Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King
Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King can now be pre-loaded in the North American 3DS eShop, requiring 24,413 blocks of free space on your 3DS (around 3051.625 MB). The game launches on January 20.
You can also find some preview gameplay footage below.
Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker 3 Professional
Square Enix has released another batch of details and screenshots on Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker 3 Professional. The new information and screenshots pertain to the Super Life Fusion Modified feature and the new monsters debuting in the game.
Here’s the informatoin roundup, thanks to Gematsu:
Super Life Fusion Modified
– The feature debuted in Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker 3, but in this version it has been enhanced to allow monsters to unleash more power than ever before.
– It’s now called Super Life Fusion Modified.
– The greatest feature of this fusion system is that the monsters born through it can reach a maximum level of 120.
– With things like the increased number of skills monsters are able to learn, it’s no exaggeration to say that it is the strongest method of fusion.
– As you progress through the story, Super Life Fusion will evolve into Super Life Fusion Modified, which sees the rise of various capabilities.
– The maximum cost to learn special traits also rises, but it will increase your variety of tactics as well.
Monsters
– Darck: monster famously known as a collector. It grasps its shining jewel tightly when you ride it.
– AsuraZoma: serious Zoma who has mastered the power of darkness. It triumphs in both physical attacks and magic.
– Semergias: monster famously known as the most evil and a god of battle. It unleashes strong physical attacks using the weapons in both of its hands.
– LordDraco: dragon beside himself in anger. It’s a brutal dragon who packs a punch when you ride it.
– Baboon beast: four-eyed monster with the personality of a king drifting about him. It never separates from his throne.
You can find the related screenshots in the gallery below.
Dragon Quest
NHK recently held a 30th anniversary program where Dragon Quest was featured.
In it, the series’ character designer Akira Toriyama (also the creator of Dragon Ball) shared a special message where he reflected on originally getting the job, working on the series in general, and on the upcoming Dragon Quest XI.
Crunchyroll has now translated Toriyama’s message in full, which you can read below.
Hello, this is Akira Toriyama.
I’m terribly sorry that I can’t appear in person, because public exposure is NG (no good) for me.It was very easy to convince me to take on the job of character designer for Dragon Quest.
“What the heck is a role-playing game?”, I thought.
That was the sort of time it was.Really, if I had known that it would still be going on after 30 years,
I don’t think I would have taken the job!
Honestly, if I had known how long it would last, I would have politely declined.
I’m not good at doing the same thing over and over again.Designing characters for Dragon Quest
is fun but difficult work.
Nowadays, there are a lot of people working on the series,
and all of the ones responsible for designing characters are good and serious people,
so I don’t have to do as many designs.
I’m personally not terribly interested in designing wholesome characters,
so I don’t have many variations to offer.Also, because the series is a fantasy, there is a certain established time period and setting
that you can’t remove for your design work.
Every time we return to that period, it gets harder and harder,
and it becomes a situation where we have to use every trick in the book.To have such a highly specific design setting limits your artistic options,
and since I like to create fanciful designs every once in a while,
I created tons of designs that were rejected,
back in the old days, but I got to paint countless small-fry monsters
which is what I love to do do,
And sometimes I get nostalgic for that.But don’t worry.
I’ve undertaken this work with the full principle of my being,
and so this time with Dragon Quest 11,
I’m also endeavoring to design with all of my might.It will be a little while still before it’s ready to be released into the world,
But please look forward to it.Akira Toriyama.
The television program itself also gave a look at some scrapped enemy designs Toriyama drew up. They are as follows:
– Arthur Sion / Arthursion
– Hentekorino (Henteko means weird in Japanese)
– Lizardman
– Halloweenman
– Boss #2
Finally, give them a look in the following gallery:
Monster Hunter Generations
Capcom has now released the final round of free DLC for Monster Hunter Generations.
This final pack doesn’t feature any new costumes, but brings a host of challenges for expert players to tackle.
Here’s the full list of DLC:
Regular Quests
Quest: Secret Nibelsnarf Hunt
Objective: Hunt a Hyper Nibelsnarf
Quest: Absolute Power
Objective: Hunt a Hyper Tigrex
Quest: Picturesque Encounter
Objective: Hunt a Hyper Zinogre
Quest: How It’s Done
Objective: Hunt a Hyper Agnaktor, a Hyper Lavasioth, and a Hyper Brachydios
Quest: Raging Twins
Objective: Hunt 2 Furious Rajang
Quest: Unbridled Rage
Objective: Hunt 2 Savage Deviljho
Quest: Insanity and Destruction
Objective: Hunt a Savage Deviljho and a Furious Rajang
Quest: The Best of the Best
Objective: Hunt a Nargacuga, a Tigrex, a Silver Rathalos, a Gold Rathian and a Zinogre
Quest: The Greatest Hunter
Objective: Hunt a Rathalos, a Zinogre, a Brachydios, and a Savage Deviljho
Quest: The Five Kings of Destruction
Objective: Hunt a Hyper Gammoth, a Hyper Astalos, a Hyper Mizutsune, a Hyper Glavenus, and a Hyper Deviljho
Quest: Silver and Gold
Objective: Hunt a Hyper Silver Rathalos and a Hyper Gold Rathian
Quest: The White God Returns
Objective: Slay an Ukanlos
Quest: Harbinger of Death
Objective: Slay a Nakarkos
Arena Challenges
Quest: Event: Endurance Quest 4
Objective: Slay a Gammoth, a Mizutsune, a Glavenus, and an Astalos
Quest: Event: Endurance Quest 5
Objective: (Prowler) Slay a Velocidrome, an Arzuros, and a Yian Kut-Ku
Extras
15 Guild Card Titles
1 Guild Card Background
Harvest Moon
Harvest Moon is currently celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, and in an annual note from Natsume president Hiro Maekawa, it was teased that “a few surprises” are in store to celebrate the event.
Maekawa also mentions that Harvest Moon: Skytree Village performed “extremely well” on 3DS from a physical and digital sales standpoint.
River City: Tokyo Rumble also came out on the portable last year, and Maekawa says “Fans have been extremely appreciative to us for bringing back this cult classic, and hopefully we will be able to do more in the future”.
You can check out Maekawa’s full message over here on Natsume’s Facebook page.
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night
A new short video of Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night has been prepared by the developers, showing off a new village area. Players will be passing through it on the way to the castle entrance, according to creator Koji Igarashi.
Igarashi wrotes in a new Kickstarter update:
“As you can tell from the video, the village is red, which has nothing to do with Christmas! During the eruption of the Laki volcanic fissure in 1783 and 1784, “the afternoon sky was dark as night and red as blood,” according to a contemporary saying from Hampshire, England. So we tried to express that in the afternoon scene you see here.
Building your visuals from a piece of historical data makes the world more realistic. (The internet is so useful!) The village is also under the demons’ attack, so of course there will be enemies here. We are also planning to put a shop here to support the player, and you’ll find Johannes, who we introduced previously, here too.
In addition to Johannes…Oh, we can’t quite tell you yet, but you’ll hear more about them in our later updates. Please look forward to it.”
You can take a look at the mentioned video below.
Muramasa: The Demon Blade
Muramasa: The Demon Blade was one of Wii’s cult classics. The action game possessed a unique style and striking visuals, while being heavily based in Japanese mythology.
Glixel recently talked with Muramasa’s creator, George Kamitani, as part of an interview opportunity, where they asked him about what inspired the title. He explained:
“I had consecutively done fantasy titles so I wanted to do something different. The concept for Muramasa: The Demon Blade came from the idea of presenting a ‘ninja Princess Crown’ concept to the person who created the arcade game Ninja Princess at Sega. The story for Odin Sphere was inspired by Shakespearean theatre so if I was going to make a Japanese version, I felt that the setting should be inspired by kabuki, so I collected a lot of kabuki scripts. I also referenced a lot of Japanese classical literature, but the old language was very difficult. And I was somewhat nervous to use Japanese mythology, so there’s more Buddhist theology in the game.
Visually, I was influenced by block prints from the Edo period, and I imitated the ink-wash painting style using bright, vibrant colors. I was also influenced by the classic Manga Nippon Mukashi Banashi anime where there’s a certain comical element to the background. I tried to create an authentic environment that’s different from a realistic style.”
If you would like to check out the rest of the interview, which touches on other Vanillaware titles and their focus on 2D over 3D, you can do so over here.
Playtonic
Playtonic has once again added two new staffers to its team who had a long history with Rare. Andy Wilson is joining the team as producer, and Gary Richards will be a part of the design team (presumably both for Yooka-Laylee, since it’s the studio’s main project now).
Wilson was a tester on Diddy Kong Racing and lead tester on Banjo-Kazooie. He eventually became a part of the design team on Donkey Kong 64, and also worked on Banjo-Tooie and Conker’s Bad Fur Day, among other well known titles.
Richards led the way on Donkey Kong Land 3, and was also the head of the handheld department at Rare. He was the lead designer on all portable titles, such as Conker’s Pocket Tales, Sabre Wulf, Banjo Pilot and Viva Piñata: Pocket Paradise.
Constructor HD
System 3 developed and released Constructor back in 1997, 20 years ago, but the game is now receiving an HD remake, which is confirmed for Switch as well as other platforms. On Nintendo’s console, it’s due out later this year.
Here’s an overview of the game:
“Constructor sets players as budding property tycoons, who must take on their rivals in the creation of a successful city. This doesn’t just involve the speedy building of homes and businesses, however; players must negotiate the tangled web of Undesirables, a motley collection of reprobates that can be used against them – and by them, against others.
The use of Undesirables forms one of the core gameplay mechanics. Whether employing a group of antagonistic Thugs to terrorize a neighbourhood, sending round a Hippy to squat in opponents’ empty properties, bringing in Mr Fix It to botch their gas supplies or involving the criminal underworld in your enterprises, there are many tools at your disposal to help hinder your fellow players and make their commercial lives a living hell. Facing a protection racket from the mob? Why not send along a group of maniacal Clowns to terrify your enemy into submission!
Development head John Twiddy, renowned programmer of The Last Ninja, Ikari Warriors, Disney’s Aladdin and the original Constructor, along with legends of the original team, Phil Thornton, Dan Malone and Joe Walker, has begun development of Constructor, a reimagining of a classic that inspired games such as The Sims and became one of the biggest games of the ’90s.
Game Features
Amazing, re-imagined graphics created by the original Constructor crew.
All new game view point with larger zoom capabilities and enhanced interface, enabling the player to view and control their burgeoning empire easily.
Re-balanced gameplay to enhance the Constructor gaming experience.
All new game modes.
All new maps.”