09-05-2007, 04:00 PM
The RPG library on the Wii has been very thin thus far (typical for a Nintendo console it seems), so RPG fans should be excited to hear that Odin Sphere developer Vanillaware is working on another 2D action RPG, this time for the Wii:
Quote:
Independent Japanese development house Vanillaware made waves amongst 2D fans earlier this year with Odin Sphere, a spiritual followup to Princess Crown. Following its PS2 debut, the studio is teaming up with Marvelous Entertainment to bring the Wii a rare 2D treat of its own.
First revealed on the pages of this week's Famitsu is Oboro Muramasa Youtouden, a new 2D title being directed by Jouji Kamitani and produced by Yoshifumi Hashimoto. The name may be super Japanese (wait until you see the kanji!) but it all translates to an action RPG with swords and shurikens.
In Youtouden, you take control of Kisuke and Princess Momo in a quest to recover a legendary sword. The two must face off against rival samurai as well as more mythical creatures such as fairies and one-eyed giants.
The game promises high-speed ninja action that anyone can play thanks to the Wiimote. We don't have specifics, but the game will feature a combination of button and waggle-based gameplay, allowing players to take part in non-stop battles that will remind some of playing sword fighter as a child (sword fighter is presumably the Japanese equivalent of cops and robbers).
Players will be able to actually select the type of control. One mode of play promises simple, speedy action. The other, designed for game fanatics, promises extreme action and precise controls. While Famitsu doesn't state for sure, we presume that one scheme is waggle based while the other places the focus on buttons.
Rest assured, Vanillaware hasn't gone to the dark side and hired 3D artists just yet. Youtouden offers 2D visuals that look to be at least as rich as those of Odin Sphere. The style is a bit different from that title, thanks to the focus on Japanese themes and settings. As with Odin Sphere, the game zooms in and out of the action when appropriate.
Youtouden is currently 30% complete and is without a release date. Join us in praying for a playable showing at the Tokyo Game Show.
First revealed on the pages of this week's Famitsu is Oboro Muramasa Youtouden, a new 2D title being directed by Jouji Kamitani and produced by Yoshifumi Hashimoto. The name may be super Japanese (wait until you see the kanji!) but it all translates to an action RPG with swords and shurikens.
In Youtouden, you take control of Kisuke and Princess Momo in a quest to recover a legendary sword. The two must face off against rival samurai as well as more mythical creatures such as fairies and one-eyed giants.
The game promises high-speed ninja action that anyone can play thanks to the Wiimote. We don't have specifics, but the game will feature a combination of button and waggle-based gameplay, allowing players to take part in non-stop battles that will remind some of playing sword fighter as a child (sword fighter is presumably the Japanese equivalent of cops and robbers).
Players will be able to actually select the type of control. One mode of play promises simple, speedy action. The other, designed for game fanatics, promises extreme action and precise controls. While Famitsu doesn't state for sure, we presume that one scheme is waggle based while the other places the focus on buttons.
Rest assured, Vanillaware hasn't gone to the dark side and hired 3D artists just yet. Youtouden offers 2D visuals that look to be at least as rich as those of Odin Sphere. The style is a bit different from that title, thanks to the focus on Japanese themes and settings. As with Odin Sphere, the game zooms in and out of the action when appropriate.
Youtouden is currently 30% complete and is without a release date. Join us in praying for a playable showing at the Tokyo Game Show.
Source
If you're wondering about all the talk about Odin Sphere it is a PS2 game released a few months ago by Vanillaware that was praised for its gorgeous 2D graphics and also earned critical acclaim for its gameplay receiving scores of 8.8/10 from IGN, 9/10 from EGM, 8.5/10 from 1UP, 4.25/5 from GamePro, and 8.5/10 from GameInformer.