Updated! Now with screenshots!

That’s right folks! Record of Agarest War is now coming to your Xbox 360 as a full retail product alongside the PlayStation Network verison in the Spring of 2010. But, if you want to know what the reasons for this decision our Editor, Ben Bateman said it best…

“In truth, we had Record of Agarest War ready to go up on the PlayStation Network months ago,” [Ed.'s note: That’s a lie.] says Ben Bateman, Editor, Aksys Games, “But when a haggard man emerged from a ball of crackling energy that materialized outside our office with dire warnings from a dark future, we decided to reconsider. As it turns out, a PlayStation Network-exclusive release of Agarest was—or rather, would have been—the catalyst for World War III. The gaming community was torn apart—literally—by this apparent favoritism, and from that schism poured the infinite minions of Satan himself, the Lord of Lies. The man told us, his eyes blank with the 1000-yard stare, of the horrors of this future war. He had been sent back in time, the last hope of a desperate human resistance, to prevent what the people of this desolate future Earth called, simply, ‘The Breaking.’ As the last spark of life passed from his body, broken and battered by his journey through the time vortex, we swore to honor his final wish.”

“This is why Record of Agarest War has been delayed,” Ben continues, his eyes wet with tears, “So that we may release it on both consoles, and in doing so, save the world.”

Also, one of the best reasons you want to get the North American version is that we’ve included Trophy and Achievement support!

Full press release after the jump.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MASSIVE WARS, BOUNTIFUL WOMEN, AND A CORNUCOPIA OF DEBAUCHERY, NOW ON TWO CONSOLES!

Record of Agarest War receives a simultaneous release on the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system AND
Xbox 360®video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, Spring 2010!

Torrance, CA (Friday 13th, 2009) – Aksys Games, a publisher of interactive entertainment products, announces its first epic SRPG, with Record of Agarest War for the Xbox 360 to coincide with the previously announced PlayStation Network version. In this game developed by Compiled Heart, RED Entertainment, and Idea Factory, SRPG fanatics will finally be able to play a game worthy of the genre. Sporting over one hundred hours of gameplay, Record of Agarest War invites players into a gorgeous, expansive world of hope and despair. Players will wage war against the evil forces of darkness, take a bride—actually, several brides—and extend their lineage across five generations!

“In truth, we had Record of Agarest War ready to go up on the PlayStation Network months ago,” [Ed.'s note: That’s a lie.] says Ben Bateman, Editor, Aksys Games, “But when a haggard man emerged from a ball of crackling energy that materialized outside our office with dire warnings from a dark future, we decided to reconsider. As it turns out, a PlayStation Network-exclusive release of Agarest was—or rather, would have been—the catalyst for World War III. The gaming community was torn apart—literally—by this apparent favoritism, and from that schism poured the infinite minions of Satan himself, the Lord of Lies. The man told us, his eyes blank with the 1000-yard stare, of the horrors of this future war. He had been sent back in time, the last hope of a desperate human resistance, to prevent what the people of this desolate future Earth called, simply, ‘The Breaking.’ As the last spark of life passed from his body, broken and battered by his journey through the time vortex, we swore to honor his final wish.”

“This is why Record of Agarest War has been delayed,” Ben continues, his eyes wet with tears, “So that we may release it on both consoles, and in doing so, save the world.”

Record of Agarest War Prologue

War darkened the skies of Agarest. Not a simple war between mortals, easily ended by divine intervention, but a war that split the gods themselves. Armies such as the world had never seen before, and would never see again, clashed in the skies of Agarest, across its surface, and even in the caverns that wound their way through its interior.

As is the way in war, many died on both sides, gods and mortals alike, and the war left Agarest broken, blackened, and dead. The gods wept for their paradise, and in a final act of creation, sacrificed themselves to bring life back to its charred and twisted surface.

Although the gods are long dead, the withering darkness that began and fueled their war is not. Imprisoned for millennia, its bonds have begun to weaken, and as they do, a shadow once again spreads across the surface of the world.

Born into this world perched unknowingly on the brink of the apocalypse, a young man by the name of Leonhardt and his descendants are the last, best hope for Agarest. Their journey will span generations and continents as they strive to once again bring peace to their beleaguered world, even as the cost of their own souls.

Record of Agarest War Key Features:

• Soul Breeding!

  Tired of just living through one lifetime in typical RPG titles? Then witness the Soul Breed system! Choose a bride at the end of your adventure and give birth to the hero of the next generation!

• Collaborative Attacks!

  Position your forces on the battlefield and wait for the right moment to string together massive combo attacks using multiple party members—both in melee and at range!

• Affection Rating

  Curious how one of Agarest’s lovely ladies feels about you? Look no further than the Affection Gauge, which gives you a quick and easy visual representation of her opinions! Is she smiling? You must be doing something right! Frowning? Uh oh… If only real relationships were this easy!

• Newly Engorged with Content!

  Enjoy an enhanced version of the game based on the Japanese release of Record of Agarest War: Reappearance! Hot pix included!

• Exclusive Trophy and Achievement Support!

  The North American version of Record of Agarest War is the only version in the universe, and all the other places too, to have trophies and achievements! [Ed.’s note: I think you’ll find that the universe pretty much covers everything.] [PR’s response: Shut up, woman, get on my horse!]

Record of Agarest War has not yet been rated by the ESRB. More information about Aksys Games and Record of Agarest War can be found at www.aksysgames.com.

The excellent folks over at paperfoldables.com made this totally sweet CommanderVideo paper foldable for us!  It was even featured on paperkraft.net just now!

More information of who and what to expect from the event! GET HYPE!

Here’s a snippet:

Two Days of Gaming Euphoria: Hollywood Massacre & Triple Threat!

Join us on November 13-14 for the biggest gaming event to hit Southern California thus far!  ACTivegamerS LA is putting together two amazing events to cater to the fighting game community!  A weekend of fierce gaming competition, good company, and passion for fighting games!

Special Guests This Weekend Include:

• Justin Wong – The #1 Street Fighter IV player in the US representing Empire Arcadia!
• Alex “CaliPower” Valle – Mr. Street Fighter and the heart and soul of TEAM SOCAL!
• Joey “MrWizard” Cuellar – The man that makes it all happen!  Admin of SRK and founder of the EVO2K series of tournaments!
• John “Choiboy” Choi – The Korean sensation, Street Fighter legend from Northern California and official liason for Tougeki the Super Battle Opera!
• Mike “MYK” Kwon – One of the top Southern California TEKKEN players and the man in charge of IAMTEKKEN.COM!
• Chris “Skraps” Carroll – Senior Product Manager and the driving force for all things fighting game related at Mad Catz!
• Mark “MarkMan” Julio – Founder of SDTEKKEN and designer of Mad Catz’ fighting game controllers!
• Harry “biznatch” Chang – Former Brand Manager for BlazBlue and the man responsible for making BlazBlue hype in the US!
• Faye “Princess Aura” Mata – Host for UFRAGTV and rising star in the fighting game community!

http://shoryuken.com/?p=1677#more-1677

Just browse to BIT.TRIP BEAT in the Wii Shop Channel…

And select “Update”!

This update won’t affect your savegame data, but it will affect your overall awesomeness as a human being. And playing some more BEAT is great practice for BIT.TRIP VOID, coming out on 11/23/09 in the States!

Void, the next game in the Bit.Trip series gets an official street date: 11.23.09

In the meantime, check out the first review from our friends at Destructoid.

Bit.Trip Void has been rated E for Everyone by the ESRB and will be available on WiiWare for 600 points.

www.explorethevoid.com

Hey all you BlazBlue fans, we just wanted to let you know that we’re one of the featured tournament games at Activegamersla.com’s TRIPLE THREAT at the Hawthorne Athletic Exchange aka HAX in Hawthorne on Saturday, November 14th at 10:00 AM to however long it takes to get through the tournaments. If you think you have what it takes to win some cash from the best BB players in So. Cal, registration is $16 + $20 Venue Fee if you pre-register online. (It’ll be $30 at the door if yo don’t) If you just like to watch, it’ll be $10 at the door. Go here to register. We’ll be giving away free schwag at the event, so you’ll probably leave the event with something other than your bruised ego. Hope to see you guys there!

Family Card Games is now available on Nintendo’s WiiWare service for 500 Wii points.

Family Card Games offers appealing cel-shaded graphics and endearing music, on top of the friendly competitive match-ups. You can play Speed, Memory, or Daifugo! Play against up to three other random players in an online match! You can also view your ranking and see how you match up with players around the world!

- Pick between 3 fun-filled card games, Daifugo, Speed, and Memory!
- Play Daifugo online against 3 other players to test your skills!
- Download additional card packs to play with a card set that matches you!
- Play Speed or Memory with a friend to see who has the fastest hands and the quicker brain!

You know you’ve made it, when the logo gets its own thread on NeoGAF.

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=378205

ACParadise is holding the easiest contest ever to win a copy Laevatein and Artbook.

Here are the rules:

1. This contest is open to both MALES and FEMALES, and you must be a registered member of ACP or ACE.
2. Entries must be from the series listed above
3. Entries will be accepted through our contest form only.
4. YOU MUST PROVIDE A REFERENCE PICTURE FROM OFFICIAL ARTWORK. Entries based off fanart aren’t allowed.
5. Entries will be accepted until the deadline listed above.
6. Group entries and pictures are allowed, but one person must be in charge of the group for contact information and prizes.
7. If you are a winner and are not in the US, you must have a US resident receive the prize.
8. Only one contest entry per user member account

http://www.acparadise.com/acp/contests.php?cid=39

I’m sure you guys have seen this, but here it is for your perusal. What are your thoughts?

The Bit.Trip soundtrack is now available on Itunes!

For all you BIT.TRIP FANATICS out there, Gaijin Games has just released the BIT.TRIP BEAT Official Soundtrack via CDBaby!

It should be available on Amazon, Rhapsody, eMusic, Napster, and a slew of other music retail services on 10/27/09 as well!

Buy it now on CDBaby!

Also, follow the ongoing BIT.TRIP VOID coverage on Destructoid for the rest of the week as they finish out their “Mastering the Beats” BIT.TRIP exclusive feature!

Click here to purchase!

Have you been yearning for a shirt that plainly tells the world “I own a Nintendo Wii”, without ever actually mentioning the Wii? Then this is the shirt for you. It is also the shirt for you if you have played and enjoyed any or all of the Bit.Trip games (if you have played, but not enjoyed, any of the Bit.Trip games, we are unfortunately barred by California law from selling this shirt to you). It is also the shirt for you if you have never heard of Bit.Trip, or the Wii, or “Video Games”, but enjoy covering your naked torso with the soft, luxurious fabric of Gildan Heavy Cotton.

In short, this is a shirt made—intended, even—for use by human beings—by you. So waste no time in your clicking of the “Add to Cart” button, as quantities are limited, and when they are gone, you will be left with only the cold loneliness of an empty, unforgiving universe.

Note: Although the shirt reads “I am only a man”, our engineers tell us that it can be worn by women, with no ill effects.

Please specify size when ordering.

A sneak peak at what you can expect in the next game after Bit.Trip Void on Destructoid’s continuing coverage of Gaijin Games and the Bit.Trip series.

http://www.destructoid.com/game-4-coming-next-in-the-bit-trip-series-152845.phtml

Aksys Games, a publisher of interactive entertainment products, proudly brings you this announcement, in exaltation of all that is manly: in spring 2010, Cho Aniki Zero will be oiled up and ready to thrust its way onto your PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system! Sold exclusively as a digital download through the PlayStation®Store, Cho Aniki Zero gives players the chance to take part in an epic struggle alongside heroes Idaten and Benten as they blast through the muscle-bounded forces of Emperor Balzac II.

Full press release and screenshots after the jump.

Torrance, CA (October 13th, 2009) – Aksys Games, a publisher of interactive entertainment products, proudly brings you this announcement, in exaltation of all that is manly: in spring 2010, Cho Aniki Zero will be oiled up and ready to thrust its way onto your PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system! Sold exclusively as a digital download through the PlayStation®Store, Cho Aniki Zero gives players the chance to take part in an epic struggle alongside heroes Idaten and Benten as they blast through the muscle-bounded forces of Emperor Balzac II.

Cho Aniki Zero brings manliness back to the old-school shoot-em-up genre and, warps it to another dimension of sights and sounds. In Cho Aniki Zero, players will be introduced to brand-new characters and newly heightened experiences of rhythmic action, intertwined with the famous BGM of Kouji Hayama. Battle through five man-rageous levels of brotherly love and muscle-on-muscle madness!

The Story So Far…

Since the death of Balzac, the Builder Planet has celebrated a long period of peace.

However, as time goes by, protein becomes scarce, and protein deficiency is soon a serious problem for the Builder Planet. As people struggle for control over what protein is left, Balzac II begins his subtle rise to power…

Learning of his return, Idaten and Benten take up arms and begin their man-tastic voyage…

“Cho Aniki Zero is a real trip,” said Frank “Bo” deWindt II, Associate Producer, Aksys Games. “It’s wacky, hilarious, and just plain fun. Be it the crazy characters, the challenging gameplay, or even the out-of-this-world enemies, you’ll find yourself chugging down protein shakes between levels before you know it!”

Key Features:

• MUSCLE REIGNS SUPREME

Choose between Idaten and Benten, then select your “Option” (sidekick) such as Samson, Adon, or Micha & El. Defeat Emperor Balzac before he claims the universe’s protein for himself!

• MEN’S BEEEEEEEAM!
Too much man-action on the screen? Collect enough Man Protein to unleash the devastating attack of the Men’s Beam!

• IT’S RAINING MEN!
Blaze through five man-mazing levels of love, and bear witness to the birth and rebirth of some of the greatest bromances of all time!

• CHOOSE WISELY…
Cho Aniki Zero offers multiple paths that leads to various endings for our muscle-bound heroes!

Aksys Games, a publisher of interactive entertainment products, proudly announces Mimana Iyar Chronicles, coming Spring 2010!  This magical PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system title will be available on UMD® and as a digital download on the PlayStation®Store. With a story written by the same minds behind the Lunar series & Tales of Destiny 2, and gameplay developed by veteran RPG-makers Kogado Studios and Premium Agency, RPG fans in the US will finally get the game they’ve been waiting for—one previously available only in the land of the rising sun.

Full press release and screenshots after the jump.

Torrance, CA (October 13th, 2009) – Aksys Games, a publisher of interactive entertainment products, proudly announces Mimana Iyar Chronicles, coming Spring 2010!  This magical PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system title will be available on UMD® and as a digital download on the PlayStation®Store. With a story written by the same minds behind the Lunar series & Tales of Destiny 2, and gameplay developed by veteran RPG-makers Kogado Studios and Premium Agency, RPG fans in the US will finally get the game they’ve been waiting for—one previously available only in the land of the rising sun.

Mimana Iyar Chronicles blends the traditional RPG elements of vast map exploration and treacherous dungeon spelunking. Engage in fast-paced battles in a quasi-3D environment where you control the character’s movement and actions, and strategically command your party to turn the tide of battle. Your actions dictate how the story unfolds, through numerous fully-voiced event sequences.

“Mimana Iyar Chronicles is a great mix of fast-paced, real-time action battles combined with a slew of girls to accompany you along the way,” states Frank “Bo” deWindt II, Associate Producer, Aksys Games. “With your ladies by your side on your epic quest to save the world, no one can stand in your way!”
Mimana Iyar Chronicles Key Features:

• MIMANA COMES TO LIFE
Experience the story of Mimana through beautiful, hand-drawn anime sequences!

• REAL-TIME BATTLES!
Action-based battles between your party members and enemies explode with spells, skills, and excitement. Take advantage of the depth of the battlefield to strategically place your party members and claim victory.

• CRUSH YOUR ENEMIES!
Time your attacks just right to deal massive damage to your enemies!

The week long Gaijin Games feature continues on at Destructoid.com with a look at the Future of Gaijin Games and what they have planned for Commander Video. Check it out here!

Strategy RPG fans are a very unique group of individuals… We have those that love the Final Fantasy tic-tactics (Not the “A” series, what a garbage sequel),  we have those who loved Ogre Battle, and then we have those who loved the Fire Emblem series. Question is, what did we all like from those franchises? I personally loved Final Fantasy Tactics for being the first SRPG to give me a tragic story and countless characters to choose from. But I also loved Ogre Battle for its huge, up-close battles and its epic storytelling. However, that’s just me. What did you guys like about those titles, or any SRPG title for that matter?

While you ponder that, let’s take some of those elements I spoke of above, and mash them together—create a SRPG meatball of sorts. Now let’s add the marinara sauce—you know, kind of like graphics that give it that final touch. The end result? A wonderful, story-driven game that brings back the old days of SRPGs. It sorta gives you a taste of something familiar, like something your mom cooks at home, and that’s what we at Aksys Games have been cooking. We call it Hero’s Saga Laevatein Tactics, or Laevatein Tactics for short, and today it comes out on the Nintendo DS. I ask fans of this genre to give it a gander. Let us know how we did…tell us, did we hit the spot?

Want to know more?

Then hit the jump!

Hero’s Saga Laevatein Tactics Arrives At Retail!

Something familiar, something fun, comes home to the Nintendo DS…

Oct 15th, 2009 – Aksys Games, a leading publisher of interactive entertainment software, is proud to announce the arrival of Hero’s Saga Laevatein Tactics at retailers today! Made exclusively for Nintendo DS(TM), Hero’s Saga Laevatein Tactics reignites the hardcore strategy aspect of the strategy RPG genre. With countless hours of story-driven gameplay, over 120 playable characters, and twenty-three different character classes to choose from, players will soon find themselves immersed in the world of Yulamecca.

The Story So Far…

When a strange girl hands Ernesto, the young prince of Valencia, a mysterious sword and tells him to save his friends, he thinks nothing of using the magical blade to fight off an undead attack. Little does he know that such a small choice will spark a war that will rage across the continent of Yulamecca and beyond…

“Hero’s Saga Laevatein Tactics is a perfect blend of gameplay and story, interwoven to create a satisfying SRPG experience,” states Frank “Bo” deWindt II, Associate Producer, Aksys Games. “If you’re a tried-and-true SRPG fan, or even new to the genre, you’ll definitely find yourself falling for this game.”

Key Features:

· Once More Unto The Breach! – Command your forces into one of several formations, each with its own strengths and weaknesses.

· Harness The Power of The Einherjar! – Collect all the Vaettir Arms (180+ Arms to find!) scattered throughout the game, and strike fear into the hearts of your foes with the awesome power of the Valhalla Break!

· Ad-Hoc Goodness! — Using the power of ad-hoc wireless connectivity, you can trade items with your friends, rent out your heroes to aid friends in need, or battle them for fame and glory!

· Create An Unstoppable Army! – Equip different weapons to change the class, abilities, and appearance of your soldiers! Choose wisely, and unlock the legendary secret class!

Hero’s Saga Laevatein Tactics has been rated  “T” for Teen by the ESRB. For more information about Aksys Games and Hero’s Saga Laevatein Tactics, visit www.aksysgames.com.

It’s been awhile since we’ve done any updates, so please forgive the lack of news. So with this update, I figured we start off by saying, yes we are still alive and trying to bring more bad ass games to our fans out there. Aksys Games has always  been a community driven company and will continue to always be. Just know we are brewing up some worthy games and let this be a “caveat”  to save up your moola for 2010!

Keep your eyes peeled right here as we brew up some more info in the coming weeks. In the meantime, I’ll leave you with something special. A close friend of Aksys Games recently submitted this BlazBlue comic, so we thought we’d share it with everyone out there. Let us know, what you think and she just might do more for us!

PS: Thanks techism!

Hit the jump to see the BlazBlue comic…

Bit.Trip fans Unite! The third installment of our beloved CommanderVideo’s journey is upon us! If you’ve played the previous titles, then you’re in for a real treat! The most I can say about VOID is, its a cross between Ikaruga and Bit.Trip Beat. Don’t believe? Check out the video up above and see for yourself. The game is due out this Fall and contains four player co-op madness and Gaijin Games brought in a special guest chiptune mixer, “nullsleep” to create some ‘drop it like its hot’ tunes for all of you to groove with while battling the VOID. If you wanna read the whole PR, hit the jump for more. Meantime, if you guys can’t wait to try this bad boy out, Bit.Trip VOID will be PLAYABLE for the first time ever at PAX this weekend!

Get Hyped!

EXPLORE THE VOID WITH COMMANDER VIDEO

Come along and embark on another fantastic voyage!

Torrance, CA (September 2th, 2009) – Aksys Games, a publisher of interactive entertainment software, is proud to announce the next evolution in CommanderVideo’s journey, BIT.TRIP VOID! Developed exclusively for WiiWare™ by the crazy brains at Gaijin Games, BIT.TRIP VOID is the next entry in the critically acclaimed retro-arcade BIT.TRIP series which follows CommanderVideo on his epic journey from the ethereal to the corporeal, and beyond…

THE VOID AWAITS…

BIT.TRIP VOID is a synesthetic exploration of rhythm and music as they pertain to our everyday lives and moods.  In a control scheme brand new to the series, yet wholly familiar to gamers, the player is given complete freedom to move about the screen wherever they desire, interacting with the music in brand new ways.  The classic gameplay aesthetic remains, as color—and the absence of color—are explored to the fullest.

Trip out in up to 4-player co-op and get lost in the beat with your friends!  See if you can survive the onslaught of Beats and further your own BIT.TRIP.

“BIT.TRIP VOID completes the first chapter in CommanderVideo’s journey with a synesthetic exploration of mind/beat interaction.  But as one chapter ends, another begins…” states Alex Neuse, Designer, Gaijin Games. “We hope that you find this game as beautiful as we do, and we can’t wait to make another one for you.  Keep rockin’!”

Key Features:

• You Are Not Alone…
  Trip out in up to 4-player co-op and get lost in the beat with your friends!
• Keeping It Real!

BIT.TRIP VOID expands on the retro style with the blending of Synesthetic Music & Art and hyper-realistic retro cutscenes!

• Dance To These Killer Grooves!

Aficionados of chiptunes will definitely want to grooves to the beats of chiptunes master, “nullsleep”!

• Get Hyped!
  Nunchuk™ & Classic Controller™ support, mid-level checkpoints, epic boss battles…what else can you ask for?!

BIT.TRIP VOID has not been rated by the ESRB. More information about Aksys Games, please visit www.aksysgames.com or www.explorethevoid.com for BIT.TRIP VOID. Nintendo trademarks used under license. WiiWare is available through the Wii console.

Do you love artbooks about your games? We here at Aksys Games loves them as well and that’s why we paired our beloved upcoming Nintendo DS SRPG title Heroes Saga Laevatein Tactics with a awesome 48 page artbook as a preorder bonus! To get it, all you gotta do is preorder at GameStop! Wait, before you go rushing to your local GameStop store, you gotta get this puppy online at GameStop.com. That’s right folks, to get this artbook for FREE, you gotta do your preorder ONLINE with GameStop.com. So enough chitchat, get’er DONE!