Level-5, the developer responsible for a variety of games including the upcomingProfessor Layton and the New World of Steam, has announced an event it will hold next month. The announcement comes as good news for anyone who might have felt badly aboutLevel-5’s diminished output in more recent years.
Level-5’s output dates back toDark Cloud, an action-RPG published on PlayStation 2 by Sony in 2000. Level-5 followed up that game with a sequel, then joined Enix in development ofDragon Quest 8: Journey of the Cursed Kingbefore returning to its own projects. In 2007, it releasedProfessor Layton and the Curious Village, a puzzle/adventure game that started a franchise that continues to this day. Its output increased dramatically from that point on, with games in multiple franchises arriving in the West to a generally favorable response. Level-5 also tried its hand at publishing in North America, but met with limited success and eventually retreated from the region. This month,Level-5 staged a comeback at the Nintendo Directthat has been a long time coming.
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According to a tweet, Level-5 plans to announce new products in its Level-5 Vision 2023 event, to be held online on March 9. The event will be broadcast in Japanese, but with English and traditional Chinese subtitles available. Although Level-5 hasn’t localized most of its output since 2018, online job listings suggestLevel-5 wants to expand globallyonce again. With that effort apparently underway, it’s possible the March stream will include additional console and PC releases for an audience outside Japan.
Whether new game announcements come this March or not, Level-5 has already announcedDeca Policeis coming to Switch this year. That title looks to combine puzzle solving with traditional RPG gameplay, and it wasn’t the only new release revealed in Nintendo’s recent Direct showcase. AnotherFantasy Lifetitle is also on its way, which should please fans who have been hoping for a proper follow-up since the original title made its debut on 3DS way back in 2012.
Level-5 has produced games with broad appeal for some time, from itsProfessor Laytongames to itsYo-kai Watchseries, along with fan favorites developed for other publishers, such asNi no Kunigames. Its attempt to return to the world stage once again in 2023 comes as a welcome surprise to fans who have missed the developer’s presence, and the March event is one they will want to watch closely as Level-5 charts a course for the remainder of 2023 and beyond.Level-5 teased a new IP, and it’s not clear yet whetherDeca Policeis that new IP, or if another unfamiliar property is about to materialize. With any luck, the newest attempt will allow it to establish a firmer foothold around the world and continue to delight the world with its unique brand of interactive entertainment.
