April 29, 2009
NAMCO BANDAI Games Announces
Magnacarta 2 Exclusively for Xbox 360
Active Turn Battle system, hybrid
visual style and seamless world navigation combine in a unique new take on
traditional RPG genre
NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc.
today announced Magnacarta 2 exclusively for the Xbox 360. Developed by SoftMax,
the team behind the original Magna Carta: Tears of Blood, and powered by the
Unreal Engine3, Magnacarta 2 combines a deep storyline, beautifully detailed
graphics and a unique active turn battle system to create a fresh new RPG
experience.
Magnacarta 2 introduces an original
new storyline driven by intense themes of love, hate, politics, betrayal and the
ultimate question of choosing one’s own fate. Players are immersed in the world
of the Lanzheim Continent, a conflict-ridden land deeply divided by a fierce
civil war. Powered by the Unreal Engine3 and featuring character designs by
famed Korean artist Hyung-Tae Kim, the game bears a striking visual style unlike
any other RPG through its blend of photo-realism and Japanese manga influences.
The deeply emotional story is driven by beautifully rendered CGI cut-scenes
featuring fully voiced dialogue to draw players into the immersive experience.
Delivering more than 40 hours of
gameplay, Magnacarta 2 features a unique battle system which combines strategic
turn-based battles and real-time gameplay, creating a fresh twist on the
traditional RPG formula. The game seamlessly blends world navigation and battles
as everything happens in the same environment with no load screens or abrupt
changes in the action when a fight begins or ends. Players can utilize objects
found in the environment to their advantage and likewise, creatures and field
objects dynamically react to the player’s actions. A free roaming camera further
adds to the unrestricted interaction with the world. Players are also given
flexible control over their party with the ability to pre-assign attributes for
each AI character and freedom to easily switch control between all the
characters at any time.
Magnacarta 2 features a variety of
adaptable options to keep the action fresh throughout the game. By defeating
monsters, players obtain Kamonds which can be used to enhance a variety of
weapons as well as create new items. When players change their weapon, they take
on a different fighting style that adapts all the related moves and skills to
that weapon’s attributes. While normal skills can be performed by any player at
any time, special moves require skillfully timed actions to exploit the rhythm
of the battle to their advantage. The pinnacle of special moves is the
over-drive mode where players can use the most powerful combination of skills at
one time to perform devastating attacks to defeat enemies. KAN (magic),
representing the four elements of nature (Wind, Water, Lightning and Fire), adds
another dimension to gameplay whereby players generate KAN for use in battle and
to affect environmental objects in various ways.
“Magnacarta 2 takes a cue from the
traditional RPG genre with its gripping storyline and compelling characters, yet
takes a progressive approach to gameplay design and style,” said Todd Thorson,
Director of Marketing and Public Relations, NAMCO BANDAI Games America. “The
faster-paced battle system, flexible options and seamless battlefield navigation
deliver a less-restrictive, more engaging gameplay experience.”
Developed by SoftMax, Magnacarta 2
will launch for Xbox 360 in 2009.
