Ragnarok Odyssey: ACE Gets April Release Date For PS3, Vita

Just in time for the real Ragnarok, depending on whether or not you believe in that sort of game, gamers can celebrate the end time with some good old fashioned monster slaying as XSEED announces an April 1 launch date for its (sort of) new PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita title, Ragnarok Odyssey ACE.

Set within the same world as the popular Ragnarok Online MMO, Ragnarok Odyssey originally released back in 2012 for the PlayStation Vita, giving players a light monster hunting experience to plow through on the go. You operate out of a hub village where you can change your equipment, forge new gear, chat up the locals and accept quests in either single or multiplayer lobbies. What set RO apart from the pack was the ability to change your class simply by changing your outfit, making it easier than ever to specialize your abilities to the enemies you wold be facing. Killing enemies could also grant you a card, each one offering special perks that you could mix and match to your liking.

Battles were what you would expect out of a hunting game. Players ran around in sectioned off maps brutalizing enemies and occasionally squaring off against massive enemies that required specialized tactics in order to reach their higher limbs. Unlike a lot of hunting games, RO wasn't gritty or realistic, but rather bright, colorful and fun.

Now the updated version of the game, ACE is ready to roll, and it's arriving on both the PS3 and Vita this time around, going for $39.99. The physical Vita version will come with a bonus 25-song soundtrack and, if you decide to go digital on the PSV, you'll get it at a discounted $34.99.

Above, XSEED has also released a new trailer for Ragnarok Odyssey: ACE, showing off some of the enemies you'll be facing and new abilities that have been added since the last outing. You also get a look at some of the new levels and missions. I'd say that the new trailer paints a much darker tone than what you'll typically experience in the game, perhaps in order to appeal more to an American audience. Also, the footage ain't exactly pretty, which certainly isn't the case in the actual game. I don't know if these are stretched Vita images or what, but RO always struck me as being one of the better looking Vita games.

Launching on two consoles, ACE will also allow for cross-platform play, meaning that Vita and PS3 gamers will be able to experience the action from their respective consoles as one big battling group. That's a feature I'd love to see in all cross-platform games, so hopefully ACE pulls it off nicely.

For more info on Ragnarok Odyssey: ACE, visit the game's official Facebook page. Otherwise, look for it on the PS3 and Vita April 1.