Shuffle Through the Dungeon this Fall

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Jul. 9 8:59 AM by Mandifesto

Don't worry sad flame-headed bunny, I'll save you!

In the latest issue of Electronic Gaming Monthly they published a preview for a DS RPG that will be coming stateside this fall. AWAY: Shuffle Dungeon will be localized through Majesco Entertainment, and from the run down looks to be a puzzlicious good time. The game features 2-person co-op, with the ability to use special multiplayer-only weapons and items. I'm interested to learn more about the fupong spell system, where spell classes are tied to each particular fupong collected (Fire Fupongs enable the casting of the Flare spell, for example). Dungeons are entered through the use of musical instruments and other totems of power, which leads me to believe (or at least hope) that there will be a compelling story that drives Sword in his neverending crawl through the dungeons.

Speaking of dungeons: top-down 2D dungeons are the real gem here, as each has a set time limit before the map changes. The system promises to make players strategize their routes, their fights, and their need to pick up everything in sight. I love the idea of a mechanic like this, although it could very well revert me back to the Boggle-induced panic attacks of my childhood. "Just two more seconds *POP*...NO!" We shall see.

Screenies from the game after the jump.

[via Nintendic]

Comments

The dungeon floors rerandomizing as you play them is just the kind of innovative kick in the pants that a Roguelike fan like me is looking for. Two questions: Is that a real-time limit or a turn limit, and how do the puzzle elements enter?

From what I read in EGM it's a real-time limit, and I'm not sure gameplay is turn-based. I kind of hope the preview is wrong and it's actually turn-based, because Baroque really put me off the idea of a real-time roguelike.

Yeah, I'm pretty psyched for this one. It looks like the first Artoon/Mistwalker venture that won't disappoint on some level.