Celebrating the Rise of Level 5

It's no big secret that releasing a flood of new IP isn't exactly the highest priority for most Japan-centric game publishers right now. Even harder to imagine is the prospect of potential new franchises actually doing reasonably well from a sales perspective, while bringing something new to the table.

One need only look to the weekly Japanese sales charts provided by Media Create to see what does and doesn't sell. Unlike the U.S. market where a game can debut at 35,000 units sold and steadily sell at that rate for the next few months to eventually hit a million, the fate of new releases in Japan can often be deciphered by observing performance during the first two weeks. In other words, if it doesn't have a big opening, don't expect it to have long legs.

This is often the case with games in Japan that aren't part of some long-running series that the Japanese gaming community associates with the silver years of the country's game development scene.

Astounding then, that an up and coming publisher like Level-5 - far from the 320-pound* gorillas like Square Enix and Capcom - could not only introduce two new IPs in Japan in these past three years, but also successfully spin them off into other forms of media.

[alster23]

im proud that sony has a loyal jrpg studio now all they need is a loyal wrpg studio

[RememberThe357]

Rouge Galaxy and Dragon Quest 8. That is why I have so much faith in WKC, no matter the review.

[Rainstorm81]

Rouge Galaxy was a great game. It put Level 5 on my radar im just waiting for White knight Chronicles.

sigh......never thought it could be too many games.

[Kamikaze135]

JRPG
Online RPG similar to MMORPG games with tons of quests
Village creation
World Creation
DLC

I can't wait for this game to get a US release. After Rougue Galaxy and Dragon Quest VIII, I've been dying for a current gen Level 5 game.

[TotalPS3Fanboy]

I know. Level 5 truely supports their game.

[Kain81]

They are developed by Level 5

[nycredude]

Feck I can't wait for WKC!!!! Thank Atlas I will have Demon's Souls to satiate my RPG need until then!

Not to mention UC2, R&C, if the rumors of Gt5 is true then I can wait. Dam the first quarter of 2010 is looking like dogs bullocks!

GOW3, Heavy Rain, WKC, What else am I missing?

[dimitry21]

I'm a big fan of level 5 cant wait for white knight.

[UltimateIdiot911]

Same here but I'm more excited for Professor Layton 2 and dying for 3.

[Raf1k1]

Same here. I love the professor but will also pick up WKC day one if it's coming to the UK else I'll have to import.

[-Mezzo-]

They sure have made great games in the past and the new White Knight game looks awesome.

[-Mezzo-]

WKC developed by LEVEL 5 exclusively on PLAYSTATION 3 .lol.

[rukia_chan]

cant wait for release of na version... ;)

[Hellsvacancy]

I cant wait 4 the release of the Eu version :-)

[-Mezzo-]

I can't wait for all the version i just wanna see how the critic's receives it.

[Lifewish]

also a big fan of Level -5

[TheColbertinator]

Level 5 is my favorite developer of all time.I know they have a great future ahead of them and I will always support them

[Etseix]

Rogue Galaxy was one of the best RPGs for ps2,
so i agree with u

[Vertius]

I have every Level-5 game that's been released in the West. Even Jeanne d'Arc, which never released in Europe. I loved Level-5 from the day I played the Dark Cloud demo.

How they've grown since then. The only way they can improve is to get their games released in the West quicker. We get White Knight Chronicles over a year after Japan, and we're only getting Professor Layton 2 this Q3, and they're developing the fourth for release in Japan...

[Tony P]

"While the developer’s relations with Microsoft are rocky at best, following the cancellation of True Fantasy Live Online – intended to be a showcase of the original Xbox’s connectivity features — it wouldn’t surprise us to see Microsoft attempting to make amends in the near future."

Big, BIG screw-up here. MS pissed off L5 and the small company went on to do awesome things with Nintendo and Sony. Arguably, MS would have had the Japanese wrapped around their little finger back then if they hadn't shelved the game and soured relations with L5.

AND they would have had an original first-party MMO already instead of now trying to meet Sony's DCU Online with a third-party Marvel knock-off. No offence to Cryptic, I'm sure they're making a great game in Champions. But everyone knows Marvel U was the obvious best choice to pit against DCU.

*sigh* It's just disappointing.

[Ravage27]

the only Level-5 game i've played was Jeanne d'Arc on the PSP. Regardless though, that game was awesome and i can't wait for WKC :)

[A_Little_Girl]

yay for level 5. plz destroy square enix

[NaiNaiNai]

I think its funny how you guys attack 360 games. This games looks horrible. I wouldn't even touch this POS game. SE all the way.

[Crystallis]

They have become a great developing company, but WKC needs to hurry up to the states. I want to play this game so bad.