If this rumor is true, Imageepoch seems to be going in a uh... "interesting" direction.
Source: http://www.siliconera.com/2010/08/0...tners-with-imageepoch-to-make-criminal-minds/Siliconera said:Rumor: Nippon Ichi Partners With Imageepoch To Make Criminal Girls
By Spencer . August 3, 2010 . 1:48am
Unconfirmed reports about a Nippon Ichi and Imageepoch partnership are spreading on Japanese message boards. Imageepoch are the developers of the Luminous Arc series and Fate/Extra.
This weeks issue of Dengeki PlayStation has a feature on Criminal Girls, an upcoming PSP RPG developed by the two companies. Rumored details claim the RPG has a top down view with 2D dot graphics. Instead of playing a typical hero, Criminal Girls puts you in the shoes of a prison guard. The goal of the game is to rehabilitate girls trapped in criminal hell.
Criminal Girls sounds quite different from any other Nippon Ichi game to date and were searching for more details. As soon as we have any well post em.
Update: More details about Criminal Girls are leaking out. Brace yourself this is about to get bizarre. The tagline is a girls punishing RPG. Players can punish girls by spanking them, locking them up, and giving healing massages. Hell in this game is an actual place and these punishments are designed to help the girls move back into the real world. The seven girls (Kisaragi, Arisu, and Tomoe were revealed) embody different deadly sins. Kisaragi, for example, represents greed. Arisu is pride.
Source: http://www.andriasang.com/e/blog/2010/08/03/criminal_girls/AndriaSang said:Spank Naughty Girls in Nippon Ichi and Image Epoch's New PSP RPG
What's next from the publisher of Disgaea and the developer of Last Ranker.
Posted Aug 03, 2010 at 17:55, By Anoop Gantayat
The genre for Nippon Ichi and Image Epoch's new PSP title is "RPG Where You Punish Girls." While the new game has 2D sprite visuals and an overhead view, the subject matter seems to be leaning a bit toward the adult side.
Details on the all new Criminal Girls have leaked out from this week's Dengeki PlayStation (thanks for the heads-up, Yuan!). In this unique RPG, you assume the role of guardian to young female criminals who've ended up in hell. You'll need to reform these girls as you lead them to the top of a tower and eventually back into the living world.
How you go about reforming the girls is where the "punish" part of the genre comes into play. You'll apparently be able to physically punish the girls. Screens in the magazine show the option for spanking, for instance. Some of these punishments require the game to use mosaics so that you don't see certain areas.
In an interview, the staff said that the punishment component is a central element to the game. They believe the game's CERO rating won't be too harsh, as all you're doing is punishing the girls.
Outside of the punishment system, the game will also have a battle system of some form. Details will be shared on this system in a future update.
Dengeki introduces three of the seven girls you'll be guiding in the game: Kisaragi (voiced by Tomoko Hasegawa), Arisu (voiced by Ai Matayoshi) and Tomoe (voiced by Yumi Hara). They're each associated with a particular sin.
According to the leaked reports (and just so we're clear, I haven't seen the magazine for myself), Criminal Girls will be released on November 18 in retail and download form.