Nerd News for Your Inner Geek
It looks like Studio Ghibli's collaboration with Level-5, Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch, will finally be hitting American soil this winter. It has been a long wait, and it seems like we'll have to wait some more before we can finally start playing this beautifully-crafted RPG.
Professor Layton, a true English gentleman, renowned archaeologist, and the world's greatest amateur super sleuth, sets out on his most daring adventure yet! A letter from Janice Quatlane, his old student and now a famous opera diva, draws the Professor and his loyal assistant Luke to the legendary Crown Petone Opera House to investigate a mysterious occurrences at the theater. Meanwhile, a rash of disappearances of young school girls hits London... How are these two mysteries related to each other, and to the secret of Eternal Life?!
The DVD will be available next week, and you can purchase it here.
At Level-5's "Vision" event, where the innovative company unveiled a new slate of games, they announced the ambitious project: Ghost Watch ("Yokai Watch"). Ghost Watch is a new anime, manga, and game where the hero stumbles upon a magical Gashapon machine. The young boy then unleashes a friendly ghost who equips him with a special watch that allows him to interact with the spirit world.
As always, the art style is impeccable, and it seems that Level-5 is cultivating a new brand to rival Pokemon. The trailer offers a glimpse into the initiative.
Studio Ghibli and Level-5's Ni no Kuni (The Another World) seems to be shaping up to be a truly special RPG. While the game has a November 17th launch date for Japan, no plans for a Western port have been announced. This extended trailer only makes me more excited for this epic title, and I guess my only options are to hope for a US release or start learning Japanese.
While crossover games that commingle characters from outside their corporate walls have never been foreign territory for Capcom, they recently made an announcement that has me giddy. Capcom and Level-5 announced that they are collaborating to create a new Nintendo 3DS game featuring two of my favorite characters: Professor Layton and Phoenix Wright. I'm a big fan of both of these series, so I can't wait for this title to launch. While the trailer is in Japanese, you can enjoy the amazing visuals and the joy of seeing these two characters on screen together.
Studio Ghibli, the creators of monumental animated classics like "Spirited Away" and "Princess Mononoke" are working with Level 5 (of "Professor Layton" fame) on a new video game called "Ninokuni". Check out this gorgeous trailer for the title which shows off the PS3 gameplay. I get the biggest smile and goosebumps every time I watch it.
