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Brandish: The Dark Revenant (PSP) to release (hopefully) next month!

Some preliminary details in an XSEED blog post, with shameless Dark Souls mention (seriously, stop comparing games to that).

tumblr_inline_nf06kcpbwR1siwbnr.jpg


I really wish I could communicate through osmosis or something just how awesome this game is, because it’s impossible to do it justice simply by describing it. Suffice it to say, it’s a PSP game (planned for compatibility with Vita and PSTV, but still!) that we’re willing to release in 2014 solely because we really like it, and we really want you guys to be able to experience it.

I’d say if you’re a fan of the Etrian Odyssey series, enjoy the tough but fair difficulty of Dark Souls, or appreciate any of Falcom’s other action RPG offerings, you need to give this game a shot when it releases sometime… next month? (Fingers crossed!)

http://xseedgames.tumblr.com/post/102569128830/brandish-the-dark-revenant-localization-blog-1
 

Eusis

Member
Read the blog post. I address the SNES game specifically.

The PSP game =/= the SNES game.

-Tom
It's one of the few 2D games that was SCREAMING for a full 3D polygonal treatment anyway, so even if it was the same exact game BUT 3D it'd probably be way more enjoyable for most people.

Unless they recreated that sort of janky turning, then... uhh, that'd be admirable in a weird way actually.
 

Voliko

Member
Nice, I was worried that this was going to slip into 2015. Looks great, definitely the game I've been anticipating the most this year. Releasing something like this after almost a decade since the PSP came out in NA, I have to respect XSEED. Can't wait for that Falcom goodness, hopefully in time for Christmas :)
 

Yuterald

Member
Been waiting for this. Going so hard on this game on my Vita TV when it drops. Tom, while you're here, any idea/word if you guys are ever going to release the patch for Ys Celceta to be compatible with Vita TV in NA?
 

wyrdwad

XSEED Localization Specialist
Nice, I was worried that this was going to slip into 2015.

To be clear, it still could! I'm just pretty optimistic about its chances, because our English build is looking really solid right now.

Tom, while you're here, any idea/word if you guys are ever going to release the patch for Ys Celceta to be compatible with Vita TV in NA?

We'd sure like to! But it needs to be adapted from the Japanese for each region, and that's something Falcom would have to take care of. And right now, they're apparently super-de-duper busy, so I have no idea when (or even really if) it'll happen.

We're continuing to push for it, though, so... hopefully?

-Tom
 
Since you're here Tom, I'd like to thank xseed for their amazing localizations and also beg you guys to put everything you can on PC so I can continue to downsample awesome niche Japanese role playing games.
 

Voliko

Member
To be clear, it still could! I'm just pretty optimistic about its chances, because our English build is looking really solid right now.

-Tom

Well now I'm significantly less worried! And that's why I stealth-edited "hopefully in time for Christmas"! Best of luck

Also, Sony may have hindered me from buying it directly on PSP, but they won't stop me from using the work-arounds! Gonna feel nostalgic with a new PSP game on my PSP.
 
We'd sure like to! But it needs to be adapted from the Japanese for each region, and that's something Falcom would have to take care of. And right now, they're apparently super-de-duper busy, so I have no idea when (or even really if) it'll happen.

We're continuing to push for it, though, so... hopefully?

-Tom
Plz be Kiseki. Plz.

OT: Thanks for keeping us up to date Tom!
 

Yuterald

Member
To be clear, it still could! I'm just pretty optimistic about its chances, because our English build is looking really solid right now.



We'd sure like to! But it needs to be adapted from the Japanese for each region, and that's something Falcom would have to take care of. And right now, they're apparently super-de-duper busy, so I have no idea when (or even really if) it'll happen.

We're continuing to push for it, though, so... hopefully?

-Tom

Okay, sounds good. Hope Falcom can make some time for it. Although I understand it's probably at the bottom of their priority list. Please do keep pushing though!
 
I’d say if you’re a fan of the Etrian Odyssey series

Oh Tom, you sure know how to sell a copy to me.

I already played the Japanese version a bit so I know the game is fucking amazing, I can't wait to finally play it in English.

Also, fuck the first post.
 

ToastyFrog

Inexplicable Treasure Hate
Some preliminary details in an XSEED blog post, with shameless Dark Souls mention (seriously, stop comparing games to that).

tumblr_inline_nf06kcpbwR1siwbnr.jpg




http://xseedgames.tumblr.com/post/102569128830/brandish-the-dark-revenant-localization-blog-1

Yeah, I can't really see comparing this game to Dark Souls, but the Etrian Odyssey connection is spot-on. I really liked the PSP remake... enough to play through the import version. Looking forward to having a go at it without needing to stumble through obscure clues in another language.
 

Tizoc

Member
I have only 1 important question:
How big is this game? 100 MB, 700 MB?

Other than that , INJECT IT INTO MY VEINS!
 
Has Brandish been confirmed for us dirty, unworthy europeans ? Looks amazing.
Suffice it to say, it’s a PSP game (planned for compatibility with Vita and PSTV, but still!) that we’re willing to release in 2014 solely because we really like it, and we really want you guys to be able to experience it.
You all have your heart in the right place.
 

jdkluv

Member
Yeah, I can't really see comparing this game to Dark Souls.

Of course you can't, since Dark Souls is poor-man's Brandish. ;)

The Etrian Odyssey-Brandish comparison is totally true, as Brandish was definitely the kind of feel (along with stuff like Wizardry) that the Etrian Odyssey team was going for. Anyone who likes Etrian Odyssey will love this game to death.

I have only 1 important question:
How big is this game? 100 MB, 700 MB?

Can't recall the exact size, but I'm sure the Japanese version is less than 500 MB.

Has Brandish been confirmed for us dirty, unworthy europeans ? Looks amazing.

So far every single Falcom PSP game published by XSEED have been released on the EUR PSN. It's more a matter of *when* rather than *if*.

I just hope it doesn't take too long. For reference, Corpse Party: Book of Shadows was released on the EUR PSN a week after the US release.

Oh, and it looks SO good, and it is so good...
 
This game is going to rock my PS TV. The music in this game is really good and will sound amazing through my receiver's speakers. It also has the option of being able to swap between the Dark Revenant and PC 98 versions. I loved hearing the variations in Ys 1&2 Chronicles and Oath in Felghana. I would never finish an area unless I heard every variation of music first.
 

ys45

Member
YES ! finally I was getting worried on this one .
This is going to be my next portable game if it release next month .

Was listening to Headless yesterday on VGM compilation cd and that reminded me this was coming soon .
 

Voliko

Member
This game is going to rock my PS TV. The music in this game is really good and will sound amazing through my receiver's speakers. It also has the option of being able to swap between the Dark Revenant and PC 98 versions. I loved hearing the variations in Ys 1&2 Chronicles and Oath in Felghana. I would never finish an area unless I heard every variation of music first.
I forgot about the PC98 versions being included, hype increasing. I always like those more than the modern arrangements.
 

wyrdwad

XSEED Localization Specialist
I have only 1 important question:
How big is this game? 100 MB, 700 MB?

Super tiny. Our first English build is right around 250 MB. And that's uncompressed -- when it hits PSN, I wouldn't be surprised if they were able to get it down even smaller.

Has Brandish been confirmed for us dirty, unworthy europeans ?

It hasn't, but as jdkluv said, we've been pretty good about releasing our games in the EU region thus far, so I wouldn't worry too much.

Now I'm curious, what is the difference between the SNES and PSP games?

As Wereroku noted, the visuals and general visual style of the game are far more streamlined and less clunky than in the original, and there's a ton of expanded content. Almost every boss fight is much more varied and engaging now, with newly added forms or attacks that better employ the gameplay knowledge you've learned up to that point; and when you complete the game you unlock Dela Mode, which lets you play as Ares' arch-nemesis Dela Delon through 13 brand new floors with a bunch of new gimmicks and items.

There are also a lot of functional improvements, including a map system that lets you draw your own points of interest and such, and a much more streamlined and easy to use menu system with the ability to assign "hotkeys" for oft-used items.

Oh, and the entire soundtrack has been arranged beautifully, though you can switch to the original PC-98 versions of each track (which are cleaner than the SNES versions) anytime you'd like.

Is it like the Etrian Odyssey games in that it has no story?

Barely any, but what's there is quite good. Brandish is more about atmosphere than story, so a lot of it is less "important plot point happening" and more "let's talk to this person I found living in a cave and see how he wound up in this hellhole... and maybe help him cope with his day-to-day life."

It's a much subtler approach than you usually see in Falcom titles, but it works perfectly in a game like this, which is focused 100% on gameplay and exploration.

is this like Z.H.P. where I keep some stuff permanently or unlock stuff? or full-on rogue-like?

I've never played ZHP, but this isn't really a rogue-like since the dungeon designs are fixed -- there's no randomization here. This is very much a guided experience -- you're exploring dungeons created by Falcom, with devious traps and puzzles that the creators relish in taunting you with. And you keep *everything* permanently -- or at least until it breaks, or is used. The goal of the game is basically to escape the dungeon, so you start from the very, very bottom and work your way up... and anything you find along the way is yours. No items ever get reset or anything.

-Tom
 
Yup, this thread convinced me to get this game. Seems a lot of fun.

Thanks for taking the time to explain it to us Tom, it certainly got me a lot more interested than I was before.
 

wyrdwad

XSEED Localization Specialist
Will it retain the original cover?

Er, it's a digital-only game! But yes, I'm pretty sure the PSN "cover" will be the original one. And even if not, that original art is used as the backdrop for our upcoming Brandish website, so you'll be seeing a lot of it. ;)

-Tom
 

jdkluv

Member
Brandish 2 SNES has one of the best final boss tracks I have ever heard. Talk about getting someone pumped up for combat.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9EXAwW7iBc&index=32&list=PLUDqa6qgNinzaFNmU3A1hHQ4Afo8gFMzM

The SNES port of Brandish 2 not only has one of the best SNES soundtracks ever, it also sounds miles ahead of Brandish SNES. I still prefer the original PC-98 version of the soundtrack by a little margin though, since I'm a sucker for FM music (that and because Koei cut a few tracks from the PC-98 version for the SNES port).

· PC-98 version (Dat bass jesus christ. Naoki Kaneda was truly one of the most underrated and best composers Falcom ever had.)
· Brandish MIDI Collection version - MIDI rock at it's sloppiest, but damn if the new part at 2:37 doesn't RULE.
· Toshinori Hiramatsu's arrange - dat Soldier's Sorrow, unnghhh.
 
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