Kadokawa Shoten has announced new details regarding Castle Fantasia: Erencia Senki for PlayStation 2. Originally released by Studio ego for the PC platform four and a half years ago, this real-time simulation RPG is the third installment of the Castle Fantasia series. Over years the Northern Empire of Ilumina and the Kingdom of Erencia to the South have had a cool yet cordial relationship, however with the death of Ilumina's emperor times a new era began. After the coronation ceremony of the heiress to the throne, the young imperial princess Serica, general Effenbeit, who had recommened her coronation, immediately orders his armies to invade neighboring Erencia. Iluminan troops occupy the capital of the economically and military weak Erencia and the Erencian king falls in combat. His only surviving son, the kingdom's youngest prince Esmel however recruits a new army, but after only six months the enemy crushes the resistance forces and Erencia becomes a part of the Iluminan Empire. Since the foreign invaders have managed to keep the casualties among the civilian population low, the occupation forces are aceepted as the country's new rulers. Eight years after these events a young man named Vaiser Ritter returns to his home country Erencia after the son of Erencia's consul had to stay in exil for years. After meeting Gyle, commander of the world's most powerful mercanary force, Vaiser despite his young age manages to become the mercanaries' second-in-command. Following Gyle's death, Vaiser returns home to his now occupied home country. The game's heroines include Lapis Foltouna, a childhood friend of the protagonist, daughter of an officer with the old Erencian court and member of the resistance, the street performer Lee Minghua, Tellu Kurie, a 20-year old, who after witnessing the killing of her mother eight years ago did only grow mentally, but not physically, the maid Chai Ka, Nagare Kashima, an old acquaintance of Vaiser's, the Ilumian general and powerful magic user Kriemhild Craiand, empress Serica and the military commander Levian Folms.

The game's new version will feature additional characters and scenarioes as well as controls optimized for the PlayStation 2's controllers.

Castle Fantasia: Erencia Senki for PlayStation 2 will be released sometime this winter.

• GameWatch