Three new Fullmetal Alchemist games announced

TOKYO--According to the Square Enix-published Monthly Gangan magazine, three new Fullmetal Alchemist titles are currently in development--two for the PlayStation 2 and one for the Game Boy Advance.

The first PS2 title is Fullmetal Alchemist 2: Akaki Elixir no Akuma, which translates into English as "Fullmetal Alchemist: The Demon of the Red Elixir." The sequel to Fullmetal Alchemist and the Broken Angel, Akaki Elixir no Akuma will put players in the role of Edward Elric, who has the ability to turn everyday objects into weapons, such as a cannon or a large sword. The player is assisted by Edward's younger brother Alphonse, who is controlled by the computer artificial intelligence and can be given orders.

One of the biggest changes in Akaki Elixir no Akuma is that the game will be cel-shaded, making its graphics look more similar to the anime series. Akaki Elixir no Akuma will take place after Fullmetal Alchemist's first episode, but it will not follow the original storyline. Two new characters will play a key role in the game--a man named Crawly (who's known as the "Silver Bullet Alchemist") and a young lady named Elma. As of yet, no release date or price has been announced for Fullmetal Alchemist 2: Akaki Elixir no Akuma. For images of the game, check out the official teaser site that opened today.

The second PS2 title for Fullmetal Alchemist is a Super Smash Brothers-style game where players fight each other in a two-on-two battle. Published by Bandai and developed by Eighting, the game does not have an official title yet. What's known about the game is that players can fight using different characters in the Fullmetal Alchemist series. Confirmed to be in the game so far are Edward Elric (Fullmetal Alchemist), Alphonse Elric, Major Alex Louis Armstrong (Strong-Armed Alchemist), and Colonel Roy Mustang (Flame Alchemist). Players in the game fight against the opposing team by using physical attacks and alchemist techniques, such as creating weapons and cages. No release date or price has been set for the title.

Bandai will also be releasing a second Fullmetal Alchemist RPG on the GBA, titled Fullmetal Alchemist: Omoide no Sonata, which translates to "Fullmetal Alchemist: Sonata of Memories" in English. Similar to Fullmetal Alchemist: Meisou on Rondo, the game follows an all-new storyline and uses a card battle system. One of the new features of the game will be its addition of party member Winry Rockbell, a female mechanic who has known the Elric brothers since childhood. Fullmetal Alchemist: Omoide no Sonata is scheduled for release on July 22 at the retail price of 5,040 yen.