Aselia the Eternal - A Defining VN-SRPG - Gets Released!

[magusgs]

Official announcement
Official site (includes OP video)
PS2 OP (alternative OP)
Gameplay video
Order (choice of retail package or download)
VNDB
Review
Comments from NISA forum members who've played the game

Release Date:Currently available

A Unique Gaming Experience

JAST USA is proud to present the official English language release of Aselia the Eternal, known in Japanese as Eien no Aselia. This tale of epic fantasy is one of the most highly regarded PC RPG gaming experiences of the past decade, with multiple releases in various formats including a PS2 version and a two-part original anime.

The game we’re bringing you in partnership with Japanese maker Xuse is the definitive non-adult version of Aselia, featuring an all new English translation produced under the close supervision of Xuse. Bringing the complete, rich gaming experience of Aselia to as wide an audience as possible is one of our biggest goals for this project, so we hope you’ll follow our progress as we bring it through development in the coming months!

Features

An epic RPG with dozens of hours of immersive gameplay
All-new English translation supervised by Xuse
Fantasy-themed bishoujo game for ages 15+
Multi-path romance with the fighting female Spirits
PC version compatible with XP/Vista/Windows 7

I played the original version, without all the extras included in this re-release, and it's one of the best Visual Novel / RPGs I've played. Though the review I included faults the story, he's comparing to top VNs--the story is excellent. As for his primary complaint, the heroine arcs are better developed than most any mainstream RPG out there, and compare favorably to the Ar Tonelico series. The SRPG gameplay is also addictive, and unlike many VN hybrids, the gameplay is strong enough to stand on its own merit.

Interested in Tears to Tiara? Take a look at this title instead. I certainly think Tears to Tiara is mediocre compared to Aselia the Eternal.

Like the Ar Tonelico series? You'll be right at home with this game.

Want stunning high-resolution 3D visuals? Go look somewhere else.

Oh, and for those interested in history: NIS released the PS2 version of the game.

Note: I request that participants in this thread keep their posts reasonably on topic. I'd like to avoid 100 pages of back-and-forth banter between two or three bored posters. I'd like the thread to remain informative in nature.

[stealth20k]

cool

[soundmonkey44]

Jast USA eh..never heard of them, *Clicks link* Oh there one of those companies.....

meh the game for the thread looks decent enough though. But I dont know.

[Shizuka]

It seems okay.

[Aryoch]

Looks decent. The OP song is very good. They should put the game on Steam =D

[vampko]

You compare this to Tears, but the reason we want Tears is because of the Fire Emblem aspects, which this game really doesn't have. That said, it looks interesting enough. Though, it reminds me of doujin games I used to play a lot way back when.

But really, we know you've played the PC version (of Tears), which isn't the PS3 version. And after seeing videos of both, I gotta say the PC version is significantly inferior to the PS3 version.

That said, I'm downloading the Yumina trial right now.

And I don't think my post had any sort of coherency

[Hero]

JAST only does DD, right? i'll buy this game even if it's DD because i like to support good games, but i miss the companies that used to put out hard copies like Hirameki.

[vampko]

JAST only does DD, right? i'll buy this game even if it's DD because i like to support good games, but i miss the companies that used to put out hard copies like Hirameki.

No, they do discs too.

Spoiler:

Lightning Raidy 2....>_< Sux having no money T_T

[Hero]

oh shit, they put out discs too? fuuuu, time to blow my paycheck.

[Orliatzu]

I just got an e-mail from jast about this game and it caught my interest! Just like Ar tonelico you say? Hmm might have to seriously consider getting it now.

[vampko]

I just got an e-mail from jast about this game and it caught my interest! Just like Ar tonelico you say? Hmm might have to seriously consider getting it now.

Please don't let magusgs trick you. It most certainly is not. You can tell straight away from the preview/reviews. I think magusgs is really biased towards this one...>.>

It looks fun, but it certainly doesn't look anywhere near GUST's level of quality.

[vertical09]

it looks good, it looks good, it looks good, it looks good, it looks good, it looks good,
omg at this rate ima need two jobs........just read review....yet another game ima have to beg my mom to let me play T.T fuck my life

[shymel94]

I just got an e-mail from jast about this game and it caught my interest! Just like Ar tonelico you say? Hmm might have to seriously consider getting it now.

As for his primary complaint, the heroine arcs are better developed than most any mainstream RPG out there, and compare favorably to the Ar Tonelico series.

I don't think magusgs meant that the games are extremely similar, but each have a section devoted to the heroines (like Ar tonelico).

[magusgs]

I just got an e-mail from jast about this game and it caught my interest! Just like Ar tonelico you say? Hmm might have to seriously consider getting it now.

Please don't let magusgs trick you. It most certainly is not. You can tell straight away from the preview/reviews. I think magusgs is really biased towards this one...>.>

It looks fun, but it certainly doesn't look anywhere near GUST's level of quality.

Note I didn't say that the game was "just like Ar Tonelico". I implied it'll appeal to the same crowd. Ar Tonelico is about as close as it gets to a "real" VN/RPG hybrid. Yes, Aselia the Eternal doesn't have high production values. And yes, it's aged quite a bit (the original was released in 2003). I specifically mentioned that graphics enthusiasts should "turn back now".

That aside, I'd say that Ar Tonelico is more concerned with humor and suggestiveness. Aselia the Eternal, as I remember it, is more serious and well, mature. The original was 18+, after all. The romance didn't need to be suggestive, because there was nothing to hide. I don't know what they changed in the all-ages version to get around that, but I'd surmise that the mature themes are still there. Aselia and her kind are looked down on as less than human. They're not even slaves; they're just tools. Yuuto's sword is demonic in nature, and threatens to break his mind for much of the story. Others wield similar weapons, and unlike Yuuto are unable to resist their influence. The villains aren't very nice people, either--the main villain has been driven insane by his sword, and is creepily obsessed with the protagonist's sister. It's a dark story.

[vampko]

I just got an e-mail from jast about this game and it caught my interest! Just like Ar tonelico you say? Hmm might have to seriously consider getting it now.

Please don't let magusgs trick you. It most certainly is not. You can tell straight away from the preview/reviews. I think magusgs is really biased towards this one...>.>

It looks fun, but it certainly doesn't look anywhere near GUST's level of quality.

Note I didn't say that the game was "just like Ar Tonelico". I implied it'll appeal to the same crowd. Ar Tonelico is about as close as it gets to a "real" VN/RPG hybrid. Yes, Aselia the Eternal doesn't have high production values. And yes, it's aged quite a bit (the original was released in 2003). I specifically mentioned that graphics enthusiasts should "turn back now".

That aside, I'd say that Ar Tonelico is more concerned with humor and suggestiveness. Aselia the Eternal, as I remember it, is more serious and well, mature. The original was 18+, after all. The romance didn't need to be suggestive, because there was nothing to hide. I don't know what they changed in the all-ages version to get around that, but I'd surmise that the mature themes are still there. Aselia and her kind are looked down on as less than human. They're not even slaves; they're just tools. Yuuto's sword is demonic in nature, and threatens to break his mind for much of the story. Others wield similar weapons, and unlike Yuuto are unable to resist their influence. The villains aren't very nice people, either--the main villain has been driven insane by his sword, and is creepily obsessed with the protagonist's sister. It's a dark story.

Ah, well people were misconstruing your statements as well. Sorry about that. If it's so different from Ar Tonelico, then why say fans of it should look to this? And I would say that Neptunia or Trinity Universe would be closer examples of VN/RPG hybrids.