Arc The Lad: End Of Darkness Goes Gold

Namco Hometek Inc. today announced that Arc The Lad: End of Darkness has gone gold for the PlayStation2. The first title in the Arc The Lad series to feature real-time combat, End of Darkness allows players to engage in epic clashes in a massive and detailed game world alone or with friends, in the game's story mode or in online cooperative or competitive multiplayer modes. Planned for release in June 2005, Arc The Lad: End of Darkness is rated "T" for Teen by the ESRB.

Arc The Lad: End of Darkness takes place five years after the events of the acclaimed Arc The Lad: Twilight of the Spirits. Young warrior Edda's life is forever changed when he meets the mysterious Kirika. Players will embark on an epic journey through the most evil-infested areas of the world, utilizing powerful weaponry and magic to avert the threat, unlocking 24 playable characters from the Arc The Lad series in the process. Players can then take the adventure online, battling competitively with up to seven other players in Match Mode, or teaming up with three other combatants in Co-op Mode to proceed through quests, defeat powerful enemies and collect cards for items and rare equipment while upgrading their character.

"Arc The Lad: End of Darkness reinvents this distinguished RPG series with real-time combat, online gameplay and a massive collection of playable characters," said Jeff Lujan, Business Unit Director at Namco Hometek Inc. "With an unprecedented amount of content to fight, acquire and explore, the game offers a complete role-playing experience to both seasoned warriors and new recruits eager to join the quest."