Level 5, the Japanese indie developer and publisher who had a hand in the Dark Cloud, Dragon Quest, and Professor Layton series alike, is back with their new RPG, Fantasy Life. The game was recently announced for a European release for the 3DS and 2DS, Sept. 26 of this year. But the game isn’t as new as it may seem for gamers outside of Japan. Fantasy Life saw its debut in Japan back in 2012, and eventually went on to sell out of all physical copies of the game.
Fantasy Life has a considerable focus on connecting and cooperating, within its community of players. One feature that is brandished is “Link Mode.” Players visit an office (Guild Office) in one of the game’s towns (Castele) and can interact with friends also currently playing the game. The feature enables messaging and the offering of tips to other players. It also features the ability to share achievements with others, who can “applaud” said achievements, somewhat like the “like” button on the social media entity Facebook. In-game screenshots are also available to snap and share.
To further add to the community features in Fantasy Life, players can connect via local or online connection to experience the diverse landscapes and environments of the game together. In-game activities, such as hunting or scavenging, can be done with a friend and are supplemented by a chat feature. Trading of items and goods is another available amenity of the RPG.
Is that good for communal connectivity? Yeah? No, stop it, it’s not. Fantasy Life features StreetPass compatability, a feature exclusive to Nintendo’s 3DS and 2DS handheld systems. Players who pass each other in the realm of reality may appear in their respective games as citizens. Forming companionship with the player’s avatars can lead to attaining new items.
Below, is a trailer from 2013 that was shown at the E3 gaming convention. For additional detail on Fantasy Life, check out the game’s page on the Nintendo website.