Day four: A sequel, a suggestive acronym, and a game that may never leave this yearly feature.
Note: Titles are listed in no particular order.
As my fellow RPGfanatic Dave Yeager wrote, Obsidian is a developer known for great highs and disappointing lows, which makes me cautiously optimistic about their upcoming South Park RPG. Who doesn't love the idea a Mario & Luigi-inspired romp through our favorite Colorado town, full of the same kind of pop culture jabs, social barbs, and toilet humor we've all come to know and love/hate over the past decade and change? Obsidian has had plenty of time to work on this one, and with the show's primary creators heavily involved in development and writing, the pieces are all set for a great adventure, so let's keep our fingers crossed that this one doesn't have anyone saying, "We're soorrrrrrry" come next year.
Writeup by Stephen Meyerink
Eerily similar to the first game's release, Xillia 2 will finally be coming stateside two years after its original release in Japan. Players who were worried about the first one ever making it overseas would have been hard-pressed to believe that they would ever receive the second outing in the same fashion. The new game takes place a year after the events of Tales of Xillia, and in it, we're introduced to a new protagonist while also encountering familiar faces, both friend and foe. Tales of Xillia 2 reunites players with the same absurdly fun combat system from the first game, while tightening and strengthening anything that would leave it lacking. Sporting improved graphics, gameplay, and a great soundtrack by Tales series regular Motoi Sakuraba, Tales of Xillia 2 may be even better than the first.
Writeup by Brian Tomlinson
Supergiant Games made one hell of a debut with 2011's Bastion. Transistor looks to keep that level of quality coming from this new studio. Red, a young singer who seems to have lost her voice, comes across a sentient sword called the Transistor. Not too much is known about the plot other than that Red is on the run from The Process in some futuristic city. The combat looks to be a fun take on the action RPG, as you plan your attacks first then watch them play out at super speed. Supergiant Games seems poised to blow our minds once again.
Writeup by Zackery Parkerson
It feels like it's been forever since we last heard from spunky Bracer Estelle Bright and her eclectic group of friends. Trails in the Sky FC (First Chapter) released in North America back in 2011, and the game's cliffhanger ending has made the wait for SC almost unbearable. We're elated that XSEED and Carpe Fulgur are working together to get this sequel published at last. Based on Carpe Fulgur's previous localization work on games like Recettear, we know the script is being handled with the care it deserves. Perhaps more amazing is XSEED's commitment to releasing the game on PSP (digitally) as per their original announcement, in addition to a high-resolution Steam version. It's only a matter of months until we can immerse ourselves back into the engaging narrative and tactical combat of Trails in the Sky.
Writeup by Derek Heemsbergen
Adventure games are awesome, and few people know how to slap them together like Tim Schafer and the lovely folks at Double Fine (in fact, probably only Roberta Williams and Jane Jensen could give them a run for their money, but I digress). Billed as "the most successful Kickstarter in history," the first half of the game formerly known as "Double Fine Adventure" will finally see its release this month, and I couldn't be more excited. Fans have been kept abreast of practically every element of the development of this game, and with its slick art design and solid pedigree, it sure looks to be a crowd-pleaser. Adventure gaming fans would do well to watch this one, because it could be the start of a fantastic 2014 for the venerable genre.
Writeup by Stephen Meyerink
Final Fantasy Type-0 was a fantastic game, and one of its strengths was its diverse cast of characters and luscious world, so the chance to return in this upcoming follow-up is one that I'm jumping at. While I confess I'm not normally a fan of mobile titles, the care with which Square Enix handled Deus Ex: The Fall makes me confident this should be a worthwhile RPG experience, as well as a great introduction to Orience for the newcomer. Plus, it allows us to keep alive our hope that we'll see a Type-0 localization or HD port this year! It could happen!
Writeup by Stephen Meyerink
As my fellow RPGfanatic Dave Yeager wrote, Obsidian is a developer known for great highs and disappointing lows, which makes me cautiously optimistic about their upcoming South Park RPG. Who doesn't love the idea a Mario & Luigi-inspired romp through our favorite Colorado town, full of the same kind of pop culture jabs, social barbs, and toilet humor we've all come to know and love/hate over the past decade and change? Obsidian has had plenty of time to work on this one, and with the show's primary creators heavily involved in development and writing, the pieces are all set for a great adventure, so let's keep our fingers crossed that this one doesn't have anyone saying, "We're soorrrrrrry" come next year.
