Under the Radar: The RPG Edition – Dragon Age: Origins, Alpha Protocol, Demon’s Souls, and Risen

Pixel Verdict doesn’t think that the role-playing games being released this fall are getting enough coverage, so they’ve taken it upon themselves to profile several of the bigger titles (archive link). Dragon Age: Origins, Alpha Protocol, Demon’s Souls, and Risen are all included:

Under the Radar – The RPG Edition

With the busy fall season officially upon us, I’m sure we’re all prepared to face a deluge of console software in the coming months.

Sure, everyone is following the big guns, we’re all ready for and awaiting our Uncharted Twos and our Modern Warfare twos and our Assassin’s Creed Twos and on and on. I’m not going to preview or run down the hot commodities here, no, my purpose here is to shed some light on a few other titles you may have overlooked in the stream of sequel hype that preceeds the glut of triple-A high-profile wallet-fodder.

I’m kicking things off with my personal favorite genre. I’m a dice roller, a stat geek, a fantasy devotee with more repeat readings of The Lord Of The Rings under my belt than i care to admit. Join me brave adventurer, or whatever, y’know, as i present to thee, or you, 5 Role-players coming to consoles this fall (marring unforseen delays) that just might be worth your time and hard earned cash, perhaps you’ll see something that looks kinda cool.

Demon’s Souls

Platform: Playstation 3
Publisher: Atlus
Release Date: October 6th

Anyone who’s played the import version can wax poetic about the absolute brilliance of From Software’s Demon’s Souls. Cut from the Diablo mold, and yet an experience wholly unique, it’s the best game i’ve played thus far in 2009, and one of the finest RPG’s of this generation. Atlus has taken the reins of the US release, promising some control tweaks, translation polishing, and dedicated US servers for the game’s unique take on online gaming. We also get the fancy collector’s edition that i begged for in my review of the import version! If you’re looking for a trial by fire, a brutally complex and engaging action RPG that doesn’t do any handholding, a game that will smack you like you’re it’s bitch and yet remain completely rewarding. This is the one for you. On the flipside, it ain’t for the timid.

Risen

Platform: XBOX360, PC
Publisher: Deep Silver
Release Date: October 2nd

The developers at Germany’s Pihrana Bytes studio are no strangers to open world RPGs. Their past works, the first three entries in the popular Gothic series on PC aren’t exactly well known for their polish, but they are heralded among the hardcore PC role-players for their open ended gameplay and huge worlds. Risen promises more of the same, and looks pretty stunning. It will probably be closer to Two Worlds than Oblivion, but for fans of this sort of “go anywhere, do anything” style of non-linear role playing, you should be gauranteed a good time.

Alpha Protocol

Platform: PS3, XBOX360, PS3
Publisher: Sega
Release Date: October 27th

There’s a good chance that you may have played through Bioware’s epic Sci-fi RPG, Mass Effect. If you haven’t, you really should, but i digress. Obsidian Entertainment’s (Knights of the Old Republic II) Alpha Protocol looks to have borrowed more than a page or two from Bioware’s awesome effort, but rather than go down the sci-fi or fantasy roads, they chose a contemporary setting, with international espionage as the theme. A detailed dialog system that allows you to tackle any situation how you choose, from James Bond suave to Jack Bauer brutality, to detailed character skill upgrades and an arsenal of weaponry has Alpha Protocol looking like an awesome offering that not only plays well, but earns bonus points for originality.

Dragon Age: Origins

Platform: PS3, XBOX360, PC
Publisher: EA
Release Date: November 2nd (360/PC), November 17th (PS3)

Originally announced way back when Jade Empire first hit the original Xbox, Dragon Age: Origins has been promising a return to Bioware’s Baldur’s Gate roots. The gameplay looks fantastic, with a hybrid control style that can be played in a Baldur’s Gate or Knights of the Old Republic style. The artwork looks beautiful, the game builds on Mass Effect’s dynamic dialogue system and allows for multiple narrative paths, and promises more than one or two playthrough experiences, right from the handful of radically different “Origins” prologues you get depending on your starting character choices. It’s probably a little higher profile than the rest of the games on the list, but i don’t feel it’s been getting the props it should. The art is beautiful, the storyline looks mature and detailed in more ways than one, and the gameplay looks like classic Bioware awesomeness. This one is not to be missed.

Magna Carta II

Platform: XBOX360
Publisher: Namco Bandai Games
Release Date: October 13th, 2009

It’s highly likely that few would remember the original Magna Carta. It was released on the Playstation 2 in limited numbers by Atlus back in 2005. Those of us who did play it were rewarded with some solid, if increddibly difficult gameplay and a great story and artwork. The sequel looks to be one upping every aspect of the original game, and will be dropping exclusively for the 360 this October. It’s a hardcore JRPG, complete with turnbased (or pseudo-turnbased) combat, the typically asian character designs, and the usual “boy saves the world” plot you come to expect. No, i don’t consider these bad points. It looks like a solid, reliable title to scratch that JRPG itch. If it has even half the depth of the original’s combat system, we’re in for a treat. If it has even half the diffuclty, half of us will be buying new controllers.

By Steve Power