Posts with tag bandainamco
Soul Calibur IV E3 trailer on XBLM
New Eternal Sonata details, still 360 exclusive
During an Eternal Sonata conference call last night, we managed to clarify some details on the game and even uncover some new details. First of all, we learned that the game should take about 30 hours to complete for players that wish to simply charge through. If, however, you wish to complete all the side-quests (and you won't get the full story if you don't), it will take much longer. In fact, some of the side-quests aren't even accessible on the first play-through, so players will have at least some incentive to go through the game more than once. RPG fans hoping for some downloadable goodness on par with Blue Dragon will likely be disappointed to hear that very little is planned at this point. In fact, the only DLC planned right now is actually an unlock key to listen to music from the game. What's more, this content is unlockable in the game itself, so the DLC is basically moot. On a more positive note the game will contain both English and Japanese voice tracks, so purists won't have to cover their ears.
Continue reading New Eternal Sonata details, still 360 exclusive
USK lists Warhammer: Mark of Chaos for 360
Ah, the Unterhaltungssoftware Selbstkontrolle, better known as the USK or, simply, the German version of the ESRB. We love 'em. Why? Because they constantly tip us off about games that publishers work so darned hard to keep secret. For example, the USK has now listed Namco Bandai and Black Hole Entertainment"s Warhammer: Mark of Chaos for the Xbox 360. A real time strategy title that debuted last holiday to decent reviews, Mark of Chaos would be yet another addition to the Xbox 360's burgeoning RTS library. The 360 game has another subtitle tacked onto it, making the full title actually Warhammer: Mark of Chaos -- Battle March. Whether this means we'll see a completely retooled game or an expansion to the original we're not sure. In an interesting twist, the entry on in the USK database is labeled "GC-Demo" which would lead us to believe we'll see a Mark of Chaos demo before too long. Once again, thanks USK![Via IGN. Thanks, IncredibleBulk92]
Vampire Rain, Eternal Sonata demos on XBLM
If you couldn't bring yourself to purchase a copy of Official Xbox Magazine (or if you don't have wonderful Japanese friends), you can now finally download the Eternal Sonata demo from Xbox Live Marketplace. The demo gives players a chance to stretch their legs a bit and get used to the game's interesting, pseudo real time combat system. If you've made it this long without trying it out, you should really give it a go. Oh, there is also a Vampire Rain demo that is available everywhere except Germany, Korea, Taiwan, or the United States. We were beginning to get mighty angry about that, but then we remembered it was Vampire Rain.
[Via Joystiq]
Ace Combat 6 demo flies out next week
In the latest episode of GameSpot's On the Spot, In Joon Hwang, Product Marketing Manager for Namco Bandai, revealed that a demo for Ace Combat 6 should be available on Xbox Live Marketplace next week. Ace Combat 6 is the first in the flight combat series to appear on a non-Sony console and also the first new-gen entry in the series. Hwang notes that the game's support system has been revamped, and players will now be able give commands to naval, air, and ground combat units during play. Expect to hear more about Ace Combat 6 from E3 next week.
[Thanks, Dark Mobius]
Eternal Sonata trailer plucks heartstrings
IGN has posted a new trailer of Eternal Sonata in preparation for E3 next month. We've made it no secret that we adore the eccentric premise of the game, and this trailer only serves to cement that belief. For those of you still unfamiliar with it, the game chronicles the final hours of composer Frederic Chopin. The catch, you see, is that Chopin is asleep and the game occurs inside the fever dream world of his final hours. As you might expect, Chopin's dream world has a lot of musical ties. More than that though, the game is simply gorgeous, something like Howl's Moving Castle in video game form. The game is scheduled to hit U.S. shores in September. We can't wait.
Watch Ace Combat 6 and The Bigs on XBLM
A couple of new trailers landed on Xbox Live Marketplace this morning. First we have a trailer for Ace Combat 6, it's the same cheesy trailer we saw released before, with lots of American pride and important-sounding music (think Armageddon). Our favorite moment is when a woman's voice breaks through the chaos: "I don't know a whole lot about war, but there's something I need to tell you." Yes, the cheese-factor is strong with this one. The Bigs trailer, on the other hand, is straight up balls-to-bat action (still no demo, by the way). You've got big, beefy players, flaming baseballs, and home runs so powerful that they could bring down small aircraft. For those of you without access to your 360, we've embedded it at the top of the post. Enjoy.
SCIV scans: medieval cleavage galore
Hot on the heels of the revelation that Soul Calibur IV will feature online play, images pulled from the related EGM article are beginning to hit the internet. The images come to us courtesy of Xboxygen, and they are quite, ahem, revealing. We are of course referring to the amazingly supported female naughty bits (made even more amazing considering the game takes place in an age before the underwire bra). The image above also reveals a well-wrought thong (or a spectacularly painful wedgie). Ogling aside, the images certainly do look sharp. We also have to point out that one shot contains a dodo. Given that Soul Calibur IV looks to be the last in the series, the fact that it contains an extinct bird seems appropriate. Here's hoping the gameplay does a better job of evolving (ba dum bum, psh!).
Hit the "read" link for more images.
Soul Calibur IV now burns online
This is the sort of thing we like to hear. In the latest issue of EGM, Namco has confirmed that Soul Calibur IV will feature online play. The news comes straight from the game's director, Katsutoshi Sasaki, who says that online play is part of all current-gen consoles and "with the current environment, we really couldn't make SC4 without online play." We would be remiss if we didn't point out that every iteration of Soul Calibur has appeared on a console capable of supporting online play, but we digress. In other news, players will be able to take their custom "create-a-character" avatars online, though Sasaki isn't sure whether or not players will be able to trade them. We shudder to imagine all the Takis and Ivys -- wearing nothing but flesh-tone underwear -- we'll be facing online.
Now, if only we could get Sasaki-San to have a talk with SEGA about Virtua Fighter 5.
[Via Joystiq]
Atari to bring Trusty Bell, AC6 to Europe
Our friends at Xboxygen report that Atari has signed a deal with Namco Bandai to publish both Trusty Bell -- known as Eternal Sonata in the U.S. -- and Ace Combat 6 in Europe. X3F readers will remember that Trusty Bell made a splash in the Japanese market last week, landing in the number 2 sales spot. The game tells the tale of a fantasy world -- actually the fever dream of a dying Frederic Chopin -- in dire straights, and it features many musical motifs. Ace Combat 6 is the latest entry in the long running Namco flight combat series, and is the first to appear on a non-Sony console. It's currently unknown if Atari plans to release the Ace Combat 6 flight stick controller bundle in Europe.
Both games are expected to launch in Europe this fall.
Eternal Sonata Japan's 2nd best seller
Stop the presses, hold the phone, and list some clichés, because an Xbox 360 game has reached the number 2 spot on the Japanese sales charts. Yes, Eternal Sonata, known as Trusty Bell in Japan, clawed its way to the number 2 spot with 49,334 copies sold, beaten only by Practice by Observing: DS Observation Training for the DS. It is unclear how many copies sold were part of the Trusty Bell bundle we reported back in April. If you haven't been keeping track, the Xbox 360 hasn't really fared too well in Japan, so a number 2 game is a momentous occasion indeed. This becomes particularly apparent in light of the fact that Blue Dragon, developed by the creator of Final Fantasy himself, only managed to hit number 4 (though it actually sold more copies). We'll be keeping our eye out for the hardware charts to see if the Xbox 360 got a much needed boost last week as well.
Gallery: Eternal Sonata (AKA Trusty Bell)
Ace Combat 6 stick cheaper than a real jet
Namco Bandai has announced that it will release a special bundle for its upcoming aeronautical adventure, Ace Combat 6. The bundle will include the game, a limited edition Xbox 360 faceplate and the sweet flight stick combo seen above. The stick is manufactured by HORI, makers of the ultra-hard-to-find Dead or Alive 4 arcade stick. But how much does it cost, you say? Not $89.95! No, not $79.95. Not even $69.95! That's right, the Ace Combat 6 bundle will retail for ... $150! The bundle is expected to arrive this holiday season.
Any flight sim junkies out there willing to take the plunge?
[Via Joystiq]
Ace Combat 6 trailer locks on to internet
The first trailer for Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation has found its way onto the intertubes, courtesy of GameSpot. Much to our surprise, the game features jets and the piloting of said jets. The first in the Namco series to appear on a non-Sony platform, Ace Combat 6 looks to up the ante with an emotional plot line centered around terrorism and protecting the next generation (of people, not consoles) from harm. The trailer features lots of interaction between a mother and her little girl, jets, terrorists, and plenty of swelling music. Check it out and tell us what you think.
[Thanks, Dark Mobius]
Free Pac-Man Championship Edition from GTR
We were as surprised and delighted as anyone when we Pac-Man Championship Edition turned out to be such a great game. Whether or not it will go down in gaming history is up for debate. Whatever becomes of Pac-Man CE, right now it's simply a good game. "Sure, it's fun, but what about the price?" you say. Well, we've got you covered. Actually, Gamertag Radio has you covered but we won't be bothered by semantics. The point is that GTR is giving away five copies of Pac-Man CE absolutely free. Head on over for your chance to win. Oh, and did we mention this week's episode features Aaron "this will go down in video game history" Greenberg? Well, it does. Listen to Aaron speak his mind and win free Pac-Man CE. Not too shabby, eh?
Soul Calibur IV revealed, first trailer
[Via Joystiq]
