14 DAY TRIAL // The launch of Drakengard 3 in the West is drawing ever closer, and developer Access Games has created a video detailing the game's storyline and some of the pre-order bonuses fans will be able to enjoy.
Pre-orders dated before April 9 will net everyone the Nier costume pack, offering players a throwback to the Square Enix-published action role-playing game. Players will be able to equip Zero in Kaine's costume or use the Replicant version of the protagonist, and the dragon is of course not forgotten, being offered a creepy Emil hat.
The offer for the Nier costume pack expires on April 9, and pre-ordering players will also score an additional bonus that will be revealed on that day.
In addition to the goodies offered in the second wave of pre-orders, the PlayStation Blog has also revealed an interview with famed Drakengard producer Takamasa Shiba, offering his views on the franchise, the reasoning behind the prequel novella and how the team decided to make Drakengard 3 after a considerable hiatus in the series.
He informs that Drakengard wanted to take a step back from the usual Japanese role-playing game way of doing things, and instead on relying on childish themes and stereotypical characters they wanted the game to cater to a more mature audience and tackle more complex issues, with characters that have more depth to them.
The prequel novella was created in order to reconnect players to the franchise and to create an even deeper link to the characters' histories and motivation, as players will get familiarized with the cast and they will be able to understand and resonate with the characters, knowing why they do what they do or say what they say inside the game.
The first chapter of the novella is already out on the Drakengard website, featuring Zero, and the website also holds some more videos and concept art, along a short story introduction, for fans to enjoy while waiting for the game to come out.
Drakengard 3 is already out in Japan since December, and will be available in the west exclusively on the PlayStation 3, expected to come out on May 20 in North America and May 21 in Europe.