NIS America held demos of four new and upcoming games at their booth during Anime Expo 2024. Temple of Geek took a booth tour and was introduced to the games.
Demos included Ys X: Nordics, Reynatis, The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak II, and Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak II
The citizens of Calvard, once tormented by the mafia group Almata, have resumed their peaceful existence. However, a puzzling sequence of murders linked to a mysterious crimson creature suddenly disrupts the peace, pushing the gears of destiny into motion once more. The spriggan Van Arkride finds himself drawn into the mystery following an unexpected encounter, setting off his investigation. Considering the culprits and their motives, time intertwines the paths of characters old and new in this gripping sequel of the Trails through Daybreak series.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak II merges the vigor of action role-playing with the strategic depth of turn-based gameplay. As players engage in each round of combat, they can toggle between these two modes, catering to a broad gameplay experience. What sets this installment apart is its extensive hundreds of hours of gameplay, the integration of a brand-new graphics engine, and a full English voice cast. This game is breathtakingly beautiful, with its vibrant colors and stunning cutscenes catching one’s attention immediately. It positions itself as a must-play for enthusiasts of Final Fantasy and anime, promising an immersive and visually spectacular adventure.
The NIS America booth also had a surprise visit from the voice cast. The release date is early 2025 for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and 5, and Steam.
Ys X: Nordics
The release is set for October 25th, 2024, introducing players to two playable characters, Adol and Karja. These characters find themselves mysteriously linked through mana, creating an intriguing and innovative dynamic to the gameplay. This link, which shackles them together, significantly affects both combat and narrative aspects. Fans of the series will be delighted to know that characters from previous games will be returning. The action combat system is designed to offer flexibility and variety, presenting three distinct modes to engage with the two protagonists: simultaneous control, solo mode, and the ability to switch between the characters while in solo mode. This approach enhances gameplay and deepens the narrative connection between the characters and the player.
Anne Lee at NIS gave us some comments on the game:
“Because this is the first tile natively developed on the Switch, the developers understood that they were going to have a lot of new players, and they wanted to introduce them to this series and to Adol as a character. So they decided to jump back in the timeline and show his (Adol’s) adventures as a young person coming into his own learning about the world.”
The NIS America booth held a photo-op with cosplayers for attendees visiting the booth! Ys X: Nordics will be available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC.
REYNATIS
REYNATIS offers players a blend of the familiar and the fantastical city of Shibuya. However, this authentic world transitions into an alternate realm where magic is paramount. It presents an identical recreation of Shibuya, showcasing actual storefronts from the area. These locations were incorporated into the game after the developers obtained store permission. The game has clear ties to “The World Ends With You,” with some of its enemies appearing throughout combat. The game also immerses players in an urban culture-inspired environment where graffiti is not just for show. It plays a significant role in the game’s magic system called Wizart. The game strikes a dark yet realistic chord by exploring themes of oppression and over-policing. These themes resonate with modern issues and add to the tension the protagonist faces.
Anne comments:
“In this world, you can be born into with magical powers, or when you have a near-death experience, be suddenly granted or imbued with magic. But you have to be kind of chosen. So it’s mysterious. How and why are some people chosen while others are not? The battle system is also very much like a dance. So you’re attacking, switching into passive abilities, suppressing magic again, and then switching back to your liberated state to make attacks.”
Yoko Shimomura, known for her work on the Kingdom Hearts series, composes the soundtrack with the compelling story by Kazushige Nojima, who is recognized for his contributions to iconic Final Fantasy titles like Final Fantasy 7 and Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth. It’s a must-experience title for fans of Kingdom Hearts, The World Ends with You, and the Persona series.
REYNATIS is set to release on September 27th, 2024, for NA and EU, and October 4th, 2024, for ANZ for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Steam.
Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero
Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero marks a milestone as the first sequel to the original Phantom Brave game in two decades. The original debuted on the PlayStation 2. As a strategy RPG, it shares similarities with the Disgaea series. This game sets itself apart with its colorful, light-hearted, pirate-themed world. Notably, it retains the turn-based combat system where actions are confined within a circle radius, familiar to fans of the Disgaea series.
The game introduces innovative gameplay mechanics, such as the ability for Marona, the protagonist, to fuse team members with items. Players aim to optimize attack strategies within each turn while carefully navigating the challenge of friendly fire. With over 50 different unit types available for creation, akin to the Disgaea series, players can delve deep into crafting a unique team, even pushing their units to the staggering level cap 999, and enjoy the return of beloved characters from the series.
Anne notes:
“A game that boasts a lot of options for players. It’s about doing whatever you want, trying out whatever you think is impossible, and seeing it be possible.” Similarly to The Legend of Zeda: Tears of the Kingdom.
About Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero
Players follow Marona, a young girl blessed with the extraordinary ability to communicate with Phantoms, the spirits of the deceased. Throughout her journey, Marona interacts with various Phantoms, assisting in solving problems for both the living and the spirits. As she garners allies, she can summon them into battle by confining their spirits within objects. This allows their physical participation in combat. This unique blend of storytelling and gameplay mechanics captivates audiences again. Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero will release simultaneously in Japan and America—a first for a NIS title. The world got its first taste of Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero through a demo showcased at Anime Expo. The NIS America booth offered attendees an exclusive glimpse into the game by playing through an early map.
Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero is another title set to release in 2025 for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Steam.
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