Square Enix Action-RPG NIER Arrives at Retail Stores

LOS ANGELES, April 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Square Enix, Inc., the publisher of SQUARE ENIX® interactive entertainment products in North America, announced that the highly-anticipated Action-RPG NIER™ is now available at North American retailers nationwide for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20030403/SQUARELOGO)

NIER presents the despairing story of a world afflicted by an apocalyptic plague and a father's desperation to protect his daughter from the dark denizens of this frightening future. Armed with mighty weapons and powerful magic, players take control of the title character, Nier, as he battles alongside formidable allies against waves of enemies and giant bosses in an effort to discover the truth about the plague, his daughter…and himself.

"NIER's unusual characters, mesmerizing storyline and engaging Action-RPG gameplay have tantalized gamers for months leading up to today's release," said Ami Blaire, Vice President, Marketing of Square Enix, Inc. "What exactly is the Black Scrawl? Who is this Shadowlord? And, what role will Nier play in his world's eventual salvation…or destruction? Now gamers can finally sink their teeth into the finished product, and uncover the countless intriguing mysteries that this game has to offer."

About NIER

The latest offering from the RPG-masters at Square Enix, NIER is an Action-RPG that blends traditional RPG gameplay mechanics with intense, bloody combat and powerful magic to create an action-packed single-player experience where players explore and discover a future lost to a shadowy past.

Developed by cavia inc., NIER delivers on Square Enix's renowned pedigree for creating unique storylines coupled with deep character development – a pedigree that has kept gamers around the world enraptured for decades.

FEATURES:

• Utilize more than 30 weapons, including quick one-handed blades, powerful two-handed swords and far-reaching spears as well as hand-to-hand combat techniques to vanquish hordes of enemies
• Cast dozens of powerful offensive and defensive magic spells, including Dark Execution, Dark Hand and Dark Wall to supplement your martial skills
• Discover more than a hundred mysterious Words throughout the game, and attach them to the names of Nier's weapons and spells to gain significant enhancements and new abilities
• Fight alongside and interact with several companions throughout your adventures, including the enigmatic Kaine and the dry-witted Grimoire Weiss
• Interact with dozens of NPCs, including shop owners and quest givers.  Purchase new weapons, crafting supplies as well as city and adventure maps.  Discover dozens of side quests and secondary storylines throughout the world

NIER is rated M (Mature). Please visit the Entertainment Software Rating Board website at www.esrb.org for more information about ratings.  NIER is now available for the PlayStation 3 system and Xbox 360 at North American retailers nationwide for the suggested retail price of $59.99.  

For more information about NIER, please visit the game's official Web site at http://www.NIERGame.com.  Stay up-to-date with the latest screenshots, videos and breaking news by becoming a fan on the official NIER Facebook page, at http://www.facebook.com/NIERGame.

About Square Enix Co., Ltd. and Square Enix, Inc.

Square Enix Co., Ltd. (Square Enix), with headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, develops, publishes and distributes entertainment content including interactive entertainment software and publications in Asia, North America, and Europe. Square Enix brings two of Japan's best-selling franchises - FINAL FANTASY®, which has sold over 96 million units worldwide, and DRAGON QUEST®, which has sold over 53 million units worldwide - under one roof. Square Enix is one of the most influential providers of digital entertainment content in the world and continues to push the boundaries of creativity and innovation.

Square Enix, Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd. with offices in Los Angeles, California. It handles operations in North America, including development, localization, marketing and publishing of Square Enix titles. More information on Square Enix can be found on the Internet at http://www.square-enix.com.

© 2010 SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD.  All Rights Reserved.  Developed by cavia inc.

DRAGON QUEST, FINAL FANTASY, SQUARE ENIX and the SQUARE ENIX logo are registered trademarks of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd. in the United States and/or other countries. NIER is a trademark of Square Enix Co., Ltd. "PlayStation" is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Microsoft, Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox LIVE and the Xbox logos are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies and are used under license from Microsoft. Facebook is a registered trademark of Facebook, Inc.

SOURCE Square Enix, Inc.