New [eM] -eNCHANT arM- Screens [Archive]

fitbabits

01-24-2006, 05:23 PM

IGN Xbox 360 (http://xbox360.ign.com) is hosting some new [eM] -eNCHANT arM- screenshots. Click on over (http://media.xbox360.ign.com/media/747/747936/imgs_1.html) and feast your eyes.

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a390/fitbabits/eM-eNCHANTarM-.jpg

Two things:
1. Something has to be done about that stupid name
2. Not overly impressed so far.

Adam Blue

01-24-2006, 05:26 PM

Yeah, that name seems a bit unecessary....any reason for it?

sickfallout

01-24-2006, 05:28 PM

Japanese? RPG? I'm intrigued, tell me more...

EDIT: My mistake, it says "Japan Only" under release date. Sigh...

astronautsandwich

01-24-2006, 05:29 PM

I'm pretty impressed. meatily so, even.

fitbabits

01-24-2006, 05:29 PM

Yeah, that name seems a bit unecessary....any reason for it?
I'm sure there probably is some good reason for it, but I'm scunnered if I know.

aj1pso

01-24-2006, 05:39 PM

This does look interesting...

mister_slim

01-24-2006, 05:48 PM

Yeah, that name seems a bit unecessary....any reason for it?
Probably some witty pun that does not translate into English, though I'm not sure the words 'witty' and 'pun' should ever appear together.

Phanto

01-24-2006, 05:48 PM

That screenshot reminds me of Kingdom Hearts..hmmmmm i want to play Kingdom Hearts 2 :D

fitbabits

01-24-2006, 05:51 PM

That screenshot reminds me of Kingdom Hearts..hmmmmm i want to play Kingdom Hearts 2 :D
I'm sure the developers will be thrilled to read that! :)

Suicidal ShiZuru

01-24-2006, 05:54 PM

Where does it say Japan only? Is it? If so then why post it as news, we all know consoles are whores when it comes to importing. It looks great though.

Exodus

01-24-2006, 06:00 PM

People who made otogi are developing this, I think it's got a 60% chance of coming here
I'd really like to see it hit here though :(

thecrazyd

01-24-2006, 06:06 PM

Japanese support on the XBox? Thought I'd never see the day.

JudasGoat

01-24-2006, 06:13 PM

Yeah. I mean, Sega and Namco, those are based in Texas right? ;)

Achilles

01-24-2006, 06:14 PM

Looks good. I'm always up for a good looking grid-based RPG. Here’s hoping it comes to the US. Those wondering about the combat, there’s a boss battle picture up there. Looks like Chrono Trigger or something.

TheEpicOfTyler

01-24-2006, 06:15 PM

Some shots look nice, others horrible. =/

JazGalaxy

01-24-2006, 06:18 PM

have you just not been paying attention?

They have the support of every superstar developer except, I think the number was 3. Those being nintendo and sony guys.

There's temendous Japanese development support for 360, the greatest of which is of course Mistwalker. Hironobu Sakaguchi, Nabuo Uemetsu, and Akira Toriyama, the superstar team that brought Chrono Trigger reuniting only for Xbox.

As for Enchant Arm, it's more than likely going to come out in America. It's in the same catagory as 99 Nights...

Reanimated

01-24-2006, 06:19 PM

Very nice.

This had better come over here, because SRPG is my favorite genre.

PLEASE LOCALIZE THIS.

JazGalaxy

01-24-2006, 06:23 PM

I hate seeing what my favorite genre has become.

When people look at a screenshot of an RPG and say the game doesn't look good based on the graphics... well... sad day.

Kefkataran

01-24-2006, 06:23 PM

[QUOTE]Probably some witty pun that does not translate into English, though I'm not sure the words 'witty' and 'pun' should ever appear together.

Shakespeare, brother.

JazGalaxy

01-24-2006, 06:35 PM

[QUOTE]Probably some witty pun that does not translate into English, though I'm not sure the words 'witty' and 'pun' should ever appear together.

Shakespeare, brother.

Right. Puns are hilarious. I'm convinced that people who say "there is no such thing as a good pun" are just embarrased because they don't get them.

Kelegacy

01-24-2006, 06:35 PM

You can never have enough RPGs for your system. Microsoft better aim to localize as many Japanese games as they can, RPGs especially.

JazGalaxy

01-24-2006, 06:40 PM

[QUOTE=Kefkataran]

Right. Puns are hilarious. I'm convinced that people who say "there is no such thing as a good pun" are just embarrased because they don't get them.

also... I'm detecting no pun. There are no capitalizations in Japanese, and as far as I know, no brackets in the sense of punctuation.

Also, the katakana at the bottom of the screenshot says "I-n-chi-ya-n-to-" and then some kanji I don't recognize. Probably "arm". I'm thinking, then, that all the weird (1337) spelling in the name is just for our benefit. I'm also thinking if they did that for our benefit, it must be coming out in the US.

That is, unless the title of the game is actually in english for the Japanese game as well. They do do that sometimes.

JazGalaxy

01-24-2006, 06:47 PM

You can never have enough RPGs for your system. Microsoft better aim to localize as many Japanese games as they can, RPGs especially.

Well.. who knows. Remember that RPGs weren't particularly popular in the Pre-FF7 days. Sony in fact had a BAN on Japanese companies putting out RPGs in the US for the PS1. It wasn't until much later that they lifted that ban and RPGs began coming over. Also, Post FF7 RPGs changed drastically, barely resembling what they had previously been.

I mention this to say that it's entirely possible that the popularity of JRPGs could just be a fad. Like Skateboarding. Sure there are people who will always like it, but it's not a "print your own money" market anymore. I think, with Xbox catering to a different kind of gamer than PS, it could be that RPGs might now have the sway they would have on the other console.

I think you'll find a pretty hard line between the people who enjoy Morrowind and the people who enjoy Final Fantasy X-2.

KamaItachi

01-24-2006, 06:54 PM

I'm sure there probably is some good reason for it, but I'm scunnered if I know.

Jeebus, I haven't seen/heard scunnered/scundered in nigh on 10 odd years...

As for the game, it looks pretty and got decent-good reviews in Famitsu, but so far I haven't seen anything that has really wowed me except for some of the "city" shots with old kyoto picture-esqueness...

As for Enchant Arm, it's more than likely going to come out in America. It's in the same catagory as 99 Nights...

Eh? this is a JRPG, NNN is a Kingdom Under Fire/That one where it's you against an army that sold a billion units slashathon.

maharahaj

01-24-2006, 06:55 PM

I'm pretty sure this is state bound, just not in the immediate future. There is a long 12+ minute movie out there i saw the other day displaying battles and dialog (alot of dialog) between characters and what appears to be the story's antagonist. The dialog situations were very unique; with characters talking in the foreground before a dimmed out environment being shown in a still pose, then all of the sudden switching to another still pose, as if only one out of every 500 frames was captured.

Kelegacy

01-24-2006, 06:56 PM

Well.. who knows. Remember that RPGs weren't particularly popular in the Pre-FF7 days. Sony in fact had a BAN on Japanese companies putting out RPGs in the US for the PS1. It wasn't until much later that they lifted that ban and RPGs began coming over. Also, Post FF7 RPGs changed drastically, barely resembling what they had previously been.

I mention this to say that it's entirely possible that the popularity of JRPGs could just be a fad. Like Skateboarding. Sure there are people who will always like it, but it's not a "print your own money" market anymore. I think, with Xbox catering to a different kind of gamer than PS, it could be that RPGs might now have the sway they would have on the other console.

I think you'll find a pretty hard line between the people who enjoy Morrowind and the people who enjoy Final Fantasy X-2.
It's no fad. I've been playing them since...the NES days? Oh, FF7 popularized the genre for stupid reasons (graphics--even though, yes, FF7 was the shit) but I don't see the interest dying off anytime soon. If it does and less games are released over here--like if the PS3 is anything like the current Xbox or Gamecube in terms of RPG starvation--I'll probably lose a lot of interest in videogaming. Hey, maybe that's exactly what I need to break my frigging addiction to gaming and shake this monkey from my back.

Thenetcase

01-24-2006, 07:05 PM

Stupidest. Name. Evar.

fitbabits

01-24-2006, 07:18 PM

When people look at a screenshot of an RPG and say the game doesn't look good based on the graphics... well... sad day.
Is it really? To say that something doesn't look too good when games like PGR3 and Oblivion are available on the same console seems fine to me. I'm not about to say the game sucks or is boring going by some screenies, but I will say again that I'm not too impressed with the visuals so far.

Mason

01-24-2006, 07:32 PM

Is it really? To say that something doesn't look too good when games like PGR3 and Oblivion are available on the same console seems fine to me. I'm not about to say the game sucks or is boring going by some screenies, but I will say again that I'm not too impressed with the visuals so far.
The graphics are impressive, it's the art style that's the main downer. It is inconsistently stylized and thus a little disjointed looking. Not an uncommon failing for JRPGs though, it's hard enough to fit in that many cliches.

The one screen of the battle system made me a bit hopeful. If it can use some light tactics and intelligent enemies (random attacks = over), it could turn out pretty worthwhile.

Rirath

01-24-2006, 07:34 PM

[QUOTE=JazGalaxy]

also... I'm detecting no pun. There are no capitalizations in Japanese, and as far as I know, no brackets in the sense of punctuation.

Also, the katakana at the bottom of the screenshot says "I-n-chi-ya-n-to-" and then some kanji I don't recognize. Probably "arm". I'm thinking, then, that all the weird (1337) spelling in the name is just for our benefit. I'm also thinking if they did that for our benefit, it must be coming out in the US.

From the Japanese website:

http://www.fromsoftware.jp/main/press_rel.html
『【eM】 -eNCHANT arM-』発売日変更のお知らせ

(For those without Japanese fonts, there's brackets and more.)

All the logos on the PDF spell it with brackets and odd capitalization. The Japanese may not have capitals, but remember they just love doing freaky stuff to English. The kanji for arm is 腕, by the way. I'm guessing that's something else in game, but it's too blurry to make out.

See also: http://www.em-game.net/

Achilles

01-24-2006, 07:37 PM

I think you'll find a pretty hard line between the people who enjoy Morrowind and the people who enjoy Final Fantasy X-2.Well X-2 is a different case because it's real-time. I didn't like X-2's gameplay, it was like a faulty trial of what they were thinking about for XII. I like turn-based RPGs as well as games like Morrowind, and the Bioware games, so I wouldn't say the line is that distinct. The FF series still sells extremely well in the US, and there's a market here for JRPGs.

XenonCJ

01-24-2006, 07:57 PM

If you go south from there you'll end up in The Barrens...

protojack

01-24-2006, 07:59 PM

The only interesting pic there is this one (http://media.xbox360.ign.com/media/747/747936/img_3342517.html), which shows what battle looks like. It looks iffy, but a Japanese RPG on the 360 is good news, if the States get it.

maharahaj

01-24-2006, 08:07 PM

http://www.xboxyde.com/news_2488_en.html

under the pics is a link to a 13minute movie...some battle sequences mixed in with heavy dialog....check it

Kamalot

01-24-2006, 08:14 PM

Achilles

01-24-2006, 08:41 PM

The last screenshot I saw of this game had a bare-chested man blowing a sax covered in hearts while mystic pink hearts flew out to damage the enemy.

Instantly the game went off my radar.

Edit: Here it is...Yeah, make no mistake, this game appears to have at least two primary characters that are flamboyantly gay. I don't know if the storyline has anything to do with this, or if it's just part of their characters. Didn't bother me in Growlanser so I doubt it’ll bother me in this. Though in Growlanser I'm pretty sure all the really effeminate characters were straight. I wasn't really going to explore that angle though.

Kefkataran

01-24-2006, 08:46 PM

Right. Puns are hilarious. I'm convinced that people who say "there is no such thing as a good pun" are just embarrased because they don't get them.

Well, there are plenty of bad puns, plenty of groaners, so to speak. But Shakespeare is proof positive that witty puns do indeed exist.

I think you'll find a pretty hard line between the people who enjoy Morrowind and the people who enjoy Final Fantasy X-2.

Yeah, but you picked a really good CRPG and a really mediocre JRPG there. Anyways, I think it's hard to call JRPGs a 'fad'. They've been around for too long at this point, in my opinion. Their popularity may be a fad, but they'll still be around.

If you go south from there you'll end up in The Barrens...

Ha! So true.

Hignaki

01-24-2006, 08:47 PM

Me, being a closet JRPG whore, will buy this game on principle alone, just to get them to make more JRPGs for the Xbox 360.

Once I can find a damned Xbox 360. And not the 'tard pack, either.

Salamande

01-24-2006, 09:32 PM

Yeah, make no mistake, this game appears to have at least two primary characters that are flamboyantly gay. I don't know if the storyline has anything to do with this, or if it's just part of their characters. Didn't bother me in Growlanser so I doubt it’ll bother me in this. Though in Growlanser I'm pretty sure all the really effeminate characters were straight. I wasn't really going to explore that angle though.
Aw, c'mon...didn't you play Shadow Hearts: Covenant? Sometimes you can use that kind of thing to your advantage (http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2004/10/04) .

Not that there's anything wrong with that...

Sensei-X

01-24-2006, 09:32 PM

Two things:
1. Something has to be done about that stupid name
2. Not overly impressed so far.

Sure the name is kinda lame, but it's not like Resident Evil, Devil May Cry, Arc the Lad or Front Mission (to name a few) were any better and yet people seemed to look past the non-sensical names.

Grifter

01-24-2006, 09:50 PM

the quality of alot of those pics suck. The game does look a bit better in motion
here are a few links to some gameply vids BlimBlim made for Xboxyde. Keep in mind also that Blim does not speak or read Japanese so it's kind of a guessing game when it come to figuring out what to do.

first 10 min. video (http://www.xboxyde.com/news_2483_en.html)

seconed 10 min. video (http://www.xboxyde.com/news_2484_en.html)

Third 10 min. video (http://www.xboxyde.com/news_2491_en.html)

Ice Queen Battle and cut scene (http://www.xboxyde.com/news_2488_en.html)

Enjoy

Spigot

01-24-2006, 09:56 PM

It's no fad. I've been playing them since...the NES days? Oh, FF7 popularized the genre for stupid reasons (graphics--even though, yes, FF7 was the shit) but I don't see the interest dying off anytime soon. If it does and less games are released over here--like if the PS3 is anything like the current Xbox or Gamecube in terms of RPG starvation--I'll probably lose a lot of interest in videogaming. Hey, maybe that's exactly what I need to break my frigging addiction to gaming and shake this monkey from my back.
I doubt the PS3 would be like the current Xbox/Cube when it comes to RPG's. At least, not if the PS2 is any indication. I would almost go so far as to say that there is a glut of JRPG's out right now. It used to be that ANY RPG released on a console was to be picked up on sight. Now there are so many out (at least on the PS2) of such varying quality that you can spend half a year just playing the AAA titles, a la FF or DQ and then you have your quirkier or just plain bad RPG's.

I apologize for the horrid parsing of my thoughts. Crappy day at work + tiredness = incoherent Spig.

As for this game, I think it looks neat. It does kind of remind me of Magna Carta though, for some reason. I get that kind of vibe from it. Magna Carta blew my socks off when I saw the trailer. Then I rented it and it just blew.

Ah well. I don't even have a 360 so I'm in no rush.

As for the stupid name, I thought I saw something on one of the preview sites or maybe in the translation from the Japanese that said why it was called thusly. Something to do with an in-game organization, much akin to the group that Squall was part of in FF8.

Rirath

01-24-2006, 10:04 PM

Some of EA just, in general, hates JRPGs. Who knows why, who cares.
Myself, I'm happily playing DQ8 and waiting for Grandia III.

...And Kingdom Hearts 2.

mister_slim

01-24-2006, 10:09 PM

There's temendous Japanese development support for 360, the greatest of which is of course Mistwalker. Hironobu Sakaguchi, Nabuo Uemetsu, and Akira Toriyama, the superstar team that brought Chrono Trigger reuniting only for Xbox.
Hmm... Where's Yuji Horii, Yasunori Mitsuda, and Masato Kato?

ElectricMonk

01-24-2006, 10:16 PM

the name sounds like some guy's cs clan + name.

i hope the game is stellar though, could always use more stellar games to play

edit: now that i've looked at it a bit more I really like the look of the game. Not the best texturing or the most detailed models but something about it looks very emotive. Reminds me of the game omnikron. An odd lack of npc characters in the screenshots though, is this an early test build or something?

Banacek

01-24-2006, 10:21 PM

Well.. who knows. Remember that RPGs weren't particularly popular in the Pre-FF7 days. Sony in fact had a BAN on Japanese companies putting out RPGs in the US for the PS1.

The ultra-shitty Beyond The Beyond and the very enjoyable Suikoden disagree with you... :)

Achilles

01-24-2006, 11:02 PM

The ultra-shitty Beyond The Beyond and the very enjoyable Suikoden disagree with you... :)Did Wild Arms come out before FF7? That was a pretty good RPG for PS1. It wasn't FF7, but that's only because its combat was clunky.

I'd suggest that it could be that a bunch of good RPGs didn't start coming out for PS1 till after FF7 because it takes a long time to make an RPG, so usually the really good ones don't start coming out till a year or two after the console ships. They also didn't want people doing 2d games for their system at first, which was a mistake since it was pretty bad at 3d, but great at 2d (not as good as the Saturn, but what can ya do).

Balthasar

01-24-2006, 11:09 PM

Balthasar

01-24-2006, 11:12 PM

Did Wild Arms come out before FF7? That was a pretty good RPG for PS1. It wasn't FF7, but that's only because its combat was clunky.
Yes, but I think Xenogears may have been made before FF7 as well. My memory is escaping me. As for Wild Arms, it wasn't anywhere near as good as FF7. The plot was pretty weak in comparison (and in general). I'm pretty sure I hated that game at points and was glad to be done with it when I beat it (after FF7).

Achilles

01-24-2006, 11:30 PM

Yes, but I think Xenogears may have been made before FF7 as well. My memory is escaping me. As for Wild Arms, it wasn't anywhere near as good as FF7. The plot was pretty weak in comparison (and in general). I'm pretty sure I hated that game at points and was glad to be done with it when I beat it (after FF7).Wild Arms had more going on with the dungeon map, like the ability to push blocks, run and jump. The scope of the game, and the storyline was much smaller, and the pacing was a lot slower. No enemies hitting you with the sun in this game. But overall I liked the world and the basic premise that all these towns needed these Arms Hunters to protect them, but they were too scared to treat them well or accept them into their society.

Never beat the game or played the sequels though. If they'd fixed the clunky combat the game wouldn't have been so much of a chore to play that I put it down. Thinking about it, I'll easily concede that FF7 was a far better game.

Somefool

01-25-2006, 12:13 AM

Wild Arms came before FFVII which came before Xenogears. This is true of the Japanese release dates and the American release dates.

I'm iffy on this Enchant Arm game because for me the developers, From Software, have an iffy track record- lots of their games feel kinda half-assed, or are terribly short (or both). Of course, they could make it up to me by releasing Metalwolf Chaos in America- it's a giant robot destucto-fest where you play as the President of the U.S.A. An apparently insane President- watch this video and listen to his dialogue.

http://media.xbox.ign.com/media/683/683311/vids_2.html - Click the top right video, the one labled "Introduction (10/03/2004)"

mister_slim

01-25-2006, 01:32 AM

Of course, they could make it up to me by releasing Metalwolf Chaos in America- it's a giant robot destucto-fest where you play as the President of the U.S.A. An apparently insane President- watch this video and listen to his dialogue.

http://media.xbox.ign.com/media/683/683311/vids_2.html - Click the top right video, the one labled "Introduction (10/03/2004)"
I remember playing the demo for that... It was truly insane. They should have brought it to the US.

That reminds me of the Futurama episode where Richard Nixon's Head acquires a giant mech body. I should pull those DVD's out of storage.