This Thursday, March 18, is the release of Patchwork Heroes on PlayStation Network for PSP. As an Associate Producer working on the title, I’m pleased to bring you an inside look at the game from the developers to mark the occasion, enjoy!

My name is Yuki Ikeda, and I am the director of Patchwork Heroes. I am also a part of “PlayStation C.A.M.P.!”, which is short for Creator Audition Mash Up Project. For those of you who aren’t familiar with CAMP yet, it’s basically a new Sony Computer Entertainment initiative to search for people who live in Japan and have an innovative approach to bring unique games to PS3 and PSP systems. Before joining Sony Computer Entertainment, I worked on special designs and models for amusement parks, live theaters, and other fun projects.

The idea for Patchwork Heroes came from wanting to make an action game that was sort of like cutting up paper with scissors, and I ended up pairing that with something very dynamic: giant aircraft and battleships! The basic premise of the game is to use a big saw to cut giant flying battleships into pieces before they come and destroy your town. As you cut chunks off the flying gunships, there’s lots of other action in fighting and dodging enemies, and also saving friends and collecting items.

Check out the trailer to see what I’m talking about!

Having seen the video, you’re probably curious about the unique art style and graphics of Patchwork Heroes. Well, the inspiration behind the art style for the game came from a melting pot of movies that inspired me, blending together to end up with the sort of retro-anime look that you see. A designer on Patchwork Heroes, Seiichi Terashima, said that he was also inspired by the animated films of Yuriy Borisovich Norshteyn, who used cut out paper as a technique.

Thanks for taking the time to check out this fun and unique game. It is an all around blast from the game play and art style, to the music and storyline. The Patchwork Heroes team hopes you enjoy it as much as we did making it!

Yuki and the team has also provided some cool concept art for everyone to check out:

This concept art portrays the world setting of the game. It shows the main character, his town, and the giant airships he’s knocked out of the sky, all done in watercolor paint.

(Left) This illustration was a concept to show what kind of battles would take place on the airships. (Right) And above, All of the characters aboard the air transport, done in colored pencil.

Titori and his ally scaling an airship, done in miniature with clay, colored with paint afterwards.

Finally, here’s the team!

(from right to left) Yuki Ikeda, director. Miwako Ikeda, character design assistant. Seiichi Terashima, character and world design. Kenta Nakatsuka, UI design and animation

Patchwork Heroes will be published to the PlayStation Store on March 18, and available by download for $9.99. Enjoy the game everyone!

In the last Patchwork Heroes blog post, Brian Chou introduced you to the world of Patchwork Heroes…and YES, it’s a very unique game that’s difficult to describe. Coming from our very creative minds at PlayStation in Japan who brought you titles like LocoRoco, Patapon, and echochrome, this is another unique title unlike anything you’ve played before. Thankfully you’ll be able to discover the unique wit and charm of this game soon, because the demo will be available Tomorrow, right here on the Playstation Network.  

For those of you that can’t wait, or want to know more about the game before the demo hits, here’s a short description to whet your appetite. You play as Titori, the squad leader of a rag-tag airborne demolition team tasked with defending your small town from an armada of flying battleships. Out-manned, out-gunned, and OUT OF YOUR MIND, you must drop in on these mechanical behemoths and dismantle them piece by piece with nothing more than your hammer, saw, and keen insight on destruction. To make matters worse, these juggernauts are defended by robotic insects bent on taking you out and keeping their ships flying. Fortunately for you, there are a variety of power-ups to make your job easier: among them, bombs to take out hard points and a clock stopper to freeze time and bypass enemies.

I know a lot of people were trying to figure out the genre of the game – the best I can do is describe it as sort of an action-puzzle game. As for the art style, I think it’s perfect – it’s kind of Potemkinesque and reflects the utilitarian nature of these Patchwork Heroes. And, yes, this game is chock full of whimsical humor :)

We’re working on a trailer to show you what the game looks like in action and hope to have it ready in the very near future. But be sure to check out the demo so you can judge for yourself!

Look for more news on the full game, coming soon to the Playstation Network, here on the PS.Blog. I hope you enjoy the demo and the game as much as we enjoyed making it!

Folklore Add-on #5 “Nightmares”

Add to the original storyline as you discover what is causing O’Connell’s nightmares. Wake Charlotte from a deep sleep, undertake the mysterious quest to find out why Livane attacked a tree and complete the Faery Photo mission started in The Origin of Belgae Pack.

This pack also includes a suave top hat and tux for Keats and provides the opportunity to encounter Automata, a Large, robotic Fire Folk that fires a beam of hot magma.

Folklore Add-on #6 “Visions of the Tower”

Continue the awe-inspiring adventures of Ellen and Keats with this Add-On. Learn the reason behind the puzzling sightings of the tower, find out why so many faeries are becoming lost, receive a surprise letter and begin to understand the motives of the Faery Lord.

Also included are an additional Folk, and a new outfit for Ellen, fashioned in the Hell Realm.

Thank you once again.

Folklore Add-on #3

“The Alchemist Pack”

In this pack, Ellen heads for Undersea City in search of her mother, while other quests will find you collecting stones for a mysterious alchemy experiment and clearing away the Folks who are blocking the Elevator in Hell Realm.

Discover Scarab, a new Folk that will make sure you get the “point”, as well as a special Faery-inspired costume for Ellen.

Folklore Add-on #4

“The Origin of Belgae”

The doorway to the Netherworld remains open… enjoy four more trips into the unknown set during the original adventure.

The pack challenges you to undertake the ‘rites of the ancient messenger’, discover what’s responsible for making a terrible noise and use a photo of a faery to solve a mystery…

Ellen will be gifted with the “Cloak of the Deep” and collect an additional Folk called Radian, that spins to hit enemies multiple times with outreached arms.

These Folklore Add-On Packs are priced for download at $3.99 apiece, or bundled together for $5.99. Oh, and if you haven’t already downloaded the free Folklore holiday pack, now is the time! Details on more Folklore Add-On Packs coming soon.

The pack will come with 2 new winter outfits for our heroes Ellen and Keats, a new quest to play with Keats called “Holy Night Visitor”, and a brand new Folk for your collection called “Grab Bag” who you have got to play to believe.

Ellen is sure to get Mrs. Claus jealous with her sweet red snow-bunny outfit complete with the earmuffs.

Keats will sport a slick white trench, festive beanie, and if you can believe it, a holiday sweater. (Keats is the only person that could make a reindeer sweater look good.)

Keats will have his hands full this holiday in the new quest you can play.

The new Folk, Grab Bag, will take his enemies down by spreading holiday cheer!

This is a thank you from the developers at Game Republic and from us at SCEA for all you Folklore supporters out there. Be on the look out for more great Folklore content in 2008.

Have a happy holiday and a great New Year!

So, you’ve played through Folklore, been to Hell Realm and back, and you want MORE??? Well, you’re in luck! Starting this month, and only on the PLAYSTATION Network, you’ll be able to purchase new downloadable add-on packs – each to include a new costume for either Ellen OR Keats, a completely new Folk, and 4 additional quests that extend the Folklore story.

Check out the packs you can look forward to and be on the lookout for more Folklore “surprises” around the corner. Thanks again for your support!

Add-On Pack 1: “The Kidnapped Folk”

Set during the timeframe of the original story, this is your opportunity to return to Doolin – gateway to the Netherworld – and take Ellen and Keats’ extraordinary adventure a little bit further. The quests include a mission to recapture a kidnapped Folk and an attempt to regain the trust of Brumbear’s soldiers. The pack also includes a new look for Ellen and a Folk called Maximillian who has a mean cannonball attack.

Add-On Pack 2: “”Bottom of the Sea”

Search the seabed for a mysterious item requested by Damona, get to the bottom of an accident that takes place in the Endless Corridor and complete the Wandering Thoughts mission started in “The Kidnapped Folk” Add-On. For Anime fans, Keats gets a “familiar” body suit that appears when he is in his “trancenscion” state and can face Phutcampus, a new Folk to defeat.

These Folklore Add-On Packs are priced for download at $3.99 apiece, or bundled together for $5.99. Details on more Folklore Add-On Packs coming soon!