Black Rock Shooter aims for Western release

NIS America is primarily known for its localized Japanese role-playing games, but the publisher's latest announced title is Black Rock Shooter: The Game, which happens to be a Japanese role-playing game.

NIS America has acquired the license to publish Image Epoch's PSP RPG Black Rock Shooter: The Game in North America and Europe. Black Rock Shooter is based on the anime of the same name, but it is actually set in a different universe. The game boasts character designs by Huke and cutscenes by animation studio Ufotable, which has also worked on God Eater Burst and the upcoming Tales of Xillia RPG.

Set roughly 20 years in the future, Black Rock Shooter imagines an Earth that has been at war with aliens for decades, with humanity literally on its last legs. With just a dozen humans left on the planet, a battle android named BRS is activated in a final attempt to save the species.

Image Epoch is perhaps best known for its Luminous Arc series of DS role-playing games. However, Western gamers may also know the portable specialist from the DS RPG Sands of Destruction, or its lone console effort, last year's Arc Rise Fantasia for the Wii.

There is no release window for Black Rock Shooter in Western markets as of yet, but NIS America has said that will be announced in the near future.