Image Epoch’s upcoming PSP RPG Black Rock Shooter: The Game has had its official website spit-shined, and now, it includes what will be the game’s opening video.
Don’t let the name fool you, this is an RPG, not a shooter. The “shooter” in the title is there because it is based on an anime series called Black Rock Shooter, not because of its gameplay. Among the bits of imagery added to the website — which was previously just a splash page — is the announcement that for every digital copy sold, developer Image Epoch will donate 500 yen (about $6 US) to the Japanese disaster relief fund. The company also ran this same charitable service with Final Promise Story.
The aforementioned opening FMV is here:
The song over the video is “No Scared” by Japanese rock band One OK Rock. In a co-promotion with the game, the single goes on sale in Japan on July 20, about a month before the game arrives on August 25.
Last December, Nippon Ichi Software America proudly announced an alliance with Image Epoch and declared that it would be using its localization powers to bring a few Image Epoch games overseas, similar to what the company does with Gust titles (see: the Atelier series). However, since that announcement so many months ago, there hasn’t been a single announcement of any Image Epoch games coming stateside — not even Final Promise Story, which was already given an English title and hit Japan with big success. Some thought that NIS America’s press event last month would be the best place to find such revelations, but no Image Epoch titles were among the announcements made.
