Title: Away Shuffle Dungeon
Genre: Action RPG
System: Nintendo DS
Publisher: AQ Interactive (Japan), Majesco (US)
Release Date: 16 Oct 2008 (Japan), 21 Oct 2008 (US)
Price: 4800yen
http://www.aqi.co.jp/product/away/pc/
The official site for the game is formally open and looks like it'll be getting quite a bit of updating and solid news so I'm not going to post the scans here. Basically here's what we know about the game:
Story
- In the village of Web there is a curse called "Away" that spirits away a villager mysteriously once a year
- This has been going on for a hundred years
- The main character, Sword, is a young man who loves adventure and creating music with self-made instruments, at 15 he is shipwrecked on the island Web is in
- Two years later it seems he is destined to be struck by "Away", but his girlfriend at the village saves him and is taken away instead
- Sword ventures out to find beams of light all over the island that lead to mysterious Shuffle Dungeons where he finds spirited away villagers and brings them back
Gameplay
- Top-down 2D in dungeons, third person 3D outside of dungeons
- The game is played like a typical Zelda game in dungeons (except there are levels and exp)
- Both screens are used for a single dungeon room
- A timer is always counting down on one screen and at the end of that the contents of that screen will be randomized (shuffed)
- You proceed to the bottom of each dungeon to rescue villagers that then tag along behind you until you get back to the surface
- Along the way mysterious blobs also spawn and tag behind you, they provide aid in offense spells or healing
- When you rescue villagers back to Web, they repopulate the town and expand it making more shops, events and clues available and moving the plot forward
The people behind it
- The scenario and game concept is by Sakaguchi from Mistwalker
- The character and monster designs are all by Oshima at Artoon, of Sonic and Nights fame
- The main theme that is heard on the site is composed by Uematsu
There is also a video on the site that shows gameplay in dungeons, I suggest everyone check it out!
Edit: Thanks jarrod, here's the US PR for the game from Majesco:
Genre: Action RPG
System: Nintendo DS
Publisher: AQ Interactive (Japan), Majesco (US)
Release Date: 16 Oct 2008 (Japan), 21 Oct 2008 (US)
Price: 4800yen
http://www.aqi.co.jp/product/away/pc/
The official site for the game is formally open and looks like it'll be getting quite a bit of updating and solid news so I'm not going to post the scans here. Basically here's what we know about the game:
Story
- In the village of Web there is a curse called "Away" that spirits away a villager mysteriously once a year
- This has been going on for a hundred years
- The main character, Sword, is a young man who loves adventure and creating music with self-made instruments, at 15 he is shipwrecked on the island Web is in
- Two years later it seems he is destined to be struck by "Away", but his girlfriend at the village saves him and is taken away instead
- Sword ventures out to find beams of light all over the island that lead to mysterious Shuffle Dungeons where he finds spirited away villagers and brings them back
Gameplay
- Top-down 2D in dungeons, third person 3D outside of dungeons
- The game is played like a typical Zelda game in dungeons (except there are levels and exp)
- Both screens are used for a single dungeon room
- A timer is always counting down on one screen and at the end of that the contents of that screen will be randomized (shuffed)
- You proceed to the bottom of each dungeon to rescue villagers that then tag along behind you until you get back to the surface
- Along the way mysterious blobs also spawn and tag behind you, they provide aid in offense spells or healing
- When you rescue villagers back to Web, they repopulate the town and expand it making more shops, events and clues available and moving the plot forward
The people behind it
- The scenario and game concept is by Sakaguchi from Mistwalker
- The character and monster designs are all by Oshima at Artoon, of Sonic and Nights fame
- The main theme that is heard on the site is composed by Uematsu
There is also a video on the site that shows gameplay in dungeons, I suggest everyone check it out!
Edit: Thanks jarrod, here's the US PR for the game from Majesco:
Majesco Entertainment Company (NASDAQ: COOL), an innovative provider of video games for the mass market, in partnership with leading developers Mistwalker and AQ Interactive, today announced premier RPG AWAY Shuffle Dungeon for Nintendo DS. Players take control of the young hero Sword, the sole resident left of the once booming Webb Village, who must rescue as many kidnapped townsfolk as possible from a mysterious unknown that has been slowly spiriting them away. AWAY Shuffle Dungeon includes creative contributions from renowned industry visionaries: RPG creator Hironobu Sakaguchi, character designer Naoto Oshima and composer Nobuo Uematsu.
We are very excited to be working with the collective creative talent of Hironobu Sakaguchi, Naoto Oshima and Nobuo Uematsu, said Jesse Sutton, Chief Executive Officer, Majesco. Their experience creating high quality, best-selling games means that AWAY will be well-positioned for success when it hits retail this fall.
In AWAY Shuffle Dungeon, an unknown force has stripped Webb Village of its residents, and now the sole heroic survivor, Sword, must rescue the stolen villagers from the ominous dungeons as he strives to expose and defeat the mysterious thief. Sword must first collect and use various objects including musical instruments to reveal the secret dungeons where prisoners are being held. But successfully saving them is another challenge altogether given a unique timed shuffle mechanic that reconfigures the dungeon prisons and hurts Sword and any survivors still caught within when the time runs out. Saved villagers will lend assistance to Swords quest, as will the magical Fupongs and dungeon treasure he finds that lets him shop in the village specialty stores for armor, weapons, health, medical aid and more.
AWAY Shuffle Dungeon allows players to navigate in both the 2D Shuffle Dungeons and the 3D Webb Village, and features voice-over cinematics that breathe life into the characters in this extraordinary mystery.
AWAY Shuffle Dungeon for Nintendo DS is expected to release this fall. For additional information about Majescos exciting line of products, please visit www.majescoentertainment.com.
About Majesco Entertainment Company
Majesco Entertainment Company is a provider of video games for the mass market. Building on 20 years of operating history, the company is focused on developing and publishing a wide range of casual and family oriented video games on leading console and portable systems. Product highlights include Nancy Drew, Cooking Mama and Cake Mania® 2 for Nintendo DS and Cooking Mama: Cook Off for the Wii system. The companys shares are traded on the Nasdaq Stock Market under the symbol: COOL. Majesco is headquartered in Edison, NJ and has an international office in Bristol, UK. More information about Majesco can be found online at www.majescoentertainment.com.
Publisher: Majesco Entertainment
Developer: Mistwalker / AQ Interactive
Platform: Nintendo DS
Genre: RPG
Release Date: October 2008
Price / Rating: TBA / RP
Story:
For over 100 years the people of Webb village have been mysteriously disappearing one by one. Two years ago, a young man named Sword came to the village looking to settle down. Noticing the lack of people and occasional disappearances, he grew curious about their cause. He also befriended Anella, a kind girl who loves hearing stories of Swords past. Suddenly, the mysterious unknown came and took all of the remaining villagers except for Sword because the brave Anella sacrificed herself to save him. As Sword, you must right this wrong and save as many missing villagers as you can.
Overview:
With an unknown evil spiriting away all of the villages people, Sword must bring them home safely and unravel the mystery of AWAY. Use various items to reveal entrances to unknown dungeons where the villagers are being held. Rescue them and repopulate the town by using your new friends to assist you in your quest.
Features:
Includes creative contributions from renowned industry visionaries: RPG creator Hironobu Sakaguchi, character designer Naoto Oshima and composer Nobuo Uematsu
Timed Shuffle Dungeon mechanic puts pressure on you to choose what is worth taking or leaving before the dungeon reconfigures and damages you and any accompanying survivors.
Collect Fupongs in the Dungeons to harness their unique magic: Fire Fupong has a Flare spell; Ice Fupong has a Frosty spell; and Lightning Fupong has a Rumbly spell. Store up to 6 Fupongs to use in battle and store even more with the Fupong Pod!
Travel between the 2D Shuffle Dungeons and the 3D Webb Village
Return villagers to their homes and shops so they can assist you in your adventure
Collect gold from treasure chests and use them to shop in specialty stores:
o General Store: A little pricey, but this place has everything. This is the first store you can reopen.
o Weapon Store: Buy/Sell basic weapons that can be brought to the Blacksmith for upgrades.
o Armor Store: Buy/Sell basic armor that can be brought to the Blacksmith for upgrades.
o Blacksmith: Bring your weapons and armor in for upgrades.
o Doctor: Buy various potions and remedies to help you on your adventure.
o Restaurant: Stop in and buy food to replenish some of your health.
o Fortune Teller: Drop in for some hints to help you find your way.
Find musical instruments and other items that allow you to enter the Shuffle Dungeons and save the missing villagers.
Voice Over cinematics bring the characters to life in this intense mystery
Play cooperatively with a friend to defeat multiple bosses in 2 player Raid Battle Mode. Includes special multiplayer only weapons and armor that can then be used in single player mode.