Reiji & Xiaomu (Namco x Capcom)
Project X Zone co-developer Monolith Soft isn't new to this whole crossover RPG business: X Zone serves as something of a follow-up to 2005's Japan-only PS2 title, Namco x Capcom. PXZ's final team, Reiji Arisu and Xiaomu, serve as the missing link between the two titles. The two were Namco x Capcom's protagonists, created specially for that title. Here's hoping the awkward relationship between the two--Xiaomu is some 730 years older than Reiji, yet still kind of fancies him--carries over to the new title.
That's all Project X Zone's team units: keep reading to see Support characters from Ghosts 'n Goblins, Rival Schools and more...
Lady (Devil May Cry)/Arthur (Ghosts 'n Goblins)
The imaginatively-named Lady serves as a recurring sidekick for Dante within the Devil May Cry series, starting with her appearance in Devil May Cry 3. It's in that game when she establishes herself as having provided the series' title through a throwaway observation she made about Dante. You're welcome, continuity-nerds!
If Lady's appearances are mysterious and fleeting, Arthur the Brave Knight is front, center, and has nothing to hide. The (sometimes) boxers-sporting crusader has been battling his way through demon-infested graveyards and monsters' bellies since before many of you were born. Based on how incredibly tough his games are, he's got to be one of the toughest guys in the game.
Batsu (Rival Schools)/Juri (Street Fighter IV)
Rival Schools hero Batsu Ichimonji has served in more than his share of crossover titles, with the team-up-happy developers at Capcom sticking him into anything with a Vs in the title. Here he serves in a solo support capacity, a role he earlier played in Capcom vs SNK 2: Millionaire Fighting 2001.
Juri Han, meanwhile, appeared as recently as Super Street Fighter IV and quickly established herself as a fan favorite to rival series mainstay Chun-Li, appearing in Street Fighter X Tekken alongside fellow bad-guy M. Bison. Will she reprise a playable role in later titles? Juri's still out (we're here all week, tip your server).
Ulala (Space Channel 5)/Bruno Delinger (Dynamite Deka)
Ulala is a dancing intergalactic superstar who starred in 1999 rhythm-action adventure Space Channel 5. In addition to sharing the stage with Michael Jackson (billed in-game as Space Michael), Ulala is a news reporter that use her style, grace, and laser pistol to halt alien invasions.
How many video game crossovers guest star Bruce Willis? We're betting only Project X Zone. Bruno Delinger, star of 1997 Saturn action game Dynamite Deka, is clearly inspired by Willis, or at least developed with clear reference to the Die Hard actor. Ultimately Bruno appeared as John McClane in the game's English-language release Die Hard Arcade.
Tron Bonne & Servbots (Mega Man Legends)/Devilotte (Cyberbots)
Tron Bonne is an antagonist in the Mega Man Legends franchise, and even starred in her own spin-off. There, as in PXZ, she besieged opponents with Servbots, which non-Mega Man fans might recognize as one of Frank West's costumes in Dead Rising. Tron and her LEGO-ish bots hung out with her pirate family whenever she wasn't antagonizing Mega Man Volnutt.
Princess Devilotte de Deathsatan IX, meanwhile, is also a pirate's daughter, and also originated in the mid-90s, through Tech Romancer predecessor Cyberbots: Full Metal Madness. It's far more likely you know her from guest appearances in titles like Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo and Marvel vs Capcom.
Bahn (Fighting Vipers)/Vashyron (Resonance of Fate)
Bahn, self-styled Genghis Bahn III, was second lead in the second most popular polygon-based fighting title released by Sega in the mid-90s, Fighting Vipers. If you missed it in the '90s, it's worth looking up the recent rerelease for PSN and XBLA.
The roguish Vashyron was second lead in 2010's Resonance of Fate, voiced by Nolan North in the English-language versions of the game. As you might expect, he's nearly as dashing, rugged, and good with a gun as his voice brother Nathan Drake.
Imca (Valkyria Chronicles III)/Rikiya Busujima (Zombie Revenge)
Imca takes a solo support role here, though she's a co-lead in Valkyria Chronicles III alongside Kurt and Riela. A heavy weapons specialist, Imca reprises the position in Project X Zone, which is obvious based on the incredibly heavy weapon she's carrying in the above picture.
Rikiya also takes a supporting role here, unlike the lead role he played in 1999's lesser known Dreamcast beat 'em up Zombie Revenge. Still, that game was a tougher, punchier spinoff of House of the Dead, so this appearance is arguably a step up for him.
Flynn (Tales of Vesperia)/Valkyrie (The Adventure of Valkyrie)
Flynn may be rough when you first meet him in Tales of Vesperia, but he eventually became one of the most popular characters in the series. A longtime friend of Vesperia and PXZ co-star Yuri, Flynn is a skilled knight that knows how to use magic in a pinch.
Valkyrie is one of Project X Zone's most senior characters, having originated in Namco's Japan-only NES title, Valkyrie no Bken: Toki no Kagi Densetsu. The Zelda-esque battler saw similarly untranslated sequels on PC Engine (the Japanese TG-16) and SNES. The character has also appeared in numerous Namco titles since, including cameos in the Tales and Soul series.
Alisa/Heihachi (Tekken)
Like the Jin/Ling Xiaoyu team, the solo cast also includes two stars of Tekken's massive roster, Alisa Boskonovitch and Jin's grandfather Heihachi Mishima. Heihachi has been with the series since the first title, appearing as both a boss and playable character at various points. He's mostly known for his cruelty and love of throwing family members off mountains.
Alisa, meanwhile, didn't appear until relatively recently--2008's Tekken 6: Bloodline Rebellion--but her fresher pedigree is offset by the decision on the part of her designers to skip the character development and go straight to the bit where you design a peppy young cyborg with chainsaws on her arms.
Sanger Zonvolt (Super Robot Wars: Original Generations)/Lindow Amamiya (God Eater)
Sanger Zonvolt, the self-proclaimed sword that smites evil, begins PXZ as your rival and wields a weapon known as the (aptly named) Colossal Blade. Eventually he joins your team and adds his huge, demon-killing weapon to your arsenal of massive armaments.
Meanwhile, Lindow Amamiya--the third God Eater cast member in PXZ--wields a Long Blade. Despite the name, it's not even that big compared to most Project X Zone weapons. Perhaps that's why he's merely a support character.
Shadow of the Colossus' epic battles get an action-RTS remix in this open-world game about defending an ever-growing tower built on top of a friendly giant
Don't worry, the Manor Lords dev is still working on the city builder RTS despite silence as of late: "Nothing 'cool' sadly but still it's hard work that's needed"
