NIS America releases the hounds for 2007

[Salamande]

Nippon Ichi SRPG fans may never leave the house this summer. NIS America just had their 2007 press event, and in addition to the previously announced Disgaea for PSP, they revealed 3 new titles for the year. From Siliconera (http://www.siliconera.com/index.php/2007/03/30/three-new-titles-from-nis-america/):
Grim Grimoire is a magical strategy RPG developed by the same team that is working on Odin Sphere, Vanillaware. Dragonner’s Aria is a PSP game developed by Hit Maker who worked on Blade Dancer and has the artist from Linage. Soul Nomad & the World Eaters is a strategy RPG developed by NIS that blends in tactical commands.
Soul Nomad was released in Japan as Soul Cradle.

And let's not forget the new Generation of Chaos (http://www.siliconera.com/index.php/2007/03/27/just-what-is-aedis-eclipse-generation-of-chaos/) PSP game in April, and Atelier Iris 3 (http://www.siliconera.com/index.php/2007/02/27/atelier-iris-grand-phantasm-coming-to-north-america/) in May. NIS certainly knows how to please its fans. Remember when us Westerners used to stare longingly across the ocean at those quirky Japanese strategy games? It's a small world, after all...

[Tricky Thumb]

Too bad both Generation of Ghaos and Atelier Iris 3 aren't nearly as good as other NIS offerings.

Still, very good news.

[resikel]

I love NIS.

[Tricky Thumb]

That Soul Nomad game is the only one on there worth looking at, in my opinion.

Linky to video. (http://media.ps2.ign.com/media/852/852891/vids_1.html)

It figures that it's the last one coming out on that list, oh well.

[Gorvi]

Too bad both Generation of Ghaos and Atelier Iris 3 aren't nearly as good as other NIS offerings.

Still, very good news.
Have you tried them? I'm actually curious, especially GoC, I've heard this one is much better than the game that came out last year (which was still decent, it just lacked a good tutorial).

[Tricky Thumb]

Have you tried them? I'm actually curious, especially GoC, I've heard this one is much better than the game that came out last year (which was still decent, it just lacked a good tutorial).

I played Generation of Chaos, it was lacking more than just a decent tutorial. It was also lacking a coherent menu/combat system.

Atelier Iris has always been a bit to stripped down for me, honestly. I thought the second game did some things better though. I'm sure there are people who love the games and all, but they are in no way up to Disgaea or Phantom Brave level of quality.


Grim Grimoire looks like a weird side scrolling RTS, which just seems boring. (You play as a witch at a 'school of magic' where all the students disappear, meh.)

Lastly, I will admit that Dragonner’s Aria looks interesting. However I don't really plan on getting a PSP until either Disgaea comes out later this year or the redesigned unit is released, so I can play Disgaea on it.

[51|RandoM]

Sweet, very sweet. :-)

[Ultima Thulian]

...meh. Disgaea II and Makai Kingdom are all one needs. Can't say I'm pumped for new GoC and Atelier games considering I didn't like that last entries. Also can't say I'm excited for a gambe by the same team that brought us Blade Dancer.

I am however, interested Soul Nomad...it looks very interesting.

[Commissar Rob]

I've never finished either Disgaea 1 or 2. There's...just...too...much...to...do. Well, that, and I'm easily distracted. Nice to see some the PSP getting a little love though.

[Spigot]

Remember when us Westerners used to stare longingly across the ocean at those quirky Japanese strategy games? It's a small world, after all...
This is the sad thing. Much like anime, what I used to long after and receive in tiny doses is now available in such a deluge that I have too much to choose from. Not only that, I'm actually having to start turning my nose up at certain offerings that, had they been available 5-10 years ago, I would have jumped at. Sigh.

Not that I'm really complaining. I'd rather have too much choice than not enough. It's just interesting to see myself not getting as excited about the latest and greatest JRPG given the fact that I have a stack of about 10+ just sitting on my shelf, not even touched... and I'm not talking about the other stack of JRPG's that have 40+ hours put into them!

[Your Good Twin]

This is the sad thing. Much like anime, what I used to long after and receive in tiny doses is now available in such a deluge that I have too much to choose from. Not only that, I'm actually having to start turning my nose up at certain offerings that, had they been available 5-10 years ago, I would have jumped at. Sigh.

I hear you man, same boat here exactly. I have yet to play Makai Kingdom or Disgaea II despite loving Disgaea I. Just too many games and with a job, there's just not enough time.

[Kelegacy]

What's weird is that these type of threads are always filled with people I genuinely like on EvAv, even if the replies are MUCH lower, or people I will wind up liking. I think there's a correlation here that I just can't discern...

For example, I noticed my bud Spigot for the first time in an Atelier Iris thread when the first one was released here in the U.S.. Niche friends FTW!

[Spigot]

For example, I noticed my bud Spigot for the first time in an Atelier Iris thread when the first one was released here in the U.S.. Niche friends FTW!
Damn you, Atelier Iris. Why did you have to draw the flaming eye of Kelegacy to rest upon my innocent being? WHY!?

Despite my earlier griping, I can't wait for Odin Sphere. The style of the art in that game alone will earn it a place in my collection.

[Heretic Machine]

Despite my earlier griping, I can't wait for Odin Sphere. The style of the art in that game alone will earn it a place in my collection.

Odin Sphere looks really, really nice. GrimGrimoire also looks interesting, but taking a look at the screenshots makes it look really busy. If I like Odin Sphere enough I'll surely pick it up though. I'll also take a look at Soul Nomad & the World Eaters, but I'm probably going to wait for a review because of how hit and miss their software is.

[LordBeatnik]

I hear you man, same boat here exactly. I have yet to play Makai Kingdom or Disgaea II despite loving Disgaea I. Just too many games and with a job, there's just not enough time.

I have the same problem. I've had Disgaea 2 for a while now, but have only gotten a few hours play out of it. The problem is I want to play it in multi-hour chunks which I just don't have time for anymore.

And somehow I completely missed Makai Kingdom. I'll have to add it to my list of games to acquire and play while sitting out the "next-gen" console battle.

[Salamande]

I love that Grim Grimore looks like some kind of weird RTS; that was rather unexpected. I can't wait to check that out and see how it works. I haven't tried a Japanese-styled RTS since Hundred Swords.

And speaking of Odin Sphere, the English intro movie (http://www.atlus.com/odinsphere/archive/archive02.html) was just released. It's all about the animation, really. There's just something surreal about it.

Personally, I dream of the day when they release Carnage Heart for the 360 marketplace, with online squad multiplayer and tradeable mech schematics. I'm not asking for much, am I?

[Sloth]

Nippon Ichi SRPG fans may never leave the house this summer.

just to nit pick, but these are PSP titles, I think the general point of the PSP is you can take your video games anywhere. :p

[beefyjr]

Good news all around.

I just hope that the PSP games aren't the total fucking trainwrecks that the rest of NiS America's offerings have been so far. So much potential lost on rush jobs.

[wezlypipz]

I'm really excited, but I hope the games aren't clunky and they are fairly fast because the other offerings were tempting, but brutally slow.