Watch List: Dragon Quest IX

Every Friday, I look at one of the games on the Watch List, the list of games that you should be keeping your eye on for news and reviews.

Name: Dragon Quest IX

Format: Nintendo DS

Website: Official site (Japanese)

What is it?

Yes, you read that right. A main game in one of the biggest selling franchises in Japan heads to the Nintendo DS! This news created a few shockwaves around the blogosphere and did initially alienate a few gamers in Japan. However, this game is highly anticipated and the cel shaded graphics look good. Also, this is another collaboration between Square-Enix and Level 5, the second after the critically acclaimed Dragon Quest VIII. The game is action based but quite how Japan will react is open to debate as they tend to prefer their turn based affairs. Here's a trailer to tease:

This week's UK releases (2nd to 9th June)

Every Thursday, I report on what is being released this week on all consoles. Releases are subject to last minute delays and changes.

XBOX 360
Forza Motorsport 2
Wartech Senko No Ronde

WII
Mercury Meltdown Revolution
Pangya Golf

PLAYSTATION 2
Great Battles of Rome
Operation Air Assault 2
Raw Danger (very remote possibility)

PC GAMES
Great Battles of Rome
Halo 2
Hospital Tycoon
Marvel Trading Game
Operation Air Assault 2
The Sims 2 H&M Stuff

DS
Brothers In Arms
TrionCube

PSP
Marvel Trading Game
Spectral Vs Generation
StateShift
Tony Hawks Project 8

Taken from Eurogamer forums

Most Wanted: Jeanne D'Arc

Every Tuesday, I look at a game on my Most Wanted list and discuss why I want it so much as well as some details from the game.

Name: Jeanne D'Arc

Release Date: August 2007 (America), unlikely for European release

Format: PSP

Developer: Level 5

Websites

Official Japanese site
Official US site

What is it?

A strategy RPG loosely based on the story of Joan of Arc (otherwise known as Jeanne D'Arc) and her struggles against the English occupation of France

Why is it on the list?

The PSP had been getting a lot of flak for just having ports of games but this is one of the many unique games for the Playstation Portable that are around. The graphics look good and despite it's distance from reality (dragons?!) the game is certainly interesting. The nice anime style graphics will appeal to Disgaea fans while they wait eagerly for the PSP version to come out. This game is already out in Japan but is getting some good press in the US.

Despite the European ties, this game doesn't look likely to come into Europe. If the situation changes, well all the better.

"Fight for France!"

Fighting, Manga style!

A huge majority of people reading this may not have heard of Shot-Online (a free to play Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game or MMORPG), but I used to be an avid player of the game. At the time, to me, it was the best (swingometer) golf game outside of Everybody's Golf. In the end, interest waned as well as the growing number of problems the company experienced with the game itself started to mount. *

This hasn't stopped SO makers GamesCampus from moving on to other games. They started up Xiah which I couldn't get to work well graphically and duly lost interest. Since the last time I visited, they have announced 2 more games. One of these is Fishing Champ, where you catch and breed fish. The game is still in development though and probably not worth too much hassle.

On the other hand, Manga Fighter is a different kettle of fish (sorry) altogether. It's basically a 3rd person shooter. You go round shooting people. With Manga characters.

Personally, it looks crazy, but I'm actually thinking this might be a good game. They have a trailer up and the game is in closed beta at the moment but it looks good, if not complex (but then again, I love simple games). Keep an eye out on it. Could be a different take on the genre.

* I still have the game installed though. My name is HiddenAway in the game so if you play it and want a match, just e-mail me (address on the right) and I'll try to find some time to come online.

Last week (28th May to 3rd June)

Well, not much again. I wasn't feeling like the blogging type this week so I took the rest of the week off while I got back to normal.

I finally got back on Thursday with the newest releases before I found a strange looking game for the Wii called Pollen Sonata. It certainly looked good, but is it just a LocoRoco clone?

I'm off again this week but it looks like I'll have some decent Internet service so I quickly wrote up what I should have written on Friday. A look at It's A Wonderful Life, the graffiti artist's dream game