XSeed Announces Wild ARMs XF

Xseed Games has announced that it will be bringing Wild ARMs XF to North America!

Wild ARMs XF, pronounced "crossfire", is the latest installment in the popular Wild ARMs RPG series. However, XF will be unlike any Wild ARMs game before it!

For starters, XF will be exclusive to the PSP as the first game in the series to appear on a handheld. Secondly, XF will move away from the traditional RPG gameplay of the rest of the series and will instead adapt deep and challenging strategy RPG elements.

XF promises over 20 job classes, an innovative hex battle grid, 60 stages to battle on, and a large soundtrack. Expect it to be on store shelves Spring 2008.

11/30/07 Issue at Just-RPG!

In our latest issue we have our review of the recently released Assassin's Creed. We're also taking a look back at Final Fantasy IV Advance for the GBA.

http:/www.just-rpg.com

• Assassin's Creed Review
• Final Fantasy IV Advance Review
• Just-RPG Looking for Staff
• Final Fantasy XI Screens
• An More!!

Two Worlds Expansion Announced

ZUXXEZ Entertainment has recently announced Two Worlds: Temptation, an add-on to the massive RPG Two Worlds for Xbox 360 and PC.

The already content filled universe of Two Worlds is getting even bigger, along with improved gameplay, and answers to some key storyline questions. Besides Antaloor, several new regions will be available for exploration. The combat system will also be improved allowing for active blocking.

Other improvements include a new form of transportation and enhanced NPC interaction. Many other surprises are to be announced shortly.

Temptation is already in the works and should be released in early 2008.

While Two Worlds is ripe with flaws, it's really nice to see a developer so dedicated to their game. A recent patch was delivered to fix many of the flaws in the game, and it appears that the upcoming expansion will hold even more improvements.

For more info, see: www.2-worlds.com/temptation

Circle of Doom Goes Gold!

Microsoft and Blueside Inc. announced today that Kingdom Under Fire: Circle of Doom has gone gold!

Kingdom Under Fire: Circle of Doom is the latest installment in the popular fantasy strategy series for Xbox. However, Circle of Doom is a departure from the classic gameplay and instead provides more of an action RPG experience.

Players will be able to explore massive, randomly created dungeons and battle armies of enemies while playing as one of six different heroes in a continuation of the Kingdom Under Fire storyline. Circle of Doom is multiplayer compatible and allows for co-op through Xbox Live.

I'm personally a pretty big Kingdom Unde Fire fan, so I'm eager to get my hands on this latest title. Expect it to be on store shelves on January 08, 2008 for $59.99.

11/23/07 Issue at Just-RPG

Here's our Thanksgiving issue at Just-RPG!

• Conan Review
• Final Fantasy XI: Wings of the Goddess Allied Campaigns Info
• City of Abandoned Ships Fact Sheet and Screenshots
• And More!!!

http://www.just-rpg.com

Thanksgiving

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving and enjoyed your feast of turkey (or chocobo).

Thanksgiving has kept me quite busy, but the good news is that the holiday season always means plenty of new game releases and news. So stay tuned to Just-RPG!!!

Revenant Wings Soars to Retailers

Square Enix has just announced that Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings is shipping to retailers across North America today!

Revenant Wings is a Nintendo DS exclusive title and spin off of the popular PS2 RPG Final Fantasy XII.

The game features touch screen functionality, allowing gamers to control massive armies and unleash deadly special moves and will reunite gamers with their favorite FFXII characters. Look for Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings in stores today!

Shivering Isles Disc for PS3 Ships

Bethesda Softworks has just announced that the retail disc for Shivering Isles is now shipping to stores for the PS3.

Now gamers who have yet to experience the exciting Shivering Isles expansion can finally explore the realm of Sheogorath! The expansion promises 30 hours of gameplay, expanded story, along with plenty of new quests, items and areas to explore.

A similar retail disc is already available for the Xbox 360. You can also play Shivering Isles through Oblivion - Game of the Year Edition.

Mass Effect Touches Down at Retailers

Microsoft has recently announced that their highly anticipated RPG from BioWare, Mass Effect, has arrived at retailers today!

Mass Effect is an epic sci-fi RPG from the developers of Jade Empire and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. It is an Xbox 360 exclusive title that promises to blend a deep and exciting story with tactical combat.

“We set out to redefine the video game experience with ‘Mass Effect’ and create an immersive, highly interactive game that draws players into a compelling universe,” said Ray Muzyka, chief executive officer for BioWare Corp. “‘Mass Effect’ creates an emotional connection between players and the characters they encounter, and Xbox 360 provided us with the perfect platform to tell this incredible story.”

Head to your nearest gaming store and pick up Mass Effect now!

Red Stone Premium Package

K2 Network has announced some details about the launch of their MMORPG, Red Stone.

For a limited time, new players to Red Stone will receive a premium item bundle worth $20 for free when they sign up for the game. This will include a variety of valuable items that will help provide a boost to you at the beginning of the game.

Additionally, players looking for an extra advantage should check out the Red Stone package offerings which are also available this week. This includes the Premium Package which offers a portal gem and 100 magic carpet summoning scrolls, a $10 value for only $5.00. In addition, the Premium Plus package offers players a portal orb and both skill and stat re-distribution scrolls, a $20 value for only $10. The game’s new Item Shop offerings include additional character enhancing items such as refined oils, resurrection scrolls and magic bags.

Two Worlds Update Available

The Two Worlds title update is now available via Xbox Live or from www.2-worlds.com for the PC version.

This update focused on the Multiplayer mode, including the lag and balancing issues. The single player mode has also been improved, with enhanced controls for the horses and the ability for players to pay an appropriate fine in order to re-enter a town where they've committed a crime.

Head to http://www.2-worlds.com for a complete list of updates.

11/16/07 Issue at Just-RPG!

This week we're looking ahead at one of the PSP's most anticipated games and taking a look back at a GBA game that deserves a little more attention! Check it out below.

httt://www.just-rpg.com

• God of War: Chains of Olympus Preview
• Summon Knight Review
• Avencast: Rise of the Mage Trailer
• Dungeon Explorer Screens
• And More!!!

Atlus Prepares for the Xbox

Atlus has announced an exciting partnership with Microsoft to become an officially licensed 3rd party publisher for the Xbox 360.
I'm a big Xbox 360 fan, but I also like RPGs. The two don't always go well together, but with any luck the addition of Atlus as an Xbox 360 publisher will strengthen the console's Japanese RPG lineup. Along with this announcement Atlus also announced two upcoming Xbox 360 titles for 2008, including Operation Darkness and Spectral Force 3!

Operation Darkness is a strategy RPG with a strong emphasis on tactics. It takes place in an alternate World War II era where history and fantasy collide!

Spectral Forces 3 is the first in the RPG series to reach Western shores. It promises a classic fantasy story, tons of character customization, and 50 hours of gameplay in an action-packed strategy RPG experience.

I am Beowulf!!!

So the all-new film Beowulf hit theaters today, and of course, I've already gone out and seen it.

Beowulf is a classic tale of heroism, so chances are everyone out there is already somewhat familiar with it. Of course, it had been so long since I read it that I honestly didn't remember some of the finer details very well. Regardless, Beowulf didn't seem to follow the original story very well and the changes that were made were not for the better. In the end, it made the hero Beowulf lose some honor and it turned Grendel's mother into something totally unlike the beast I remember reading about.

Not to mention, the monster Grendel was just awfully annoying. Seriously, I was sooo glad when he finally died.

Still, there are some cool battle sequences to behold and the animation is very well done. And while it might not be particularly true to the original, fantasy fans will appreciate the new telling of this beloved epic.

Go see it if you like fantasy battles, but don't have high expectations.

Orcs and Elves Now In Stores!

Electronic Arts has recently announced that Orcs & Elves for the Nintendo DS is now available in stores across North America.

Orcs & Elves originally appeared as an award winning RPG mobile game created by famed developers id Software. Now on the DS, Orcs & Elves has been enhanced with more levels, weapons and fierce foes.

Taking the role of a young half-elf, players will dungeon crawl their way through a massive Dwarven fortress riddled with ancient treasure, powerful weapons, and waves of ruthless enemies, on a quest to expel the ultimate evil from the mountain’s core.

Interested gamers can look for Orcs & Elves on store shelves now!

AVENCAST Now In Stores

Publisher Lighthouse Interactive and developer ClockStone Software have just announced that AVENCAST: Rise of the Mage is now available in major retail stores across North America and Europe.

AVENCAST is a fantasy action RPG for Windows. It features over 50 special moves and spells, as well as an arsenal of weapons to wield in combat against over 30 horrifying enemies.

Fore more information on AVENCAST, see http://www.avencast.com/.

Interplay Still Kicking

Apparently Interplay has announced that they have revived their internal development studio to begin work on an unnannounced MMORPG project. They are also continuing work at securing funding for the game. and company by leveraging their existing properties.

In other exciting Interplay news, they have announced that Fallout veteran Jason Anderson has joined their team to serve as Creative Director.

While it hasn't been "officially" announced, we all obviously know that they're working on a Fallout MMO, so it only makes sense that Jason Anderson be brought on board for that.

11/14/07 Daily Links

I haven't posted any links in a loooong time and a few key games have come out, like Hellgate: London and The Witcher. I figure it's about time I post something... If you haven't seen any coverage of these games yet, here ya go!

Hellgate: London Review on RPGDot - A solid score of 8.1 for the highly anticipated RPG from Flagship.

Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions on RPGDot - Not suprisingly, a 9.0 for the PSPport of the classic SRPG.

GameSpot Reviews Hellgate - A second review of the game scores is a bit lower than the first.

The Witcher on RPGDot - A pretty high score for Atari's latest RPG from CD Projekt. I still haven't played this one, but it looks really interesting.

GameBanshee Reviews NWN2: Mask of the Betrayer - An 8.3 score is the result.

1Up Reviews The Witcher - They're not horibly impressed, but it still pulls a solid score.

IGN Likes The Witcher - Enough to rate it an 8.5 at least.

IGN Reviews Hellgate: London - They are NOT impressed with this one and only award it a 6.8. This might be worth a read so you can get the "other" side of the story.

AllRPG Reviews Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions - Um, they liked it... but they're score is confusing. It's explained in the review, though.

GameSpy Doesn't Like Hellgate Either - They complain of bugs, slowdown and game crashes.

Download Full Xbox Games on Live!!!

Microsoft has just announced a new Xbox Live feature that will allow gamers to download full Xbox games on thier Xbox 360 through the Xbox Live Marketplace.

This new feature is in celebration of the fifth year of Xbox Live on December 4th, 2007. When the service first launches, gamers will be able to download popula classics from the original Xbox including Halo, Psychonauts, Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge and Fable.

This new service will launch with an array of blockbuster titles spanning the most popular genres from action-adventure to classic role-playing games, and Microsoft promises that the catalog of games will continue to grow. No disc will be necessary and games can be purchased through the Marketplace for only 1,200 Microsoft Points.

The original Xbox wasn't particularly impressive as far as RPGs go, so I'm not sure what to expect out of this. So far Fable is the only RPG announced for the service and that game is totally mediocre in my opinion. Hopefully the Kingdom Under Fire series goes up for download. Still, it sounds like a pretty cool feature and one that I'm sure I'll take advantage of.

Final Fantasy Music Concert

AWR Music Productions has announced that Distant Worlds: music from Final Fantasy will premiere Tuesday December 4, 2007 at 8 pm at the Stockholm Concert Hall in Sweden.

Following the performance in Sweden is the only confirmed US concert date on March 1, 2008 at 8 pm at The Rosemont Theatre, performed by the Chicagoland Pops Orchestra and the Chicagoland Pops Orchestra Festival Choir. If you're an American fan of Nobuo Uematsu and Final Fantasy music, this is an awesome opportunity if you can make it!

Famed Final Fantasy composer Nobuo Uematsu will be in attendance at both of these spectacular events which will launch the long awaited series of international concerts. This event will commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Final Fantasy series.

The release of the new Distant Worlds: music from Final Fantasy CD will coincide with the concert in Sweden on December 4, 2007.

Two Worlds on Steam

Two Worlds is now available for purchase on Steam for $31.95. Interested gamers can buy it right here.

Two Worlds is a massive, free roaming RPG available for the Xbox 360 and PC.

11/09/07 Issue at Just-RPG!

We've just updated Just-RPG with the latest reviews and game info! Check it all out below:

http://www.just-rpg.com

• Dragon Blade: Wrath of Fire Review
• BioShock Giveaway
• Fury Images
• Final Fantasy XI Scholar Images
• Orcs & Elves Developer Diary
• Luminary: Rise of the GoonZu Screens

New Knight Online World

K2 has just announced the 13th world in their MMORPG Knight Online.

This brand new world is called Akara and will offer a brand new environment for players to explore, level up and be named King! The name Akara comes from a powerful goddess who is one of many prominent figures within Knight Online.

Players can also look forward to in-game and forum events to celebrate the launch.

“The story of Akara is a powerful one in the Knight Online world,” said Gokhan Kazar, Associate producer of the Knight Online Team. “We are glad to bring our community both of these special new offers and this new world for our players to mark as their own.”

Join in on the new-world festivities at http://www.knightonlineworld.com/

RF Online launches Solus

Codemasters Online are thrilled to announce the opening of the third all-new world in RF Online. The newest world is known as Solus and is preparing to open its gates for players!

RF Online recetly switched to a free to play model. Since the switch, RF Online has achieved unprecedented levels of success as players come from far and wide to declare their allegiance and battle it out for control of Novus
.
Following the opening of Solus, Codemasters Online are now preparing for the games next free update due to launch in the coming months currently named Planet Wars. This completely free expansion will see players take to the skies in fast paced action space combat as they pilot their ships through space and venture to all new planets and systems.

http://www.rf-onlinegame.com/freetoplay

Fiesta Time!

Outspark has just announced the commercial premiere of Fiesta, a vibrant massively multiplayer role-playing game that is easy to pick up and play.

Set in the animated and colorful world of Isya, Fiesta offers players plenty of adventure and opportunities for camaraderie. Create a character based on one of four different classes, battle exotic beasts, craft scrolls and potions and come face to face with thousands of fellow players.

Fiesta promises a wealth of daily activities, as well as a dedicated team of Game Masters. To top it all off, Fiesta features a store where players can purchase premium items to upgrade, customize and enhance the gameplay experience. Outspark is focused on building a distinct "virtual playground" filled with games for players of all ages and experience levels. Fiesta is a prime example of this.

http://fiesta.outspark.com/

Two Worlds Demo and Updates

SouthPeak has just announced that they have released a demo of Two Worlds for free on Xbox Live. Curious gamers who are yet to experience this massive, free roaming adventure are advised to check it out! The demo gives players a large chunk of the world to explore and plenty of quests to embark on.

It's a solid title, but to be fair it has plenty of flaws. In other good news, SouthPeak has announced a free title update that address many of the complaints of the players. Below are some of those issues.

Both platforms (PC and Xbox 360)
- Horse steering has been improved
- Character development curve not as steep over level 25
- HP regeneration slower for max values above 2000
- Death strike skill - executable by strike button while in sneak mode
- Critical hit skill fixed
- Damage is now allowed over 32000
- There is a cap on damage and armor at 99999
- Necromancer spells have been balanced
- Magical boosters - effect restricted to 5 boosters
- Stacking potions with different statistics - fixed
- Objects stacking - objects can't be stacked up if result has higher level requirements than current player level
- Equipment Class cap on 50
- When killing in towns - after you leave the town and go back guards will ask you to pay instead of immediately attacking you
- NPC's in towns don't resurrect
- Tweaked hi- level monster balance
- Wing Membrane ingredient added to Helllord
- Dragons strike not breakable by player hit
- Bomb traps attached to some chests and wardrobes
- Balanced number of lock picks in chests and wardrobes
- Walking under water and not dying has been fixed
- Inaccessible Cave north of Ashos has been fixed

- Multiplayer Lag issues have been improved
- Multiplayer too many skill points generated due to combat stats has been fixed
- Friendly fire disabled in RPG mode (players cannot damage each other)
- Resurrect spell on players has been disabled
- Experience points for killing players has been removed
- Disarming skill disabled against other players
- Freezing/stopping spells disabled against other players
- Multiplayer RPG quests given to all, reward splitter between players
- Team assault - main monuments 50 times stronger
- Barbarian - berserk skill in PvP reduced to 5
- Chest and wardrobe lock levels improved in multiplayer

PC specific:
- Issue of moving money between servers has been fixed
- Maps D2,E4,F4, Multiplayer Tharbakin - missing triangles or flying objects have been fixed
- Enter opens console in single player
- Horse steering - stopping horse by back key changed
- Cloning character when logging on new WarNet server is fixed
- Boosters disappearing in Arena modes
- Atmosoheric fog for multiplayer towns added
- Chat over open dialogs possible (by F11 chat dialog)
- All PVP arenas unlocked from beginning

Xbox 360 specific:
- Improved single player framerate
- Interface - repeat changes selection left stick hold added
- Game HDD cache cleaning possibility - RB + A + B during game launch
- Achievements for 5 elements is fixed
- Map interface improvements - only one open quest at the time, quests selection box better visibility, hero location on map better visibility, quest name on tooltip
- Hit info fonts larger
- “BACK – Show Instruction” text disappears
- Double saving multiplayer characters to protect character lost from power-off or hard-locks
- Interface - no controls after "server refused connection" is fixed
- Doubling gold in multiplayer is fixed
- Doubling objects in multiplayer is fixed

Mass Effect Hype

Microsoft, Yahoo! and the Sci-Fi Channel have revealed some special events to mark the upcoming release of Mass Effect.

First off, Microsoft and Yahoo! have announced an all new television trailer that will air on Thursday, Nov. 8.

On Tuesday, Nov. 20, the Sci-Fi Channel will continue the Mass Effect celebration with the debut of a 30-minute television special entitled Sci vs. Fi: Mass Effect. This special is scheduled to air at 11 p.m. Eastern and Pacific and will feature in-depth information about the highly anticipated game, behind the scenes footage and exclusive interviews! Sounds pretty interesting!

The Sci-Fi Channel has also announced a sweepstakes giving you the chance to win a copy of the Collector's Edition of Mass Effect. Head to http://www.scifi.com/masseffect to sign-up for the sweepstakes.

Lastly, Microsoft has launched their Mass Effect Micro site with news, screenshots, updated information and promotional material. Be sure to check it out at: http://www.xbox.com/masseffect.

Mass Effect is a Sci-Fi RPG developed by BioWare, the same company who has created top notch titles such as Neverwinter Nights and Knights of the Old Republic. Look for it on store shelves at the end of the month exclusively for the Xbox 360.

Fury Free, the way to be!

Auran has just announced a 10 day free trial of their MMORPG Fury.

Fury is now live and has seen considerable improvements since the recent Beta. Auran is now inviting players back to see these new changes and join the PvP bloodbath absolutely FREE for the next 10 days.

To sign-up for this exciting free trial, click here!: http://www.unleashthefury.com/freetrial/

DQM Joker is Unleashed!

Square Enix has announced that Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker for the Nintendo DS has shipped to stores across North American today.

DQM is the latest installment in the popular Dragon Quest franchise, and allows players to
capture, train and synthesise a powerful team from a selection of over 200 classic Dragon Quest creatures! It promises to combine the depth of a traditional RPG with the addictive gameplay of a monster-catching adventure!

DQM is now available in stores for an price of $39.99.

The Witcher Now In Stores!

This announcement is a bit late, but it's always better late than never! Anyway, Atari has recently announced that The Witcher has shipped out to stores. Gamers can finally pick up the RPG from CD Projekt in stores across North America.

The Witcher promises a thrilling story where gamers are faced with real-life decisions that have no clear 'right' or 'wrong' answer. These decisions will impact the game world and have many consequences on the gameplay. It takes place in a unique fantasy universe based on the works of author Andrzej Sapkowski and features deep tactical combat. The Witcher is a Games for Windows exclusive title, rated M for Mature and available at the suggested retail price of $49.95.

Just for the heck of it, I've rounded up a few interesting Witcher reviews for ya'll:

RPGDot's Witcher Review
IGN's Witcher Review
Strategy Informer's Witcher Review