Sunday, September 16, 2007

Tokyo Game Show

Tokyo, Japan—Flanked by a who's who of Japanese gaming luminaries and video game development legends, Takashi Sensui , general manager of the Home and Entertainment Division at Microsoft Co. Ltd., took the stage at the Yebisu Garden Hall during Xbox 360 Briefing 2007 to announce support from some of Japan's most renowned game developers and unveil an unparalleled lineup of holiday blockbuster hits and exclusives for Xbox 360™.

Take to the skies in Ace Combat 6.

Take to the skies in Ace Combat 6.

Two of Japan's most celebrated game developers, Tomonobu Itagaki from Team NINJA/ Tecmo Ltd.and Hironobu Sakaguchi from Mistwalker, joined Sensui onstage to announce their support for the Xbox 360 platform. Itagaki highlighted the announcement that Team NINJA will develop NINJA GAIDEN® 2, the true sequel to the best-selling and critically acclaimed Xbox® original, exclusively for Xbox 360.

Sakaguchi revealed pricing and availability for Mistwalker's upcoming role-playing game (RPG) Lost Odyssey™, available December 6, 2007, in Japan, and around the world in early 2008. In addition, representatives from SQUARE ENIX took the stage to discuss two new games for Xbox 360: INFINITE UNDISCOVERY™ and THE LAST REMNANT™ .

Japanese Developers Embrace Xbox 360
NINJA GAIDEN 2 is the long-awaited sequel to the platinum-selling Xbox original, where you once again assume the role of Ryu Hayabusa as you guide the ninja hero on a quest to avenge his clan and prevent the destruction of the human race. Team NINJA's announcement that NINJA GAIDEN 2will be exclusive to Xbox 360 and available worldwide in 2008 provides plenty of reason for excitement, and serves as yet another example of the blockbuster games being created by Japanese developers exclusively for the platform.

Lost Odyssey lands in Japan in December.

Lost Odyssey lands in Japan in December.

Xbox 360 owners in Japan will be the first to experience the magical world of Lost Odyssey, created by Mistwalker/feelplus Inc., and featuring a beautifully told story by Hironobu Sakaguchi, creator of the Final Fantasy video game franchise. Available December 6, 2007, in Japan, January 2008 in Asia, and February 2008 in North America and Europe, Lost Odyssey headlines a lineup of games by Japanese developers for Xbox 360 owners around the world this holiday, including:

  • Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation (NAMCO BANDAI Games): Zoom up to the sky and into the heat of realistic air combat with next-generation audio and visual effects and online multiplayer action. Available this holiday, only on Xbox 360.
  • Beautiful Katamari (NAMCO BANDAI Games): Marking the debut of Namco's beloved ball-rolling puzzle game on a next-generation platform, the fourth installment of the Katamari series features levels of quirkiness, cosmic animations and musical stylings never seen before. Available in October.
  • Lost Odyssey (Microsoft Game Studios/Mistwalker/feelplus Inc.): Famed game producer Hironobu Sakaguchi leads a staff of gaming masters to bring a truly next-generation role-playing experience to Xbox 360 in Lost Odyssey. Experience a dramatic story of massive scale that features breathtaking visuals and an epic adventure made possible only by the power of Xbox 360. Available December 6, 2007, in Japan, and worldwide in 2008, only on Xbox 360.

Infinite Undiscovery is an epic RPG.

Infinite Undiscovery is an epic RPG.

Plus:

Last Remnant was another big show announcement.

Last Remnant was another big show announcement.

This incredible lineup joins many other amazing games from developers around the globe that will be available this holiday in Japan and around the world, including the following:

  • Assassin's Creed (Ubisoft Entertainment): Assassin's Creed™ is the next-generation game developed by Ubisoft that merges technology, game design, theme and emotions into a world where you assume the role of the main character, Altair, and have the power to throw your immediate environment into chaos and experience the art of a master assassin. Available this November.
  • Halo 3 (Microsoft Game Studios/Bungie Studios): In Halo® 3, the third installment of the landmark Halo trilogy and hugely anticipated sequel to the critically acclaimed Halo 2, take on the role of Master Chief and experience Master Chief's greatest battle as he launches an epic mission to stop the Covenant, destroy the impending Flood threat, and ultimately save mankind. In this third chapter of the Halo trilogy, Master Chief returns to face his greatest challenge as he readies himself for the final battle and seals his place in history. A hero must rise. Believe. Available worldwide, with availability in the United States on September 25 and Japan on September 27, only on Xbox 360.
  • Kingdom Under Fire: Circle of Doom (Microsoft/Blueside Inc.). Six heroes from the Kingdom Under Fire universe fight their way through the Dark Dimension against hordes of demented monsters in a twisted action-RPG exclusive to Xbox 360. Coming this winter, KUF:COD features seamless four-player co-op via Xbox LIVE®, randomly generated maps, and nearly infinite weapons combos with unique abilities, enhancements, and magical powers to learn and master.
  • Project Gotham Racing 4 (Microsoft Game Studios/Bizarre Creations Ltd.): Project Gotham Racing® 4redefines the acclaimed PGR franchise by delivering a unique, exciting racing experience complete with dynamic weather and iconic cars and motorcycles. Available this October, only on Xbox 360.
  • Viva Piñata: Party Animals (Microsoft Game Studios/Krome Studios Pty. Ltd.): An exciting new party game based on the critically acclaimed Xbox 360 exclusive and hit animated TV series, Viva Piñata™: Party Animals brings back the familiar piñata characters and invites you to compete in more than 40 mini-games against friends at home or over Xbox LIVE. Available this holiday season, only on Xbox 360.

"Gamers around the world can look forward to the gr eatest holiday lineup in video game history," said Don Mattrick, senior vice president of the Interactive Entertainment Business in the Entertainment and Devices Division at Microsoft Corp. "We continue to evolve our strong relationships with Japan's best and most innovative developers, and we're looking forward to delivering exclusive high-definition titles for consumers worldwide, this year and beyond."

Rez is a legendary action shooter.

Rez is a legendary action shooter.

Xbox LIVE Arcade
Japanese developers have long embraced and championed Xbox LIVE Arcade, with hits including PAC-MAN Championship Edition (NAMCO BANDAI Games), Bomberman Live (Hudson Entertainment), Frogger (Konami) and Fatal Fury Special (SNK PLAYMORE Corp.). Several new titles from these and other Japanese developers will be added to the diverse portfolio of digitally distributed, high-definition original and classic games currently available on Xbox LIVE Arcade, including the following:

  • Every Extend Extra Extreme(Q Entertainment): The latest creation from Q Entertainment, Every Extend Extra Extreme, or E4, is a unique action-packed shooter where the goal is to perfectly time your self-destruction to create chain reactions that explode surrounding enemies. With outrageous visuals and the ability to play your own favorite music, E4 puts a new twist on puzzle shooter games.
  • EXIT (Taito): An addictive, frenzied puzzle game, EXIT use your decision-making skills and wits to escape numerous obstacles, while rescuing people from more than 100 different emergencies. Save as many lives as possible while finding the fastest way out when EXIT arrives on Xbox LIVE Arcade by the end of the year.
  • Ikaruga (Treasure Co. Ltd.): Ikarugais a quick-paced shooter with strong strategy elements featuring a slow-motion training mode and co-op play for two. Available soon for download from Xbox LIVE Arcade, Ikaruga is the perfect combination of beautiful, manga-style storytelling and refined, ultra-challenging arcade heroics.
  • OMEGA FIVE (Hudson Entertainment): OMEGA FIVE is a next-generation, high-definition shooter with awe-inspiring graphics. Players fly through dangerous 3-D environments in this side-scroller and try to avoid the enemies that come at them from all sides, even from behind.
  • Rez (Q Entertainment): Rez , the legendary action-shooter created by Tetsuya Mizuguchi, is coming to Xbox LIVE Arcade. A fast-moving, wire-frame adventure backed by industrial beats, the story of Rez takes you deep into the world's computer network, where you must hack the system, altering the visual output and even taking over the music, creating your own rhythms and eye candy as you dig deeper into the dreamlike cyberworld.
  • Triggerheart Exelica (Warashi):A shoot 'em-up game where you battle against hordes of enemy ships, Triggerheart Exelica dynamically adjusts the difficulty to match your skill level. Triggerheart Exelica launches on Xbox LIVE Arcade this year.

Other exciting Xbox LIVE Arcade games available in the coming months include these:

  • Braid (Number None Inc.): Arriving in early 2008 on Xbox LIVE Arcade, Braid is a platformer/puzzle game. Journey across seven worlds to rescue a princess—in each world, time behaves in its own peculiar way. Cleverly manipulate the flow of time to solve puzzles. Braid aims to provide a mind-expanding, filler-free experience.
  • Castlecrashers (The Behemoth): Arriving in early 2008 on Xbox LIVE Arcade, Castlecrashers is the second title currently in development by award-winning independent developer the Behemoth. The four-player RPG adventure lets you hack, slash, and smash your way to victory. Castlecrashers delivers unique high-resolution illustrated visuals, including memorably hand-drawn characters that are cute and menacing at the same time. Play with up to three friends locally or over Xbox LIVE and discover mind-boggling magic and mystery in the amazing world of Castlecrashers.
  • Schizoid (Torpex Games LLC):Schizoid, from independent studio Torpex Games, is the first Xbox LIVE Arcade game to be created with XNA™ Game Studio. Debuting on Xbox LIVE Arcade later this year, Schizoid is an action-packed game focused on co-op gameplay where you smash barrages of glowing enemies while cooperating closely to protect each other.

Bringing It Home on Marketplace
Once again, Microsoft will bring the Tokyo Game Show experience into living rooms worldwide as it offers its "TGS Bring It Home" programming, delivering hours of coverage from the press briefing, all the best highlights from the show floor, interviews with developers, gameplay videos, exclusive cinematic trailers, and a variety of Xbox 360 content to download over Xbox LIVE Marketplace, beginning September 13, 2007.


-Xbox.com
Posted by Burter at 8:12 AM

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