Official PR - Level-5 releases Liberation Maiden in North America

SANTA MONICA, CA (Oct. 25, 2012) – Renowned Japanese video game company LEVEL-5, best known for the Professor Layton video game series, has released critically acclaimed sci-fi shooter LIBERATION MAIDEN via the Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS™. LIBERATION MAIDEN was previously released only in Japan as part of GUILD01, a multi-game pack featuring masterworks by some of the industry’s most respected game creators.

“LEVEL-5 is proud to bring LIBERATION MAIDEN to North America and introduce SUDA51’s vision and innovation to an entirely new audience,” said Akihiro Hino, President and CEO of LEVEL-5. “LIBERATION MAIDEN delivers the AAA quality in design, story and gameplay that gamers typically expect of a high-priced boxed product but delivers it through the downloadable platform.”

LIBERATION MAIDEN is a full-scale 3D sci-fi shooter created by critically acclaimed developer Goichi Suda, better known as SUDA51, from Grasshopper Manufacture, creators of fan-favorites Lollipop Chainsaw, No More Heroes, Shadows of the Damned and many more. Set 100 years in the future in New Japan, LIBERATION MAIDEN puts players in the role of Shoko Ozora, piloting a humanoid robot called Kamui. The game brings AAA production values to the downloadable market in an unprecedented collaboration of all-star creators in music, art, and design, including breathtaking animation by the acclaimed animation studio, bones.

“The concept of LIBERATION MAIDEN originated from discussions I had with Akihiro Hino about collaborating on an innovative game based on new ideas,” said Goichi Suda (SUDA51), CEO of Grasshopper Manufacture. “I took the project very seriously and ended up creating a full-scale 3D shooting game. I think it turned out to be a fun game and we’re excited to have you check it out.”

LIBERATION MAIDEN is now available in North America via the Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS™ for $7.99 (USD). The game previously released in Europe on October 4. More information on LIBERATION MAIDEN can be found online at http://level5ia.com/blackbox/liberation-maiden/.

Two additional games from the ground-breaking Japanese-only GUILD01 multi-game pack -- AERO PORTER and CRIMSON SHROUD -- will be released in North America later this year. For more information about LEVEL-5 and each of its upcoming titles, please visit http://level5ia.com/blackbox/.