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Arc the Lad Finds Stateside Publisher in Namco

by: Charlie -
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Namco annouced today that it will be bringing the next installment in the Arc the Lad franchise to North American shores.

Arc the Lad: End of Darkness takes place five years after the events of Twilight of Spirirs. Players are cast as Edda, a boy whose youth is marred by his boring island lifestyle. His life changes when he encounters a hunter who is doing battle with island criminals. As he tries to use his island tactics to dispose of the foes, the hunter is killed. Shortly afterwards, Edda sets out to become an island hunter and takes it upon himself to restore balance to the weakened world.

All of this island madness will be coming to your PS2 later this year and will feature 4-on-4 online-capable multiplayer action. It should also be noted that this is the first entry in the franchise that will feature a real-time combat engine. Personally, I dug the tactics-like engine from the last AtL, hopefully they don't screw it up.
NAMCO HOMETEK INC. BRINGS THE NEWEST ADVENTURE IN THE EPIC RPG SERIES ARC THE LAD®

Arc the Lad®: End of Darkness Due Out This May Exclusively For PlayStation®2

San Jose, Ca., (January 25, 2005) – Leading video games publisher and developer Namco Hometek Inc. announced today it will be continuing the epic Arc The Lad® series this May with the next installment Arc the Lad®: End of Darkness for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system.

Arc the Lad®: End of Darkness takes place five years after, yet in the same world as Arc the Lad®: Twilight of the Spirits. Players take the role of Edda, a young man whose youth is marked by a “boring island life”. His serenity is shattered, however, when he meets Kirika, a rude young woman, on the beach. Shortly after, Edda tries to help a hunter capture vicious criminals, but the latter gets killed. Edda notices Kirika standing nearby, and his suspicions begin to grow about the mysterious young woman. Edda who has awakened as a full-fledged exorcist becomes a hunter himself, and realizing a sense of responsibility to save the weakened world, he sets out on a remarkable journey that will ultimately pit civilization against nature.

“We are excited to be able to bring the long-running Arc The Lad® series back to game fans in this newest installment,” said Jeff Lujan, Business Director at Namco Hometek Inc. “With new features such as real-time action and the return of original characters from the series, this next episode is sure to be a hit with RPG fans everywhere.”

The first real-time action-style battle system in the Arc the Lad® series, Arc the Lad®: End of Darkness delivers remarkable battle intensity as players perform real-time combat combos, equip items and cast magic. The series that has been highly successful in Japan returns to the US with an improved upgrade and guild system, all the while a deep storyline unfolds that brings the return of 24 favorite characters in the series, each with his or her own unique weaponry and skills.

Take your favorite single player character online in intense match mode battles with up to 8 players (playing 4-on-4), or in a team-based coop mode where teams of 4 proceed through the missions, search for rare items by defeating enemies in dungeons, and chat live. Online exclusive missions are included for a truly unique online experience.

Arc the Lad®: End of Darkness is due out this May exclusively for PlayStation®2.