ProductWiki

Chrono Trigger

Fri, 30 May 2008 21:05:12 -0400

Chrono Trigger begins with the 1000 A.D. Millennial Fair, where Crono and Marle sample Lucca's new teleportation device. Marle volunteers, but disappears through a strange portal when the machine reacts with her pendant. Crono asks to be sent through the machine to find her, and discovers he's traveled back 400 years. He meets Marle at Guardia Castle, and learns that a search party looking for the missing queen of that era found her instead. Marle then vanishes; Lucca arrives and claims that she's actually the princess of Guardia in 1000 A.D., and that since her ancestor was not rescued, Marle ceased to exist. With the help of a talking amphibian called Frog, Crono and Lucca rescue the real Queen, kidnapped by "Mystics" who worship the wizard Magus. Marle reappears and the group returns to 1000 A.D., where Crono is placed on trial for allegedly kidnapping Marle. He's sentenced to death, but breaks free from the prison. With Marle and Lucca, he flees the king, to nearby Guardia Forest, where they stumble into a time gate. They're shocked to find a devastated world filled with futuristic ruins (later determined to be 2300 A.D.), and uncover a video of the "Day of Lavos". The video shows a creature called Lavos erupting from the planet's surface in 1999 A.D and decimating the planet. The group resolve to prevent this catastrophe and recruit a robot named Robo before entering a new gate to arrive at the ethereal End of Time

Final Fantasy IX

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 07:29:28 -0400

Final Fantasy IX begins with Zidane and the Tantalus Theater Troupe kidnapping Princess Garnet during her sixteenth birthday celebration. The group learns that Garnet, who is concerned about Queen Brahne's increasingly erratic behavior, actually wanted to escape to Lindblum to meet with Regent Cid, and had planned to stow away on the theater ship. The Troupe's airship, Prima Vista, is attacked by the royal guards, and damaged during the escape; it crashes in the Evil Forest, prompting Zidane to continue the trek to Lindblum without the rest of Tantalus. Zidane and Garnet are accompanied by Vivi and Steiner, who became entangled with Tantalus during their escape from Alexandria.

During their journey, Garnet adopts the alias "Dagger" and struggles to mingle with the locals. The group learns of a factory that is manufacturing soulless Black Mage warriors for Alexandria's use. Three powerful ones called Black Waltzes are sent by Brahne to retrieve Garnet by force, but in vain. In Lindblum, Zidane meets Freya and joins in Lindblum's Festival of the Hunt. Regent Cid has been turned into a bug-like oglop by his wife Hilda, for his womanizing behavior. Wishing to protect Garnet from Brahne's newfound aggression, he had ordered Tantalus to kidnap her. When the group learns that Alexandria has invaded Burmecia, Freya investigates the situation with Zidane and Vivi, while Dagger and Steiner head to Alexandria to ask Brahne to stop the war. Both parties are powerless to stop her, and Dagger has her eidolons forcibly extracted from her body.Brahne uses Dagger's eidolons to destroy Cleyra, after which she attacks Lindblum, forcing Cid to surrender. Zidane, Freya, and Vivi, after witnessing the assault on Cleyra, rescue Dagger, befriend General Beatrix, and return to Lindblum.

Afterward, Cid tells the party about Brahne's arms dealer, Kuja. The party travels to the Outer Continent, the location of Kuja's headquarters, through an underground tunnel with the help of Quina. There, the party meets a young summoner named Eiko, who assumes herself to be the last survivor of Madain Sari. They also discover a village inhabited by self-aware Black Mages. Their pursuit of Kuja leads them to the nearby Iifa Tree, an entity that emits fighting-stimulant Mist. They also learn that Kuja uses Mist to create the Black Mages. The party defeats the Iifa Tree's core and stops the Mist from flowing. When the party returns to Madain Sari, they confront Amarant, who was hired by Brahne to apprehend Dagger. Dagger slowly realizes that she is also a Summoner from Madain Sari. Amarant joins the party for his own reasons. At the Iifa Tree, Brahne turns against Kuja and intends to kill him with the eidolon Bahamut.

Final Fantasy IX takes place primarily on the four continents of a world named Gaia Most of Gaia's population resides on the Mist Continent, named so because the entire continent is blanketed in thick mist. Lands outside the Mist Continent — the Outer, Lost and Forgotten continents — are uncharted territories not explored until midway through the game. Several locations on the parallel world of Terra and the dream land of Memoria round out the game's areas. The Mist Continent features four factions: Alexandria, Lindblum, Burmecia, and Cleyra. Each country is separated by mountain ranges; the isolated Cleyran civilization, nestled in a giant tree in the desert, is protected by a sandstorm summoned by the village elders.Gaia is inhabited by humans and various non-human races. Alexandria and Lindblum are both populated by a mix of humans and anthropomorphic animals.

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

Tue, 14 Mar 2006 10:46:06 -0400

After the mysterious and untimely death of the Emperor, the throne of Tamriel lies empty. With the Empire ready to crumble, the gates of Oblivion open and demons march upon the land - laying waste to everything in their path. To turn the tide of darkness, you must find the lost heir to the throne and unravel the sinister plot that threatens to destroy all of Tamriel.

In development for 4 years, Oblivion is another leap forward in role-playing with its combination of freeform gameplay and cutting-edge graphics for the world under The Elder Scrolls.

Mass Effect

Wed, 11 Jul 2007 17:28:27 -0400

Mass Effect is a new RPG from BioWare who developed the critically acclaimed Star Wars: Knights of Old Republic games, and Jade Empire. The game takes place in a sci-fi world where space exploration is common and robots, aliens and humans comingle. The action is split into three main modes: conversations with other characters, exploration around the galaxy, and combat.

BioWare focuses a lot of energy on the conversation side of the game introducing a new form of dialog progression that moves away from requiring copious amounts of text and instead is more emotion base. Every character is fully voiced, and the player simply chooses a general kind of reaction with the actors fleshing out the reaction with the proper animations and voice.

Exploration is further divided into two stages, one is the galactic map where you can choose to pilot your ship, the Normandy, to hundreds of different planets. Once a planet is selected you move into the second form of exploration which involves a combination of driving and walking around on the planet's surface.

Combat is a hybrid between real-time action, and turn-based strategy. The flow of the combat is real time where you control a single character and aim their shots, perform attacks and execute abilities. At any time you can pause the action to take a more strategic approach and queue up commands to the entire party.

Being an RPG, character development and stat progression plays a large part with all of the characters able to gain new abilities, weapons and armor. All the weapons and armor you equip are visible in real-time during the game.

Dungeon Siege III

Fri, 20 May 2011 16:48:02 -0400

Dungeon Siege III is an action/role-playing video game from the Square Enix company, developed in conjunction with Obsidian Entertainment. Functioning as a direct sequel to the Dungeon Siege II and the Dungeon Siege II: Broken World expansion, this game is set in the Kingdom of Ehb and revolves around the "10th Legion" regiment. Four main characters are available that each possess an exclusive set of weapons and attacks - "Lucas Montbarron" uses a combination of swords and shields, "Anjali" uses spears and shape-shifting techniques, "Reinhart Manx" uses short and long-range magic, and "Katarina" uses a variety of firearms. Players traverse landscapes in a "hack and slash" style protecting the kingdom while collecting loot and upgrades along the way. Co-operative gameplay is available in both online and offline forms, supporting up to four gamers (one of each character) at a time.

Features

Available for PC (Windows 7/Vista/XP), Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 consoles
Functions as a sequel to Dungeon Siege II
Set in the "Kingdom of Ehb"
Onyx graphics engine
Online and co-operative gameplay support for up to 4 players
Four different playable characters - "Lucas Montbarron", "Anjali" "Reinhart Manx" and "Katarina"
Large amount of upgradeable weapons and items
Wide variety of specialized attacks

Eve Online

Fri, 17 Nov 2006 08:27:54 -0500

EVE is a massive multiplayer online game (MMOG) set in a science-fiction based, persistent world. Players take the role of spaceship pilots seeking fame, fortune, and adventure in a huge, complex, exciting, and sometimes hostile galaxy. It is developed by the Icelandic company CCP Games and was published from May to December 2003 by Simon & Schuster Interactive.

Sorcery

Mon, 22 Nov 2010 17:52:43 -0500

Sorcery is an upcoming Action/RPG video game developed by SCEA in conjunction with Sony. Slated for a spring 2011 release, this title will be available exclusively for the Playstation 3 console and utilizes the Playstation MOVE motion-sensor peripheral. Users start off as a magician's apprentice, learning to perform magic spells and eventually travelling to the dark Faerie Realm to battle the evil Nightmare Queen and her minions. 12 upgradeable spells are available, with puzzle solving and potion making among the numerous activities that players will encounter. Through accomplishing these tasks and battling enemies of all shapes and sizes, users can hone their skills and eventually reach the status of "Master Wizard", unleashing storms, walls of fire and more.

Features

Available exclusively for Playstation 3
Playstation MOVE compatibility
1-player Action/RPG gameplay
12 upgradeable player spells
Motion-sensor spell casting
In-game environments include Faerie Kingdom, Realms Below, City of the Drowned
One-on-one enemy combat
Likelihood of online multiplayer component

Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King

Wed, 21 Dec 2005 15:45:13 -0500

Better known to American as Dragon Warrior 8, Dragon Quest VIII brings the long-running RPG series to the PlayStation 2 for the first time. In it, players are able to capture monsters that inhabit the battlefield. These beasts differ from the creatures you'd normally encounter in battles, as they have special names and abilities unique to them. Once a monster has been scouted, it's added to a growing arsenal of creatures that can then be assembled into teams of three for use as support characters in battle. Outside of using these monster teams in combat, players can also use them in Dragon Quest VIII's "Monster Battle Road" tournament grounds. Other new additions to the series include full day and night cycles for towns, first-person conversations, and the ability to look around the 3D environments.

Dragon Age: Origins

Tue, 02 Jun 2009 17:49:07 -0400

Dragon Age: Origins is an action-packed RPG developed by BioWare Edmonton and released by Electronic Arts on October 20 of 2009 for Microsoft Windows, Playstation 3, and Xbox 360. Considered a ‘spiritual successor’ to the Baldur’s Gate series, Dragon Age: Origins is a single-player game with two available camera angles: over-the-shoulder (third-person), or iso-metric (top-down). This allows users to play third-person whole wandering the realm, but switch to iso during intense tactical pause-and-play battles. What makes Origins exceptionally unique is that the user can choose not only a race to join, but also in which class to begin. (E.g. Human Noble versus Poor Dwarf). Plus, the user is responsible for multiple NPC allies during real-time combat, during which he/she must manage attacks, special attacks, and spells. The game is played via keyboard/mouse, Xbox 360 controller, SIXAXIS, or DualShock3.

Features

Action RPG
Single Player
Multiple Camera Angles
Multiple Races/Classes
Multiple NPC Management
Keyboard/Mouse
Xbox 360 Controller
SIXAXIS
DualShock3

Final Fantasy XIII

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 07:29:57 -0400

Final Fantasy XIII is the thirteenth installment in the series of role-playing games developed by Square Enix. A North American release on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 is slated for Spring 2010. Previews depict a futuristic world as setting for the signature command-based battles that Final Fantasy games have long featured. Players can give multiple commands each turn, and more powerful attacks become available as the player gets stronger. The interface has changed significantly since the game was first shown at E3 2006, and it remains one of the most anticipated console game releases of this generation.

Features

Active Time Battle system
Multiple commands per turn to form combos
Launch command enables mid-air combos
Summoned creatures

Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 13:00:39 -0500

Similar to the commercially successful remakes of Pokemon Red and Green released in 2004, Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen, HeartGold and SoulSilver return players to the setting of Johto, first introduced in 2000's Gold and Silver. Taking advantage of the hardware changes since then, the games feature fully redesigned environments with 3D visuals. The gameplay as likewise been upgraded with the strategic tweaks and features introduced in later iterations, bringing them up to the strategic depth of other 4th generation titles. Like the original versions, HeartGold and SoulSilver offer Red and Blue's world of Kanto to be explored fully after beating the main game. Features such as a further expanded online multiplayer support, new minigames (some using connectivity to the packaged-in Pokewalker pedometer) and new moves for existing Pokemon, the games aim to be the most robust Pokemon experience yet.

Breath Of Fire II

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 07:26:28 -0400

The fictional world of Breath of Fire II is very reminiscent of the previous game, though very few locations have survived the 500-year transition. Windia, home to the royal Wing Clan, still resides to the north. New species include the Shell Clan, a race of giant armadillos, and the Creeping Clan, a monarchy of artisan frogs. The Dragon Clan from Breath of Fire has all but perished, leaving only scattered statues as proof of their existence. A new religious idol named St. Eva has replaced the Dragon God, and the St. Eva church is rapidly becoming popular all over.

Long ago, a demon attacked the woodland town of Gate. According to local legend, a huge dragon suddenly appeared and banished the demon away. The dragon can still be found slumbering on the outskirts of Gate, where it guards the entrance to the demon realm.

Ryu begins the game as a young boy, the son of a priest in the town of Gate. When his sister Yua goes missing, Ryu's father (Ganer) asks him to fetch her before she gets into trouble. Ryu's search eventually leads him to the wilderness outside Gate, where he finds Yua napping beneath the head of the sleeping dragon. Acting on Yua's advice, Ryu follows suit and falls asleep under the dragon. When he awakens, his family has disappeared, and no one in town recognizes him. Later that night, a young orphan named Bow decides to loot the church. Finding nothing of interest, he decides to accompany Ryu on his way to another town.

Flash forward to many years later, Ryu and Bow are living in Hometown, performing odd jobs for the Ranger's Guild. After an item is stolen from the home of wealthy man, Bow is falsely accused of the theft and forced to flee. With the authorities out looking for him, Bow is left with little recourse but to go into hiding, leaving Ryu to find the real thief.

Two Worlds: The Temptation

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 17:28:14 -0500

The Two Worlds: The Temptation is a role playing game (RPG) released in June 2010 for four major consoles / operating systems: Xbox 360, PS3, MS Windows, and Macintosh. As a sequel to Two Worlds (1), The Temptation explores the next chapter in the history of Antaloor as the player leads a single male hero on a quest to investigate his past and save his sister. This time however, Two Worlds features greatly enhanced graphics with improved animations and facial features; a newly designed craft tool for breaking down items to create new ones; and an artistic system of attack and defense moves wherein the AI learns and adapts to whatever strategy you employ.

Features

Two Worlds Series (RPG)
Xbox 360
Playstation 3 (PS3)
Microsoft Windows (PC)
Macintosh
Enhanced Graphics
Improved Animations
Detailed Facial Features
More Intelligent AI
Craft Tool

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic

Mon, 23 Apr 2007 15:46:00 -0400

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic is BioWare Corporation’s hit Star Wars game. Originally released in July 2003 for the Xbox and November 2003 for the PC, it is the first Star Wars RPG. It is an Xbox Platinum Hit, and has sold over one million copies. It has also won these awards:

GameSpy

Xbox Game of the Year 2003
Overall Game of the Year 2003, across all platforms

2004 Game Developers Choice Awards

Game of the Year
Original Game Character (HK-47)
Excellence in Writing

Best Sound (Xbox category)
Best Story (PC category)
Xbox RPG Game of the Year 2003
PC RPG Game of the Year 2003
Xbox Game of the Year 2003
PC Game of the Year 2003
Overall Game of the Year 2003, across all platforms

Gamespot

Best Game Based on a TV or Film Property
Xbox Game of the Year 2003
RPG Game of the Year 2003, across all platforms

Computer Gaming World - Game of the year

PC Gamer - Game of the year

Interactive Achievement Awards - Best story/character development

Official Xbox Magazine Game Of The Year 2003

The game’s combat system is turn based and all combatants attack/defend at the same time, however the player can stop/pause at certain times to give commands or view the carnage.

Awards taken directly from Wikipedia.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. : Call of Pripyat

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 16:18:46 -0500

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. : Call of Pripyat is a first-person shooter / RPG released worldwide in February 2010. It is the third installment in the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series and an immediate sequel to S.T.A.L.K.E.R. : Shadow of Chernobyl. It picks up slightly after the original story and centers around the city of Prypiat. Gameplay is a combination of tactical role-playing action (exchanging goods, weaponry upgrades, and factions) and unbridled horror. Critics praise Pripyat for its vast improvements of its predecessors, including the incorporation of photorealistic graphics, terrifying new mutants, and no severe bugs. There are also many more side quests, a sleep function, and the possibly to complete the game after completion via a fun freeplay mode.

Features

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Series
Third Installment
Microsoft Windows (PC)
First-Person Shooter / RPG
Photorealistic Exclusion Zone
New Story & Characters
New Monsters & Behaviors
New A-Life System
Sleep Function
Enhanced GUI
Freeplay Mode
Supports DirectX 11.0

Final Fantasy XII

Wed, 06 Dec 2006 17:04:56 -0500

As war looms on the horizon, the mighty Archadian Empire begins a campaign to subjugate its neighbors. To Vaan, a young man living on the streets of Rabanastre, the Empire is a hated enemy who took the life of his brother. Planning on exacting revenge by breaking into the palace, Vaan gets more than he bargained for as he runs into Princess Ashe, the sole surviving heir to the Dalmascan throne. Together, the two embark on an incredible journey tracing the mysteries behind the Archadian Empire's invasion.

Once again taking RPG players beyond imagination, the twelfth Final Fantasy's gameplay features include the Active Dimension Battle system enabling players to move seamlessly between exploration and combat. Characters act according to an intricate "gambit" system of actions and reactions that you determine. As they fight, characters earn license points that can be spent to broaden their knowledge of magic, arms and armor.

Glory of Heracles

Wed, 30 Dec 2009 13:20:02 -0500

Glory Of Heracles is a Nintendo DS game based off Greek Mythology and written by Final Fantasy series writer Kazushige Nojima. The traditional role-playing video game features an adventurous storyline where players roam locations, encounter new characters, gain abilities and visit familiar areas such as Sparta and Athens. Players use the stylus or control pad to control their character's movement while the touch screen assists them during battle. Although the plot is fictional, the game has an extensive glossary that provides details about characters and locations players will meet throughout the story.

Features

Traditional role-playing game with adventurous storyline
Inspired by Greek Mythology
Extensive glossary that provides details about locations
Advanced control system and battle system

Shiren the Wanderer

Fri, 01 Jan 2010 14:29:51 -0500

The latest addition in the Shiren series, Shiren The Wanderer is a Nintendo Wii video game that combines adventure with RPG gameplay. Along with an enticing story that follows Shiren as he unravels the mystery of an ancient princess, the game introduces new modes and controls to the system's players. The different game modes suit the style and experience of beginner and advanced gamers and also present additional quests for them to play. Its features are a bit scarce, but Shiren The Wanderer is an acceptable follow-up for a series that's just made it's way on a new system that presents advanced controls and detailed graphics.

Features

Different game modes adapt to player's difficulty
Control party members or AI that let's you specify attitude and tendency
Collect power-ups and equipment
Explore historic Japan with detailed locations and visuals

Ragnarok

Wed, 30 Dec 2009 01:11:33 -0500

Ragnarok is a role-playing video game for Nintendo DS to be released February 16, 2010 in North America. Released in 2008 in Japan, the game features a flexible character progression system in which status and skill points can be used to increase a range of skill classes like swordsman and merchant. Gameplay makes use of the touchscreen and stylus, and is based on sword fights and magic spells. Maps and victory conditions can be randomly generated, and rare items can be found, enhancing replay value.

Features

Up to 3 players
Over 50 floors
Flexible character development
Varied job classes
Touchscreen-based gameplay
Rare items
Upgradeable weapons and armor

White Knight Chronicles

Sun, 03 Jan 2010 10:48:08 -0500

Created specifically for the Playstation 3, Sony's White Knight Chronicles is an action-adventure video game that focuses on online multiplayer modes and features. With a story that revolves around two kingdoms in the midst of a longstanding war, players are introduced to an RPG game with a third-person perspective. Gamers help their characters gain experience points to level up and can engage in a real-time battle system that features the standard controls most RPG games have. What makes the White Knight Chronicles different from most video game titles is its creativity and multiplayer use. Players can use the Voice Chat feature to communicate with friends while completing online quests and also have to face missions where the enemies are larger than life and more complicated to defeat.

Features

Up to 50 disc-based online quests
Complete quests with up to 3 different players to gain gear and experience
Use Voice Chat feature to communicate with friends
Unique lobby creation mode for your avatar
Live Talk feature allows you have side conversations during gameplay

Lunar: Silver Star Harmony

Sun, 03 Jan 2010 11:11:23 -0500

For the PSP, Lunar: Silver Star Harmony is a video game remake of the RPG title of the same name that was released before for the Sega Genesis game system. The video game revolves around the story of Alex, who must work with his friends to complete a journey to become the next Dragonmaster and save the world. Lunar: Silver Star Harmony features revamped graphics specifically for the widescreen layout of the PSP system, add game features such as new story elements and an expanded battle system as well as a re-done soundtrack. Although its based on the older version, the adventure-RPG game is almost a new title that will attract old and new fans.

Features

All-new additional story elements
Expanded battle system allows new attacks and strategies
Revamped graphics for the PSP system
Contains a unique and re-done soundtrack based on older version of the game

Sands of Destruction

Wed, 30 Dec 2009 12:54:42 -0500

Sands Of Destruction is an RPG video game for the Nintendo DS created by ImageEpoc. The game gives players the chance to take control of various characters through an adventure in a world surrounded by sea and sand. The story has players exploring different locations, battling numerous enemies and unraveling the mystery of the creation of the world. Unique customization allows you to create characters and weapons and enhance abilities and attributes. There are also over 300 high quality cut scenes and movies that help illustrate the adventurous storyline.

Features

Dramatic storyline written by storyteller Masato Kato
Dual Screen Battles
Advanced customization
High quality graphics and cut scenes

Blue Dragon

Fri, 10 Aug 2007 12:27:46 -0400

Blue Dragon is Microsoft's attempt at capturing a portion of the traditional Japanese RPG audience that is dominated by Square-Enix's Dragon Quest series. Microsoft put together an all-star development cast that includes some of the main minds behind the biggest JRPG franchises in the world. Hironobu Sakaguchi, who is the creator of the Final Fantasy series, acts as producer and writer. Akira Toriyama, the man behind Dragon Ball, Naruto and character designs for the Dragon Quest series, acts as character and enemy designer for Blue Dragon. Finally, Nobuo Uematsu, who is responsible for most of Final Fantasy's soundtracks, handles all music composition. Artoon, the studio behind Blinx and other non-famous games, handled most of the programming and day-to-day development.

Story

Blue Dragon follows a standard tale that sees the main character, Shu, and his friends try to save the world from a maniacal villain bent on destroying everything they love. Along the way the characters discover and develop their shadow powers which sees their shadows transform into powerful monsters that aid them in battle. The story is told through a combination of in-game cutscenes, character dialog and pre-rendered full motion cinematics. As a result of the high resolution video used, Blue Dragon is the first game for the Xbox 360 to ship on multiple DVDs, coming in at three.

Gameplay

The game is divided into two main sections: 1. exploration, and 2. combat. Exploration sees one character (representing the entire party) traveling around the world, speaking to people, gathering items, and moving from point A to point B. Unlike other traditional JRPGs, Blue Dragon forgoes random battles and displays the enemies on the exploration map. This allows you to avoid encounters, or perform special moves such as destroying the enemy without going into combat mode, or having a favorable encounter where you enter the battle in a better position. One ability is the multi-monster match where you can circle multiple enemies and fight them all at once. Depending on their attributes, the enemies may fight one another making the overall battle easier while gaining more points and items.

Once contact with an enemy is made, the game enters battle mode. Similar to other games of this genre the battle sees your party on one side of the arena facing a group of enemies on the other side. Characters take turns in sending out attacks and using abilities, with the ordering dependent on various character attributes. The standard attack, magic, and support menu items are found with the added twist that attacks can be charged. Charging an attack increases its potency at the cost of delaying when the attack actually occurs allowing the enemy to attack first.

Upgrading and improving your characters follows the streamlined approach that Mistwalker applied to the rest of the game. Instead of complicated item and ability systems, characters simply upgrade their shadow forms with new abilities and specialties. A "job" system is used that determines which abilities the shadow will excel at. Shadows can change their jobs at any time without losing any of the abilities they've gained.

The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar

Mon, 14 May 2007 18:08:17 -0400

Be prepared to face the growing evil in the east. The forces of Mordor are mobalizing as the continue there search for the ruling ring. Chose your race(dwarf,elf,human,hobbit,and more) and explore the vast world of J.R.R Tolkien. You can customize your character in a number of ways, including his/her appearance and clothing. You can choose to adventure alone, or form you own fellowship and fight the forces of Mordor with your friends. All of the typical online aspects are there, including questing, leveling up, and a massive world with thousands of people roaming around. Player versus player (PVP) combat is where LOTRO is a little different from many online RPG's today. All of the players are on the side of good, so there are no evil players to fight. PVP combat is restricted to the Entmoors, one of the nine zones in the game. You begin by choosing one of seven classes, each with a unique role in the battle. LOTRO expands on the story of The Fellowship of the Ring and is constantly being updated with new content.

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 12:31:24 -0400

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II The Sith Lords (KotOR II) is the sequel to Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. Released Xbox December 6, 2004, while the Windows version was released on February 8, 2005.

It's a turn based role playing game developed by Obsidian Entertainment, based on an updated version of BioWare's Odyssey game engine used in the prequel.

The story starts five years after the events of Knights of the Old Republic.
The player's character is baned from the Jedi Order and during the game the connection with the Force will be restored. The player makes choices that can help or hinder the Republic and the remaining Jedi and lead the player either to the light side and unite the Jedi or lead to the dark side.

Dragon Warrior Monsters

Fri, 28 Sep 2007 15:13:45 -0400

Description to be added later.

Kingdom Hearts 2

Mon, 03 Apr 2006 14:42:52 -0400

The unlikely but successful collaboration between Square Enix and Disney Interactive returns in Kingdom Hearts II; where a darkly-cloaked Mickey Mouse joins Donald, Goofy, and Sora as they continue their adventure into several popular Disney-inspired worlds. Battling against the Heartless once more, the dedicated group of friends now find themselves up against an all-new enemy threat -- a mummy-wrapped ruler of unknown origin. Also fresh to the series is a brand new meter known as the "Transformation Drive" that allows players to merge with other team members to create more powerful versions of themselves. New costume designs, improved camera controls, and the answer to lingering plot questions from the first game are also included.

Enchanted Arms

Fri, 28 Jul 2006 16:51:57 -0400

Enchanted Arms, known as [eM] -eNCHANT arM- in Japan, is a science-fiction based role-playing game for the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3. The game was originally released as an Xbox 360 exclusive, however the developer From Software developed a port for the PS3 which has been released in Japan, and will be released in North America by Ubisoft, the same company that published the Xbox 360 version.

How the game plays

Enchanted Arms follows in the footsteps of many traditional Japanese RPG games before it. Gameplay is split up into three different forms: there's the exploration part which involves the main character, Atsuma, wandering around the game world talking to characters, moving from destination to destination, and finding items. The second mode is managing the statistics and levels or your characters, as you level them up, add items and customize the characters to suit your play style. Finally, the last major type of gameplay is in the combat sequences: random battles play out using a turn-based grid style where characters use a variety of skills to destroy the enemies.

There are seven main human characters that you control in the game all of which have a major role in the story, and over 100 Golems which are both enemies and allies. Similar to Pokemon, Golems are monsters that you fight, and can also be collected to be used alongside with you in your battles. For the Xbox 360 version, one of the game's achievements is to collect every single Golem in the game.

There are a few changes to the traditional JRPG formula that make this game unique, and most of these changes involve making the game easier and more accessible for newcomers to the genre. Two additions speed up the battles, one is an automatic system where the computer controls your characters for you, and the second is the fast-forward system that speeds up the skill and magic animations.

Most of the story is progressed from characters speaking with pictures to represent who is talking, there are occasional real-time cutscenes, with full motion video (FMV) cutscenes occuring during special climatic moments.

There's also an online multiplayer mode where you take the golems you've collected and upgraded to battle one-on-one versus other people.

Story outline

1000 years ago there was a devestating war called the Golem War where machines infused with magic (known as Ether) fought each other and destroyed much of the world. Devil Golems were created that were significantly more powerful than any other kind of golem were created to put an end to the war, which they did. In the present you play the role of Asuma who is a student at the Enchant university in Yokohoma. One day Atsuma, with his two friends Toya and Makoto, decide to skip class to attend a festival, during the festivities an earth quake occurs and a mysterious force draws Atsuma to a forbidden location.

Following the force the three end up discovering and waking up the Ice Queen Devil Golem who is intent on destroying the world. It's up to Atsuma and his friends to stop the Ice Queen from waking up the other Devil Golems and killing everyone.

Differences between Xbox 360 and PS3 version

The PS3 version of the game contains more real-time cutscenes, 30 more golems to fight and collect, and the North American version of the game will include both the original Japanese voices, as well as a new rerecorded english track.

Interesting notes

[eM] is the first and only game to have "Only on Xbox" on the box art, claiming Xbox exclusivity, and still be released for another platform.

Enchanted Arms is also one of the only games released in North America that features a flamboyant and extremely homosexual male protagonist.

Eternal Sonata

Wed, 19 Sep 2007 13:13:18 -0400

Released in Japan in summer of 2007 unde the title Trusty Bell: Chopin's Dream, Eternal Sonata is a traditional Japanese Role Playing Game with a combination of real-time and turn-based combat. The story takes place inside of classical composer Frederic Chopin's mind three hours before he succumbs to tuberculosis at the age of 39. Inside this dream he finds himself in a world where people are gifted with magical powers but cursed with incurable diseases. Chopin meets with various characters on a quest to defeat an evil dictator that is oppressing the people.

Story

The game uses a contrast of real and fantastical, as the story is based on the real figure of Chopin and includes references and biographical information about the composer, while the fantasy world is represented in cell-shaded cartoon graphics. While the story itself is removed from Chopin's real world life, music makes a strong thematic presence throughout the entire game including the towns and villages you visit, to the weapons you wield. An optional side quest in the game sees you collecting bits and pieces of Chopin's music to accompany other characters in the game to gain new items. The linear story is told through real-time cutscenes that are fully voiced in either English or the original Japanese with English subtitles.

Similar to other traditional JRPGs the main gameplay is divided into two sections; the world exploration, and combat. Exploration sees you traveling to different villages, talking with people and gaining more information. You'll also traverse through dungeons collecting items, and encountering enemies. Unlike totally open world games such as Oblivion, the characters are limited to predefined paths and areas.

Combat

In Eternal Sonata the enemies are visible in the exploration mode allowing you to avoid them altogether, or approach them from behind for an advantageous position in combat. Touching an enemy triggers the battle mode where all of the combat happens. The combat itself is part turn-based and part real-time. Each character gets a turn to make their action while every other character in the arena has to wait. Real-time aspects come into play when a character's turn comes up. They have a set amount of time to move, attack, use skills, or items. All actions occur in real-time where pressing the button initiates the action immediately. Attacks can be chained together for more damage.

As you level up your characters and party new abilities are gained, and the strategic elements that go into combat are constantly changing. To add another wrinkle to the combat is the light/dark system that grants your characters different skills depending on whether or not they're standing in an area that is covered in light or shadow. Enemies are also affected by the light as they can change their form depending on the situation.

Extra Notes

Originally slated as an Xbox 360 exclusive, Eternal Sonata is scheduled for release on the Playstation 3 sometime in 2008. Any new features and additions to the PS3 port are currently unknown.

Magna Carta II

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 03:44:45 -0400

Magna Carta II is a role-playing game (RPG) released for the Xbox 360 gaming console in October 2009. It is the third release in the Magna Carter series and utilizes the Unreal Engine 3 to deliver unparalleled graphics with highly detailed characters and landscape. The story centers around the kingdom of Lanzheim and involves a plethora of intense themes: love, war, hate, politics, and sacrifice. And unlike traditional RPGs, Magna Carter II introduces a dynamic battle system that combines strategic turn-based battle concepts with real-time gameplay. The user controls three party members and can switch which member he/she is playing, as well as customize the AI engine on how to handle the other members. As for skill-set, it is primarily focused on Kamonds — vessels that contain Kan, a ‘power’ that can be utilized to strengthen weapons, improve character stats, and build new accessories.

Features

Magna Carter Series
Role Playing Game (RPG)
Xbox 360 Gaming Console
Kingdom of Lanzheim
Intense Themes
Dynamic Battle System
Kamonds/Kan

Half Minute Hero

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 18:15:23 -0400

Half Minute Hero — known as Yuusha 30 in Japan — is a real-time, fast-paced retro RPG game released for the Playstation Portable (PSP) gaming console in 2009. It utilizes brilliant cut-scenes, but ol’school 8-bit gameplay that’s similar to a hybrid of Final Fantasy and Zelda. The differentiating factor is that whereas most these games take months to beat, Half Minute Hero literally takes 30 seconds! There are exactly four modes, during which the user is given 30 seconds to save the world by, for instance, defending a mage from attacks, saving a princess, or beating a boss. Suffice it to say, Half Minute Hero is geared towards all the people who complain about not having enough time to beat their RPG game. Who doesn’t have 30 seconds to spare?

Features

Fast-Paced RPG
Playstation Portable (PSP)
High-Quality Cut-Scenes
8-Bit Gameplay
30 Second Missions

Final Fantasy X-2

Fri, 06 Jun 2008 07:33:23 -0400

The world of Spira hasn't changed since Final Fantasy X. Most areas from the original return, with few new locations. The only significant changes include the reconstruction of the village of Kilika and the clearing of the mist atop Mount Gagazet, revealing forgotten ruins. Additionally, the Palace of St. Bevelle is now accessible throughout the game, rather than only during mandatory storyline sequences. However, even with Sin gone, fiends are no less populous than before.

Final Fantasy X-2 begins as Yuna, Rikku and Paine recover Yuna's stolen Garment Grid from the Leblanc Syndicate in the first of several encounters in which they vie for spheres. The game is punctuated by a narration of Yuna addressing Tidus, as though she is recounting the events of the game to him as they occur in a style reminiscent of Tidus' own narration in Final Fantasy X. Although Yuna's quest is to find clues that may lead her to Tidus, much of the storyline of the game follows the clash of the factions that have established themselves in the time since the coming of the Eternal Calm in Final Fantasy X, and the uncovering of hidden legacies from Spira's ancient history. A significant portion of the game's events are unnecessary for the completion of the main storyline, but much of the depth of the story—including characterization and background details—are featured in the optional content, which generally follows how each part of Spira is healing in the time since the passing of Sin.

Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2

Mon, 28 Dec 2009 16:26:35 -0500

Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 is an action RPG developed by Vicarious Visions for the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360, Savage Entertainment for the PSP, and n-Space for Nintendo Wii, DS, and Playstation 2. The game is a mix of action brawler and role-playing elements meaning that while the gameplay is high on action and real time combat there are also experience points, character levels, and new abilities and powers to be earned through repeated playing. The game features a plethora of characters from the Marvel universe from Spiderman to The Hulk, each with their own unique abilities and "fusion" ability which combines two powers from two characters into a more powerful attack. The game also supports four players at once to work together against battling through the game's levels, or a single player accompanied by three computer controlled characters.

Features

available for Playstation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, DS, PSP, and Playstation 2
dozens of Marvel characters
platform-specific characters for different gaming systems
action game with RPG elements
fusion mechanic combines attacks

The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 14:31:51 -0400

The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, short Morrowind, is the third part in the Elder Scrolls series developed by Bethesda Game Studios.
Released for Windows PC and Xbox. For the pc there are two expansion packs, Tribunal and Bloodmoon.
For both Windows PC and Xbox there is Morrowind: Game of the Year Edition, which contains all three. (October 2003)
The story takes place in Vvardenfell, the central island of the Dunmer province of Morrowind, the far east region of te Tamriel empire.
he Tribunal expansion adds the city of Mournhold on Morrowind's mainland.
The Bloodmoon expansion expension adds the island of solstheim, to the northwest of Vvardenfell.

Pokemon Platinum

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 12:37:54 -0500

Similar to Pokemon Yellow adding new features to Red and Blue; Crystal improving Gold and Silver; and Emerald improving Ruby and Sapphire, the 4th Generation finds its "director's cut" game in Pokemon Platinum. Featuring an expanded story, new challenge areas, new forms of existing Pokemon and many other notable changes, Pokemon Platinum also carries over all the elements of Diamond and Pearl that made the game successful.

Final Fantasy X

Tue, 05 Sep 2006 20:44:45 -0400

The tenth installment of the RPG series Final Fantasy, and the first in the series to grace the Playstation 2. This is the first game in the series to feature fully 3-D areas instead of pre-rendered backdrops, as well as the first to have voice-over actors for the character dialog. The story centers around the seven main playable characters as they travel around the fantasy world of Spira on a quest to defeat the evil monster Sin.

The seven main playable characters are Tidus, Yuna, Wakka, Kimahri, Lulu, Auron, and Rikku. Each of the characters levels up individually using a sphere grid. Instead of just leveling up your characters stats after a set number of battles, you gain spheres and ability points which are used to move around the sphere grid. The grid is made up of hundreds of interconnecting nodes which several branching paths for each character. Each node has a different effect, such as learning a new magical spell or increasing you attack strength. Battles are turn based, meaning each character (or monster) takes turns performing an action (like attacking a monster or using a potion). You can only use three of the seven characters in battle, but you can swap them out for any of the different characters mid-battle.

World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade (Expansion)

Fri, 16 May 2008 16:51:54 -0400

World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade is the first expansion pack for the MMORPG World of Warcraft. It sold in nearly 2.4 million copies on release day.

Marvel Ultimate Alliance

Wed, 01 Nov 2006 14:04:10 -0400

In this superhero-filled action-RPG, players assume the roles of more than 20 Marvel Super Heroes including Spider-Man, Wolverine, Blade and Captain America, and through their actions determine the fate of both planet Earth and the Marvel universe. The game features total team customization, where players create their own team name, icon and vehicle, as well as establish their team reputation as they play throughout the story. Battle the world’s most notorious Marvel Super Villains in the air, underwater, and on the ground, using grappling, blocking and dodging moves, and even environmental objects as one and two-handed weapons. The storyline is designed open, and the missions that you choose to accept affect the outcome of the Marvel Universe. Also featured are competitive and co-operative multiplayer modes.

The Dark Spire

Fri, 15 May 2009 14:46:11 -0400

The Dark Spire is an old school first person RPG that harkens back to classics such as Wizardy and The Bard's Tale. This game will appeal to gamers who appreciate retro style and mechanics. You control a party of adventurers who explore and map level upon level of trap and monster infested dungeon. The graphics are stylized, but meant to look like those you might see on a computer circa 1988. The game even offers an option to dial the clock back a few more years and make the graphics and sound even more retro.

Disgaea DS

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 13:27:29 -0500

A port of the cult-classic PS2 title, Disgaea: Hour of Darkness, Disgaea DS retains all the tactical insanity of the original while adding many new features. At it's core, Disgaea is a tactical RPG where players control Laharl, prince of the Demon World, and his ever-increasing army of vassals. Players customize their army by creating new characters and training them in various skills all while fighting through dozens of missions and challenges. The core tactical RPG elements are similar to those found in other games, but this augmented by several unique features, such as the ability-altering Geopanels, the ability to throw other characters around, and a huge amount of depth and customization that is unmatched in the genre. All of this is wrapped around a unique story with a lighthearted attitude that should appeal to fans of this sort of quirky humor. The DS port adds a secondary mode in which the main character and storyline changes, several new unlockable characters, and touch screen support.

Suikoden V

Fri, 24 Mar 2006 09:04:52 -0400

Suikoden V takes place in the Queendom of Falena, portraying the events of that region of the Suikoden world six years before the events in Suikoden and 144 years after the events in Suikoden IV (~IS 449). The Queendom of Falena is a relatively rich land sustained by the Feitas River, which connects its disparate parts and enables trade and communication .

It is ruled by Queen Arshtat and her husband Ferid, who have been a balancing and steady force since the demise of her somewhat rash mother. However, the tensions of the past have not been entirely settled. Arshtat's mother and aunt had been engaged in a covert struggle for power over the succession. Falena's government also has powerful nobles who maintain their own separate forces, loyal to them. Arshtat's hand in marriage was seen as key to gaining power in the future by the nobles; a civil war was narrowly averted when Ferid, a neutral outsider, won the Sacred Games and thus the right to marry Arshtat.At the beginning of Suikoden V, the time has come for Lymsleia's Sacred Games, a gladiatorial tournament in which the winner may ask for the future Queen's hand in marriage. (As a Queendom rather than a Kingdom, the first-born female is in line for the throne.) Aside from the many freelancers, suitors, and independent nobles who desire this prize, the two most powerful noble houses both bear a special interest in it; like with Arshtat's Sacred Games, Lymsleia's hand could prove a crucial advantage. The Godwins believe that Falena needs to be more centralized, powerful and perhaps expansionistic. The Barows seek more to rebuild and trade with foreign nations. The Barows faction has of late been somewhat on the decline, though they are still powerful; a recent war with the neighboring New Armes Kingdom was fought on Barows-allied lands, while the Godwins remained safe and untouched in the west of Falena, perhaps explaining the Barows wish to not further antagonize Armes. The royal family and others worry that if a Godwin or Barows were to win, it might well trigger another struggle.

A key part of the Suikoden setting is the existence of Runes, the source of all magic. Any person can have a rune inscribed on them, although some people are more talented in their use, and others can inscribe more than one rune (with three as the general maximum). In turn, all power from individual carved runes ultimately descends from the powerful 27 True Runes, which created the world in Suikoden's mythology. Falena's national treasure is the Sun Rune, a True Rune which can both bring prosperity and growth as well as destruction and calamity. Falena also controls the "child" runes of the Sun Rune, the Dawn Rune and Twilight Rune.

However, Falena's grip on the runes has gone somewhat awry. Two years prior to the start of Suikoden V, residents of Lordlake rioted and charged the East Palace, near the capital of Sol-Falena. In the confusion, the Dawn Rune, which was housed there, was stolen. Lordlake had previously been considered the most loyal of all the towns to the royal government and granted special privileges. With this seeming act of high treason by Lordlake, Arshtat took the Sun Rune upon herself, normally stored in Sol-Falena's palace on a pedestal, and used the Rune's power to scorch Lordlake's vegetation, wildlife, and river, killing its leader Lord Rovere in the process. Since bearing the Sun Rune, the normally compassionate Arshtat has grown more and more erratic in behavior, prone to mood swings and wild fits of vengeance.

The game features significant enhancements from all the previous installments in the series, including 6-member battle parties, multiple mini-games, the homebase system, and many other new features.

Alpha Protocol

Mon, 28 Dec 2009 15:29:48 -0500

Alpha Protocol is an action role playing game developed by Obsidian Entertainment for the Playstation 3, Xbox 360, and Microsoft Windows gaming computers. The game is a cross between a third-person shooter and an role-playing game and combines the twitch-based real time gameplay of a shooter with stats, equipment upgrades, and characters choices of an RPG. The game is different than other RPGs in that it has a modern day setting instead of a fantasy or science fiction one. The game also has an interactive story with a focus on choice and decisions in both story and gameplay, often meaning that there are multiple ways to do the same thing or different ways to complete a mission. In Alpha Protocol players take up the role of Michael Thorton, a special agent who is cut off and betrayed by his superiors and then goes undercover in order to find the truth.

Features

Playstation 3, Xbox 360, PC Windows
RPG and third-person shooter hybrid
heavy emphasis on choice
customizable character
improve skills based on player preference
modern day setting

Star Wars Galaxies

Sun, 30 Mar 2008 17:33:03 -0400

Dead Rising: Chop Till You Drop

Thu, 12 Feb 2009 04:06:16 -0500

Dead Rising: Chop Till You Drop is an action-adventure and survival horror video game developed by Capcom and produced by Keiji Inafune. Originally released for the Xbox 360 as Dead Rising, the game was then ported over to Nintendo Wii and subsequently released on February 24th, 2009. Due to the difference in technology, Chop Till You Drop is in fact based on the Wii version of Resident Evil 4. The producers, however, made a sincere effort to maintain as many original features as possible, while also adding along an over-the-shoulder camera approach, an adjustable difficulty level, multiple save slots, and motion-based controls based on the Wii remote. Like its peer, Chop Til You Drop follows along the harrowing tale of Frank West as he struggles to survive and endless stream of zombies. Included in the gameplay is a realistic shopping center, RPG-like gameplay (leveling up), and an incredibly in-depth storyline. Dead Rising: Chop Till You Drop is rated “M” (18+) by the ESRB and retails for $39.99.

Features

Action Adventure
Survival Horror
Resident Evil 4 Engine
Over-the-Shoulder Camera Approach
Adjustable Difficulty Level
Multiple Save Slots
Motion-Based Controls
Single-player
RPG-Like Gameplay
ESRB Rating: M

Pokemon Diamond & Pearl

Tue, 06 Mar 2007 10:11:05 -0500

The pokemon series makes its first trip to the Nintendo DS with Pokemon Diamond and Pearl. You begin in the entirely new region of Sinnoh as either a boy or a girl. The touch screen aids menu navigation and frees up the topscreen for gameplay. The game features enhanced graphics (a natural step up since it moved from GBA to DS). You can import your pokemon from the previous GBA Pokemon games. Now trainers can catch almost 150+ new pokeemon, including the three new starter Pokemon, Piplup, Turtwig, and Chimchar.

Generation of Chaos (PSP)

Tue, 14 Mar 2006 10:15:05 -0400

Idea Factor's first PSP title is based on the PS2 version of Generation of Chaos IV, but with a new storyline. Your goal is to collect powerful allies and both protect your kingdom and invade enemy territory. When heading out to battle, you can carry up to 29 troops in addition to your general, meaning massive 30 versus 30 battles await.

Breath Of Fire IV

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 07:18:05 -0400

The story of Breath of Fire IV begins with a search team consisting of Nina, princess of the Kingdom of Wyndia, and Cray, a warrior from the plains-dwelling Woren clan, who are scouring towns along a great desert for information on the whereabouts of Nina's older sister and Cray's love interest, Elina, who went missing several weeks earlier on a diplomatic mission. Happening upon a crater left when a strange object landed from the sky, Nina confronts a large dragon who transforms before her eyes into a young man. Remembering nothing other than his name, Ryu, Nina surmises he must have amnesia and persuades him to help her search for her sister. Meanwhile, across the world in the western Fou Empire, the ancient Emperor Fou-Lu rises from his burial chambers, declaring that it is now his time to re-take the world. In his vulnerable, newly awakened state, he is attacked by Yohm, a general in the modern Fou army who is privy to Fou-Lu's long-prophesized resurrection, and aims to kill him before carrying out his plan. Fou-Lu is defeated in the struggle, and escapes by jumping into a nearby stream.

Pokemon Diamond and Pearl

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 12:23:40 -0500

The first games of the so-called ''4th Generation" of Pokemon titles, Pokemon Diamond and Pearl moves the best-selling RPG series onto the Nintendo DS handheld. Staying with the formula that has brought them success so far, Gamefreak takes advantage of the DS's new features and abilities, adding touch screen support, more advanced 3D graphics, wireless and online multiplayer. Of course, all of these features are mere accessories to the addictive basic gameplay of capturing Pokemon (493 unique species), training them, and exploring the world while battling wild Pokemon and rival trainers.

Rune Factory: A Fantasy Harvest Moon

Mon, 26 Feb 2007 10:10:25 -0500

The second Harvest Moon for the DS, this edition mixes up the formula a bit, adding monsters and swordplay in addition to the Harvest Moon norm. The game takes place in Kardia, a small city on the eastern tip of the Adonia continent. You control Ragna, who wanders into town starved and dehydrated. He/She collapses in front of the house of a landowner named Mist. After regaining conciousness you realize you have amnesia and cant remember who you are or where you came from. Mist agrees to give you land and a house as long and you work hard for the priviledge. From then on the game is very open ended. You can choose to advance the story by battleing through monster infested caves, or focus on your culinary skills. You can fish, farm, explore caves, capture monsters, expand your farm and home, advance your skills, court the lovely ladies (or men if you play as a girl) of the town, and much more. Capturing monsters basically takes the place of raising livestock. Using your friendship glove you can strike a friendship with the monsters in the caves you explore. Not only can the monsters help you in battle, they can also help with chores around the farm. The caves are conquered through defeating the giant boss monster at the end of the labyrinth. But you cant access the boss monster until you destroy the monster generating portals scattered within the cave. Farming is a large part in caves, crops help restore your magical Rune Points. In this Harvest Moon you will not only need to upgrade your tools, but your weapons and armor as well!

Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance

Wed, 21 Dec 2005 15:46:50 -0500

First console installment of the strategy-RPG series since the SNES days. Previously released on Famicom (Japan-only), Super Famicom (Japan-only), and Game Boy Advance, Fire Emblem leaves the 2D overhead maps of old behind to serve up 3D villages, fields, and caves, and polygonal battle sequences. The continent of Tellius is divided into humans and half-man/half-beast demi-humans. These two races have battled for centuries and only recently established an uneasy peace. Now, a new force threatens to tear apart the seven kingdoms and reignite the flames of war. Joining the Fire Emblem ranks are new units, such as such as the shape-shifting laguz who transform into beasts to attack their foes. Additionally, characters can now learn unique skills as they gain experience, giving players even more ways to customize their strategy.

Earthbound

Sun, 09 Sep 2007 15:33:09 -0400

Earthbound (aka Mother 2) is a popular turn-based RPG released for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in North America on June 1, 1995.
The story revolves around four children (Ness, Paula, Jeff and Poo) and their quest to save the world from the evil being known as Giygas.
Earthbound gained a cult following by blending traditional RPG gameplay with decidedly non-traditional characters, storyline, settings and humor.
Though many campaigns have been put forth by different groups (i.e. starmen.net) to bring sequels to English markets none have been successful as of yet.

Alien Syndrome

Fri, 11 May 2007 10:15:06 -0400

SEGA's classic arcade top down shooter returns for the Wii and PSP, set 100 years after the aracade games. You play Aileen Harding, a 21 year old Earth Command Tropper who is fighting aginst the alien scurge. The game combines aspects of the top down shooter genre with RPG elements. You begin the game by chooseing your character class. The different classes each have different strengths, as each are more proficient with certain types of weapons. You can upgrade each of the 20 weapons you find to your own personal taste, as well as Aileen herself. Your ally in the fight against aliens is a tiny robot. While he does help out a little in a firefight, his main purpose is to act as you upgrade shop. The Wii controls primarily through pointer action. You navigate your character with the nunchuck and use the remote for pointing you gun in the direction you want to shoot. And there are plenty of aliens to shoot.

Shadow Hearts: From the New World

Tue, 14 Mar 2006 10:37:53 -0400

The third game in the RPG series, Shadow Hearts: From the New World follows Johnny, a sixteen-year-old detective who lost his father, sister and memory in an accident, accepts a request to find a criminal suspect who escaped from custody. As Johnny approaches the escapee, an illusion-like beast, who appears from a green light known as "The Window," swallows the escapee up. Johnny soon finds himself in a fight against the illusion-like creatures. Johnny has a female counterpart taking a central role in the story. Shania is a 21-year-old Native American who makes use of spiritual power when she fights. Sensing a strange power from Johnny, she decides to join him on his journeys.

Generation of Chaos 4

Tue, 14 Mar 2006 10:12:37 -0400

More than a sequel, Generation of Chaos IV is billed as a rebirth of the strategy RPG series. Featuring 30 on 30 battles, a new status and character upgrade system, and overhauled graphics. Released only in Japan.

Iron Feather

Mon, 26 Feb 2007 10:25:23 -0500

An RPG based on a popualr Japanese manga by Kid. Every 2000 years a great catastrophe strikes the earth. You play a boy who takes his Iron Feather in hand to avert the disaster, along with your two companions. Battles are random and can happen at any time while out in the wild. Once engaged in battle, you fight in real time (with a top down 2-D view). The computer controls your two commrades. The bottom screen shows the adventure and battles while the top screen is reserved for maps of the area.

Final Fantasy III

Wed, 31 Jan 2007 11:09:51 -0500

The first time Final Fantasy III has reached the U.S, it has recieved a complete 3-D makeover exclusively for the Nintendo DS. It controls and plays like the RPG's of old, and is the first Final Fantasy game to use the Job System. There are four members in your party, each can choose from one of 23 jobs (some exclusive to this remake). The touch screen can be used to control every aspect of the game if you want, you can still use the buttons though.

Untold Legends Dark Kingdom

Wed, 01 Nov 2006 14:50:05 -0400

Untold Legends is one of the first PS3 games shown to the public. The initial reactions were lukewarm to say the least, but over the past year developer Sony Online Entertainment has improved the graphics significantly. Graphics aside, Untold Legends Dark Kingdom is an Action RPG just like the other entries into the series found on the PSP. Hack-and-Slash is the name of the game here, with traditional item drops to build up your character and experience to improve their skills and magic. Untold Legends is one of 2 games in the PS3 launch lineup that includes online cooperative play. Untold Legends makes no use of the SIXAXIS controller, don't ask me why.

System Shock 2

Wed, 25 Oct 2006 21:10:47 -0400

Choose your path, choose your weapons, choose your skills and then immerse yourself in what is arguably one of the most frightening, eerie and simply amazing titles around. It's a kind of action-intensive RPG that few can even come close to touching. System Shock 2 set a new approachable precedent for all first-person perspective games. It's loaded with so many extras that exploration and interaction were necessities. Cybernetic monsters, rogue robots and a bunch of mutants called "The Many" dot an adventure that should not be missed by anyone with a backbone and a brain. Watch out for them psi- monkeys!

Mario and Luigi: Partners in Time

Wed, 06 Sep 2006 21:54:15 -0400

The sequal to Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga for the GBA, this game adds a new element, babies! Mario and Luigi travel around carrying the younger versions of themselves. The game is an RPG, you equip pants and badges to increase your stats, and your characters level up over time as you battle. In battle, each character is assigned a button, you press this button to attack (when it is your turn in battle) and to dodge or counterattack ( when its your enenmie's turn). Instead of Bros. Attacks like in the last game, the pair of plumbers now use Bros. Items. It is a fairly long game, and is a rare in the fact that you may laugh out loud while playing.

X-Men Legends

Thu, 22 Dec 2005 22:36:26 -0500

The first 3D action-RPG based on the popular Marvel characters, X-Men Legends challenges players to master the attributes of their favorite X-Men by creating, customizing and controlling teams of four mutants in real time. Assuming the role of more than a dozen popular Super Heroes, each with individual mutant powers and fighting skills, including Wolverine, Gambit, and Storm, players lead teams of mutants as they battle the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants and other Marvel villains on a quest to stop the extinction of mankind and determine the fate of the world. Combine superpowers to unleash awesome mutant attacks that obliterate all obstacles and enemies in your path. Over 40 fully rendered cinematic sequences illustrate the cliffhanger plot and lead the X-Men into brutal confrontation with the greatest evil mutant-kind and humankind alike have ever faced.

RF Online

Tue, 14 Mar 2006 09:44:05 -0400

RF Online is an epic mix of traditional fantasy MMOG mixed with unique futuristic sci-fi action. Set in a deep space galaxy known as Novus, take your pick from three all-powerful waring factions leading your character into the final battle for total control over the entire Novus galaxy. Chose from the Bellato Union, taking control of individual robot battle units like never seen before within any MMOG; Holy Alliance Cora, the mystical and fantasy orientated race utilising the power of magic; and finally the mighty Accretia Empire, a futuristic alien race intent on spreading destruction across the entire sector with their advanced weaponry systems.

Tales of Phantasia

Tue, 14 Mar 2006 10:27:44 -0400

A remake of the original Playstation One RPG game.

The Lord of the Rings: The Third Age

Sun, 25 Dec 2005 16:50:44 -0500

Experience the first console role-playing game set in J.R.R. Tolkien's fabled Middle-Earth universe with The Lord of the Rings: The Third Age. In it, players will be able to travel in the wake of the Fellowship with a unique structure that allows them to explore their own path while periodically intersecting with the major events of the films. Encounter the demonic Balrog in the mines of Moria, defend the fallen city of Osgiliath, or try to destroy Helm's Deep -- the choice is yours. Players can even customize their own hero or villain and upgrade them with an in-depth skill tree system that will increase their special abilities.

Note: Griptonite games is responsible for only the GBA version of the game.

Generation of Chaos 3

Tue, 14 Mar 2006 10:11:31 -0400

The third installment of the Generation of Chaos series. This game has not been released in North America and is only available in Japan.

The Legend of Heroes: A Tear of Vermillion

Thu, 22 Dec 2005 22:28:27 -0500

The second of Nihon Falcom's trilogy of RPGs, resurrected for the PlayStation Portable after release years before on PC systems. Known by the long name Eiyuu Densetsu Gagharv Trilogy: Akai Shizuku in Japan, the sequel features a new main character and storyline as you take control of Avin in his search for his younger sister Emille. Bandai has improved upon the original with a new battle system and quicker load times. Fans will take note of the changes to the world of Gagharv which appear because of the time gab between the stories of this and the original. Those who have clear data from the original are able to play play an extra scenario in which characters from the original appear as party members.

Grandia III

Mon, 20 Feb 2006 16:29:36 -0500

The Grandia series continues, with Gamearts developing and former rival Square Enix publishing. Grandia III takes the adventure to the skies, putting you in the role of Yuuki, a young man with dreams of flying his own plane. Early on in the game, he does just that and, with his youthful mother Miranda at his side, he comes into contact with a girl called Alpheena. The pseudo real-time Ultimate Action Battle system returns, complete with new aerial finishing moves.

Dungeons & Dragons Online: Stormreach

Tue, 14 Mar 2006 10:21:39 -0400

The defining pen-and-paper RPG becomes the ultimate massively-multiplayer online game as Turbine Entertainment and Atari bring the basement sensation into the light of computer screens all across the world. Dungeons & Dragons Online is centered on robust character advancement, challenging dungeon combat, meaningful guild politics and territorial control over major portions of the game world. Players choose and develop a character based on some of the iconic races and classes associated with D&D - after which they can socialize, find quests, group together and equip themselves for future battles. The game also lets players travel alone or in parties as they explore the seemingly endless dungeon complexes found beneath the world. Through the dungeons, players will engage in physical and magical combat with hideous foes straight from the pages of the Monster Manual rulebook.

Space Rangers 2: Rise of the Dominators

Mon, 03 Apr 2006 14:45:49 -0400

200 years after the first chapter for Space Rangers, a new, even more dangerous threat arises in the galaxy. A key planet producing war androids has become self-aware and is attempting to conquer the galaxy one planet at a time, driven only by instinct of destruction and cares only about expanding the realm of the silicate.

Freedom of choice is a distinguishing feature of the first part of Space Rangers saga and only develops further as players explore the massive world. The game is not limited by borders and allows players an opportunity to influence the branching storyline. At the same time, the larger and more expansive game world lives and develops by itself, including 3D planet surface battles. By producing and upgrading war machines, gamers have a chance to defeat the ominous threat of the Dominators.

Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel

Fri, 23 Dec 2005 21:16:59 -0500

Taking place in a time period between the two PC games (Fallout 1 and Fallout 2), this action-RPG based on the Dark Alliance engine sees the player character join the Brotherhood of Steel, a band of vigilant humans seeking to maintain peace in the now trademark grim post-apocalyptic world. The player's team finds itself instantly engaging in battles with raiders, mutants and a bevy of radioactive nightmares using a mixture of 50 different up-close melee and ranged weapons. Gamers can get right into the mix in the single-player, story driven game, or if a close friend is at hand, both can start up a co-op game to play from start to finish.

Generation of Chaos

Tue, 14 Mar 2006 10:08:29 -0400

The peace of Neverland used to be protected by the balance of power between three gods: Coriya, Ipsilon, and Janess. But when Janess was defeated by three human warriors, it upset the balance and threw the world into war. Luckily the battles ended, and for 28 years peace has been maintained. But the Neugard Demons have rebelled and conflict has engulfed the land once again. The world's only hope now is your power of unification as you select from nine different characters and 20 different kingdoms in Idea Factory's strategy/RPG Generation of Chaos. Manage domestic affairs, build your castle's defenses, amass a mighty army, but whatever you do, do it quick: as the fate of Neverland depends on it.

Tao's Adventure: Curse of the Demon Seal

Fri, 24 Mar 2006 09:01:58 -0400

In this fantasy RPG, players take on the role of Tao, a young magic student living on Bente Island, who must travel on an incredible journey to save his family and fellow village people from an evil monster curse that turns people into stone. In order to break the curse, Tao must find the egg of the ancient monster that cursed his family. With that egg, he can return to the village and save his family and friends, although if Tao does not return by the next full moon, the curse will never be broken.

Casting spells by using the DS touch pad, players battle dozens of monsters in order to save the village; compete in side quests to raise their reputation with the townspeople; and collect eggs and training monsters to assist in battles along their journey.

Final Fantasy XI

Mon, 23 Oct 2006 16:37:48 -0400

the legendary Final Fantasy series embarks on an entirely new adventure where players from around the world are able to join forces for an online RPG quest. Players from around the world control the fate of the world of Vana'diel as they volunteer for missions to defend its nations and people. Customizable characters allow players to tailor physical attributes and skills to suit individual tastes. Adventures span over 100 different areas such as mountains, deserts, oceans, castles and dungeons. Environments take on a life of their own as time and weather constantly change. Fight, explore, email and chat with other people from around the world.

Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga

Wed, 21 Dec 2005 15:50:05 -0500

While this PS2 RPG isn't a new entry in the Shin Megami Tensei series (editions of Digital Devil Saga were released on the NES and MSX systems), it does borrow the look and feel of that series' world, adding many unique ideas to the mix. This latest entry places you in the role of Serph as you attempt to defeat five tribes and make your way to the paradise of Nirvana. You and your group encounter a pod which gives you the ability to change into demon form and suck up enemies. Use points that you've earned in battle to power up your character and his "Mantra," creating an original demon all your own. Also included is a "break" system that has you block enemy magic attacks, quickly gaining the ability to counterattack.

Tales of Legendia

Mon, 20 Feb 2006 16:20:33 -0500

The first installment of Namco's PS2 RPG franchise to be released in North America, Tales of Legendia follows the exploits of the powerful Alliance Marine Senel Coolidge. A master of the "Eres" art and fueled by the desire to find his kidnapped sister Shirley, Senel sets out on a journey that spans the enormous face of a giant sea going vessel known as The Legacy. Designed in tandem with members of the Soulcalibur development team, Tales of Legendia utilizes a unique real-time combat system known as X-LiMBs (Crossover Linear Motion Battle System) giving players the ability to perform rapid-fire combos, original throws, and team attacks on the fly during the heat of battle. Anime cutscenes with designs by Kazuto Nakazawa (Kill Bill), multiple mini-game types, and individual character quests unlocked by beating the game are also included.

Untold Legends: The Warrior's Code

Mon, 03 Apr 2006 14:44:04 -0400

In The Warrior's Code, the realm is one of chaos and oppression as a powerful warlord's horrific minions continue to slaughter and enslave the people. As one of five shape-changing characters, players will challenge their skills through an epic storyline consisting of five chapters with in-game cinematics, voiceovers and an upgraded Quest Journal. In addition, there are more than 45 areas featuring interactive objects, devious traps, destructible walls and ambient creatures.

PoPoLoCrois

Fri, 23 Dec 2005 16:17:31 -0500

Sony Computer Entertainment's popular cel-shaded RPG series comes to the PlayStation Portable system with a return of the original adventures of Prince Pinon of the first and second PlayStation installments of the series, enhanced with new elements and updated details. Playing as Pietro, prince of the Popolocrois Kingdom, you head off on your first adventure in order to find a way to awaken your mom. Battles are now grided strategy, with you moving your party members in turn with enemies. In addition to standard attacks, magic attacks and character combination attacks, the game lets you summon beasts to help out. Dungeons also feature prominently in the game, requiring that you work through traps when not in battle.

Full Throttle

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 19:39:23 -0500

I don't play very many video games anymore, but I will always remember working through this amazing RPG with my brothers. Reminds me of those old King's Quest games in how the game play works...you kinda have to work the clues and solve the puzzle. OH, and the theme song kicks it big time! Lest we forget Marc Hamill as the evil RIPBURGER...damn he is funny in that.

In Full Throttle, another one of LucasArts' classic “talkie” CD-ROM adventures, players assumed the role of Ben, a biker framed for the murder of Malcolm Corley, head of Corley Motors. As the adventure begins, players begin a quest to clear Ben's name by finding the real killer. In addition to regular adventure game sequences, Full Throttle was notable for its first-person motorcycle action elements, where Ben battled rival bikers on winding canyon roads. Full Throttle, known for its outstanding voice acting, featured the voice of Mark Hamill as the menacing villain Ripburger.

Ys: The Ark of Napishtim

Tue, 14 Mar 2006 10:00:48 -0400

Washed ashore on an uncharted island, Adol Christin begins a new journey in Ys: The Ark of Napishtim. Our red-headed hero must fight deadly monsters and menacing bosses with a variety of sword combinations, special attacks and magical spells to uncover the secrets that lie in Canaan's mysterious whirlpools.

The first Ys on the PSP system, gamers-on-the-go can experience the sights, sounds, and storytelling that sets Ys apart from other action RPGs. Additionally, players can unlock new mini-games and databases revealing the secrets of Ys, as well as listen to the game's complete soundtrack as well as view movies and trailers in the Ys Media Player.

Dungeon Lords

Mon, 20 Feb 2006 10:14:57 -0500

Dungeon Lords blends the depth of an epic fantasy RPG with the flexibility of an FPS-style control system. Gamers journey through a land of ancient castles and dungeon lairs to engage in real-time tactical combat with a variety of deadly foes. It's not just about the battles though, as magic spells and hundreds of powerful weapons and artifacts play a role in the game.

The Dungeon Lords Collector's Edition includes all of the updates to the game as well as new quests, rare items to collect, spells, effects, monsters, areas to explore and amazing new heraldries and character customizations to take your RPG experience even deeper. The Dungeon Lords Collector's Edition comes packaged in a limited edition painted metal casing. This version was released on February 3rd, 2006.

Spyro: Shadow Legacy

Wed, 03 Jan 2007 14:03:59 -0500

This new Spyro game introduces lite RPG elements, as you fight and defeat enemies you will be awarded with points that can be used to upgrade your abilities. The charcters are rendered in 3-D with 2.5-D backgrounds.

Generation of Chaos 5

Tue, 14 Mar 2006 10:13:47 -0400

The fifth of the RPG series from Never-Land Company features a number of significant changes for the franchise. A new overhead world map divides up the quest, with a grid-based system for moving units across the land.

The game takes place in a completely new place called Edith and its separate worlds: the Sky World, the Land World, and the Underground World. The Underground World, where the story begins, is split into two empires founded on technologically-advanced civilizations, and the game will take the adventure out to the Earth-like Land World and the fantastical Sky World (with its split of Heaven and Hell domains.)

X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse

Thu, 22 Dec 2005 22:37:51 -0500

X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse sequel to the best-selling X-Men game everintroduces the epic storyline of an uneasy alliance between the X-Men and the hated Brotherhood in a fight to reclaim Earth from Apocalypse's grasp. Impressive gameplay enhancements include more than double the superpowers and customization capabilities, the debut of several new playable characters, over 100 diverse types of enemies, and a breathtaking range of exotic and real-world environmentsfrom the Madri Temple to Egypt. For fans loyal or new, X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse delivers a bigger, deeper and more epic action/RPG experience.

MS Saga: A New Dawn

Tue, 14 Mar 2006 09:45:05 -0400

MS Saga takes place in the near future, when the "G-System," a system by which people can create anything for which they have a blueprint, has brought Mobile Suits into the world. An organization has its sights set on using G-System for evil purposes, and it's your job to straighten things out. You play as Trush, a cheerful 16-year old who has created his own Mobile Suit. Joining you on your adventure are Eachie, a fourteen year old girl who was raised along side Trush, and Fritz, another young heroine who lost her memory and doesn't even know her own age. The world and characters of True Odyssey are different from what one may expect having seen the Gundam cartoons. The game looks like a fantasy-based RPG world, complete with towns and palaces, although the presence of giant Mobile Suits in the screenshots we've seen is unmistakable. The story is also separate from the main Gundam series -- you won't find the Zeon or Federation, for instance.

Wild ARMs 4

Sun, 22 Jan 2006 12:08:35 -0500

The fourth chapter in the popular role-playing series first started on the original PlayStation, Wild ARMs 4 follows teenage warrior Jude Maverick and his faithful teammates as they set out on a mission to save the world of Filgaia from mysterious invaders from the sky. Featuring an all-new cast of characters, original storyline, and strategic HEX battle system not available in previous entries, Wild ARMs 4 also allows players the ability to manipulate time and use specially equipped items to solve environmental puzzles. Available exclusively for the PlayStation 2.

Mega Man Battle Network 5: Double Team DS

Wed, 03 Jan 2007 13:41:13 -0500

A dual screened version of Mega Man Battle Newtwork, containing both the Team Protoman and Team Colonel versions found on the GBA. The touch screen is used to access your cyber map and PET. Yelling into the microphone powers up your net navi during battle, and you can use the GBA carteridge slot to access battle chips found in previous versions.

River King: A Wonderful Journey

Fri, 24 Mar 2006 09:09:43 -0400

An RPG centered on fishing, Kawa no Nushi Tsuri: Wonderful Journey is Marvelous Interactive's latest installment of its beloved Legend of the River King series. In it, players will assume the role of Boku: a kind young boy who wants to spend his summer vacation fishing the land's various bodies of water in search of the legendary "Master Fish." Similar in gameplay style to Natsume's Harvest Moon franchise, Kawa no Nushi offers its users a large variety of personable characters to play with, various towns and villages that are packed with different items, and more than a 100 different kinds of fish to be found in the game's many rivers and lakes.

Kingdom Hearts Chain Of Memories

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 07:33:03 -0400

Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories is role-playing and card-based combat game developed for the Game Boy Advance system. Its plot is meant to occur in between the two PlayStation 2 Kingdom Hearts games, and as such is a direct sequel to Kingdom Hearts. It follows the protagonist from the first game, Sora, and details his ascent through a castle in search of companions. The game is the first GBA title to feature full-motion videos. The player somewhat determines the course of the game through playing "map" cards, which alter the layout of rooms in the castle. Battle sequences constitute the player using cards in real-time to perform actions, and different cards can be played in combinations for different effects. There are unlockable game modes as well, including an alternate narrative of the same game and a 2-player battle mode.

Features

Sequel to Kingdom Hearts
Plot links Kingdom Hearts to Kingdom Hearts 2
1-player story modes, 2-player battle mode
Features Disney characters, as in Kingdom Hearts
Unique card-based gameplay
Employs full-motion videos
Can use link cable for multiplayer
Unlockable play modes