Promising two player co-op (online and local) gameplay, The Cursed Crusade is set at the close of 12th century medieval Europe and follows two damned warriors in a fight for their souls. Throughout the game, Denz and Esteban are afflicted by the Templar’s Curse, which pulls them ever closer to hell and burns “their humanity away as it engulfs the space around them in demonic flame.”

According to Aram Jabbari, Manager of PR and Sales at Atlus, the game’s historically accurate locations will be contrasted with the characters’ supernatural struggle, making for a unique experience:

“The game’s main characters are not heroes; they’re just men, susceptible to temptation, easily made to feel doubt and despair.”

Thoughts? To me, this sounds like a dark fantasy twist on Assassin’s Creed.

Visit the brand new website thecursedcrusade.com for a teaser trailer featuring gameplay footage.

Earlier today, Kotaku posted a cute but half-boring little parody video of Street Fighter/Mortal Kombat. Cat lovers, such as I, will enjoy it because the fat cat wins, but how the fat cat wins is sure to crack a smile.

Over the last month or two, Atlus fans might have stumbled across a weird new game called Catherine. Developed by the company’s Persona team, the nightmarish action-adventure title promises a trippy visual experience, at the least. It’s so bizarre, I can’t help but want to snatch a copy this winter (for PS3 and Xbox 360).

The video below provides a Japanese-English translation, though guesses as to its accuracy are up for grabs. The trailer and game are adult in theme, so watch (and play) with the door closed.

Yesterday marked the 25th anniversary of the NES. What oldies are your favorites? 8 Eyes, Snake Rattle ‘N Roll, Final Fantasy, Zelda II, StarTropics, and Super Mario Bros. 3 make my short but sweet list.

I previewed the game about a month ago, and hope to get my hands on the finished product soon.

Yesterday I attended a demo for the upcoming PSP edition of Knights in the Nightmare. For those who have played the game on the DS, Atlus is tweaking a few key details that might have given you a headache before. Even I’m excited for this tactical RPG/bullet hell mania title, which hits stores October 19.

Check out my full preview at OneMetal.

Knights in the Nightmare, the tactical RPG that advertises “Bullet-hell heaven in the palm of your hand,” crashes onto the PSP this October. Atlus is adapting the Nintendo DS original that broke fingers and throbbed heads with its complicated and super real-time insanity into a much more user-friendly format. After sitting in on the latest demonstration, we at OneMetal have your inside scoop on both the story and fast-paced gameplay action.

During the demo, the good folks at Atlus stressed two main aspects of the Sting Entertainment-developed game: story and battles. A good chunk of our time was spent examining the actual battles and the renovated tutorial features, so let’s first breeze over the story highlights that will interest both new and old players.

Today Aram Jabbari, Manager of Public Relations and Sales at Atlus, loaded a 3D Dot Game Heroes customization breakdown onto the PlayStation.Blog website. Even the character editor shines with a warm, nostalgic feel. I mean … ye ol’ Final Fantasy, anyone?

Players wield the power to invent their own heroes and send them merrily into the kingdom. Apparently the North American launch will boast more custom characters than the original Japanese turf release, so those of us who cry over our “stick figure” drawings can compose ourselves a little at the news.

Allegedly the editor will be a breeze to operate; the copy, paste, and flip shortcuts facilitate the process. Textures won’t concern you according to Jabbari, who assures us of the wondrous and magical “real-time lighting engine” … whatever that means … that eliminates the issue. We’ll take his word for it.

If you like sharing the love, then a quick USB-to-hub transfer will upload your unique character to the 3DDGH community online.

3DDGH punches classics in the face on May 11th and comes generously priced. What kind of hero will you design?

… That’s one big sword.

Apparently come March, Dotnian heroes everywhere should regularly visit their local Blacksmith. Oh, that guy. What a playboy.

Glimpses of the upcoming import, 3D Dot Game Heroes, have already emerged in all their sprightly pixel block glory, but today an official English-translated batch showered the interwebz. The Atlus faithful can now feast their eyes on the game’s mock 3D wonder, which breaks down the notorious mechanics of The Legend of Zelda and Dragon Quest, for example. Mountain terraces, giant stone-spitting octopuses, and delightfully absurd statements (see below) should ring a bell.

Is anyone else completely psyched for this game? Wake me when it’s May, and together we’ll frolic in a field of pixel flowers.

More screenshot love here.

Spring holds some pretty nifty things in store for us gamers, two of which are sure to be a hit. Final Fantasy XIII finally (no pun intended) struck a release date for March 9, 2010, but while you’re drooling over gorgeous pixels, you better prepare for a throwback to nostalgic blocky ones.

FFXIII will hit the North American shores only four months after its Japanese debut, and the game will be available on both the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 consoles—a simultaneous first. Details about the game’s battle system, gameplay mechanics, music, and modes have officially surged the internet. Players can set a line-up of commands in a single turn via a multi-slot ATB gauge, which allows for a string of consecutive attacks or a fiercer pounding by expending multiple slots. The Paradigm Shift lets characters switch roles mid-battle to roll with the ever-changing punches. And as previously described, Gestalt mode transforms summons (Eidolons) into a vehicle/passenger force—Odin changes into a horse, Shiva into a motorcycle, etc. The latter feature sounds a bit odd, but depending on how it’s implemented into the game, it could be pretty cool.

Plus, fans of the English pop and R&B singer Leona Lewis can hear her song, “My Hands,” included in the soundtrack’s mix. “Leona is a natural fit with the game’s powerful themes and strong female protagonist,” revealed Tom Corson, EVP/GM, RCA Music Group. “We’re delighted to be part of this effort, bringing great musical artistry to Final Fantasy XIII which is a riveting and dynamic gaming experience.” You can listen to the track here. What do you think? A potentially perfect fit, or a bit strange for a FF game?

On a later note, Atlus will be importing the pixel-heavy 3D Dot Game Heroes for US release on the PS3 this upcoming May 11 for the hopeful price of $40—especially generous for an import. The game looks like The Legend of Zelda with a touch of Dragon Warrior, which is an awesome combination as far as I’m concerned. Players will explore monster-plagued lands and dungeons and solve puzzles in a quest to save a kingdom from the devastating effects of a 2D to 3D world conversion. Hot damn, sign me up!

Which of these games do you plan on playing?