Dengeki PlayStation recently sat down with Ignition Entertainment’s Kashow Oda to talk VanillaWare’s upcoming Dragon’s Crown for PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita. The interview dives deep into the upcoming role-playing game, announced last month at E3.
Oda was surprised at the positive reaction the game received in Japan. The positive overseas reaction was apparently expected because, according to Oda, VanillaWare is very popular in the west.
The game is being made to allow both low-level and high-level players to play together. Rather than leveling through a numbered system, players will instead use items to become stronger. When in multiplayer, low-level players matched with high-level players will have the opportunity to gain more powerful items, if taking on a difficult dungeon.
Your party can consist of any combination of characters. Everyone can be elves, or everyone can be sorcerers. Some dungeons may be more difficult with certain party formations.
At the current point in production, there are already a large number of quests you can take from the guild. Some of the dungeons are so big that you won’t be able to explore them fully during a single quest.
Your actions may affect the game world. A certain boss enemy, for example, may chase you throughout the stage if you make him mad, and may continue follow you through other dungeons, as well.
Two classes, the fairy and thief, are solely support characters. They will accompany you as NPCs throughout a dungeon. The thief, for example, will steal a new weapon for you if yours is lost in battle.
A “Bone Collection System” allows you further interaction with off-system players. Throughout dungeons, you’ll find bones. The remains of other players, you can take the bones you find to the shrine in your town and revive the dead players into NPCs.
All that said, Dragon’s Crown is a 40 to 50 hour game. It’s out in Spring 2012.
Thanks, Andriasang.