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Backstory And Post-Apocalyptic World Revealed in New Screens For Vehicle Combat MMO Crossout

Philip Federico
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Backstory And Post-Apocalyptic World Revealed in New Screens For Vehicle Combat MMO Crossout

Gaijin Entertainment, the developer and publisher of a record-breaking WWII simulator MMO War Thunder, is taking four wheeled combat to the future with their new multiplayer MMO title Crossout. Developed by Targem Games. Vehicle mayhem is order of the day as these awesome new screenshots and backstory reveal, these carefully crafted futuristic combat vehicles do battle in a post apocalyptic setting where survival depends on upgrading vehicles and destroying enemy drivers.

 

Currently in alpha testing, Crossout will soon reach closed beta stage on PC. Stay tuned for the latest news and register for the closed-beta testing here: http://crossout.net

 

About Crossout’s Backstory

Set in a post-apocalyptic world devastated by a viral pandemic and adverse effects of technology, Crossout tests players’ creativity in building, upgrading and customizing deadly armored vehicles to destroy enemies in open player vs player combat. 

The scenery helps tell much more of a story of why vehicles are so essential in the fight for survival, the  devastation and decay represent much more than just a back drop, they provide a reason that survivors must create, upgrade and fight for their very existence in the game.

In 2021 a mysterious viral epidemic swept the planet known as the Crossout epidemic, simultaneously countries and populations began to fall at an alarming rate all over the Earth. Those who did not die in the first few days, were plagued by hallucinations and headaches, many people went mad, others escaped this degenerative state and committed suicide. The source of the disease could not be detected but the cities that were once the vibrant social and economic beacons of humanity were left ravaged and deserted. 

Media speculated several possibilities about the nature of the disease. Some argued that the radiation of cell phones and televisions was infected with a new technically engineered virus by terrorists. Others discussed a version of the virus where the atmosphere was infected with a virus as a result of the impact of a large meteorite. Was this the dawn of an evolutionary leap and new kind of humanity? 

Chaos engulfed the planet, large cities had been turned into mass graves. Many tried to escape the effects of the virus by using different protective measures, they wore face masks to filter the air and completely stopped using electronic devices and used more traditional means of communication. But it was all in vain: what was once an epidemic in a few days became a pandemic unlike anyone had ever seen on such a global scale. 

But humanity was not yet dealt the final blow. 20 years after the Crossout catastrophe, the world is once again a fragile balance between survival and annihilation. 

Each location in Crossout is illustrating a part of this new world’s history. The “Bridge” map shows players what happened during the first few days of the disaster. Panic, the end of the world coming soon, barricades and No Entry signs. Other maps will show players the decay of all that has been created before the catastrophe and how the new form of humanity is adapting to it trying to revive the ruins of its magnificent past. 

Further details on the origin story for Crossout will be revealed at a later date.  

Hands on at Gamescom

Crossout will be showing all this four wheeled destruction and more at Gamescom 2015. The general public will get a chance to undertake some serious vehicle combat action and explore the apocalyptic chaos of Crossout’s environment with a closed door presentation on the main show floor in Hall 8 Booth B011.Gaijin will be working with Targem Games and Roccat to show off Crossout as well as the latest version and new features in the award winning MMO, War Thunder in more detail. 

About Gaijin Entertainment

Gaijin Entertainment is the developer and publisher of the online games War Thunder and Star Conflict, as well as PC, Mac, Linux, PS4, PS3, Xbox 360, iOS and Android titles across several genres. The company’s diverse portfolio has received a range of mass media and game industry awards including such as KRI Awards, Gamescom Award and many more. Official website: http://gaijinent.com 

About Targem Games

Targem was established in 2002 by game industry veterans, with the goal of bringing high-quality online entertainment to players worldwide. Targem is dedicated to the creation of cutting edge multiplayer games. Visit developer’s official website: www.targem.com

Sorcerer King Review

Jamie Laike Tsui
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Sorcerer King Review

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Sorcerer King
Developer: Stardock Entertainment
Publisher: Stardock Entertainment
Platform: Windows
Release Date: 16 July 2015
Price:  $39.99 USD – Available Here

Video Review

Overview

Stardock Entertainment is continuing their Elemental story arc with their latest title, Sorcerer King. The game is a slight departure from the traditional 4X genre as it mixes fantasy 4X and RPGs, then throws in some tactical turn based battles for good measure. It delivers a brand new concept that starts players as a small time city leader looking to amass an army under the nose of the all powerful Sorcerer King.

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Story

The Elemental franchise kicked off in 2010 with War of Magic, which laid the foundation to the world. The next two titles followed the rise and fall of new heroes and villains, capping off with Lord Relias, Procipinee, and Mirdoth rising to power. Sorcerer King takes place 200 years after the events of Fallen Enchantress: Legendary Heroes. Mirdoth has spent the years mastering Curgen’s Bane, the artifact that help him beat the Fallen Enchantress. His desires have taken a turn for the dark side and as he seeks to use his new found powers to turn himself into a god. Mirdoth, now known as the Sorcerer King, has crushed the game’s many factions and have reduced them to only a single city each. He now seeks to use the magic within the Shards to cast the spell that will grant him his immortality and destroy the world.

The player takes on the role of the sovereign of one of these cities. Unlike many of his fellow city administrators, the sovereign clued into the Sorcerer King’s plans early and seeks to create a small army under the Sorcerer King’s nose to stop his nefarious plans. The player has control of the Forge of the Overlord, an item crafting artifact that may just be the key to defeating the Sorcerer King.

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Sorcerer King’s plot is told through the campaign mode, which slowly introduces players to the remnants of each faction. The player’s interactions with their emissaries serve as the main vehicle to plot development. For a 4X title, there’s a good amount of story involved. The writing is decent, though a bit unexpected. As a newbie to the series, I fully expected an extremely serious and grim presentation. Instead, a serious portion is tongue in cheek, sassy, or just plain silly in the Monty Python sense. Personally, I wasn’t a huge fan of the humour.

Gameplay

Sorcerer King’s core is a 4X fantasy. It feels more accessible than most 4X RPGs I have played recently. It is generally quite straight forward due to its simplicity; however, players are more than welcome to roll up their sleeves and do a tinkering when it comes to magic resources.

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A selection of pre-made maps in a variety of sizes, including the campaign, is available along with a map generator. There is a generous number of options that will let players tweak the difficulty setting for the game, which will suit the greenest of newbies. Once a map is selected, players have a pick of six different sovereigns, each with their own talent tree. Stardock likens these talent trees to technology trees from most 4X titles. Each sovereign has a default loadout and army, but these too can be customized. The sovereigns are quite varied in their tech trees and tactics, so every player should be able to find someone that suits their tastes.

The Sorcerer King definitely changes the dynamic of the game. As the game progresses, the Doomsday Counter slowly crawls forward, with the player’s actions adding or subtracting from the counter. Grow too quickly and too blatantly, and the Sorcerer King will squash the player with his forces. To help the player through their weakened start position, maps are filled with small side quests that will let players recruit units to their cause, other factions can be convinced to aid in the player’s quest, players can research and cast a variety of helpful spells, and most importantly, the Forge of the Overlord. With materials scavenged from across the map, players will be able to equip their units with armour and accessories that can be enchanted, strengthening units beyond simple levels. Each sovereign starts with one hero unit that have their own skill trees. Unlike regular units, heroes can also equip weapons, making them as powerful as two or even three regular units.

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Combat is played out as a turn based strategy RPG. Units act based on initiative and take turns moving and attacking each other. The battlefields are quite small, so things can get a bit cramped with two large armies duking it out. On the flip side, the smaller battlefields mean the fights tend to be on the short side. As armies become more powerful, lopsided fights can be automatically resolved to save time.

Sorcerer King takes a lot of gameplay mechanics from different places and does a great job of putting it all together. The Sorcerer King plays an interesting role that shapes the entire feel of the game. For the 4X nut, the fusion with RPGs is a refreshing take on a tired genre. Replayability may be a bit of a concern for some, as each game’s goal and the rough steps to get there is pretty clear cut.

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Sorcerer King has huge potential to be the gateway drug to 4X games with its heavy RPG elements and relatively simple mechanics. Unfortunately, it falls victim to the same problems as 4X titles tend to share when it comes to bringing new players into the genre, the learning curve sucks. The in-game tutorial is strictly conveyed through a rather oblique quest log and in game tips that are purely focused on the current context, which leaves newbies feeling pretty lost. Annoyingly, a proper beginner’s guide can be found on the game’s forums, complete with recommended maps and settings to start out with. I would have liked to see the beginner’s guide put into the game somewhere to help cut down on the learning curve a bit. An even better idea would have been easily slashed if a heavily scripted or extremely shortened level that quickly held the hand of a new player through the basic arc of the game, from starting out through to defeating the Sorcerer King.

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Visuals

Sorcerer King delivers good graphics, but lacking a bit in variety. Unit animations are very good, with plenty of visual stimulation during combat. The art style is a bit cartoony and simple, but it fits the game’s penchant for comedy. There are a few graphic options available that can be adjusted in game, but it’s a bit sparse.

Audio

Sorcerer King has a strong epic soundtrack fit for a fantasy game. The sound effects are solid. I am a little disappointed at the minimal amount of voice acting.

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Overall

For fans of the 4X genre or fans of Stardock’s previous works, Sorcerer King is definitely worth a play. Stardock took a chance and tried something new by mixing RPG and 4X gameplay, and they did a great job at it. Playing as a weak underling of the Socerer King that is committing treason right under his nose is a great concept that works surprisingly well. Unfortunately, for RPG fans or people new to the genre, the decision to play is much more unclear. Like other 4X titles, it is extremely unfriendly to new players and I believe Stardock could have done a much better job to help out new players. Long term replayability is a bit questionable with the game’s rather clear cut final objective, which may give some gamers a pause.

7-5-capsules-out-of-10

Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.

Super Mario Maker Bundles and Release Details Announced

Nathan Farrugia
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Super Mario Maker Bundles and Release Details Announced

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To celebrate the launch of Super Mario Maker for Wii U on 12th September and the 30th anniversary of the original title Super Mario title that started it all, Nintendo Australia is launching all-new hardware and software bundles to give existing fans and new players alike a variety of options to enjoy the unique flagship Wii U title for 2015.

Super Mario Maker for Wii U is the next evolution in the Super Mario series, allowing you to create, play and share your very own custom Mario courses with the world! Players can choose one of four looks for their course including the original Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros. 3, Super Mario World and New Super Mario Bros. Wii U.

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Nearly every element from coins to ? Blocks to enemies and more can be used to create your own courses and combining these elements gives rise to even more inspired creations. For example, drop a mushroom over a Goomba to create a Giant Goomba! Super Mario fans can look forward to the following releases on 12th September:

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Super Mario Maker Wii U Premium Pack: a black Wii U Premium console, a physical copy of Super Mario Maker, a Hardcover Artbook and a Classic Colours Mario amiibo from the Mario 30th Anniversary Collection (SRP AU$439.95)

Super Mario Maker Limited Edition_ Pack

Super Mario Maker Limited Edition Pack: a physical copy of Super Mario Maker, a Hardcover Artbook and a Classic Colours Mario amiibo from the Mario 30th Anniversary Collection (SRP AU$89.95)

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Super Mario Maker Standard Edition Pack: a physical copy of Super Mario Maker and a Hardcover Artbook. (SRP AU$79.95) Those who purchase Super Mario Maker through the e-Shop will receive a PDF document containing the same art.

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The Classic Colours Mario amiibo from the Mario 30th Anniversary Collection will also be available on its own from 12th September, while the Modern Colours variant will go on sale from 24th October. These Amiibo will function like any normal Mario across Amiibo compatible games but they also share a special functionality for Super Mario Maker.

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Tapping either 30th Anniversary Mario Amiibo allows a Big Mushroom to appear and make Mario twice as big as normal (although he will still die in one hit in this form). In addition, enemies will also feature Mario aesthetics and the screen will change to look like an old TV screen. It also seems all other Amiibo will also be compatible with the game, allowing Mario to obtain a Mystery Mushroom which will transforms Mario’s look and sound effects into that of the tapped Amiibo!

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As a bonus, those who preorder the Super Mario Maker Limited or Standard Edition Packs from EB Games will receive a bonus Super Mario Maker Magnet Pack. Super Mario Maker was the grand final game played in the 2015 Nintendo World Championships and proves that some really nasty courses can be made. You can check out the World Championships video here. Check back with us for our review when Super Mario Maker launches September 12th.

Undead Darlings Added to Steam Greenlight

Travis Bruno
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Undead Darlings Added to Steam Greenlight

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You may remember a few weeks ago that a new Kickstarter was announced for a unique sounding zombie game called Undead Darlings ~no cure for love~ that mixes dungeon-crawling and visual novel elements for the PC, and potentially for the PlayStation 4 and PS Vita. While the Kickstarter fund has less than a week to go and could still use funding, the developers have placed Undead Darlings onto Steam Greenlight.You can view and vote for the game on the Steam Greenlight page.

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Undead Darlings follows the story of a boy nicknamed Reggie who finds himself in the middle of the zombie apocalypse. His father has managed to create a cure but the only problem is that he has to travel through dangerous territory in order to deliver it to those who can mass-produce it. Thankfully a number of girls appear to be partially immune to the zombie virus and despite being transformed into the undead, they have still retained their humanity. With these girls protecting him, Reggie must continue his journey while also bonding with his new undead allies as he learns more about them through various events and dialogue choices made throughout the story.

THE GRAND TOURNAMENT™ COMES TO HEARTHSTONE®: HEROES OF WARCRAFT™ THIS AUGUST

Philip Federico
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0

THE GRAND TOURNAMENT™ COMES TO HEARTHSTONE®: HEROES OF WARCRAFT™ THIS AUGUST

Starting next week, prepare for battle by pre-purchasing a bundle of 50 card packs at a special one-time price of $64.99 AUD and receive a unique themed card back 

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA—July 23, 2015—Excitement is in the air as brave champions hailing from the icy reaches of Northrend to the deserts of southern Kalimdor ready their lances for battle. This can mean only one thing—The Grand Tournament™ is soon to begin! Let it be known throughout the land that the upcoming expansion to Blizzard Entertainment’s Hearthstone®: Heroes of Warcraft™ will bring knightly combatants together from all over to prove their martial prowess. All told, The Grand Tournament will welcome 132 noble cards to the (round) table as well as introduce an all-new keyword—Inspire.
The Grand Tournament transports brave Hearthstone duellists to the frigid continent of Northrend, where the heroes of the Argent Crusade once held a tournament to coax out Azeroth’s greatest fighters—and prepare them to battle the undead legions at the icy heart of the realm. The Lich King’s evil has been vanquished, but that doesn’t mean the jousting has to stop . . . the competitive atmosphere’s just a lot more playful (and a bit warmer) than it used to be.

When rallying new recruits to their cause, players will notice that some of these knights possess an all-new keyword—Inspire. Minions with the Inspire keyword have a special ability that can only be activated by using the Hero’s Power. This means that Hero Powers now play an even greater role in strategy, as they can be used to inspire some minions to reach their full potential in battle by calling reinforcements, restoring health, and much more! Players will want to use these minions wisely to give their play the perfect boost!

Coming this August to PC, Windows, iOS, and Android™ tablets, and mobile phones, The Grand Tournament card packs will be winnable in Hearthstone’s Arena mode and purchasable with in-game gold or real money at the same prices as Hearthstone’s other card packs. Starting next week, anyone ready for battle can pre-purchase The Grand Tournament card packs in a special 50-pack bundle, on any platform, for a one-time price of $64.99 AUD (one purchase per account) up until release. Doing so will reward them handsomely with a triumphant new card back . . . and the unbridled joy that can only come from opening dozens of card packs when the Grand Tournament begins.

To read up on all things related to The Grand Tournament, visit thegrandtourney.com

 

About Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.

Best known for blockbuster hits including World of Warcraft® and the Warcraft®, StarCraft®, and Diablo® franchises, Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. (www.blizzard.com), a division of Activision Blizzard (NASDAQ: ATVI), is a premier developer and publisher of entertainment software renowned for creating some of the industry’s most critically acclaimed games. Blizzard Entertainment’s track record includes nineteen #1 games* and multiple Game of the Year awards. The company’s online-gaming service, Battle.net®, is one of the largest in the world, with millions of active players.
*Sales and/or downloads, based on internal company records and reports from key distribution partners.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Statements:

Information in this press release that involves Blizzard Entertainment’s expectations, plans, intentions or strategies regarding the future, including statements about pricing, preorder dates, release dates, and features of Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft and The Grand Tournament expansion, are forward-looking statements that are not facts and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Factors that could cause Blizzard Entertainment’s actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements set forth in this release include unanticipated product delays and other factors identified in the risk factors sections of Activision Blizzard’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K and any subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. The forward-looking statements in this release are based upon information available to Blizzard Entertainment and Activision Blizzard as of the date of this release, and neither Blizzard Entertainment nor Activision Blizzard assumes any obligation to update any such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements believed to be true when made may ultimately prove to be incorrect. These statements are not guarantees of the future performance of Blizzard Entertainment or Activision Blizzard and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond its control and may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations.

Call of Duty: Black Ops III PC and Xbox One Beta Starts on August 26

Travis Bruno
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Call of Duty: Black Ops III PC and Xbox One Beta Starts on August 26

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It has already been revealed that the Call of Duty: Black Ops III multiplayer beta will be starting for PlayStation 4 owners on August 19th and running through August 23rd but what about the other two platforms? Earlier today Activision and Treyarch announced that the Xbox One and PC multiplayer betas will begin soon after the early beta, starting on August 26th and running through August 30th.

During the beta, fans will have an opportunity to try the new momentum-based, chained movement system, find the perfect Specialist to fit their play style, get a feel for the new multiplayer maps, and more. Those who want to guarantee themselves a spot in the beta can pre-order a copy of Call of Duty: Black Ops III though Activision has stated that more details for beta access will be revealed in the coming weeks.

Plutia and Peashy Revealed for Extreme Dimension Tag Blanc + Neptune Vs. Zombie Army

Travis Bruno
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Plutia and Peashy Revealed for Extreme Dimension Tag Blanc + Neptune Vs. Zombie Army

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It has been revealed through this week’s Dengeki PlayStation magazine that Extreme Dimension Tag Blanc + Neptune Vs. Zombie Army will feature the inclusion of both Plutia and Peashy when the game is released in Japan sometime later this year for the PlayStation Vita. Both of these characters made their debut in Hyperdimension Neptunia Victory and have largely been left out of the various spin-off games until now.

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As you can see in these scans, both Peashy and Plutia can transform into their Yellow Heart and Iris Heart forms, respectively, and even the recently announced Uzume is shown transforming into Orange Heart.

Deep Silver FISHLABS signs deal with OKAM Studio

Philip Federico
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Deep Silver FISHLABS signs deal with OKAM Studio


Argentinian games developer OKAM Studio has teamed up with German mobile games publisher Deep Silver FISHALBS to develop a yet-to-be-announced mobile game.

Hamburg, Germany – July 22nd, 2015 – OKAM Studio and Deep Silver FISHLABS signed a deal for the development and publishing of a new games title for smartphones and tablets. While the veteran Latin-American studio will be in charge of said app’s development process, the Hamburg-based publisher will take over all respective promotion and marketing efforts on local as well as global scale. In addition, Deep Silver FISHLABS will support Toneworx Studios – who are also located in Hamburg, Germany – in the sound recordings for the yet-to-be-announced title, too.

For Deep Silver FISHLABS this cooperation does already mark the fourth conclusion of contract in 2015 after their successful cooperations with international top studios Animation Arts, ISBIT Games and Chimera Entertainment. The multi-award-winning OKAM Studio is well-known for its illustrious portfolio of mobile games bestsellers such as Ultimo Carnaval and Anthill, both of which have been realized with OKAM Studio’s proprietary Godot engine. Soon Deep Silver FISHLABS will announce even more cooperations resulting from their ambitious undertakings in the new-found business segment of 3rd party publishing.

“OKAM Studio has not only convinced us with its top-notch portfolio of hit titles for all relevant platforms”, says Andreas Stecher, Director of Business Development and Sales at Deep Silver FISHLABS, “But also with a pitch for a fantastic game that has the potential to become an instant genre classic and leave a lasting impression with its target audience. The production of our first mutual project started a couple of weeks ago and so far the cooperation with our colleagues from Buenos Aires worked like an absolute charm. We are eager to reveal more of said project soon.”

Title, genre and ETA of the first conjoint mobile game of OKAM Studio and Deep Silver FISHLABS will be communicated via an upcoming press release

Nitroplus Blasterz: Heroines Infinite Duel Console Teaser Trailer Released

Travis Bruno
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0
Nitroplus Blasterz: Heroines Infinite Duel Console Teaser Trailer Released

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Now that we know that Nitroplus Blasterz: Heroines Infinite Duel is going to be released on the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 3 in Japan on December 10th and that XSEED Games is planning on releasing the game in North America sometime this winter fans are eager to see more of the title.

Thankfully Marvelous has just released a teaser trailer for the console versions of Nitroplus Blasterz: Heroines Infinite Duel showing off most of the roster fighting against one another, introducing the console exclusive fighters Heart Aino from Arcana Heart, Homura from Senran Kagura, and Sonico from Super Sonico, and teasing additional console characters.

Dungeon Travelers 2 North American Release Date Set for August 18

Travis Bruno
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0
Dungeon Travelers 2 North American Release Date Set for August 18

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Atlus USA has recently announced that they will be releasing Dungeon Travelers 2: The Royal Library & the Monster Seal in North America on August 18th for the PlayStation Vita and to go along with this announcement they have also released a new trailer for the game showing off some of the advanced classes that characters will be able to upgrade to depending on their intermediate class that they upgraded to once they hit level 15 of their basic class.

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The list of advanced classes can be found below:

  • Fighter
    • Valkyrie
    • Samurai
    • Dark Lord
  • Magic User
    • Witch
    • Magical Princess
    • Sage
    • Bishop
  • Scout
    • Sniper
    • Treasure Hunter
    • Kunoichi
  • Maid
    • Diva
    • Mistress
    • Etoile
  • Spieler
    • Soul Summoner
    • Papillon
    • Joker

As for European gamers, they will have to wait until Dungeon Travelers 2: The Royal Library & the Monster Seal is released in their region sometime in the fall.

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