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Forums - Sony - 3D Dot Game Heroes - A New RPG by From Software

makingmusic476 on 19 August 2009

 

3D Dot Game Heroes is a unique JRPG for the ps3 from From Software and Silicon Software that harkens back to the days of 2D Zelda, Final Fantasy, and Dragon Quest.  It takes the sprites of old, and translates them into 3D.  It has a rather interesting look.  Check out the official website to get a taste of the music.  It's reminiscent of old Zelda and Final Fnatasy tunes.  I'm half expecting them to do a horribly translation when (if?) they bring this to the West, just for nostalgic purposes. Find out more below.

From IGN:

3D Dot Game Heroes is set in the Kingdom of Dotnia. This world was once made up of 2D sprite art like something out of an old school game. However, wanting to attract more people to the kingdom, the king decided to use technology to make everything 3D. This is where something goes horribly wrong, although just what that is has yet to be specified.

From Andriasang:

3D Dot Game Heroes' background story starts off in the Kingdom of Dotnia, a world not unlike a 2D 16-bit era sprite-based RPG. Long ago, the Kingdom was protected by six wise men and six orbs which contained the power of the gods. However, the Dark Demon King, seeking their power, stole the orbs and captured the wise men. Demons began to flood the Kingdom, whose end was thought to be near. But it was at that time that a young warrior appeared from seemingly nowhere, saved the wise men and returned the orbs to their rightful place. Following a great battle, the warrior and the wise men combined the orbs into one and sealed the Demon King away.

The Kingdom prospered for some time after that. However, as time passed, and the story of the young warrior became a legend, visitors stopped coming to the Kingdom. It was then that the King made the decision: "From now on, it will be the 3D era." Under orders from the King, the Kingdom was changed from 2D to 3D, and began progressing towards a restoration of past grandeur. But just as people began to get used to their new life, something happened.

What that "something" is has yet to be detailed by From. It does appear to be a pretty big happening, though, as your goal in the game is to save the world. To do this, you'll have to go about the Kingdom and gather the ancient orbs.

You play as the grandchild of the young warrior of legend, the only person in the Kingdom who can wield a sword of legend. Incidentally, your character doesn't have a name -- you're free to set it at the start of the game.

While your character is nameless, 3D Dot Game Heroes does have a full cast of characters. In addition to King Dotnia, there's also Princess Iris, who, upon learning of the dangers to the Kingdom, left the castle on her own and is now missing. Also introduced in Famitsu is the Dark Priest, the official Priest of the Kingdom who's been possessed by evil and has hidden the orbs that sealed away the Demon King.

All the characters in 3D Dot Game Heroes look like sprites brought into the third dimension. This includes enemies and bosses. Screens in Famitsu show the main character facing off against giant golems and fire breathing dragons. The only time when the game appears to break from its sprite theme is in the fire effects, which look like actual fire effects.

Just how you'll go about fighting all the foes is a bit of a mystery right now. Famitsu says that the game offers a simple control scheme which allows you to defeat enemies by simply swinging your sword. Once you've defeated an enemy, it explodes as a mass of blocks.

3D Dot Game Heroes is being developed by Silicon Studio, the developer of June's Onore no Shinzuru Michi wo Yuke. According to Famitsu, the studio also does middleware development for consoles, perhaps explaining why 3D Dot Game Heroes looks so great.

The wait to play 3D Dot Game Heroes won't be long. From Software plans a release in November. The game is currently 80% complete.

Here are some screens.  Right click the images and click "View Image" to see them in full resolution.

Here are the initial scans revealing the game:







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Seraphic_Sixaxis on 19 August 2009

...From...Software...?



Xxain on 19 August 2009

MM u ass :)



Seraphic_Sixaxis on 19 August 2009

These guys really should become 1st party to sony, they'd do a great job.

But this one... seems... er... ART STYLE!!!



badgenome on 19 August 2009

Posted before, but it still looks mind-blowingly great to me. They tend to get their games localized over here, so I am hopeful!



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Xxain on 19 August 2009
Seraphic_Sixaxis said:
These guys really should become 1st party to sony, they'd do a great job.

But this one... seems... er... ART STYLE!!!

we were just talkin bout that..i think that surprise by from SONY article awhile ago was to buy FS...all FS current titles are exclusive to SONY consoles

Seraphic_Sixaxis on 19 August 2009
Xxain said:
Seraphic_Sixaxis said:
These guys really should become 1st party to sony, they'd do a great job.

But this one... seems... er... ART STYLE!!!

we were just talkin bout that..i think that surprise by from SONY article awhile ago was to buy FS...all FS current titles are exclusive to SONY consoles

Ha, that'd be something else, i mean just think of From Software making a game with Team ICO... son of a... the game would be wonderful!

But the only thing that makes me iffy on the subject of From becoming Sony-tized is the fact they made that friggen ninja blade game for 360...

Other then that most have been for PS3..

Then again there is AC4 and AC: 4A but no one games a flying #$% about those games so meh.



CDiablo on 19 August 2009

Ive never seen a good game from FROM software.



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makingmusic476 on 19 August 2009

I love to see Sony buy From Software, because I think it could really benefit the company. I mean, just look at the changes Guerrilla underwent after acquisition. Hell, just look at Demon's Souls. It's the best game From has released in years, and it was a direct result of their relationship with Sony.

If Sony bought From Software, it would first help their basic game design with Sony producers at the helm (look at Demon's Souls, for example), and it wold help their games on the technical side of things, as they'd be integrated into the forum of Sony's first party studios, which means they'd be sharing tips with Polyphony, Naughty Dog, Sony Santa Monica, and Guerrilla Games. Improvements on the technical end of things are the one thing Demon's Souls still needed, imo. The physics are laughable and the framerate dips hard and often.

From Software going first party would give them the means to fully realize the great ideas they have, much like how Guerrilla was able to execute Killzone 2 so superbly compared to their past titles. The concepts are their, much like thy were present in Killzone 1, but they jsut have trouble capitalizing on these ideas. If they went first party, Demon's Souls and Armored Core would be much better off for it.

Of course, this is just a dream. I doubt Sony would buy From Soft, simply because their IPs are too niche, not too mention outside of Demon's Souls, Sony and From's relationship is almost non-existant. But I do think that with a little bit of polish, the Armored Core series in particular could start selling over 500k with each iteration.



Spedfrom on 19 August 2009

A RPG with that art style? Colour me interested.