Ys 8 is on PS4 and Vita.
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Tokyo Xanadu (Falcom) coming in 2015
- Thread starter Takao
- Start date
Ys 8 is on PS4 and Vita.
Fine Ham Abounds
Member
Sounds right up my alley.
Dragoon En Regalia
Member
In Xanadu did Toshihiro Kondo
An urban-fantasy ARPG decree...
Thread's got everything: hype, Duckroll-type deflation, whining about a Tokyo setting...I'm just enamored with any hint of more games like Xanadu Next or Ys. Hopefully a PC port is in the works now that Western sales data's reached investors.
An urban-fantasy ARPG decree...
Thread's got everything: hype, Duckroll-type deflation, whining about a Tokyo setting...I'm just enamored with any hint of more games like Xanadu Next or Ys. Hopefully a PC port is in the works now that Western sales data's reached investors.
Xanadu Next is the best choice if you need to play a Xanadu game. And some would say it's the best choice out of all the recent Dragon Slayer titles, not counting Kiseki. Revival Xanadu's another possibility, being a minor remake of the 1985 original with some QoL improvements.
One in Osaka, another in Sapporo, maybe a spinoff at Okinawa or Sasebo?
Mauricio_Magus
Banned
WHAT
WHAT
WHAT
ASKLDJASKLDHJASKLDJAKLSDJAYYYYYYYYYYYYESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
WHAT
WHAT
ASKLDJASKLDHJASKLDJAKLSDJAYYYYYYYYYYYYESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
Omg no way
Mauricio_Magus
Banned
Millsington
Member
First I've heard of this series. Is there any chance of an official version in English? Looks like the older games were not localized but Ys is so maybe there's a chance?
Dragoon En Regalia
Member
Xanadu was released in 1985, followed by Revival Xanadu, Xanadu Next, and Tokyo Xanadu 10 years apart from each other. Now to wait for whatever new premise Falcom's going to use in 2025.
Almost the series' 30th anniversary!
Almost the series' 30th anniversary!
giga-ganon
Banned
Awesome! Hope that xseed will translate it!
Dragoon En Regalia
Member
It might not fit into XSEED's schedule to release this and Xanadu Next next year, but the latter alone would more than suffice. Game would sell quite well on Steam and GOG.
not psycho
Member
Fine Ham Abounds
Member
holy shit and stuff, learn something new every day
Super excited to see a post apocalyptic Falcom title, pls come to PC.
Wow, it was great, then it hit 60 seconds and my ears were in heaven.
Out of all those the only one I played was the Hudson made Faxanadu, which I loved. That's a game I wish could somehow get redone in 3D with an updated sountrack, it deserves better than being hidden away on the NES
Wow, it was great, then it hit 60 seconds and my ears were in heaven.
Out of all those the only one I played was the Hudson made Faxanadu, which I loved. That's a game I wish could somehow get redone in 3D with an updated sountrack, it deserves better than being hidden away on the NES
thesaucetastic
Unconfirmed Member
I want this.
It's too bad Falcom is apparently no longer interested in PC development(?), because they've really made a fan out of me with their Ys games. I hope the success they've had in the Western market makes them reconsider...
It's too bad Falcom is apparently no longer interested in PC development(?), because they've really made a fan out of me with their Ys games. I hope the success they've had in the Western market makes them reconsider...
What's that "jk" doing there? Get that outta here!
Yeah, it pretty much is.
Since people are asking about it, and since I am SO PSYCHED right now that I really want to talk about Xanadu as much as possible, here's the dilly-o on the series.
- 1984: Dragon Slayer
The original Falcom action RPG. Pretty primitive by today's standards, but cool for the time. Overhead view game where you could only hold one item at a time, and you played "The Entertainer" as you walked for some reason. Through the PC speaker!
This game set several traditions in place for the series, though: Dragon Slayer games always have a sword called the Dragon Slayer somewhere, they almost always have crowns to collect (anyone who's played Legacy of the Wizard on NES, that too was a Dragon Slayer game!). Cool game to play for gaming historians.- 1985: Dragon Slayer II: Xanadu
The game that made Falcom what they are today. Their biggest hit of the '80s in Japan, and the single best-selling Japanese-developed PC game for at least another decade or two, if not to this day. And while it, too, looks pretty dated, once you get into the nitty-gritty of it, it's easy to see why it's so beloved -- the game is kind of like a reverse Zelda 2, with a side-scrolling platformer overworld full of monsters that, when touched, take you to an overhead view battle screen, as well as dungeons that are presented in an overhead view and are very reminiscent of Zelda 1. The battles in this game use the bump combat system that would be seen again in Ys two years later, though they also featured magic that, after being fired, could be directed around the screen independently of your character in order to maneuver around obstacles and such. But you had to be careful, because after killing an enemy, the enemy would drop a treasure chest... and your magic is capable of destroying treasure chests! This game is INSANELY HARD, and full of places where you can get permanently stuck and have to start over from scratch, but it is SO RIDICULOUSLY ADDICTIVE. If you like grinding and exploring, this game is like heaven.
- 1986: Xanadu Scenario II
Basically a remix of Xanadu -- same gameplay, but totally new areas that are MUCH HARDER. Kind of like the Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels of the series.
- 1987: Faxanadu
A Xanadu game sublicensed to and developed by Hudson for the Famicom -- thus the name, which is a portmanteau of "Famicom Xanadu." This came out in English on the NES, and while not technically a Falcom game, it's very much in the spirit of the series, and I've long said that Xanadu Next feels like a spiritual sequel to Faxanadu more than it does an actual sequel to Xanadu. It just has a very similar look and feel, but much more modernized. (Oh, and Faxanadu is a great game, so you should totally play it!)
- 1987: Other Dragon Slayer games that aren't Xanadu
There are a ton of them, but they're not technically Xanadu, so I'm not going to talk about them here. A couple did come out in English, though: the fourth game, Drasle Family, was released in English on NES as Legacy of the Wizard, and the fifth game, Sorcerian, was released in English for DOS by Sierra. Both are exceptionally good games, with Legacy of the Wizard being the most obtuse yet addictive Metroidvania till La-Mulana came along, and Sorcerian being a game Falcom really, really needs to remake or sequelize, because it was SO ahead of its time with its modular quest structure and constant expansion packs that were actually worthwhile.
- 1994: The Legend of Xanadu
This is arguably a different series altogether (or a different subseries of Dragon Slayer, anyway, since this counts as Dragon Slayer VIII), but it still has "Xanadu" in its name, and the original Japanese LE of Xanadu Next came with an emulated version of this game and its sequel, so I think it still counts. This PC-Engine exclusive is kind of like a slightly slower bump system Ys title (with sidescrolling boss stages that play kinda like Ys III), but with some really neat additions that make it entirely unique -- like a day/night system with NPCs that actually have daily routines, and the coolest death system I've ever seen (when you die, you become a ghost and are able to fly through walls and trees and over water, so you can literally fly ANYWHERE just to spy on people and see what awaits you later in the game... though you're supposed to fly back to the church to be resurrected).
- 1995: The Legend of Xanadu II
The PC-Engine sequel to The Legend of Xanadu, and one of the most impressive-looking 16-bit games I've ever seen. This title gives even Chrono Trigger and FF6 a run for its money in terms of sheer detail, really pushing the PC-Engine to its limits. This is an unsung gem of the 16-bit era to be sure, and pretty much everything you could possibly hope for from a mid-'90s JRPG.
- 2005: Xanadu Next
Released in English for the N-Gage (!), though the N-Gage version is severely watered down to the point that you might be better off pretending it doesn't exist.
This is possibly my favorite Falcom game of all time, playing out like a near-perfect 3D Metroidvania with a dark, creepy atmosphere and some really cool gameplay systems. This is actually the game that introduced the weapon system we saw again in Ys Seven, where unique skills are learned from each weapon, which makes finding weapons out in the wild EXTREMELY EXCITING; and it also has a pretty interesting key system, where keys are carved from monster bones, so when you kill monsters, you can steal their bones and sell them to the locksmith in order to increase supply of parts and bring down the cost of keys... or you can use a bone-carving knife and try making your own keys on the spot, except that you risk failing and destroying the bone instead. There's also a lot of backstory in Xanadu Next, all of which is optional: it's learned by finding ancient stone tablets and diary pages, which you can take to a scholar back in town to have them translated for you (in real time) in order to learn tidbits about the world around you (very reminiscent of the way backstory was told in Pandora's Tower). In fact, Pandora's Tower reminded me a lot of Xanadu Next, which may be why I loved Pandora's Tower so much. You can also read about all the games I missed (which are mostly remakes and ports) here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragon_Slayer_II:_Xanadu
SO EXCITE.
Out of all those the only one I played was the Hudson made Faxanadu, which I loved. That's a game I wish could somehow get redone in 3D with an updated sountrack, it deserves better than being hidden away on the NES
That's... essentially what Xanadu Next is, more or less. Which is why I love it so much, and why I am SO EXCITE for Tokyo Xanadu.
-Tom
ChosenPredator
Banned
so for people who don't know what this is? what kind of game is it...a RPG right? but how does it play?
Chaos2Frozen
Member
Quick question- when they say "Action RPG", do they mean Tales? Or Souls? Or something else?
AmethystEnd
Member
Welp. I'm fucking excited.
Think a slower and more strategic Ys. Action RPG the whole way, with a lot of exploration mixed in.
Closer to Souls than Tales, for sure.
-Tom
AntiFacebook
Member
Very disappointing.
Where is the next kiseki?
Where is the next kiseki?
Chaos2Frozen
Member
So just to clarify- it's 3rd person, real time action, with no transition into a separate arena for fights?
Okay, I want in.
Is this a joke post?
If you're actually worried that
We were getting those for like every year for the last four years. They really need to take a break on that.
Besides, the Xanadu games are part of the same "family" of titles. In a way, the franchise is continuing, but with this subseries instead of yet another Kiseki game.
chaosblade
Unconfirmed Member
Neat. If it's not mobile I look forward to XSEED picking it up. No chance of it being a PC game so I guess I'm hoping for PS4/Vita like Ys.
It's probably mobile, isn't it?
Correct on all counts, yes. Third person, 3/4 overhead perspective with a rotatable camera that snaps in 8 directions. Enemies on the maps, along with destructible environmental items like crates, grass, bushes, etc. Almost Zelda-esque in that sense, but with a much darker and moodier atmosphere. The kind of atmosphere you'd expect with music like this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgS2G4nP6FQ
Puzzles, exploration and lots of Metroidvania elements (an item that lets you walk on thin air to cross large gaps, an item that makes invisible staircases appear, etc.), along with some really intense battles and even more intense boss battles (in typical Falcom fashion).
It's ace all around. At least, Xanadu Next is -- and I assume Tokyo Xanadu will be the same, because why the hell wouldn't it be?
-Tom
Doomshroom
Member
Is this related to Faxanadu on Nes?
Chaos2Frozen
Member
Correct on all counts, yes. Third person, 3/4 overhead perspective with a rotatable camera that snaps in 8 directions. Enemies on the maps, along with destructible environmental items like crates, grass, bushes, etc. Almost Zelda-esque in that sense, but with a much darker and moodier atmosphere. The kind of atmosphere you'd expect with music like this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgS2G4nP6FQ
Puzzles, exploration and lots of Metroidvania elements (an item that lets you walk on thin air to cross large gaps, an item that makes invisible staircases appear, etc.), along with some really intense battles and even more intense boss battles (in typical Falcom fashion).
It's ace all around. At least, Xanadu Next is -- and I assume Tokyo Xanadu will be the same, because why the hell wouldn't it be?
-Tom
Done and DONE XD
Warren Ellis
Banned
xanadu next is a great game but some things are really annoying, like having to buy keys and too much backtracking
i would love an english version of legend of xanadu 2
i would love an english version of legend of xanadu 2
Honey Bunny
Member
Incredible
You don't ever have to buy keys again if you buy a bone-carving knife and budget the keys you successfully carve really well.
And backtracking is a staple of Metroidvania-style games. Xanadu Next at least mitigates a lot of it by providing unlockable shortcuts, and giving you items that allow you to warp to and from town at a moment's notice.
-Tom
kallisto76
Member
Awesome news!!! I hope it will be on PS4.
Out of all those the only one I played was the Hudson made Faxanadu, which I loved. That's a game I wish could somehow get redone in 3D with an updated sountrack, it deserves better than being hidden away on the NES
Same here, faxanadu was one of my favorite NES games - it was challenging and took me quite some time to finish (I was very young, of course).
I think it was re-released for Wii VC but not for Wii U unfortunately.
sublimit
Banned
What other game would be a good example of this?
Can't think of any, honestly. Trails in the Sky, maybe? But only in terms of viewpoint -- the characters are all 3D models in Xanadu Next, and the game is an action RPG as opposed to a turn-based one.
Gameplay footage will tell the tale, though: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vef3Pdax-NM
-Tom
giga-ganon
Banned
Correct on all counts, yes. Third person, 3/4 overhead perspective with a rotatable camera that snaps in 8 directions. Enemies on the maps, along with destructible environmental items like crates, grass, bushes, etc. Almost Zelda-esque in that sense, but with a much darker and moodier atmosphere. The kind of atmosphere you'd expect with music like this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgS2G4nP6FQ
Puzzles, exploration and lots of Metroidvania elements (an item that lets you walk on thin air to cross large gaps, an item that makes invisible staircases appear, etc.), along with some really intense battles and even more intense boss battles (in typical Falcom fashion).
It's ace all around. At least, Xanadu Next is -- and I assume Tokyo Xanadu will be the same, because why the hell wouldn't it be?
-Tom
well, that's a lot of games, hope you can translate them all (Ys 8, Xanadu next, Brandish, trails SC and now this one)....
Do we get a new concept that can win against pokemon here? GOTTA TRANSLATE 'EM ALL
It's ace all around. At least, Xanadu Next is -- and I assume Tokyo Xanadu will be the same, because why the hell wouldn't it be?
-Tom
Do you have any idea if this is or not a mobile game?
sublimit
Banned
Ah thanks!
Is the camera movable only on the world map or can we move it inside towns/dungeons?
I really hope you are right.
A good way to look at Xanadu Next is an amalgam of Ys, Zelda, and Diablo, taking various things from each. It's very much its own thing, though.
I'm starting to drool over the thought of playing this again. Hopefully the news of a new game will bring us both!
Psycho_Mantis
Banned
Never heard of this but I know Falcom makes amazing rpgs. Say some gameplay from XN and now I want this.
A dungeon crawler made by Falcom in a modern setting......yesssss give me those PS4 jrpgs Falcom.
Dragoon En Regalia
Member
I wonder if the dragons in this game are Komodo dragons...
Random thing, Wyrdwad: you mentioned KureSoft does the PSP ports of Falcom games, and I realized I already knew a certain Kure Software Koubou. Better yet, there was a Japanese impressions article of some Falcom game penned by Kure Eiji, who runs the studio. I not-so-secretly hope that XSEED will consider localizing one of the First Queen games (you can try a sample of the first game's remake in Java or Flash), or maybe KSK's Western-like RTS Duel Succession.
Random thing, Wyrdwad: you mentioned KureSoft does the PSP ports of Falcom games, and I realized I already knew a certain Kure Software Koubou. Better yet, there was a Japanese impressions article of some Falcom game penned by Kure Eiji, who runs the studio. I not-so-secretly hope that XSEED will consider localizing one of the First Queen games (you can try a sample of the first game's remake in Java or Flash), or maybe KSK's Western-like RTS Duel Succession.
sublimit
Banned
I see thanks!
I seriously doubt it. Falcom themselves have never developed a mobile game -- every mobile game bearing the Falcom name has always been the product of a third-party developer. And with Xanadu being a big-name franchise for Falcom (it's easily the equal of Ys and Legend of Heroes, historically), I can't see any possibility of this being a mobile title. I would be utterly SHOCKED.
There is actually only one hub town in the game, and the camera is NOT movable therein (maybe inside the buildings, I can't recall), but it is almost everywhere else in the game, including inside dungeons. There are set rooms here and there that use dynamic camera angles for effect (like the town), but like, 95% of the game allows you to adjust the camera.
What... is this game? Where did it come from?
You've definitely caught my interest!
-Tom