Development Complete On Namco Bandai's 'SAINT SEIYA: THE HADES'
Second PlayStation®2 Fighter from the Seminal Japanese Manga and Anime Set for 29th September Release Across Europe
LYON, FRANCE - 14 September 2006 - Atari today announced that development is complete on SAINT SEIYA: THE HADES from NAMCO BANDAI Games for PlayStation®2 and the game has gone gold. Published by NAMCO BANDAI Games and distributed in Europe by Atari, SAINT SEIYA: THE HADES is scheduled for release across Europe on 29th September 2006.
Following the release of Saint Seiya, Knights of the Zodiac: The Sanctuary in 2005, NAMCO BANDAI have brought a wealth of new elements and enhancements to the fighting systems of SAINT SEIYA: THE HADES to present a game truly worthy of the seminal manga and anime. Boasting a story from the most widely acclaimed chapter of the saga, plus an overdose of innovative features designed to bring players closer than ever to the universe of mind-blowing 3D Cosmo battles, SAINT SEIYA: THE HADES offers something special for all fans of anime and fighting games.
The chapter of Saint Seiya on which the game is based, SAINT SEIYA: THE HADES, was only recently made into an anime television series and has been hailed by many fans as the greatest chapter in the saga. The game is based largely on the original manga with cut scenes taken from the anime. The story takes place as the Specters, thanks to the awakening of Hades, begin to claim back their powers after being restrained for 243 years by Athena's might. It is the player's destiny to do battle with the supreme commander of Hell and his armies to overcome the impending devastation.
SAINT SEIYA: THE HADES features technically dazzling rapid-fire battles employing a wealth of new range attacks, counter-attacks and blistering combos on a massive battle stage. The fighting has been tuned throughout to give the player thrilling and dynamic battles where one right or wrong move can have catastrophic consequences. The enhanced Cosmo system lets players make the most of the new special attacks to inflict massive damage on their opponent.
SAINT SEIYA: THE HADES is scheduled for release on PlayStation 2 across Europe on 29th September 2006, in advance of the Japanese launch. For further information about Atari's entire product line up visit www.atari.com.
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About NAMCO BANDAI Games Inc.
NAMCO BANDAI Games Inc. is an interactive entertainment software publisher and developer with head offices in Tokyo, Japan.
On March 31, 2006, Bandai Co., Ltd. and NAMCO LIMITED implemented a management integration to form NAMCO BANDAI Games Inc. This step was taken to compete more effectively on the global stage in the fast-changing entertainment industry and to deliver further growth.
The resulting NAMCO BANDAI Group is a global entertainment group involved in business fields ranging from toys, amusement facilities, video game software and visual software, to apparel, sundries and network content.
As previous separate entities (Namco Ltd. and Bandai Co., Ltd.) the companies were each known for creating some of the industry's top video game franchises including: Tamagotchi, TEKKEN, SOULCALIBUR, Pac-Man, Digimon, RIDGE RACER, Time Crisis and ACE COMBAT.
About Infogrames Entertainment and Atari
Infogrames Entertainment (IESA), the parent company of the Atari Group, is listed on the Paris Euronext stock exchange (ISIN code: FR-0000052573) and has two principal subsidiaries: Atari Europe, a privately-held company, and Atari, Inc., a United States corporation listed on NASDAQ (ATAR).
The Atari Group is a major international producer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment software for all market segments and in all existing game formats (Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony) and on CD-ROM for PC. Its games are sold in more than 60 countries.
The Atari Group's extensive catalogue of popular games is based on original franchises (Driver, Alone in the Dark, V-Rally, Test Drive, Roller Coaster Tycoon, etc.) and international licenses (Matrix, Dragon Ball Z, Dungeons & Dragons, etc.).
For more information: http://www.atari.com
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® 2006 NAMCO BANDAI Games Inc.
Published by NAMCO BANDAI Games Europe S.A.S.
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