Z.H.P.: Unlosing Ranger VS. Darkdeath Evilman Comes to PSP October 26th

Greetings everyone! My name’s Ryan and I’m the latest installment at NISA. I work with Nao on PR & Marketing and I’m really excited to start posting on this blog with her. Today, I wanted to stop in for a bit and talk about our title, Z.H.P: Unlosing Ranger VS. Darkdeath Evilman, coming to PSP (UMD and PSN) on October 26th.

For those who haven’t heard about it yet, it is a dungeon “grindfest” game featuring randomly generated dungeons and items allowing for endless possibilities and loads of replay value. You star as the newly appointed “Unlosing Ranger” who has to defeat Darkdeath Evilman in order to save the mysterious “Super Baby.” I know it all sounds confusing as the premise for a game, but as the story quickly unfolds you’ll get introduced to some hilarious characters and some curiously familiar people – even politicians!?

Among the world of Dungeon Crawling RPGs or roguelikes, I think Z.H.P: Unlosing Ranger VS. Darkdeath Evilman really shines. Although, true to roguelikes, you are punished for dying mid-dungeon and may develop mental trauma against the mob that killed you, you still are able to maintain stats through the gaming system even after death. As you are told in the beginning of the game, ”dying is a part of the game,” and it’s not necessarily a bad thing. To be honest I did feel like I dropped my ice cream on the pavement when I lost everything after I died. However, the sweet to the sour of roguelikes is that you can pick up your console, take a deep breath, and jump right back into a dungeon again knowing you’ll have a better chance, as with Z.H.P you get to keep your improved stats (invested time) from your previous dungeon grind. If you do make it through the dungeon, you can actually access your house to store all your items from your crawl, and then pay out some money for living expenses to your wife!

The first time I really started to laugh when I was playing the game was the first time you have to stand off against Darkdeath Evilman and fact the battle was in 8-bit graphics. I really appreciated the retro feel for that and it took me back to the late 80’s when I was playing oldschool RPGs. I just sat there and laughed as I got owned by Darkdeath Evilman, watching my HP decrease. On a side-note, I’m still working on my character at the moment, but I’m told the battle graphics do change once you level up higher. As for the controls, they are pretty comfortable as moving around and attacking are fairly easy to get accustomed to, and the tutorials help with other facets such as throwing and using items. The pace of attacking mobs is fairly quick too, so some may appreciate this over the longer turn-based RPG’s we are all accustomed to playing.

With Z.H.P: Unlosing Ranger VS. Darkdeath Evilman, I believe although the niche for roguelikes and dungeon crawlers may be small compared to other genres, if you view the game industry as a whole, it really has its own appeal and potential to provide an exponential number of hours of varied gameplay to anyone who enjoys RPGs in general, and especially those who have followed NIS titles in the past. I mean, at one point my character had a fishing pole and a hatchet for weapons, a troll mask, and a cloud for legs. My wife saw me playing and was like, “dood, what is up with your character, hahaha!” To answer your question, no, my wife isn’t a Prinny, but luckily for you in Z.H.P you actually do have a Prinny wife! Score, dood! The items are often hilarious and make the game stand out from other titles to create a memorable experience. With endless customization, beyond-bizarre items, a unique battle and tutorial system, and a wacky off-the-wall storyline, Z.H.P. will provide entertainment and hours of replay and enjoyment.

Check out Z.H.P: Unlosing Ranger VS. Darkdeath Evilman for PSP, coming October 26th and save that Super Baby, dood! Also, don’t forget to take advantage of our Z.H.P: Unlosing Ranger VS. Darkdeath Evilman Preorder for the Z.H.P Exclusive set and secure your pre-order bonus sticker by using the NIS America store!

That’s all for today folks, but stay tuned for some updated Prinny 2: Dawn of Operation Panties, Dood! info and a most “stimulating” contest on the horizon. Until then, party on dood!