MonkeyPaw Games Inc., in partnership with Gaijinworks, announced today that it will release the classic RPGs Alundra and Arc the Lad onto the PlayStation® Network tomorrow. Longtime fans of the fantasy-based Role Playing Games have been clamoring for a re-release for over a decade, and gamers will finally be able to relive the memorable experiences these games created when they were first released. Alundra’s fast-paced, award-winning Action-RPG gameplay features a dark and epic storyline that reminds us why gamers love classic Japanese RPGs. Arc the Lad’s revival also marks the first time the tactical RPG will be released as a standalone title. The games will be available for $5.99 each on October 12th in the PSOne Classics Store on PlayStation Network.
The release of these games makes public the collaboration between MonkeyPaw Games and Gaijinworks, the company Victor Ireland started after Working Designs. Both companies share a strong interest in bringing the Japanese gaming experience to Western gamers.
“We’re proud to be working with Gaijinworks to re-introduce Sony Computer Entertainment America and Working Designs’ PlayStation jewels to Western markets via the PSOne Classics Store. We’re just as excited about reminding gamers how these games really stand the test of time. Alundra and Arc the Lad are just the beginning as MonkeyPaw plans to deliver many more classic PlayStation experiences.” said John Greiner, President of MonkeyPaw Games.
“When John and I started talking about his new company, it quickly became obvious that a Gaijinworks collaboration with MonkeyPaw would be a natural fit. John’s building a company to expand the awareness of Japanese games, much like Gaijinworks, and together we can really quench gamers’ thirst for quality classic gaming on download services like PlayStation Network in the West,” said Victor Ireland, President of Gaijinworks.
About Alundra
Released in Japan in 1997 and North America in 1998 by Working Designs, Alundra’s award-winning combination of dark, compelling storytelling with smooth Action-RPG gameplay has won the near-unanimous fawning of critics and fans alike. With a metascore of 86 and a 92 ranking from users, the Matrix Software-developed Alundra will challenge gamers with vast dungeons, mind-bending puzzles, and an expansive fantasy world to explore that walks a tightrope between a tense reality and nightmarish dreams.
The game features a colorful cast of characters and tight responsive gameplay. Alundra will entertain gamers new and old with its addicting challenges. Gamers can once again prove their heroic might in the world of light and dark when Alundra is released on October 12th as a PSOne Classics digital download for $5.99.
About Arc the Lad
Never before released as a standalone title for Western markets, Arc the Lad was first published by Working Designs as part of the Arc the Lad Collection in 2002. Originally developed by G-Craft in 1995, the tactical RPG redefined the genre. Storming onto the RPG scene with a compelling world and interesting characters that served as a prologue to one of the longest-running tactical RPG series in history, Arc the Lad’s introduced gameplay features like jumping and body blocking that extended the tactical strategy element.
Players follow the young adventurer Arc, who must set out to save a world teetering on the edge of oblivion. But he’s not alone; seven different party members will join the quest over the course of the game, each one bursting with dozens of hand-drawn frames of animation that immerse players in the surreal fantasy landscape.
Further enhancing the game’s presentation, the epic soundtrack is widely remembered as one of the best in the history of RPGs. Players can also choose to plumb the depths of an optional 50-level dungeon that, if conquered, will influence future events in Arc the Lad II, unlocking a key character and a separate side quest. Relive the origins of the rising tactical RPG genre with Arc the Lad when it releases on October 12th as a PSOne Classics digital download for $5.99.
