Hero’s Saga Laevatein Tactics in stores

Aksys Games has released Hero’s Saga Laevatein Tactics at retailers nationwide today. Hero’s Saga Laevatein is billed as a hardcore strategy role-playing game featuring story-driven gameplay, over 120 playable characters, and twenty-three different character classes to choose from. As tends to be the case with tactical strategy role-playing games, a war rages between two nations and one hero will be the difference between utter defeat and glorious victory.

Players command forces using one of several formations, each with its own strengths and weaknesses on the battlefield. Players will also have to collect The Einherjar, legendary Vaettir Arms (180+ Arms to find) scattered throughout the game, that supposedly strike fear into the hearts of enemies. The game also promises ad-hoc wireless connectivity to trade items, rent out your heroes to aid friends, or multiplayer combat to take friends out; and a class system that is based on what equipment you use.

Hero’s Saga Laevatein Tactics has been rated “T” for Teen by the ESRB. For more information about Aksys Games and Hero’s Saga Laevatein Tactics, visit href=”http://www.aksysgames.com”>www.aksysgames.com.

Record of Agarest War coming to PSN

Aksys Games is bringing what it calls “its first epic SRPG for PlayStation Network” sometime soon. The game is called Record of Agarest War and it is being developed by Compiled Heart, RED Entertainment, and Idea Factory.

There’s some interesting features in this game like the Soul Breed System, that lets you take a bride at the end of your adventure and give birth to the hero of the next generation - your offspring. How this will work in terms of transferring the power you’ve earned and the weapons you have collected we do not know yet. Another feature is Collaborative Attacks, which allow you to position your forces on the battlefield and wait for the right moment to string together massive combo attacks using multiple party members•

Finally, there’s Link Gauge, which tracks your actions in the game world and alters the future world based on how you play. We’ve certainly heard this promise before with games like Fable, so we’re hoping that this system REALLY alters the game world in important and significant ways. More details about the game are to be announced, as well as a release date.

Record of Agarest, which promises over 100 hours of gameplay, not including side/bonus missions is a PSN exclusive.

Phantom Brave: We Meet Again in stores

NIS America’s Phantom Brave: We Meet Again has been shipped to retailers nationwide. Phantom Brave is Nippon Ichi Software’s first Wii title incorporating a free roaming style battle system and an anime influenced character design and story. If you have never played an NIS game before (where have you been?) Phantom Brave is a turn based strategy RPG that incorporates unique battle styles and a hardcore character customization system.

 Players can create units from a number of monster/ghost categories and power them up to their liking. Like the Disgaea series, Phantom Brave is designed for the hardcore RPG fan in mind, offering a skill and RPG system that lets you create characters capable of doing massive amounts of damage using a combination of unique skills and high levels and the game’s oddball mechanics.

Look for the game in stores now.

Phantom Brave: We Meet Again coming August 11

Phantom Brave: We Meet Again will be released on August 11th, says NIS America. The reboot of this odd, wonderful strategy JRPG will come packaged with a digital art disc containing more than 30 artwork files, 100 character illustrations, 60 background artwork, and more. Phantom Brave: We Meet Again features improved graphics over the original PS2 version of the game, English/Japanese dual voice over, four all new chapters, extra items and skills, as well as a new character named Carona.

In case you’re unfamiliar with Phantom Brave, the game is a turn-based strategy RPG that incorporates hardcore character customization system and unit creation from long list of monster/ghost categories. There are two main phases to Phantom Brave’s battle system: Confine and Battle. Carona, the protagonist of this game, can summon ghosts and monsters as battle units to fight for her but she must “confine” these souls in to objects on the battlefield like rocks, plants, and items. Depending on what object you use as the host, the stats of the units you summon will greatly differ. Some units become stronger when confined to certain objects, so knowing your spirits’ characteristics becomes a very important strategic element.

Look for Phantom Brave: We Meet Again in a few weeks.

Mega Man Star Force 3 double shot hits retail

Capcom has released Mega Man Star Force 3 for Nintendo DS to North American retailers in two formats. Mega Man Star Force 3 comes in two different versions, Black Ace and Red Joker, allowing players to share unique items and powers via the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection.

As in the previous Mega Man Star Force games, Mega Man Star Force 3 blends action and role-playing game by combining combat with a strategic battle system that uses battle cards to change Mega Man’s powers. New to  are Noise Changes, random enhancements that change Mega Man’s form and unlock new abilities.

The two versions of  the game, Black Ace and Red Joker, each have over 100 unique Noise Types that can be combined with Mega Man to unlock elemental powers based on earth, air, water and fire.

Mega Man Star Force 3 is rated E for Everyone by the Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB) and carries a suggested retail price of $29.99. Look for both games in stores beginning today. Find out more about Mega Man Star Force 3 by visiting capcom.com.

Sword of the Stars: Argos Naval Yard released

Paradox Interactive today released the new Sword of the Stars: Argos Naval Yard expansion pack. The new expansion pack to the 4X space strategy game series Sword of the Stars is available on the four major digital download portals including GamersGate, Impulse, Steam and Direct2Drive (for a SRP of €7.49, $8.99 and £6.99). Argos Naval Yard is an expansion to Sword of the Stars and requires previously released expansions or Sword of the Stars Ultimate Collection.

Argos Naval Yard will provide players with 19 new technologies, including Advanced Drones, Overthrusters, two new Satellite designs, defensive Interceptor micro-missiles, Polarized Plasmatics, over 75 new ship sections to build 10 new weapons (including the new inertial cannons, Kelvinic torpedoes, and the Rail Cannon), 3 new scenarios and new single and multiplayer co-op scenario maps.

Phantom Brave We Meet Again Announced

NIS America announced that it plans to bring the popular Phantom Brave game, originally released on the PS2, to the Wii in June of this year. It’s no Soul Nomad, NIS, but it’s a start.. In case you don’t know, Phantom Brave is an open world turn-based role-playing strategy game that was originally released on the PS2 in 2004.

Phantom Brave lands on a new console with added features and extra chapter stories including all that was available in the original PS2 game. The Wii game will have all new chapters that further evolve the storyline, improved graphics, a redesigned user interface, new items, new characters and brand new skills. What is not clear is whether or not the game will simply use the Wii Remote as a gamepad or if the game will support function they system’s motion sensing technology. Honestly, I think it’s doubtful that a whole new control scheme has been implemented to support the Wii, but we’ll ask NIS for a bit of clarification on that.

More info on Phantom Brave: We Meet Again when we have it.