Sneak Mode in their highly anticipated RPG, Two Worlds.

For the times when you need to be stealthy, sneaking past guards or stealing from an unsuspecting victim, you'll want to have a high Sneak Skill. To help you out there will be a visual indicator about your target's head. A green eye, half closed will appear when sneaking. When you're in danger of being seen, the eye will open a bit and turn from green, to yellow, to orange and eventually bright red if you're found. See the image below for more...

Sneaking is an active skill that you'll upgrade in the game, so the effectiveness of sneaking is dependent on how high your sneak skill is. Other factors, such as having few people around, fog, and darkness can help increase your chance of sneaking to success.

Castlevania to Arrive on Xbox Live March 21st

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, often regarded as the best game in the series, will be available for download on Xbox Live starting March 21, 2007 at 2 AM Pacific time. The game will cost 800 Microsoft points to download.

The Xbox 360 version of the game allows you to play the original game just as we remember it on the Playstation, or an updated version, with modern audio and improved graphics. There is also high-definition support and new native widescreen. Hardcore 360 fans will be glad to hear about the addition of 12 Achievements in the game that total 200 Gamerscore points.

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is the 12th game in the series and provides non-linear action RPG gameplay. It chronicles the story of Alucard, the half-vampire son of Dracula, who is fighting to put and end to his father's tyranny.

3/15/07 Issue at Just-RPG!

We've posted a new issue at Just-RPG with new reviews, press releases, screenshots and trailers. This is the first time we're officially "unveiling" the RPG Geek Blog, so hopefully all goes well. We've also got a brand new Lunar Knights Giveaway, so make sure to sign up!

• Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters Review
• Lunar Knights Giveaway
• King's Field II Review
• The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Trailers
• Aedis Eclipse: Generation of Chaos Movie
• New Two Worlds Screenshots
• Depths of Peril Screenshots
• And More!!!

Read it all here!

3/15/07 - Daily Links

I've managed to dig up a few noteworthy links from the day, many of which are from CVG. Enjoy!

CVG's Witcher Preview- A look at the highly anticipated PC RPG.

CVG's Vanguard: Saga of Heroes Review - A 6.8 is their score for the recently released MMO from Sigil.

Jade Empire SE Review at CVG - More CVG coveage. This time the Special Edition of Jade Empire gets an 8.6 from CVG.

Digital Devil Saga II Reviewed by Strategy Informer - Strategy Informer takes a look back at the Atlus RPG from a few years ago. They weren't nearly as impressed as many RPG fans.

New D&D Tactics Screens on Strategy Informer - New images from the upcoming PSP RPG.

Tales of the World Heading to North America!

Namco Bandai has announced that they will bring the next installment in their popular Tales series, Tales of the World, to North America! The game has already been released in Japan and is expected to land in North America on the PSP some time in Q3 2007.

The U.S. version of the game will be more fine-tuned, with a lowered level of difficulty, increased item dropping rate, and Grade Points that can be used to purchase special items.

IGN has posted a recent Q&A about the game with Namco Bandai that you can read here.

Final Fantasy Tactics Skirmish Mode

Square Enix has confirmed that the upcoming Final Fantasy Tacitcs: The Lion War will allow for two player skirmishes. In skirmish mode, one team will play as red and the other will play as blue. You will then duke it out Final Fantasy Tactics style, but will have a limited number of turns to finish each other off in order to prevent players from avoiding each other.

The Lion War is a remake of the original Playstation classic, Final Fantasy Tactics. It will be the first installment of the series on the Sony PSP and will feature improvements such as new job classes and new FMVs.


Final Fantasy Tactics: The Lion War is set to release in Japan next month on the PSP. No North American release date has been set, so we'll just have to keep waiting for now. Personally, I'd be fairly suprised if this game didn't come to North America, but either way the PSP is region free, so you can always import it.



Thanks ot IGN for the info.

New Pokemon Details

Nintendo has released some interesting new details about Pokemon Diamond and Pearl. The first two DS Pokemon titles will feature the 380 Pokemon avialable in previous versions, along with over 100 new ones! Gamers will also be able to import Pokemon from their GBA games after completing certain objectives.

The game's wireless ability is what's really getting some attention. By using a local wireless connection, up to eight Pokemon trainers can connect and play together. The game's are fully Wi-Fi compatible, so players can log onto Nintendo Wi-Fi and compete with players from all around the wold. The microphone built into the DS will even allow gamers to talk to one another in voice chat.

Diamond and Pearl will also feature a Global Trade Station where players can trade Pokemon with other players all across the world. From here gamers can browse the boards to find out what Pokemon other players are looking for, or post Pokemon that they want to trade.

Starting March 18, fans who pre-order a copy of either game will receive one of two collectible Pokemon styluses

3/14/07 - Daily Links

God of War and Spectrobes have both been recently released, and I've dug up a few reviews of the two games that are worth a read. There are some interesting feature articles out there too!

The Witcher Screens on Strategy Informer - Five new images from this very beautiful game.

God of War II Review on IGN - IGN gives the game a very impressive 9.7! While this isn't an RPG, some of the key elements of an RPG are there, and the high scores it's receiving certainly make it worth a glance.

Dawn of Magic Screens on Strategy Informer - They previewed the game yesterday. Today they've got some new screens.

Yahoo! Games Rates God of War - They like the game too and give it a 5/5.

IGN takes a look at the localization of Blue Dragon - Localizing a Japanese game can be a lengthy ordeal. IGN takes a look at how the process is going for the highly anticipated Xbox 360 RPG.

Spectrobes Reviewed by IGN - A 7.0 is their verdict for the brand new DS RPG from Disney Interactive.

Gamespot Reviews Spectrobes - A second review of the game, and this one has a similar rating of 6.0/10.

RPG Watch's Arena Retrospective - A look back at the begining of the Elder Scrolls series.

IGN's Top 25

IGN has posted an interesting feature that picks out their Top 25 Games of All Time. Games are divided up by platform (GBA, Xbox, PC, PS2, Gamecube) and the 25 best are selected for each. Only picks 11-25 are up to view today, but the remainder will be posted in the coming days.

It's worth noting that the Gamecube and Xbox lists are a bit pathetic because they both contain several multi-platform titles. However, I guess you can only work with what you've got.

Quite a few RPGs have managed to make the list. Here's a taste:

PS2
24. Suikoden III
22. Kingdom Hearts
14. Dragon Quest VIII

PC
20. Deus Ex
17. World of Warcraft
16. Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
13. System shock 2

Xbox
15. Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind

Gamecube
23. Baten Kaitos
16. Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door
11. Animal Crossing

GBA
24. Golden Sun
21. Harvest Moon: Friends of Mineral Town
20. Legend of Zelda: Minish Cap
16. Fire Emblem
14. Final Fantasy Tactics Advance
12. Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga


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

3/13/07 - Daily Links

Here's some RPG-related articles from around the Web from Tuesday, March 13th. Enjoy!

RPGLand takes an early look at Valhalla Knights - A positive look at XSeed's upcoming RPG for the PSP.

RPG Vault's Geneforge 4 Interview - They sit down with Jeff Vogel for a little Q&A.

Strategy Informer Previews Dawn of Magic - After playing a version of the game, they seem optimistic! Looks interesting...

Sacred 2 Preview at Gameshark - A first look at the Xbox 360 version of the game from GDC.

God of War II Ships/ PSP title Confirmed

Despite the recent release of the next generation consoles, most of the attention is on the PS2 today as God of War II arrives on store shelves. The original God of War sold nearly 1.7 million copies in the U.S. alone, so over 1 million units of the sequel have already shipped in order to keep up with demand.

God of War II has already been reviewed by several sites and magazines, and as of now has an impressive 94.9% on gamerankings.com. The original averaged a score of 93.2%.

It has also been confirmed that a God of War PSP title is in the works. Little is known about this upcoming game other than it will be an all new adventure rather than a port of one of the previous games.

3/12/07 - Daily Links

Make sure to check out these articles from around the Web:

AllRPG's Shining Force EXA Preview - They like what they see.

RPGLand gets their hands on Sword of the New World - A look at the MMO from inside the closed beta.

Age of Conan Screens on IGN - The title pretty much says it all... new screens of the highly anticipated RPG on IGN.

Spectrobes In Stores Now!

Spectrobes, from Disney Interactive, is in stores today (March 13, 2007).

Spectrobes is an action-RPG on the Nintendo DS that allows you to train and customize prehistoric creatures called Spectrobes. These Spectrobes hold the key to defeating a vicious and merciless force, known only as the Krawl, that threatens to destroy the galaxy. You'll play as two junior Interplanetary Patrol officers named Rallen and Jeena who learn of the power of the Spectrobes and embark on a mission to excavate, awaken, train and collect as many as they can in order to defeat the Krawl.

FREE Puzzle Quest

Game World Network is giving away 10 copies of the Puzzle/RPG hybrid, Puzzle Quest. So head on over to their site and sign up for the giveaway! Good luck!

Puzzle Quest Giveaway on GWN


Puzzle Quest is headed for release on the Nintendo DS and Sony PSP on March 20, 2007. The game will challenge gamers to create and customize the ultimate hero to save the land of Etheria from the evil Lord Bane by progressing through a series of turn-based puzzles.

Two Words Screens

There are six new Two Worlds screens floating around the internet as of late. The link below is from IGN and shows off the newest screens as well as some older ones.

Two Worlds, from SouthPeak Interactive, is headed for both PC and Xbox 360 with a release date later this spring. It promises extreme realism, freedom of choice, and deep RPG gameplay. Many are hyping this game as an "Oblivion Killer", so this may be a game to keep an eye on! Personally, this is one of the RPGs that I'm most excited about.

Two Worlds Screens from IGN.

3/11/07 - Daily Links

Here are some articles from over the weekend that you may want to check out.

ALLRPG reviews Mazes of Fate - ALLRPG has largely negative things to say about this one. I've played it also, and would have to agree with some of their conclusions. Still, there aren't many reviews of Mazes of Fate out there, so this is worth a read.

Game Apex reviews NWN Diamond Edition - An 8.5 is the result.

FFVII: Crisis Core News on IGN - IGN has some new details on the FFVII spinoff, including the characters.

Go see 300!

If you haven't seen 300 yet, I highly suggest that you do! It's a beautiful film that will have you on the edge of your seat throughout. While the movie is based on true events, it does a great job of blending in a bit of fantasy for flavor.

I know this is a bit different than RPG Geek's normal coverage, but this is definately worth seeing. 300 opened this weekened and is at the top of the box office charts.

3/10/07 Daily Links

Some technical troubles kept me from updating last night, so here are some noteworthy links from yesterday.

Gamespot previews Sacred 2 - GDC based preview of the upcoming RPG for PC and Xbox 360.

Games Radar Previews Hellgate London - A brief look at the game from the recent GDC.

Gothic 3 Sells 50,000

Jowood has recently announced that their RPG Gothic 3 has sold over 50,000 units worldwide. This places Gothic 3 among the best selling German RPGs ever, and continues the success of the series.

Read Jowood's full press release here.

3/09/07 - Daily Links

Plenty of noteworthy articles across the internet today. Hellgate: London is definately the game of the day...


PC Gamer Shivering Isles Preview - A positive look at the upcoming Oblivion expansion.

Hellgate London at 1UP - A preview of the highly anticipated RPG from Flagship.

Gamespot's Hellgate London Preview - More coverage of the game.

Gamespy's Hellgate London Coverage - A THIRD preview today

IGN's Hellgate London Preview - Can't get enough of this game. I've had hands on time with this game and it's looking really nice.

Fable 2 Preview at Next Generation - More information about the infamous dog.


Thanks to RPGdot for providing some of these links.

Atlus Announces Luminous Arc

Atlus U.S.A. has just announced that they have acquired North American publishing rights to Luminous Arc for the Nintendo DS!

Luminous Arc is an isometric strategy-RPG that allows gamers to create new weapons, compare strategic prowess using wi-fi multiplayer, and promises unique characters and an epic story. Luminous Arc is developed by Image Epoch and produced by Marvelous Interactive, producers of the Harvest Moon series and the smash DS hit Contact.

3/08/07 Issue at Just-RPG!

We've posted a new issue on Just-RPG! This is the last week to sign up to win a copy of .hack//G.U., so make sure to enter.

• Final Fantasy III Review
• Viva Piñata Review
• .hack//G.U. Giveaway
• Silverfall Screens

3/08/07 - Daily Links

Here's the daily linkage from the Web. Plenty of GDC coverage, specifically from IGN. Considering all the hype and rumours out there now, I'm sure I missed something, so be on the lookout for further posts.

Titan Quest: Immortal Throne on Atomic Gamer - They award the expansion an 88%. Seems to be getting really high marks so far.

Izuna: Legend of the Unemployed Ninja Reviewed at Atomic Gamer - This game has the best name ever, and also pulls off a decent final grade of 75%.

Silverfall Interview on Shacknews - Interviews with the development team have been all over lately, but it's still a good read.

Gamespot's Fable 2 Impressions - Finally, a playable version is shown. Fable fans had better check this out. A lot of info on the recently announced pet dog.

IGN's Heavenly Sword Impressions - Impressions of the upcoming action game for the PS3, straight from GDC!

IGN's Phantom Hourglass Impressions - Another GDC article, this time covering the highly anticipated Zelda title on the DS.

IGN's Mass Effect Impressions - These are a few days old, but I missed it somehow. All these GDC articles are making me wish I would have gone...

IGN's take on Fable 2 From GDC - Yep, more about the dog.

Pokemon Diamond impressions on IGN - Pokemon!!! First impressions of the English build.

New Aedis Eclipse Trailer

NIS America has released a new Aedis Eclipse: Generation of Chaos character trailer. The trailer shows some gameplay footage and gives a little introduction of the characters for those RPG fans that simply can't wait!

Aedis Eclipse: Generation of Chaos goes on sale for the Sony PSP in April, 2007.

Check out the new trailer here.

Zelda Grabs GDC Award

At the Game Developers Choice Awards, Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess walked away with an award for writing, which is probably no suprise to gamers who have played the popular Wii title.

In other Nintendo news, Wii Sports picked up an award for innovation and game design. In total, Wii Sports and Twilight Princess had five nominations in four different categories.

Legendary Nintendo video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto was also honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award.

New Oblivion Trailers

Bethesda has just released two new trailers for the Oblivion games that are scheduled for release this month.

The first trailer is for The Shivering Isles, an expansion headed for PC and Xbox 360. The game will be available March 26th for $29.99 on PC or 2400 points on Xbox Live.

The second trailer is for the upcoming PS3 version of the game, which will be released on March 19th with a retail price of $59.99.

Head on over to The Elder Scrolls site to download the new trailers.

3/07/07 - Daily Links

Here are some of todays RPG-related findings on the Web. Titan Quest: Immortal Throne and Silverfall seem to be the popular games of the day!

1Up reviews Titan Quest: Immortal Throne - This expansion receives an impressive 9 out of 10 from 1Up.

Titan Quest: Immortal Throne on SI - Another positive review of the game.

RPGWatch Silverfall Interview - Our fellow RPG lovers interview the guys behind Silverfall.

FiringSquad's Silverfall Interview - A second Q&A for the game.

ALLRPG looks at Rogue Galaxy - An 8.3 is the result. I've played through the game and gave it around the same score.

Nintendo Announces Wii, DS Lineup

Nintendo has announced a strong lineup of games heading for the Wii and DS in the coming months. Noteworthy entries to RPG fans include Pokemon Battle Revolution (Wii), Pokemon Diamond/Pokemon Pearl (DS), and Super Paper Mario (Wii).

Pokemon Battle Revolution will be released June 25, 2007 and is being hyped as "a game of remarkable firsts" because it is:

* the first Wii game to include Nintendo(R) Wi-Fi Connection play

* the first Pokemon game for Wii

* the first game to link Wii and the hand-held Nintendo DS(TM)

* and the first Wii game that can be controlled using Nintendo DS

So, uh, yeah... go buy a Wii if you can find one.

LotR: BFME Anthology Announced

While The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle Earth is hardly an RPG, it has many elements of an RPG that I figure RPG fans will enjoy (a fantasy world, unit customization, etc.).

Anyway, EA has announced a Battle for Middle Earth Anthology for PC, containing Battle For Middle Earth, Battle For Middle Earth II Collectors Edition, and Rise of the Witch-King. The three games will sell for $39.99 and hit retailers on March 20, 2007. If you haven't picked them up yet, here's an ideal chance!

RPG Titans Discuss the Genre

1Up.com has posted a really fascinating discussion between three of the RPG genres most prominent figures. First off is Peter Molyneux from Lionhead Studio, creators of Fable and the upcoming Fable 2. Next up is Hironobu Sakaguchi of Final Fantasy fame, who now works at Mistwalker, the developers of Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey for the Xbox 360. Last up is Ray Muzyka from Bioware, the company who has brought us greats like KotOR and is working on Mass Effect.

The article discusses issues such as the changes in the genre over the years, thoughts on MMOs, and Xbox sales in Japan. The original Xbox did very poorly in Japan, but we all know the Japanese love their RPGs, so the games from these three fine fellows could single-handedly save the 360. Either way, I know I can't want to play them!

Read the full article here.

3/06/07 - Daily Links

A few links from around the web for March 06, 2007.

Gamespot Mass Effect Impressions - Gamespot's at GDC and has posted some impressions of Bioware's upcoming sci-fi RPG, Mass Effect.

LotR: Shadows of Angmar Impressions at Gamespot - Gamespot has posted some early impressions of the Lord of the Rings inspired MMO.

Myst Online: Uru Live Review on IGN - Not exactly an RPG, but still noteworthy in my book! As far as I can tell, this is the first review of the game to find its way onto the internet.

Oblivion PS3 Dated

Gamespot has confirmed from Bethesda that Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion will be released on the PS3 on March 20, 2007. The game was initially supposed to be a launch title, but just like the Xbox 360 version, saw last minute delays.

PS3 fans are in for a treat when one of the most highly praised RPGs ever is released on their system in just a few weeks. Assuming it's actually released this time...

Thanks Gamespot.

Webkinz?

This isn't exactly RPG related, but I still thought it was sort of neat. There's a new craze going on with these stuffed animals called Webkinz. They're selling for double their retail value on eBay, and stores are selling out of the popular ones pretty quickly. The cool thing about Webkinz is that each stuffed animal comes with their own code that gives you access to all sorts of games, activities and fun in Webkinz World.

I personally haven't played around in the Webkinz world, but my girlfriend is enjoying it a lot, and it seems perfect for children and fans of virtual pet games. There's a wide variety of Webkinz to collect, such as a koala bear, a tree frog, and a pink pony.

Probably best of all is the fact that you can find these Webkinz for around $8-$12, which gives you both the stuffed animal and virtual pet. If this sounds like something you might be interested in, read more about them here.

Blue Dragon & Lost Odyssey Releases

Two of the most highly anticipated RPGs headed for the Xbox 360 have received release dates, Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey, both from Mistwalker.

Microsoft made the announcement at GDC 2007 that Blue Dragon will arrive on U.S. shores in August of 2007 and Lost Odyssey will be here sometime this fall.

While the Xbox 360 hasn't exactly been an RPG powerhouse, these two RPGs from Japan will surely help to improve the lineup. Blue Dragon has already been released in Japan with excellent sales.

Thanks to IGN for the info.

RPGDreamers Inuyasha Contest

The fine folks over at RPGDreamers appear to be holding an Inuyasha: Secret of the Divine Jewel giveaway. I'm not sure how long the contest has been running, but it looks like it's ending on March 12th, so there's still time to sign up and win! One lucky winner will get a free Nintendo DS lite as well as a copy of Inuyasha: Secret of the Divine Jewel to play on it.

For those that aren't familiar with Inuyasha: Secret of the Divine Jewel, it's a new DS RPG from Namco Bandai that's based on the popular anime.

Enter the contest here, and good luck!!!