NIS America reveals its plans for 2016! You have to love companies like NIS America. Most software publishers would be hard-pressed to bring over such eclectically Japanese titles in genres like visual novels or SRPGs, but you can always count on NIS to satisfy this very niche market. And 2016 looks to be a major year for them.
After the presentation, I was able to get some hands-on time with a few of their games.
Grand Kingdom:
What happens when you cross a tactical strategy RPG with side-scrolling perspective? You get this little gem for the PS4. Grand Kingdom has you assume the role of a mercenary group’s leader as you guide your fledgling fighting force in an epic war between 4 different factions. What makes this stand out is its 2D side-scrolling battle system. As you command your troops, you move them around the battle lines on a 2D plane, meaning you have to take your own troops’ position into account. It’s one of the most effective combat systems I’ve seen for a game like this, especially with how easy it is to get the hang of it.
Touhou Genso Rondo:
For the first time, the Touhou series makes its way to America. In this PS4 entry, you get to take part in one-on-one bullet hell combat. Imagine if you were playing the classic shooter game Gradius, only instead of facing the computer, you were facing another player, with access to the same insane amount of fire power as you. Players choose their characters and shoot it out in a top-down perspective. Thankfully, you always face your opponent as you move around the screen, leaving you to worry more about dodging and using your light and heavy attacks against your opponent.
Disgaea PC:
The classic SRPG makes its return, this time to Steam. At this stage, most gamers probably know this series, with its insane humor, over-the-top combat and leveling, and deep strategic gameplay. The main difference know is that it has been optimized for PC gamers. And much like its console counterparts, the system is easy to use (especially with a mouse now) but still offers tons of fun. If you’re a PC gamer who missed out on the original Disgaea, you no longer have an excuse not to give this one a go.
Stay tuned to Marooners’ Rock as we bring you all the developments from these games as the year rolls out.
