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| Liz Maas |
Brought to you by Vanillaware and Marvelous Entertainment.
03.30.11 - 6:45 PM
Grand Knights History is a fantasy RPG and the first developed title from Vanillaware (Odin Sphere, Princess Crown, Muramasa: The Demon Blade) for the PlayStation Portable. It is also the first turn-based RPG from the developer. Just announced yesterday, the title will be published by Marvelous Entertainment for release this summer in Japan.
The game takes place in Rystia and focuses on three kingdoms: Logress is an ancient kingdom set in the mountains once ruled by a tyrant until the current King Fausel led a revolt, which seems to have caused all three kingdoms to go into war. The kingdom of knights is Union, run by both King Leon and (either Empress or Princess) Sephia. Union's people follow a doctrine which believes the kingdom to have been saved long ago by a female warrior. Finally, Queen Muse rules the kingdom of magic, Avalon, which is set inside a forest and whose people descend from the sorceress Teresia. Avalon's people also feel a close connection to nature.
Your playable characters are a band of knights who are very much customizable everywhere from gender and voice to looks, and you even pick which kingdom you will fight for. Grand Knights History uses a turn-based battle system with 'royal rules' set in place, and you'll prepare your band in town before heading out and fighting monsters. In any case, you'll also have the support and guidance of the character Lisha. Although screens show enemies to be on one side of the screen and your characters on the other, you'll be able to move around the battlefield, it seems.
There was also mention made of network play which so far seems to be online-only, and not ad-hoc. Vanillaware claims that the game will be able to support an 'infinite' number of players. You will apparently not be teaming up with friends nor playing solo, but fighting as a part of the war, with other players in other kingdoms of course.
Grand Knights History has been in development for about two years. Its producer will be Yoshifumi Hashimoto from Marvelous, with Tomohiko Deguchi from Vanillaware as director, and Hitoshi Sakimoto is the composer.
Grand Knights History is 70% complete and will be released in Japan sometime this summer for 5229 yen ($62.95 US). Famitsu's screens are below; you can also find the artwork here.
