Crispy Gamer News

I may be a sinner, but at least I never made the Baby Jesus cry. 

- Fable 2 lead designer, Richard Ham, has left the Lionhead building, on the hunt for greener pastures at Splash Damage, according to Develop. There he will take on the role of creative director. Splash Damage is best known for creating Activision’s Enemy Territory: Quake Wars. Ham will begin work on an as-of-yet unannounced title for Splash Damage. If he was looking for a change of pace from working on such games as The Movies and Fable 2, he’s picked the right studio to join.

- NCsoft Entertainment is the latest publisher to step away from the Entertainment Software Association. In published reports the MMO maker and operator said that it was not leaving the trade group because of financial reasons and that it may return into the sheltering arms of the ESA at a later date.

- Two new titles will hit Xbox Live Arcade this Wednesday: Namco Bandai Games’ PowerUp Forever and Q Entertainment’s Meteos Wars (800 MS Points each). Powerup Forever is an action shooter with “endless levels that extend for infinity,” while Meteos Wars is a puzzler where players arrange colored blocks to ignite and demolish falling Meteos on 20 different planets. Clear your dance cards, kids.

(more…)

Natsume’s Rune Factory 2: A Fantasy Harvest Moon for the DS has shipped to retail this week. The Rune Factory series combines the gameplay of Harvest Moon with the fantasy trappings of an action-RPG.

Rune Factory 2 is set several years after the first game after the evil Sechs Empire has been defeated, and the Kingdom of Norad is once again at peace. Things won’t stay that way for long, however, as strange disturbances in the earth warn that a new evil is stirring. It’s up to player to uncover this new threat to the land and bring peace to the kingdom once more. Over the course of the story, players will build and develop a farm, befriend townspeople, raise monsters, take on quests, and find a wife.

In a first for the Rune Factory series, the story of Rune Factory 2 is multigenerational. Players begin the game as Kyle, a strange man who comes to Alvarna Village. Eventually, players will take on the role of Kyle’s child, opening up a whole new adventure.

Rune Factory 2 is rated E for Everyone by the ESRB.

Natsume’s Harvest Moon: Island of Happiness for the Nintendo DS has shipped, marking the company’s ten year commemorative anniversary celebration for the popular Harvest Moon series. Harvest Moon: Island of Happiness is rated E for Everyone by the ESRB and will retail for $29.99.

Billed as the largest DS game in the series’ history, Harvest Moon: Island of Happiness takes place on a a deserted island you inexplicably find yourself shipwrecked on. What’s a castaway to do but get to work.. And work you shall - by harvesting crops, raising animals, and mining for precious gems - and in the process help grow the island’s township.

As the town grows, you will come across lot of different people, businesses, and eligible bachelors and bachelorettes that you can marry. Players can also test their farming skills against each other and compete for prizes via the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection.

Of course, instead of doing some virtual hard work, you could just get off your dead ass and do some yard work or something..

Natsume’s latest Harvest Moon game, Harvest Moon: Island of Happiness for the Nintendo DS, has gone to gold and will ship on August 26 in the United States. The launch of Harvest Moon: Island of Happiness will also mark the ten-year anniversary of the series with retail promotions that include special collectible pre-order items, a 10th anniversary DS Lite Kit, strategy guides and more.

Natsume says that this game is the largest ever for the DS offering players of this RPG sim game even more love, life, work and play. Players start of the game with an abandoned farm which they must make productive again using a handful of starter seeds to get things rolling. Players will also have to bring life to the island where the game stars by doing a myriad of activities like mining for gems, raising animals, harvest crops and more. Players can take on the role of a male or a female, and choose who they want to fall in love and start a family with. Gamers can also test their farming skills against each other and compete for prizes via the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection.

This game may carry a veneer of cuteness but it sure sounds like work to me. But if you love work without actually doing any work, you can pick up the game for a mere $29.99 when it ships.

Omega Five is now available for 800 Microsoft Points via Xbox Live Arcade today. Published by Hudson and developed by Natsume, the game is a side-scrolling shooter featuring a 3-D environment set in a fictional future world.

Omega Five‘’s claim to fame, according to Hudson is that it introduces truly hardcore action never seen before on the platform, while providing visually stunning imagery that pushes the limits for a digital download game that is less than 50 megabytes.

According to the PR, the game offers multiple playable characters, upgradeable weapons, 360-degree shooting and local coop. You can buy the full version of Omega Five or try out the trial version by logging on XBLA today. The game is rated E 10+ (Fantasy Violence, Mild Suggestive Themes) by the ESRB.

Gamerpics featuring characters from the game are also available for those inclined to buy them.

Hudson Entertainment announced today that it’’s finally getting around to releasing Omega Five for Xbox Live Arcade next Wednesday for 800 Microsoft Points. Developed by Natsume, the game is an entirely new original side-scrolling shooter set amongst a futuristic 3-D environment, and is one of the more eagerly anticipated titles to come to the Xbox Live Arcade.

Taking place in a far-flung future, Omega Five delivers hardcore action set in multiple 3-D environments. The game makes liberal use of special effects and enormous battles, all in true hi-def splendor. Omega Five is distinct in that players can choose from multiple humanoid characters, each with their own unique special attacks and upgradeable weapons, which they can shoot in 360 degrees. Omega Five also includes a local co-op function so a friend can join in on the aerial mayhem.