Ports are becoming increasingly common with the current generation of hand-held systems.  On the rare occasion when substantial improvements are made to a game for the transition, a port really becomes worth paying attention to.

The above trailer for the Knights in the Nightmare port to the PSP shows some interesting changes to the game visually.  While the original game for Nintendo DS featured static dialog art, it seems the PSP port will have animated cut-scenes.  I was quite impressed to see that the game’s highly unique aesthetic still carried over into these animated sequences.  I really felt like anew dimension was given to the world of the game in this video.

While my interest is perked, I still can’t help but wonder how the complex battle system will handle the transition — controlling the wisp with the analog stick just sounds too clunky!

Sting’s Department Heaven series is one of the most unique compilations of titles out there, spanning three games (currently) and changing the way people think about RPGs.  Atlus has brought over part four in the series: Knights in the Nightmare, a game which appears quite different from its sister titles.

When I returned from E3, jet-lagged and behind on work, a review copy of Knights in the Nightmare awaited me in my stack of mail.  The game taunted me, saying “finish your work so we can play!”  When I finally got to the game, it was everything I had been longing for in a video game since 2009 began.

Learning Curve – Take a Seat, You’ll be here for a While

Since I wanted to be thoroughly educated on the game’s complex battle system, I decided I would play through all the tutorials Knights in the Nightmare had to offer.  Sadly, I made this decision before I looked at how many tutorials there are.  I spent over an hour working my way through them, but as the game doesn’t really provide a tutorial in story mode, this is a must!  There is a bit of repetition, but you can probably tell when you know everything you need to.  It will be when you say to yourself, “Holy crap, I wanna battle NAO!”

Battle System – Ethereal Grid Based Renaissance

The battle system in Knights in the Nightmare takes up more than half of what the game is, since the story progresses automatically between battles.  The player will be given a grid-based map with certain locations where allies  can be placed.  In addition to allies, up to 4 key items or weapons can be brought each turn.  You have the ability to change allies and items at the end of each turn.

Turns last for one minute of “battle” time.  Basically, performing actions deducts from this available time.  When the wisp, which is controlled by your stylus, is hit by an enemy projectile, a set amount of time is also lost.  The turn ends when you run out of time, destroy all enemies, or clear your kill reel (more on that later).

Click here to view the embedded video.

Part one of Atlus’s tutorial videos on YouTube

Everything is controlled with the wisp/stylus, which means dexterity and your ability to multi-task are of the utmost importance.  If you want some practice and own an iPhone, I found this app pretty helpful for working on your dodging skill!  The main action you will be performing with the wisp is giving your allies weapons and telling them which direction to attack, but there is a lot more you can do which I won’t even try to explain now…

Victory is based on a reel at the bottom of the battle screen which is associated with the enemies you have killed.  Killing an enemy in a certain location will earn you a KILL marker.  You need to line up these markers across the reel in the given number of turns or else it is game over.  For boss battles, you just need to make the boss not live anymore, which sounds easy, but bosses in this game provide a heaping portion of challenge.

The reel system between turns for a standard battle (left) and a boss (right)

If you want more details on the battle system, I highly recommend checking out the rest of Atlus’s tutorial videos on YouTube.

Appearance – Medieval Film Noir

Part of what attracted me to Knights in the Nightmare over a year ago was its distinctly darker appearance which really accents the story.  Since the designer who worked on the other two Dept. Heaven titles also worked on Knights in the Nightmare, visually there is a comfortable cohesion with the other games.  I do feel that the style was altered just enough so that the game really stands out still.  Props to the designer JaJa for somehow creating this careful balance of familiarity and distinction.

My review copy of the game included a detailed art book (still available through Amazon) which I spent a good deal of time flipping through.  You can check out a little sample of the art book here.  I was immediately shocked at how many knights were in the book and assumed they were NPCs or something…  While some of them are NPCs, many of them you can battle with and most of them you can recruit.  I swear there must be around 100 unique characters – all beautifully designed.

Story – Before the Chicken was the Egg, Beneath the Chicken was a Nest, Above the Egg was a Chicken

The story flies at the player in an occasionally confusing array of past and present from varying points of view.  At times it is difficult to really feel grounded in the goings-on.  I found that this problem was less severe as I became familiar with the game, but early on I had no clue what was going on.  It’s important to note that those who played the previous titles in the Department Heaven series will probably feel equally lost.

A knight’s past (left) showing her demise and her spirit being recruited in the present (right)

What does stick to my brain I like.  I know that the wisp is the ghost of a great king trying to make his way back to his castle where a horrible massacre of his retainers occurred long ago.  Along the way, he recruits the fallen spirits of those knights to fight a series of monsters and demons.  His goal is to return to the castle and learn what happened to cause the massacre.  Is that not bad-ass?

My favorite part of the game is that recruiting knights permanently (rather than just for one battle) requires that you find an artifact from the knight’s life they have a connection to.  I will give you an example:  I recruited a Warrior who was a bit of a drinker when he was alive.  I showed him his ol’ drinkin’ cup and he fondly remembered his life.  The bond he had to drinking apparently gave him a strong enough connection to the present for him to fight alongside the wisp.  There are tons of these artifacts to be found throughout the game, some are harder to acquire than others.

Final Thoughts

The last time I remember playing a game as mind-blowingly unique as Knights in the Nightmare was The World Ends With You.  I suppose you could say that the game is this year’s breakthrough title in terms of originality.

On a more personal note, I can say without a doubt this is my favorite title of 2009.  On every level, Knights in the Nightmare brings something new and amazing to the table.  The initial learning process and slight confusion concerning the story is the only hurdle to overcome.  After that you will find yourself falling in a love with an extremely unique and fun game.

First, Devil Survivor was announced with a May 12 release date.

Why I am excited:

Devil Survivor is being called the first MegaTen game for the Nintendo DS.  If that weren’t unique enough, it is also a tactical/strategy RPG, a genre that many companies attempt to do well, but often fall short.  MegaTen games are already highly tactical in nature, especially when it comes to all the different elemental affinities. Combining this with a classical SRPG is a recipe for a challenging game.

The story is very unique while still remaining in the vein of a classic MegaTen game.  It has a much more modern, almost futuristic feel to it which I appreciate. Also, what I have heard of the music I really like.  In a game with simpler graphics, I think music is very important.  Here is a video taken from the official Japanese website which may give you an idea of what I mean:

I found this trailer much more informative and interesting to watch than the one Atlus sent out with their newsletter.

Next, yesterday Atlus announced Knights in the Nightmare for a June 2nd release.  I have been interested in this game since it came out while I was in Japan last year.

Why I am excited:

Knights in the Nightmare is episode four in the four part Dept. Heaven series created by Sting.  Part one being Riviera and part two being Yggdra Union. The third episode is currently unknown.  While the connections between games (if they exist) are lost on me, I really enjoyed the previous titles.

However conventional Devil Survivor is in terms of providing a traditional MegaTen and SRPG experience, that’s how unique Knights in the Nightmare will be.  Everything from the complex battle system to the ability to play from both points of view (antagonist and protagonist) ensure that this game will not be boring to anyone.

I guess I will just have to suffer through the next few months until I have something to play.  Come May (which is also the month Devil Summoner 2 is released) the floodgates will open and I won’t even know what to play.  I can’t wait!

*UPDATE* I just noticed Amazon.com pulled Devil Survivor.  For those of you who have already ordered it, I suggest you contact them to make sure that your order went through.  Keep checking back here to be the first to know when they have it back up.

Related Entries:
A list of all Kotowari articles on Knights in the Nightmare can be found here
A list of all Kotowari articles on Devil Survivor can be found here

	Metis 1/7 PVC Figure $74.90 Orchid Seed makes some damn decent figures, but they do charge accordingly.  Metis first appeared in the highly anticipated Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 FES.  This was the last figure made for the series.  If you are interested in purchasing it, get it before it’s gone.
	Metal Gear Solid 4 T-Shirt $49.90 The official Metal Gear Solid 4 T-Shirts are nowhere near as cool as the ones designed by Uniqlo.  For some reason they are also much more expensive…  At least they are more readily available to those of us in the West.  Oh yea, it’s also available in white.  Unfortunately, only size L is in stock for both colors.
	Knights in the Nightmare Perfect Audio Collection $29.90 Sting’s Dept. Heaven series is great at creating cohesion between art, music and story.  The newest volume in the series is a bit darker, yet hopeful.  The music seems to reflect that sentiment.  To get a better feeling for it, you can listen to the BGM here.

I’m really not too crazy about the MGS4 shirt, but sadly I wasn’t able to get a Uniqlo one.  I assume most of us are in the same boat.  Why are these things only ever available in large?  [Insert typical fat-gamer joke]

I think I may start scouring the internet for a download of the Knights in the Nightmare OST.  If anyone finds it before me let me know!  Man I cannot wait for this game…  

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OMG Toys: August ‘08
OMG Toys August ‘08 Part II

Sting’s newest volume in the Department Heaven series, Knights in the Nightmare, appears like it will have a learning curve as steep as Baldwin Street.  (Sorry, Wikipedia-nerd-humor.)

This is a great way to prepare for the game’s release on the 25th of this month.  The downloads will be available until October 7th.

It’s nice to see the Nintendo DS’s features being used to their full extent.  Who would have thought you could play demos of Nintendo DS games legally?  It’s too bad such options aren’t available to Western gamers.  Hopefully they will be at some point.

I might play around with Minnano Nintendo Channel and see if I can figure out how to download the FSEE.  If I can, I’ll post a how-to.

I think this is personally my most anticipated DS title of next year.  Hopefully Atlus or Sting will be announcing some details of the game’s localization soon.  Since the other Dept. Heaven titles were brought over, it seems obvious this one will as well.  Judging by these screens though, it looks like there will be a lot of engrish to clean up.

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Knights in the Nightmare for Nintendo DS Preview
Knights in the Nightmare Opening Movie
Yggdra Union for PSP Official

The opening video to the Japanese version of Stings’s Knights in the Nightmare has appeared on YouTube. I was surprised to see that the game features English voice-overs, although that seems to be a style choice that Sting prefers for their Dept. Heaven titles.

This video is much higher quality than the short clip of the battle system. Both the sprite quality and backgrounds look very impressive for the Nintendo DS.

The video appears to focus on Mary, the mysterious girl who joins forces with the wisp. While she may not be the main character, it seems her story is important to the game.

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Knights in the Nightmare Preview

Atlus revealed their secret today with the announcement that Yggdra Union for the PSP will indeed be receiving an American localization.

The PSP version does feature a few added bonuses that the Game Boy Advance version did not have including (but not limited to):

• Complete voice-overs with both Japanese and English dialog
• Higher difficulty setting (watch that morale!)
• New Playable characters
• New Missions
• Multiple endings
• Enhanced visuals and audio effects

Yggdra Union will be giving you one more reason to buy a PSP September 16th. In addition to the opening of an official website Atlus also sent out a newsletter featuring this trailer video:

Click here to view the embedded video.

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Knights in the Nightmare Video Emerges
Knights in the Nightmare and Yggdra Union Special Edition
Knights in the Nightmare Preview

This is still just a rumor, but we will find out the truth tomorrow. Since the Yggrda PSP port has been out in Japan for nearly a year now, we can probably expect to find copies hitting shelves before the year is out. Yggdra Union is part 2 in the 4 part Dept. Heaven series.

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Knights in the Nightmare Video Emerges
Knights in the Nightmare and Yggdra Union Special Edition
Knights in the Nightmare Preview

I apologize in advance for the poor quality of this video. While it may not look fantastic, having such an early look at Knights in the Nightmare is incredibly fortunate. The battle is a bit confusing, but I believe that everything we are seeing takes place on the bottom screen of the Nintendo DS.

The small ball of light that floats around controlling the characters is the main character, a wisp. The player controls the wisp entirely with the stylus. It appears that with the wisp/stylus the player can designate which type of attack they wish for their character to perform. The options appear to be physical, magical, and possibly a party enhancement skill. I believe the wisp can also designate the targets of the skill.

I really was quite shocked to find this video on YouTube, and hope that this means we will be seeing more videos in the near future.

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Knights in the Nightmare Preview
Knights in the Nightmare Special Edition

Sting has just announced that next installment of the Dept. Heaven series, Knights in the Nightmare, will be given a fancy special edition. The special edition will include the GBA game Yggdra Union as well as the the aforementioned Knights in the Nightmare for the Nintendo DS. Sting decided that the story would be accentuated better if accompanied by chapter 2 of the 4 part series. Perhaps Yggdra Union holds a clue as to what happened within the walls of Avenheim.

For those who haven’t played Yggdra Union, I highly recommend it if you are a fan of strategy RPG’s. It was released around the time that the Nintendo DS was, so (since it’s a Gameboy Advance game) it didn’t receive much press. It is actually the predecessor to the more popular Riviera: The Promised Land.

You can still find copies at Amazon.com here.

Since an American release of Knights is still a ways off, no word on if we will be getting the same special edition, but I wouldn’t count on it.

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Knights in the Nightmare Preview