New SEGA Genesis RPG in the works

**JKKDARK** · January 27th, 2008, 19:46

via M&C

Classic gaming doesn’t always have to be something restricted to a fond remembrance of now defunct hardware, or a pastime revisited only via software downloads thanks to the likes of Microsoft’s Xbox Live Arcade or Nintendo’s Virtual Console.

No, if you’re a classic gaming purist holding on to their dusty old consoles of yore then occasionally - just occasionally - something wonderfully surprising comes along to reward your faith in the foundations of videogame history.

Specifically, if you happen to have a carefully maintained SEGA Genesis (Megadrive) nestling lovingly beside your Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 or Nintendo Wii, then a piece of brand new (yes, new) software is on its way for the supposedly retired 16-bit gaming masterpiece.

Previously banded about under the somewhat ambiguous working title ‘Tavern RPG,’ the new and exclusive SEGA Genesis title has now officially been christened by its creators as "Pier Solar and the Great Architects" ahead of its retail release.

"Pier Solar will be the very first all-new game to appear on the Mega/Drive/Genesis and Mega CD/Sega CD in this millennium. It is not a port, not a translation, and has no ripped content whatsoever," outlines the game’s official Web site.

Other details relevant to the game indicate it has been developed specifically for the Genesis by the WM Development/SEGA Homebrow Game community and has been crafted from scratch, utilising only original graphics, imagery and coding.

For those Genesis fans presently rubbing their hands with glee, Pier Solar and the Great Architects will arrive in the style of an isometric J-RPG (Japanese RPG) with turn-based battles and plenty of opportunities for character exploration.

The developers say the game is "evolving in a nice pace" ahead of its scheduled Fall 2008 arrival, and that the team is responding to calls from Genesis fans eager to taste the game by way of a demo. "We are working on that," reveals the site. "Soon we will have news about it and have a link for download, so stay tuned!"

Pier Solar and the Great Architects is expected to be released on the standard Genesis cartridge format. It remains to be seen whether any of the big gaming players picks up the game for release via download too.