Friday, August 31, 2007

8/31/07 Issue at Just-RPG

We've got a really exciting issue for our last update of the month of August. This week we have a Persona 3 review, another great giveaway, and screens and trailers of the hottest games!

Check it all out here! http://www.just-rpg.com

  • Persona 3 Review
  • Vanguard: Saga of Heroes Giveaway
  • Just-RPG Looking for Staff
  • New BioShock Screens and Musical Score
  • New Disgaea: Afternoon of Darkness Movie
  • New Soul Nomad & the World Eaters "Character Creation" Trailer
  • And More!!!

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Eye of The North Live!

Guildy Fun!NCSoft has announced that they have released their first expansion to the award-winning, subscription-free Guild Wars franchise, Eye of the North!

Gamers who purchase Eye of the North can access its content through any of the multi-million-selling Guild Wars campaigns-Guild Wars, Guild Wars Faction or Guild Wars Nightfall.

Eye of the North advances the story told in the original Guild Wars campaign, and is set in unexplored areas of the continent of Tyria. It contains various new features, including 18 multi-level dungeons, 150 new skills across all 10 Guild Wars professions, 10 new Heroes to aid them in their adventures, 40 new armor sets, and more items, weapons, and titles.

The expansion is now available at the Official Guild Wars In-game Store and at Plaync.com. You can also pick it up from retailers in North America and Europe for $39.99.

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8/31/07 Links

As August draws to a close, I've got some links from the last few days to share with everybody! Many of the articles are from recent conventions, such as PAX or GC.

The Witcher Impressions at Joystiq - Impressions from PAX, along with some beautiful screens!

Mass Effect Update from GameSpot - Some new combat details from the recent Games Convention.

Joystiq's NWN2: Mask of the Betrayer Interview - Another article from PAX, this time interviewing Obsidian's Nathan Davis about their upcoming game.

Strategy Informer Loves BioShock - Well, who doesn't? They award the game a near perfect 9.7!!!

Review of Loki on Strategy Informer - A second review from SI, but this one isn't as glamorous. A 6.3 is their verdict.

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Thursday, August 30, 2007

Dungeon Runners New Content

Dungeon Runners, the free to play MMORPG from NCSoft, has released their first update for the game!

This update is lovingly called "Chunk #1" and delivers PVP action, multi character support, item linking in chat, and new game content while maintaining the popular free-to-play status. Chunk #1 also includes 70 new quests, improvements to player controls, several new armor sets and various new skills.

The main feature of Chunk #1 is the PVP action, which is set to round out the game. Chunk #1 provides two PvP session types including group practice PvP and group-versus-group death matches!

Dungeon Runners can be downloaded for free at http://www.dungeonrunners.com/join.html.

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Mass Effect Release Announced

MassToday Microsoft announced the official release date of Mass Effect to be November 20, 2007, meaning Mass Effect will be the top of every RPG fan's Christmas list!

Mass Effect is developed by BioWare, creators of the hugely popular Neverwinter Nights and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. It promises to involve players in an engaging sci-fi storyline, a unique game universe, and deep gameplay experience. Mass Effect will feature a multi-directional story, allowing gamers to play a part in how the game unfolds.

Mass Effect will have an estimated retail price of $59.99 and is exclusively available for the Xbox 360.

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Wednesday, August 29, 2007

Two Worlds - So far, so good!

2 WorldsI received Two Worlds in the mail today (finally!) and I have to admit I blew the entire day addictively playing the game.

So far I'm enjoying it a lot. The game is extremely open and allows for you to freely roam the countryside, embark on quests, battle enemies, and spend hours acquiring new skills and items. It's a lot of fun for fans of game's like Morrowind or Oblivion.

So far I'm not at al sold on the whole "you can shape the world" aspect of the game, which was one of the most hyped features. I'm many hours into the game and haven't really made much of an impact aside from completing quests. I've been given very few choices aside from whether or not I want to pick up a quest. Hopefully that will change as the game progresses.

I definately see some problems with the game, but right now I'm still having fun. I'll make up my mind later.

Now that I spent the whole day playing Two Worlds, I have a lot of catching up to do on other things. Anyway, so far so good!

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Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Blue Dragon Released!

You're my boy, blue!The highly anticipated Xbox 360 RPG from Mistwalker, Blue Dragon, is now shipping nationwide.

Blue Dragon comes from some of the most acclaimed developers in the industry, including Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi, Akira Toriyama of Dragon Ball Z fame, and musical talents of the one and only Nobuo Uematsu.

Blue Dragon promises an epic tale with innovative gameplay features, including customizable shadows abilities and charge attacks. It will be the first North American title from Mistwalker and one of the few Japanese RPGs on the Xbox 360.

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Wild ARMS 5 Ships

XSEEDXSeed Games has announced that they have shipped Wild ARMS 5 to retailers across North America!

Gamers can prepare to once again enter the world of Filgaia with an all new storyline and characters and the return of the beloved HEX system. Wild ARMS 5 marks the 10th anniversary of the Wild ARMS series.

Wild ARMS 5 is available for the PS2 in stores now for $39.99.

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Where's My Newsletter?!

Just in case anyone has been wondering why they haven't been receiving the weekly Just-RPG newsletter lately, I have an answer for you!

Unfortunately, we've been having some technical trouble with our newsletter and it is temporarily unavailable. With any luck our newsletter will be back up in time for our next issue, but that remains to be seen.

Rest assured, the Just-RPG newsletter isn't gone... it's just on hold. Stay with Just-RPG and RPG-Geek for more updates.

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Monday, August 27, 2007

The Last Legion

Being a sucker for historical fiction and fantasy films, I went out to see The Last Legion the other night. For those unfamiliar with it, The Last Legion stars Ben Kingsley and Colin Firth and chronicles the legend of Excalibur, the fall of the Roman Empire, and the rise of King Arthur.

To be honest, I didn't know a lot about the movie, so I didn't have horribly high expectations.

Most of The Last Legion was incredibly predictable, and therefor hard to enjoy. The film also features some extremely cheesy moments, many of which surround the female member of the legion. This character tried very poorly to hide her sexuality and was surrounded with several awful cliches. First off, it's pretty cliche to have an attractive female character pop in and join your party for no reason. Secondly, this female character was also the best fighter of the group, which the film makers seemed to think was really creative. The third cliche is that this single female character ended up becoming the love interest of the hero, despite no chemistry between them.

Anyway, the acting is also poor and the story takes quite a while to pick up. When it does get moving, though, there are a handful of neat fighting sequences. And, if you're like me, you'll appreciate a new King Arthur and Excalibur related tale.
In short, The Last Legion isn't awful, but it's not really worth a trip to the movies unless you're a sucker like me. Otherwise, avoid it altogether or just wait for a rental. If you haven't seen it, King Arthur, starring Clive Owen, is a similar and superior flick.

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8/27/07 Links

I've dug up a few random articles for today. Blue Dragon, which seems to be a bit of a disappointment, is a hot review right now, along with Jeanne D'Arc for the PSP, which is pulling in higher scores.

Strategy Informer Rates Blue Dragon - A disappointing 6.8 score from our strategy-loving friends. Once again, a score much lower than Xbox 360 fans were hoping for. The reviewer claims Blue Dragon is "average in the extreme".

1Up Reviews Jeanne D'Arc - Level-5's latest RPG for the PSP gets a positive 8.0 rating.

Blue Dragon Reviewed at 1Up - Another disappointing grade of 6.5 for Blue Dragon.

GameSpot Reviews Jeanne D'Arc - A second review of the PSP RPG awards the game the same grade.

Heavenly Sword Graded by IGN - This action title is among the most highly anticipated on the PS3. IGN gives is a solid, but un-impressed, 7.0.

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Check out Eternal Sonota

XboxA while back I posted about how there is now an Eternal Sonata demo up for download on the Xbox Live Marketplace. Since that time I went ahead and downloaded the demo myself to give them game a try.

I'd been hearing a lot of good things about the game, but it seemed that a lot of the hype for it was being overshadowed by games like BioShock and Mass Effect. The lack of JRPGs on the Xbox 360 has probably resulted in a somewhat small following for games of the genre on the system, and the fans that ARE out there are probably wrapped up in the hype for Blue Dragon right now.

With that said, Eternal Sonata deserves a lot more attention. For starters, the battle system is deep and fun. It features special abilties that have a different effect depending on your location, the option to customize the abilities of each of your characters, and allows you to avoid annoying random battles. It's also pretty straightforward to catch on to, with hot keys that are used for using items, attacking or using specials. The hybrid turn-based/real-time battle system is a lot of fun so far, and I can't wait to jump further into the game.

Secondly, the game is absolutely gorgeous. The music... the artistic style... and the extreme level of detail... it really is a work of art! I can't possibly say anything that will do the game justice, so you'll have to experience it for yourself.

The final game is set for release in late September. Be sure to give the demo a try first!

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Friday, August 24, 2007

8/24/07 Issue at Just-RPG

We've got an issue packed full of goodies this week, including a preview of the highly anticipated Blue Dragon for the Xbox 360. We also have new screens and trailers from games like Fallout 3, Requital, Nethergate: Resurrection, and more!

http://www.just-rpg.com

  • Blue Dragon Preview
  • Fallout 3 Screens
  • Nethergate: Resurrection Screens
  • Just-RPG looking for staff
  • Dragoneer's Aria Trailer
  • New Black Prophecy Screenshots
  • Galactic Civilizations II: Twilight of the Arnor Screenshots
  • Requital Trailer
  • Soul Nomad & the World Eaters Trailers
  • And More!!!

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BioShock Score Download

Yay, BioShock!2K Games has announced that the original BioShock score is available as a free to download on the Cult of Rapture Web site.

The score was created by composer Garry Schyman and features a variety of musical styles that capture the distinct retro-futuristic aesthetic of the game. Mr. Schyman has composed for film, television and videogames.

Music-loving gamers can download the score at the link below:

http://www.2kgames.com/cultofrapture

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Two Worlds Released!

2 WorldsSouthPeak Games has just announced that Two Worlds is now available in stores across North America for the PC and Xbox 360! Gamers at the ongoing Penny Arcade Expo will be among the first in the world to experience this highly anticipated game.

Two Worlds is an open-ended RPG that promises gamers freedom like never before and player decisions that permanently shape the game. Two Worlds features over a hundred hours of single-player quests, stackable weapons and magic, as well as epic online multiplayer PvP and RPG gameplay.

"Two Worlds is a huge leap forward for role-playing games in terms of scale and new ideas," said Melanie Mroz, Executive VP of SouthPeak.

The game is available in a standard edition and a collectors edition for both platforms. The collector’s version includes a bonus disc with additional art, videos and music, along with a collector edition map and hardbound role-playing book based off the game.

This is one of my most highly anticipated games, so be sure to look back to Just-RPG for coverage.

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Thursday, August 23, 2007

AVENCAST Box Shot

Publisher Lighthouse Interactive today revealed the official box shot for their upcoming RPG, AVENCAST: Rise of the Mage. This very cool looking box art features the game's hero performing one of his magic attacks while being hunted down by demons.

AVENCAST is an Action RPG that promises fast-paced action and a story-driven experience. Players will be armed to the teeth with over 50 combat moves and spells and an arsenal of different weapons and items. However, they must use these items and weapons to battle over 30 nightmarish monsters with advanced AI, making strategy a very important part of the game.
AVENCAST is scheduled for release in October 2007 for the PC. It will be Windows Vista compatible. For more information visit the game's official site (http://www.avencast.com/) and scroll down just a wee bit for the box art image!

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Gothic 4 Developer Announced

JoWood has announced Spellbound Entertainment AG to be the official developer of the upcoming Gothic 4.

Spellbound was chosen as the developer due to their solid reputation in the RPG industry and the tools that they have created in order to help them achieve exceptional quality. At the Games Convention 2007 in Leipzig, Jochen Hamma, Spellbound's Executive Producer, is showing off some early details abouut the game to eager fans and media.

Gothic 4 is being developed for PC and the current generation consoles, with a release date to be announced in the coming weeks. Console gamers can be excited because this will be the first Gothic title on the consoles!

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Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Eye of the North Goodies

Guildy Fun!In preparation of the upcoming Guild Wars: Eye of the North sneak peek event, ArenaNet has made a game manual and a detailed map of the new regions available early for fans of the game.

Gamers who preorder Eye of the North will have full access to the game for three whole days an entire week before anyone else! Best of all, everything acquired during those three days will be yours to keep, including loot, cash and experience. Sneak peek players will have access from August 24 to August 26, 2007, allowing them to explore the Far Shiverpeaks region, home of the fiercely independent Norn as well as the legendary landmark known as the Eye of the North.
If you're gearing up for the sneak peek event, then this beautifully detailed map and game manual will probably be pretty useful to you. Check them out here: http://www.guildwars.com/

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Sword of the New World 100% Free!

K2 Network has announced that they have expanded their Free2Play model for the Age of Exploration MMORPG, Sword of the New World: Granado Espada.




Previously, Sword of the New World allowed gamers to play up to level 20 at no cost. Beyond level 20, players were required to purchase a monthly subscription in order to continue playing. However, that has now changed because K2 has removed all level and area exploration limits for players!


Now you can fully experience Sword of the New World absolutely free! Current subscribers who have an un-used paid for month will receive 1,000 gold in addition to all three web unique player characters: Adelina Esperanza, Lisa Lynway, and M’boma (a total value of 40 dollars US). For those players still seeking the premium experience, K2 has kept the Cash Merchant, which offers rare and sought after items to be purchased in-game.

If you haven't played Sword of the New World yet, now is a great time to try! From August 21-21, the game will celebrate by awarding DOUBLE experience to all players. Personally, I haven't played the game yet, but I'm definately thinking of giving it a shot.

For more Sword of the New World info, visit: http://www.swordofthenewworld.com/.

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Tuesday, August 21, 2007

8/21/07 Links

Gen Con is going on in Indy as we speak. I planned on attending this year (since I'm originally from the area), but I recently moved away. So, unfortunately, all I can provide is links as opposed to first-hand coverage. It looks like Gen Con is taking a MUCH larger focus on gaming than in previous years. A wide variety of gaming publishers/developers were in attendance, such as Atari, Blizzard, Sony Online Entertainment, and more!

Anyway, today I've got a few links straight from Gen Con from GameSpy. I also dug up another BioShock review here on the day of the game's release. Many of the big sites IGN, GameSpy, 1Up) have already posted their reviews, especially considering the game was accidentally released early. So, click away and enjoy!

The Witcher Preview at GameSpy - Hands-on with the game at Gen Con

NWN 2: Mask of the Betrayer Preview at GameSpy - Another preview straight from the floor at Gen Con.

Dark Messiah of Might and Magic Reviewed by RPGWatch - A somewhat contreversial look back at the game.

BioShock Praised by GameSpot - A solid 9 out of 10 for what will surely be one of the best games of the season.

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Guild Wars Sells Big

Guildy Fun!NCSoft has announced that the Guild Wars franchise has broken the four million units sold mark! This accomplishment has been achieved in less than two years since the release of the original Guild Wars.

Currently the Guild Wars series consists of Guild Wars, Guild Wars Factions, and Guild Wars Nightfall. Guild Wars Eye of the North, the game's first true expansion, will join the rest of the series when it is released on August 31st! Developed by ArenaNet, the franchise has set the standard for MMOs by providing quality content with a subscription-less business model.

Four million units sold is pretty impressive. Guild Wars has always been one of the MMOs that most interest me due to its solid reputation, reasonable system requirements and the lack of monthly fees. If you want more info on the series, you can find it below!

http://www.guildwars.com/

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Black Prophecy Revealed...

10TACLE STUDIOS and developer Reakktor Media have just unveiled their official site for the upcoming Black Prophecy.

Black Prophecy is an action-MMO that promises to have deep role-playing elements along with comprehensive resource management. This sci-fi inspired game takes place in the mid 26th century, after humanity has conquered the universe and colonized countless planets. Life in space requires many new adaptations for humans. However, the cybernetically adapted Tyi and the biogenetically optimized Geniden were created specifically for these conditions, and as a result have outgrown their human creators to become the new ruling races. The battle for control of space leads humanity into the sphere of influence of an ancient alien life form – a life form which tolerates no other cosmic civilizations but its own. Players must choose a faction and join the battle to save humanity!

The new Web site contains storyline information, screenshots and more! Check out the links below:



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Monday, August 20, 2007

BioShock PC Demo

Yay, BioShock!2K Games has announced the release of the PC demo for BioShock!

Eager PC gamers who have yet to experience BioShock will be glad to hear that a demo of the game is now available! An Xbox 360 demo of the game is already up for download in the Xbox Live Marketplace, and the full version of BioShock will be released tomorrow, August 21st.

From what little I've played of the game so far, I've been thoroughly impressed, so I definitely recommend you at least check out the demo.

Download the PC demo at the link below.

www.fileplanet.com/promotions/bioshock

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8/20/07 Links

Just a quick few links that I came across today. Although, I'm not sure when they were published.


IGN's BioShock Review - I already linked their Xbox 360 review, so here's their opinion on the PC version. Of course, it has high marks.

AllRPG's Alien Syndrome PSP Review - They give the PSP version of the RPG a very mediocre 5.0. The game didn't receive a lot of coverage, so this might be worth a read.

AllRPG's Wii Alien Syndrome Review - Apparently the Wii version is even worse!

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Square Enix Launches Online Store!

Square Enix has announced the launch of its official U.S. online merchandise store!

The store will open tonight, and will allow fans to purchase merchandise from their favorite Square Enix products, including Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest. The store promises to carry a wide variety of products, and fans can purchase everything from replica weapons to artwork there.

A few of the currently featured items include Seifer's Gunblade from Final Fantasy VIII ($34.99), Final Fantasy Advent Children Sculpture Arts ($200.00), and
Final Fantasy Mechanical Arts ($22.99), along with a wide variety of replicas, collectibles, art, and sculptures.

The store is slated to be the ultimate source for Square Enix goods and will have new products arriving regularly. Shoppers will even be able to pick up exclusive items from the new Square Enix store!


http://www.square-enix-shop.com/

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Tabula Rasa Collectors Edition Revealed!

Tabula LogoThe contents of the Limited Collector's Edition Game Pack of Tabula Rasa have just been revealed by NCSoft!

This special retail box is packed with cool bonus content, and is perfect for the hardcore Tabula Rasa fan! This special offer gives players access to numerous exclusive in-game items, including a special character emote, special dye recipes used to create unique armor colors, and a unique pet. There will also be a briefing from Richard Garriot himself, classified maps, Tabula Rasa dog tags, an Allied Free Sentients (AFS) field guide, a poster and an AFS challenge coin. The Limited Collector's Edition also includes one month of free gameplay and a "Making of Tabula Rasa" DVD.

"The Limited Collector's Edition we have put together for Tabula Rasa is loaded with cool things for players who really get into the role-playing aspect of the game," said Executive Producer Richard Garriott. "Regular players will find the maps and field guide useful as they move full-force into the game's fast-paced action. Other items, like the dog tags and challenge coins, bring home the 'brothers in arms' feeling of this game even when you aren't playing."

The game is set for launch this fall, and the Collectors Edition will be available at most video game retailers in North America and Europe.



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Sunday, August 19, 2007

08/19/07 Links

A whole bunch of BioShock reviews are starting to roll in, and they're making the game look really nice. I can't wait to get my hands on it!!! Oh, and I found some other interesting stuff too...

IGN's BioShock Review - The first of many reviews of the game. This one has a very impressed 9.7 grade.

GameSpy's BioShock Review - A perfect 5 out of 5. A lot of great things to say about the game, and few complaints. They feel the game is a tad on the short side, which seems to be a common complaint.

1Up's BioShock Review - Not suprisingly, another perfect score. They give it an excellent 10!

Fallout 3 Preview on CVG - Computer and Video Games take a look at the upcoming RPG sequel from Bethesda. Fallout fans will want to read this one because there's a good deal of info here.

Rune Factory: A fantasy Harvest Moon Review at IGN - Harvest Moon makes its way to the DS in a game that IGN is calling one of the best of the series!

Blue Dragon Reviewed at GameSpy - A final grade of 8.0, similar to what IGN gave the game a few days ago. I had higher expectations, although 8 is still solid.

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Friday, August 17, 2007

Nethergate Resurrection Released

NetherToday Spiderweb Software announced the release of their new fantasy Role-Playing Game, Nethergate: Resurrection for Windows.

Nethergate: Resurrection is a complete, ground-up rewrite of the fantasy role-playing classic, Nethergate. It takes place in ancient Britain, a land ravaged by war. Gamers will play as the cunning Celts or the powerful Romans in a journey that will have you exploring deadly dungeons, embarking on numerous quests, and trying to rediscover and master the lost art of magic!

For more info, check out:
http://www.spiderwebsoftware.com/

View Screens here:
http://www.just-rpg.com/default.asp?pid=2411

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Wild Arms 5 Site Launched

XSEEDXSeed Games has unveiled their official site for Wild Arms 5!
Check the site out here (http://www.wildarms5.com/).

Wild Arms 5 is the next chapter in the popular Wild Arms RPG series. The release of the game celebrates the 10th anniversary of the series and features the return of the popular HEX battle system from Wild Arms 4, an all new cast of characters, and a riveting new storyline!

Wild Arms 5 ships August 28, 2007 for the PS2 with a suggested price of $39.99.

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8/16/07 Issue at Just-RPG

This week Just-RPG has a preview of the highly anticipated BioShock, the FPS/RPG from 2K Games that will be hitting store shelves shortly. We're also taking a look at Heavenly Sword on the PS3.

http://www.just-rpg.com

  • BioShock Preview
  • Heavenly Sword Preview
  • Tabula Rasa Video
  • Sins of a Solar Empire Screens
  • And More!!!

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Thursday, August 16, 2007

Depths of Peril Demo

Soldak Entertainment has announced that a demo of Depths of Peril is now available!

Depths of Peril is a single player action RPG with strong strategy elements. Gamers will play as a barbarian faction leader protecting the city of Jorvik by destroying threatening monsters and completing quests. As a faction leader, you must handle diplomacy and trade with rival factions, battle competing leaders for leadership rights, plunder loot, explore an exciting fantasy world, and increase the strength of your faction in order to crush your enemies!
The demo allows you to play all four characters that are available in the full game up to level 7 and is under 70 MB in size. Give it a try at the link below:

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New Games on TotalGaming.net

Stardock has announced that two new games from developer Moonpod Games have arrived on TotalGaming.net!

The first of these games is the popular indie game, Mr. Robot. In Mr. Robot players take on the role of a lowly service mechanoid as he takes on a journey throughout a massive starship to save his robot friends and rescue the ship's human cargo after the ship's computer system goes bonkers. The game features puzzles, platforming, humor and RPG-style combat!

The second game is Starscape, an action-packed arcade game with RPG elements. With most of its crew missing and its weapons systems ruined, the space research station Aegis is all but lost. As the last remaining pilot you must help rebuild the station’s defences, acquire alien technology and create your own uniquely configured set of fighters. Mine asteroids to harvest valuable resources that fuel the Aegis’ molecular furnace as you build devastating weaponry. Within the nodes of the grid you will encounter allies to aid in the struggle to escape, uncover the terrible purpose of the evil Archnid race and learn why you and the rest of the crew were brought here.

TotalGaming.net is Stardock's user-friendly digital-distribution service. TotalGaming.net is a leading provider of the very best independently developed games. Mr. Robot is now available for $19.95 and Starscape will be available soon. For more information check out the links below:


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Wednesday, August 15, 2007

BioShock Early?

According to Joystiq, some Toys 'R' Us stores have released the Xbox 360 version of BioShock before the release date and the game is now availible on their shelves.

So if you live near a Toys 'R' Us and can't wait to get ahold of BioShock, go and check them out! Maybe you'll get lucky...

Read more about this story on Joystiq...

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Fallout MMO News

Interplay has made a few comments regarding the upcoming Fallout MMORPG!

Despite major financial trouble over the last few years, Interplay appears to be on the uprise and has announced double the profit since this time last year. At a recent money-matters talk, Interplay officially announced plans to work on a Fallout MMO. No developer for the MMO has been announced yet, but Interplay's CEO, Harvey Caen, recently made these comments:

"With that difficult period behind us, we are focused on securing funding for development of a Massively Multiplayer Online Game based on the popular Fallout franchise."

The upcoming Fallout MMO appears to be of great importance to Interplay, and an integral part of their resurgence. Caen continued, "Along with our strategy of leveraging our existing portfolio of intellectual gaming properties, Fallout Online will play a key role in the future of Interplay."

A few months back Interplay sold all of their rights to the Fallout series to Bethesda, who is now working on Fallout 3. As part of the agreement, Interplay licensed the rights to the Fallout MMO from Bethesda and has four years to complete the game. Seeing as they are currently securing funding for it and no developer has been announced, chances are they haven't started it yet.

Thanks to Eurogamer for the news.

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Space Siege Trailer

There's an all new Space Siege trailer up at the game's official site. Head on over here to check it out! It's a nifty little trailer and definitely worth a quick watch.

Space Siege, from Gas Powered Games and Sega, is a sci-fi RPG and the spiritual successor to Dungeon Siege. It's currently slated for a 2008 PC release.

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8/15/07 Links

Honestly, I have no idea when all of these articles were published, but I came across a good amount of RPG-related content. RPGLand has put up several previews and a review that I missed out on before, and Strategy Informer has a lot of new stuff, so I'm linking quite a bit of their stuff here.

It looks like the RPG world is getting busy lately. It may only be August, but the holiday season is rapidly approaching, so expect a lot of new games and plenty of coverage to begin popping up. We also just saw E3 (well, a miniature E3 at least...), Comic Con and now gamers are gearing up for GenCon. Of course, we can expect an overflow of game previews from these events.

RPGLand's Jeanne d’Arc review - Their verdict on Level-5's latest? A "Great" 8 out of 10.

Persona 3 on RPGLand - A second very positive review on RPGLand, this time of Persona 3.

Wild Arms 5 Preview at RPGLand - A preview of XSEED's upcoming game in the popular Wild Arms series. They went hands on with this one.

Final Fantasy Tactics PSP Preview at RPGLand - They get hands on time with the PSP port of the classic Final Fantasy Tactics. Ok, that's the last of our RPGLand links...

Witcher Screens at Strategy Informer - Two gorgeous new screens from the highly anticipated PC RPG.

IGN Reviews Blue Dragon - Their score is 7.9, which is positive, but not quite what I was expecting of Blue Dragon. This game was receiving a lot of hype and got great scores in Japan.

GameSpy Reviews Jeanne d'Arc - 4.5 out of 5 stars from them, indicating that the new PSP RPG is great!

GameSpot's Eternal Sonota Interview - GameSpot has posted an interview with Eternal Sonota Director, Hiroya Hatsushiba.

IGN's BioShock Preview - Positive remarks about the recent BioShock demo!

Strategy Informer's Requital Interview - An interview with the lead programmer of the upcoming PC RPG.

Shadow Hearts: From the New World on Strategy Informer - A recent take on a PS2 RPG from a few years back. The score is quite a bit lower than that of many RPG lovers.

Eternal Sonata Interview on Strategy Informer - Our second Eternal Sonata interview of the day.

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Tuesday, August 14, 2007

Atari's DnD: Tactics Ships

Atari has announced that Dungeons & Dragons: Tactics has hit stores across North America, exclusively for the PSP.

Dungeons & Dragons: Tactics is a turn-based tactical role-playing game and the first D&D game for the PSP.

D&D: Tactics features an original storyline based in the D&D universe. Gamers will take on the role of a mortal child caught in the middle of a conflict between two dragons striving for godhood. Players will play through a series of adventures, completing various objectives and choosing between whether to follow the forces of good or evil along the way.

All of the base character classes from D&D are playable, including Barbarian, Bard, Cleric, Druid, Fighter Monk, Paladin, Ranger, Rogue, Sorcerer and Wizard. There are also two psionic classes available, the Psion and the Psychic Warrior. Players are able to customize their characters and store as many as their memory stick can handle.

Dungeons & Dragons: Tactics is available now for $39.95.

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Fury Release Date Announced

Fury Gamecock has announced the release date for their upcoming PC MMORPG, Fury, to be October 09, 2007.

Fury is a PvP MMO created by Australian developers, Auran. It combines intense FPS gameplay with the depth and character advancement of an RPG. It will be the first title published under the Gamecock banner.

Find out more information or pre-order the game at:
http://www.gamecocklove.com/
www.unleashthefury.com

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Heroes of Mana Ships

Square Enix has announced that Heroes of Mana is shipping to retailers today across North America, exclusively for the Nintendo DS.

Heroes of Mana is an exciting real-time strategy game that promises to breathe new life into the series and take it into an entirely new direction. For the first time in the Mana series, players will plan, plot and strategize their way to victory on the battlefield, all through the intuitive Touch Screen capabilities of the Nintendo DS!

Heroes of Mana is now availible in stores for $39.99.

The Mana RPG series has a pretty big cult following, so I'm curious to see how well the new strategy emphasis goes over with fans of the series.

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Atlus Ships Persona 3

atlusAfter a slight delay, Atlus has announced that Persona 3 is shipping to retailers nationwide!

Persona 3 is the newest entry in the popular Shin Megami Tensei: Persona series. Fans have been looking forward to this release for nearly 8 years!

Making the game's release even better, each copy of the game is a deluxe edition package, featuring a 52-page full color art book and soundtrack CD! Look for Persona 3 in stores starting today!

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BioShock Owns.

Yes, BioShock Owns!

If you haven't downloaded the demo off of Xbox Live Marketplace yet, then I highly recommend that you do! It's a lot of fun and has made me even more excited to play the final version upon release.

I don't want to say too much, because I don't want to spoil the demo for you... just go play it and you won't be sorry. It's free, after all. Expect to see a PC demo and some coverage here on Just-RPG shortly.

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Luminous Arc Ships!

atlusAtlus has announced that Luminous Arc, the strategy RPG for the Nintendo DS, has shipped to retailers across North America!

Luminous Arc promises a traditional strategy RPG experience, enhanced with professional voice acting, an involving storyline, versatile controls, multiplayer mode, and an epic musical score! If this sounds like a game that you're interested in, then make sure to head to your local game store and check it out.

Find out more info about the game from the official site:
http://www.atlus.com/luminousarc

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Monday, August 13, 2007

Xbox BioShock Demo!

Yay, BioShock!2K has announced that a demo for their "genetically enhanced" first-person shooter, BioShock, is now available on Xbox Live Marketplace.

Gamers who experience the Xbox demo will find themselves in the world of Rapture, an underwater utopia torn apart by civil war. Players will be able to experiment with weapons and plasmids, and get a sneak peek as the game's story begins to unfold.

A PC demo will also be available later this month. BioShock will be available exclusively on Xbox 36 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and Games For Windows in North America on August 21, 2007 and in Europe beginning August 24, 2007.

So... go download the demo now.

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Friday, August 10, 2007

08/09/07 Issue at Just-RPG!

We have another exciting update this week on Just-RPG. In this issue we've got a preview of Lair and are continuing our Lord of the Rings Online giveaway! Of course, that's not all, so be sure to check us out!

http://www.just-rpg.com
  • Lord of the Rings Online giveaway
  • Lair Preview
  • New Dragoneer's Aria Trailer
  • New Soul Nomad & the World Eaters Trailer
  • New Guild Wars Video
  • New Avencast: Rise of the Mage Video
  • New Universe Online Videos
  • New Saga Artwork
  • New Universe Online Screenshots
  • Just-RPG Looking for Staff!

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Stardust - To see or not to see?

So, the new fantasy film, Stardust, opened in theaters today. Being the huge nerd that I am, I made sure to see it.

I'm a big movie fan, so I'll go and see just about anything. However, I was pleasantly surprised by Stardust. It's a lighthearted, fairly tale adventure that perfectly blends action, colorful characters, traditional fantasy, and humor. It's a film that can be enjoyed by both young and old alike, and should appeal to pretty much anybody. Children will love the fairytale story, girls will like the romance, and nerds like me just like fantasy.

The movie reminded me a little bit of The Princess Bride in the sense that it was a Comedy/Fantasy/Love story, and of course we all know that The Princess Bride is great! On a side note, Robert De Niro's character was hilarious and added plenty of laughs along the journey.

I know it might look a little bit silly and at times it's a tad predictable, but take it for what it is and give it a chance and I'm sure you'll be pleased! It definitely has my recommendation.

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Age of Conan Delayed Again

Funcom has announced that their highly anticipated MMORPG, Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures, has been delayed... again.

The game has undergone a series of delays and is now expected to be released on March 28, 2008. This latest delays comes as a result of feedback from Beta testers.

"We naturally regret that we have to push back Age of Conan," Funcom CEO, Trond Arne Aas, said. He continued, "We are fully committed to delivering games with absolute qualities." In the end, Funcom promises that the delays will result in a superior product and that players will be in for a special experience when Age of Conan is finally released.
Age of Conan has received praise from Beta testers and the press alike. Several staff members here at Just-RPG have been able to play/see some of the game on various occasions, including myself, and we were all impressed. It seemed to do a good job of bringing the Conan universe to life and featured a unique combat system. If you're interested in checking the game out, there are still openings in the Beta, so sign up on the official site below!

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Loki Demo up for Download!

Focus Home Interactive and Cyanide Studio have announced the release of the demo for their upcoming PC RPG, Loki.

Players that download the demo will take on the role of a legendary Norse Warrior as you hack and slash your way through hoards of foes. Players will have to collect elements needed to defeat Fenrir, the legendary giant wolf, and will also be able to level their character up to a max of 20. Wielding a great axe, the Norse Warrior is the toughest and most brutal of the four characters that will be playable in the final game.

Loki will be released in North America late next month and later this month in Europe. The full version of the game will be multiplayer, but the demo is limited to single player. The demo is 991 MB in size. Find more information and download links here:

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BioShock is Golden!

Yay, BioShock! 2K Games has just announced that BioShock has gone gold for the Xbox 360 and Windows!

Eager gamers cane look forward to seeing BioShock, the spiritual successor to the beloved System Shock, on store shelves across North America on August 21st. European gamers will be able to purchase the game starting August 24th.

BioShock is a new kind of first person shooter, blending in many RPG elements for depth and customization. Players can upgrade their character with biological enhancemnets, upgrade their weapons, and craft new ammo. Players enter the game as a castaway in Rapture, an underwater utopia torn apart by civil war. Players will be faced with many challenges and forced to make many different decisions that result in a unique gaming experience for each gamer.

It has also recently been announced that Irrational Games, the developers of BioShock, will now be known as 2K Boston. The Australian branch will now be known as 2K Australia.

Find out more about BioShock here: http://www.2kgames.com/bioshock

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Thursday, August 9, 2007

Tabula Rasa Pre-Order Bonus!

Tabula LogoNCsoft has announced that the pre-order bonus pack for Richard Garriott's Tabula Rasa has begun shipping to retailers.

This pre-order bonus pack has several perks, including exclusive in-game items and a three day head start when the product launches this fall! They will also receive exclusive character emotes, beta access, exclusive in-game pets, and a special DVD with the game client and bonus wallpapers and art.

Interested gamers will be able to purchase the pre-order pack at retailers or download it at the NCsoft store at PlayNC.com starting today! You can view the pre-order pack box art below.

Tabula Rasa features a science-fiction story where players will be challenged by dynamic and fast-paced adventures on unique alien worlds. The game's executive producer is Richard Garriot, famous for creating the classic Ultima series.

On a side note, I had the chance to spend a brief amount of time playing Tabula Rasa quite some time ago. I'm sure the game has undergone a vast amount of improvements and renovations since then, but I remember enjoying the time I spent with it. The world was vibrant and unique and the combat was fast-paced and exciting. Of course, I'm generally not a huge MMO fan...
(click for larger view)
Tabula Rasa Cover

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FFT: War of The Lions Details

Square Enix has announced that Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions will be available in stores on October 09, 2007, across North America.

The original Playstation classic, Final Fantasy Tactics, is reborn and enhanced in the form of Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions, exclusively for the PSP. War of the Lions will feature never-before-seen cinematic sequences, an entirely new English translation, 16:9 widescreen presentation, and multiplayer features!

For more info, check out Square Enix's official Final Fantasy Tactics site: http://na.square-enix.com/fftactics

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BioShock Launch Trailer Debut

Yay, BioShock! 2K Games has announced that BioShock's launch trailer will debut August 12 at 9pm/8c on Spike TV! Viewers will see the world-wide premiere of the 60-second trailer during the new series The Kill Point.

The trailer will feature never before seen footage of the game and will close with a surprise announcement by Game Head’s Geoff Keighley. BioShock fans will definitely want to tune in for this... I know my TV will be set on Spike this Sunday!!

BioShock is a hybrid first-person shooter/RPG from Irrational Games, and the spiritual successor to the classic, System Shock. It will be available August 21, 2007 exclusively for Xbox 360 and Windows.

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Technical Diff...i.culties....

Yeah, I'm having a little bit of technical trouble right now. I'm not sure if it's a Blogger issue, a Just-RPG issue, or an issue with my ISP. Either way, it's hindering my ability to update efficiently, so bare with me if my updates are a little bit... um, slow.

That's all for now, thanks for reading!!!

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Open Beta time for Red Stone

K2K2 Network's upcoming MMORPG, Red Stone, has officially entered open beta!

Red Stone offers gamers a free to play, episodic fantasy experience that promises a deep storyline and eight unique character classes. Gamers will likely enjoy Red Stone’s Transform System, which allows all characters to change jobs and weapons and transform into other characters. Another key feature of Red Stone is that spell casting does not involve mana. Instead, players use rechargeable Charge points to cast spells, which challenges them to use abilities strategically and keeps battles fresh and exciting!

The Beta will continue until early September. Visit the official site for more information, and download the game here:
http://www.playredstone.com/download.php

As a shameless plug, Just-RPG has done some recent Red Stone coverage. Check it out here:
Red Stone Interview
Exclusive Red Stone Screenshots

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Saga Splits from Wahoo

Saga Games has announced that they have split from Wahoo Interactive in order to focus their efforts on the MMORPG, Saga.

This announcement comes during the highly successful Beta test of the game, which has brought in more than 15,000 players. Saga eliminates the traditional monthly fee of an online game and instead makes money through players who choose to purchase booster packs. These packs can enhance their troops and spells, or can be traded with other players in return for units or abilities. However, Saga promises that strategy is the key to successful playing, so even those who do not buy boosters can still be competitive!

Saga is set for release in Fall 2007. Find out more info here at the official site, or view Saga screens here.

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Wednesday, August 8, 2007

Eternal Sonota Demo on Live!

XboxA demo of the upcoming RPG, Eternal Sonata, is now availible for download on Xbox Live!

The Eternal Sonata demo is free through the Xbox Live Marketplace and will give RPG fans a taste of one of the 360's most highly anticipated RPGs. In the demo you can lead Polka, Allegretto and Beat as they explore the Path to Tenuto, Tenuto Village and Heaven’s Mirror Forest.

Eternal Sonota is developed exclusively for the Xbox 360 by acclaimed developer, Tri-Crescendo.

The demo is 584.12 MB in size and is availible only in the U.S. and Canada.

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Wild ARMs 10th Anniversary Edition

XSEEDXSEED has just announced the official release date of Wild ARMs 5 and a special 10th Anniversary Edition of the game!

Wild ARMS 5 will be available on August 28, 2007 for the PS2. Even more exciting, all launch units of Wild ARMs 5 will contain a special 80-page "The Art of Wild ARMs" artbook highlighting illustrations from the entire 10-year span of the Wild ARMs series in full color, packaged together with the game case in a special embossed foil box. This Anniversary Editon of the game is the only version of Wild ARMs 5 that will be available at launch and will still only cost $39.99! With this Anniversary Edition being limited to the initial launch units, eager fans are advised to make sure and reserve their copy today!

The contents of Wild Arms 5 Anniversary Edition are displayed below (click for a better view):




See more at the Wild ARMs 5 official site here.

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Tuesday, August 7, 2007

Early Eye of the North Access

Players who pre-order Guild Wars: Eye of the North will gain exclusive access to the game for three full days! Even better, these three days will be a whole week before the game's release, meaning they'll be among the first people in the world to play it!

From August 24 to August 26, 2007, players will have access to the Far Shiverpeaks region, home to the fiercely independent Norn and the legendary landmark known as the Eye of the North.

Everything that pre-order players acquire during their exclusive three days will still be available to them when Eye of the North launches on August 31st. This includes experience, items, loot and more!

More information on the sneak peek event is available here: http://www.guildwars.com/events/ingame/gwen-sneakpeek/

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