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http://www.gamespot.com/news/2004/12/08/news_6114640.html

Ys hitting PSP in January
Konami will release Ys: The Ark of Napishtim on the PSP early next year.

TOKYO--According to retailers in Japan, Konami will release its previously announced PSP port of Ys: The Ark of Napishtim in Japan on January 20. The game will be priced at 4,800 yen.

The PSP version of Ys: The Ark of Napishtim will have all the bonus features that were available on the DVD edition for the PC, such as the nightmare mode that allows you to enjoy the game at an extremely hard setting. It also includes the boss time-attack battle mode, which allows you to play against any of the bosses you've previously beaten without having to go through the game again.

While it’ll be another month until Ys gets released, stay tuned to GameSpot during the weekend, when we'll bring you full coverage of the PSP’s launch on Sunday.

By Staff -- GameSpot
POSTED: 12/08/04 10:30 AM PST

 

[NLB2]

How is the title of this game pronounced?

 

[neptunes]

How is the title of this game pronounced?

Eees


seeing as how were all here

I heard Ridge Racers doubles as a soundtrack, all you have to do is put in and enter the music section on the XMB interface.

This game has some nice music, might as well listen to it on the go.

 

[Baron]

How is the title of this game pronounced?

Eeeeees.

 

[TekunoRobby]

I heard Ridge Racers doubles as a soundtrack, all you have to do is put in and enter the music section on the XMB interface.

That is a VERY cool feature. Man would I love if all future games incorperated that option.

 

[jarrod]

Mine!

 

[Spiritreaver]

I really wanna pick up this, but unsure of which version to even bother waiting for. It could have been just that the TGS version was early in development, but it [PSP version] looked quite subpar in the trailer next to the PS2 version, and the bosses of the PS2 version were what caught my eye first. They're just amazing. I can't say the same for the PSP version. Then again, the handheld love within me tells me to get it for the PSP to take on the go. I'm completely lost on this. And who knows if we'll be getting the PSP version yet, though the PS2 version was announced for stateside release... right?

 

[jarrod]

The PSP version reminds me more of the PC release, as it uses SD sprites for characters and runs at 60 fps iirc. Should look great on that screen too.

 

[dark10x]

The PSP version reminds me more of the PC release, as it uses SD sprites for characters and runs at 60 fps iirc. Should look great on that screen too.

Really? That's good news! I guess I'll play it again on PSP!

I heard Ridge Racers doubles as a soundtrack, all you have to do is put in and enter the music section on the XMB interface.

If that's true, I will be ultra impressed and thrilled. I really hope other developers take advantage of that feature. That would actually be a big selling point for me.

 

[acklame]

I heard Ridge Racers doubles as a soundtrack, all you have to do is put in and enter the music section on the XMB interface.

that's a sweet feature, i hope it's really there.

 

[AndriaSang]

I heard Ridge Racers doubles as a soundtrack, all you have to do is put in and enter the music section on the XMB interface.

This doesn't work on the demo units Sony has set up for the PSP. Wish it did, though, as the Ridge Racers soundtrack is great!

 

[Spiritreaver]

The PSP version reminds me more of the PC release, as it uses SD sprites for characters and runs at 60 fps iirc. Should look great on that screen too.

This, and the new game modes tempt me a lot. We'll have to see how the PSP version ends up looking/playing in its final form. Oh, and that soundtrack feature is AWESOME. I must say one of my biggest gripes is finding music from a game that isn't popular. If lots of PSP games use this feature, well, I'll be a happy man.

 

[PC Gaijin]

I heard Ridge Racers doubles as a soundtrack, all you have to do is put in and enter the music section on the XMB interface.

Cool feature if true. It's like a return to the PC Engine days when you didn't need to buy a soundtrack to a game; just pop the game CD in and play redbook audio directly

 

[jarrod]

Cool feature if true. It's like a return to the PC Engine days when you didn't need to buy a soundtrack to a game; just pop the game CD in and play redbook audio directly

Hey, Saturn did this a lot too.

 

[dark10x]

Hey, Saturn did this a lot too.

All CD based game systems used to do this a lot. Redbook audio was VERY common back then (and it was obvious why). It is not an optimal music format these days, however.

 

[Ironclad]

Hey, Saturn did this a lot too.

Damn, you beat me to it!

 

[PC Gaijin]

Difference being that virtually every PC Engine CD game used redbook audio, whereas is it became less and less common as time went on with the Saturn and PSX. Makes it very easy to rip soundtracks

 

[DDayton]

Stupid question time...

I thought the developer/publisher of Y's was some smaller Japanese company, not Konami. Did Konami absorb someone, or are they just publishing it for them?

 

[Jonnyram]

Konami bought the rights. I think all the PC games were made (or published?) by a small company Falcom. I'm not sure if it's Konami or Hudson that started things rolling, but Konami are doing the publishing for the console releases.

Hmm, my records suggest Taito is involved with the remakes of the old PC games actually. Maybe Konami is only looking after the new games (Napishtim onwards)?

 

[Soul4ger]

Konami bought the rights. I think all the PC games were made (or published?) by a small company Falcom. I'm not sure if it's Konami or Hudson that started things rolling, but Konami are doing the publishing for the console releases.

Yeah, Falcom did the PC ports, and all the older games as well. Digicube released the PS2 version of Y's Eternal Story I & II, too, but since they're bankrupt...

 

[jarrod]

Nihon Falcom still holds the Ys IP. Konami just licensed Ys VI for consoles and handhelds, they don't own the brand or game rights even however. They do have exclusive rights over the game for consoles though, so you won't see a GC or Xbox version unless it's from Konami.

Falcom's almost always worked with other publishers on their console games, usually even licensing out full development to partners and only assisting on game design and art assets (they've done this with Koei, Hudson, NEC, Victor, Konami, Taito, Sega, Tonkin House, Bothtec, Digicube, Dempa, GMF, Toshiba, Softmax and others). The only console games they've developed inhouse (to my knowledge) are...

-The Legend of Xanadu (PCE) 1994
-Magical Popful Mail (SFC) 1994
-The Legend of Xanadu II (PCE) 1995
-Ys V: Lost Kefin, Kingdom of Sand (SFC) 1995
-Ys V Expert (SFC) 1996
-Socerian: The Apostle of Sevenstar Magic (DC) 2000
-Xanadu Next (NGE) 2005

...and their games under the Sega Falcom alliance...

-Dragon Slayer: The Legend of Heroes (MD) 1994
-Lord Monarch (MD) 1994
-Magical Popful Mail (MCD) 1994
-Dragon Slayer: The Legend of Heroes II (MD) 1995
-Ys VI: Mask of the Sun (MD/MCD) canceled

...these days though, Falcom's almost exclusively a PC developer (barring their NGage deal with Nokia) and doing pretty well at it too. In fact they're Japan's #1 PC games maker, with several sales records (Xanadu Revival ~400k+ and Ys VI ~500k+). Speaking of which, I'd like to see their new PC ARPG, Gurumin, make it's way to a console...

...Microsoft should be kicking themselves for not allying with Falcom on Xbox from day 1. I imagine a lot more Japanese would own Xboxes if they could play perfect versions of Ys Eternal I&II, Ys VI, Legend of Heroes VI, Vantage Master Japan, Zwei!!, Arcturus, Sorcerian Forever , Brandish 4, Gensosangouskhi, Rhapsody of Zephyr, Dinosaur and other Falcom games on it.

 

[BojTrek]

No shit... I thought that myself... if X-Box would bring out Y's... DAMN...

 

[dark10x]

Falcom rocks! I certainly haven't played too many of their games, but I've enjoyed each one that I have played quite a bit.

I've played Ys I, II, III, IV, and VI, Eiyuu Densetsu V and VI, Zwei, Popfulmail (MCD), and perhaps a couple more. Their PC games are far more polished than virtually all popular PC games over here in America and they haven't abandoned kickass packaging either...

Gurumin looks like a lot of fun. Can't wait to see how that shapes up...

 

[jarrod]

No shit... I thought that myself... if X-Box would bring out Y's... DAMN...

There's also the likelihood that Falcom support would cause enough of a stir to bring other underdog console supporters (Treasure, GameArts, etc). Xbox could've essentially been the next PC Engine or Sega Saturn. Rather than just the DOA machine.